The "Final" Product, 110 LA .223

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Well, I Think I'm done tinkering, modifying, pulling my hair out etc, for now..., Here are some pics folks!

Before we get TOO excited- these groups are 50 yards. A severe storm was coming and I knew I wouldn't have time to go to 100 yards, so after sighting in I shot these groups. Hope to get back out today or tomorrow. These are both well under .5".

Brian

All the cool kids have 223s on long actions.

Is yours mag fed or single shot?

Too many photos for that post- heres the last one. Hornady "Zombie" Max ammo. in the pic in first post. The same as their other with normal colored tip- but a buck less (?) This group with American Eagle 50 Gr. "Tipped" ammo.

Brian

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/...TimeOut002.jpg

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Originally Posted by BoilerUP

All the cool kids have 223s on long actions.

Is yours mag fed or single shot?

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That's right Baby!:cool: It's stagger feed / blind mag. Brian

I guess I should post the "specs" on my baby too. This is my first bolt action in a LOOONG time. Savage 110, LA, Stagger Feed, early 90s manufacture. .223 heavy barrel (measures 1.09" at receiver, .799" at muzzle). Harris Bipod(s) 9-13" in pics, also have a 13"-25". Nikon Prostaff 4-12x40 Scope. Boyds stock, aftermarket bolt handle thanks to great forum members(!). Also replaced the extractor, ejector and springs, ss trigger guard from Brownells. OH- Burris Sig. Zee rings with inserts.

I'm looking for a sunshade but everyone is out of the Prostaff, so I ordered a Dvorak from their company directly. VERY friendly mom and pop organization- they sell "slip-on" sunshades, some kind of semi-ridged rubber material. Don't look too great but apparently do the job and for $13.00 shipped...I'll let you all know! Dvorak is located near Williamsport Pa.

Brian

Way to go Brian! Only problem you might have is if you miss something ain't no excuses!

Nice looking rig Brian
Welcome to the sickness!
Jack

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Originally Posted by wbm

Way to go Brian! Only problem you might have is if you miss something ain't no excuses!

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So any mistakes are "operator error? Sigh...well, I resemble that remark! ALSO thank you so much for your help!! Brian

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Originally Posted by JW

Nice looking rig Brian
Welcome to the sickness!
Jack

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Thanks Bro! Nice looking bolt handle, eh? You are of of the folks I owe this success too! PM headed your way! Brian

It's nice, but the bolt handle is on the wrong side.

Nice rig!

I reckon the Shade is a must on those Nikons.

I have a few of them, and have had a couple of BuckMaster Scopes too and they all benefit from the Shade...

That Bolt handle is awesome, where did you get that? and, I have just ordered the extractor from sss but where did you get the springs?

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Originally Posted by SlimySquirrel

Nice rig!

I reckon the Shade is a must on those Nikons.

I have a few of them, and have had a couple of BuckMaster Scopes too and they all benefit from the Shade...

That Bolt handle is awesome, where did you get that? and, I have just ordered the extractor from sss but where did you get the springs?

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Got the bolt handle through our classifieds from our fellow member JW (I hope I'm allowed to say that?!). I remember him saying he wasn't sure at the time where he had gotten it. The extractor from forum member also; the ejector and springs through Natchez (its the "enhanced" version with the small "rod" on one end to assist with keeping the spring from kinking). Trigger guard from Brownells.

Re the sunshade; yeah, I shoot at a local "gamelands" range a lot, and during the spring and summer there is no-one there in the early morning hours; however the sun is coming up and it's situated that it produces glare on the scope. Just enough to be a distraction. I know some don't like the Nikon Prostaffs but the two I have are extremely clear and work very well for me, in use and monetarily too! If I have any "complaint", its that the recticle on the 4-12x40 is a little thick, but I knew that going in and someday my dream is to get a Vortex Viper with thinner stadia (?)/ crosshair.

Thanks for the kind words SlimySquirrel! Brian

In my initial post pictures keep disappearing. I'm thinking now that it might be they are too "Large"? Can anyone please tell me what size to make 'em? I have photobucket and I do edit them, but I guess not enough. If someone can tell me the size they need to be; photobucket displays something like "560x400" for example and then you can change it. I'm not even sure what that means, but I usually change it to like 340x260 (approx.). Thanks for any guidance! Brian

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Originally Posted by geargrinder

It's nice, but the bolt handle is on the wrong side.

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LOL my lovely wife, a "leftie" always reminds me that left handed folks are in their "right" mind....

Brian

bolt handle looks like the one SSS sells. Nice rifle!

Well after scratching my head for a while and searching around I found that the bolt handle is a Stockade that I got from a forum member here

Thanks
Jack

Aaah, thanks for the info fellas!

Vortex you say? I was heading down the same road but after some research the Sightron SIII fitted my needs better!

I have a Rig to put together my self when I get home in 6 weeks time so I'm hoping it looks as good and shoots as good as yours!

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Originally Posted by SlimySquirrel

Aaah, thanks for the info fellas!

Vortex you say? I was heading down the same road but after some research the Sightron SIII fitted my needs better!

I have a Rig to put together my self when I get home in 6 weeks time so I'm hoping it looks as good and shoots as good as yours!

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I'm sure it will, Bro! Don't forget to post pics! I've never looked through a Sightron..I'll have to check it out. Its gonna be a while, next year probably, before I can think about a new scope. In the meantime I'll be looking. With all the gunshops around here I'm pretty sure I'll fine someone that has a selection on hand.

Where is "home" SlimyS? Brian

Home is NZ.
We have the luxury of Suppressors and no snakes. Makes for quiet safe shooting!

Draw backs are that its become expensive to live here and Rifle stuff costs a bomb... When we can get it.

Had a peep through a sightron and vortex side by side. Preferred the Sightron and the price was very attractive.

I slip home through Southern Cali so I collect some bits on my way through.

nice rifle........that pattern is gonna go from .5 to 1 @ 100.......still pretty darn good if you ask me.
I like the wood grain along with the raised cheek rest....nice

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Originally Posted by eddiesindian

nice rifle........that pattern is gonna go from .5 to 1 @ 100.......still pretty darn good if you ask me.
I like the wood grain along with the raised cheek rest....nice

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You know, I thought so too. But for some reason or other, and its always been like this for me, I do better at 100 yds than at 50. I think its a concentration thing...

Anyway, I was out again today at 100 yards. Took our friends and their kids out for their first shooting experiences; 11 year old young lady and 8 year old boy, at 50 yards with my MKII. The girl shot .75-.880 groups. The young fella, not able to shoulder the rifle on the bench, was happy to pop some baloons! Gonna post pics- the smiles on their faces were PRICELESS!

My smile was ear to ear too- measuring the groups with a digital caliper outside edge to outside edge then subtracting the bullet diameter my WORST 3 shot group at 100 yards with my .223 was .496! Best was .169, and having six rounds of the varmint ammo left, I shot a six round group at .385! I AM VERY HAPPY!

This was off the bench, Harris Bi-Pod and rear bag. I was "locked in" pretty well..not as well as a lead sled but pretty close :thumb:

Will post range pics over the weekend here or latest Monday.

Brian

Man, sounds like its a fine little shooter!

I like the Grouping from a Bi-pod and rear bag as I find it close to what I would use in the field... Most of the time I'm taking the longer shot so a Rear bag is used but not every time so it helps to know how it shoots (How I shoot) with the bag under there instead of locked into a sled.

5 weeks until I hit the "States" and counting!!

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Originally Posted by SlimySquirrel

Man, sounds like its a fine little shooter!

I like the Grouping from a Bi-pod and rear bag as I find it close to what I would use in the field... Most of the time I'm taking the longer shot so a Rear bag is used but not every time so it helps to know how it shoots (How I shoot) with the bag under there instead of locked into a sled.

5 weeks until I hit the "States" and counting!!

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Thanks- I couldn't be happier! Well...I could be, say, if I had unlimited ammo...;)

Have a great time on your visit! Must be a HECK of a plane ride...
Brian

Thanks Brian... 12 hours it is!

With 2 Kids as well... been doing it for 15 years so they go pretty fast now... 12 hours to LA, 10 Hours Home.. Give or take depending on the winds of course but it usually works out to be 22 hours total one way or the other!

Your thread has inspired some purchasing.. just got this after viewing your rifle again! I'll start a new thread called "Inspired by the Silver Crow"... haha ...enjoy your shooting mate!
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Originally Posted by SlimySquirrel

Thanks Brian... 12 hours it is!

With 2 Kids as well... been doing it for 15 years so they go pretty fast now... 12 hours to LA, 10 Hours Home.. Give or take depending on the winds of course but it usually works out to be 22 hours total one way or the other!

Your thread has inspired some purchasing.. just got this after viewing your rifle again! I'll start a new thread called "Inspired by the Silver Crow"... haha ...enjoy your shooting mate!
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WHOA! That is SWEET! Definitely keep us posted as it progresses!

I'd be HONORED to inspire in such a way! Stay safe and happy my friend! Brian

Maybe this was asked somewhere else, but am curious, why a long action for the 223? Just to see if ya could?

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Originally Posted by handirifle

Maybe this was asked somewhere else, but am curious, why a long action for the 223? Just to see if ya could?

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Why NOT a long action for a 223?

One benefit of a 223 on a long action is if you have a 7" twist with a Wylde chamber that fits the super long 80 grain VLD bullets, you aren't limited by magazine length. Gives a lot of room to eject the long rounds if needed. I have a LA 22-250 for this reason, that and it was the action I had sitting here looking at me.

Nice rifle and great shooting!

Very nice looking rig! Is that a Boyd's Prairie Hunter Stock? Is it a factory barrel?

I cobbled this together for my boys. Using blemished 68 gr HPBTs & RL15 I am getting around an inch. With blemished 55 gr GMXs & CFE-223 just over an inch. My son is going to use the latter for deer this fall. My son's response after the first few shots, all resulting in 200 yd hits on water-filled Gatorade bottles, was "love at first shot!"

It looks a lot like yours:

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I installed a bench rest follower and disabled the ejector so it is a REAL single shot.

Always great to see kids out enjoying the "Outdoors".

Love those Boyds stocks, I was thinking of a .243 Blind Mag action in a Featherweight Stock with some kind of Fluted Sporter Barrel and a light weight Suppressor as a Deer Rifle... Feeling envious over here!

Thats a cracking wee set up for your lad to learn with and another great example of the Savage's custom side coming out!

Well done Sir!

This is my Sons first crack with his Scout, Was in an awkward position but he still did well and seemed to be pretty natural with the Rifle.
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Originally Posted by handirifle

Maybe this was asked somewhere else, but am curious, why a long action for the 223? Just to see if ya could?

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Hey Handi- No real "conscience" decision; this rifle is fairly old- early 90s manufacture. Apparently, from what I've read, back then Savage regularly made, or perhaps even exclusively made, long action receivers for "short action" calibers. So, the rifle "came this way".

Thanks Maztech for that enlightenment! I did not realize there was an actual benefit to having a LA in this caliber!

Brian

[QUOTE=efw;201778]Very nice looking rig! Is that a Boyd's Prairie Hunter Stock? Is it a factory barrel?

I cobbled this together for my boys. Using blemished 68 gr HPBTs & RL15 I am getting around an inch. With blemished 55 gr GMXs & CFE-223 just over an inch. My son is going to use the latter for deer this fall. My son's response after the first few shots, all resulting in 200 yd hits on water-filled Gatorade bottles, was "love at first shot!"

Man, I love to see young folks shooting!! Thanks to you and SlimeySquirrel for posting pics of the next gen. shooters!

Thanks for the kinds words too! It IS a Boyds stock, purchased from a forum member. Original barrel as far as I know- it is branded Savage and as stated, I've read where Savage in the 80s and at least the EARLY 90s regularly made long action receivers foor short action calibers.

I love tis gun; got it for a good price, put a lot of effort into it and it shoots sweet!

Brian

I like it a lot!

Mine was a 270 (read: BORN TO BE A DONOR) that I got on another forum. It came with that lovely stock & an old (but beautifully reworked) trigger. I refinished the stock and put a Shaw 338-06 barrel on it which performed beautifully but was way more rifle than I needed. I sold the barrel to fund in hopes of funding a more kid friendly build. I got a Stevens 200, dies, brass and bullets here in .243 Win but that cartridge blasts like mad and kicked a bit more than I wanted. I sold that and got another Stevens 200 take-off in 223 Rem along w/ Sharp Shooter's Supply's firing pin extension, stainless nut, and one of Northland's SS ground lugs.

I am like you; long action just happened to be available. Someday I'll get a short action and do a switch barrel w/ a 24" sporter weight (what is with all the truck axels around here???) Criterion 6x45 barrel. The long action will become a 280 AI.

Both my boys have custom Mauser deer rifles, but these Savages RULE for pure FUN!

Thanks guys. Great rifles/pics all the way around!

Loving the old style, pre accutrigger flat back LA's. This one is in 22-250 and has a switch barrel .223. I use a benchrest follower for single shot so I only need to swap barrels and bolt heads.

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[QUOTE=Rifleshooter308;202220]Loving the old style, pre accutrigger flat back LA's. This one is in 22-250 and has a switch barrel .223. I use a benchrest follower for single shot so I only need to swap barrels and bolt heads.

Rifleshooter- that is one sweet rig! LOVE that stock. She looks sub-moa just sitting there...:thumb:

Brian

What's involved in converting a long action bolt head to the .223 size bolt head?

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Originally Posted by Orange_Crush

What's involved in converting a long action bolt head to the .223 size bolt head?

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Finding a factory long action 223 bolt head or buying one from PTG. Then installing it.

Hmm... That long action... Man, some long projectiles can be used there!

Really, It's the perfect Rifle.... In a few Hours you can have most calibres you need with a few switch ups here and there...

Very nice Rig, I love that Colour and that stock. Always been a fan of how it points from the Shoulder and how it feels when Prone... Not shot it "Sitting" but can imagine it can't be too far off there either!

Rs308 I agree. I really like that stock, too!

I've often thought that a factory 1-in-9" 223 Rem tube punched to 22-250 AI is about the best deal out there for an accurate, fast-stepping 22 CF!

So many ideas...