Short Review of Rifle Basix SAV-2 Trigger in Full Custom 12FV .223
I took the plunge recently and purchased a SAV-2 from EABCO for about $150 total shipped. I had been running the stock Accutrigger turned down as far as possible for trigger pull force = 1.25 lbf. My goal was to achieve 8-10 oz., similar to what I run on my Remington actions with Timney Calvin Elite trigger systems.
Did I achieve my objective with the SAV-2? Yes, I did. Was it a simple installation? No, it was not.
The installation is challenging due to retaining the factory sear. In my opinion, the installer will need to possess above-average mechanical skills and understanding. By the end of the installation, you will fully understand how the Savage trigger system functions. I suppose this is a good thing. I used the YouTube installation video provided by Rifle Basix to guide my work. The video is fairly well done but does not exactly replicate the process required. Nonetheless, I was able to make sense of it and get the install completed. The SAV-2 trigger system does offer a myriad of adjustments (trigger pull, trigger over-travel, sear engagement, etc.). You will need to tune all of these, but I did not find this process difficult. I spent about 2 hours on the effort total. I had to perform some minor fitting/filing of my CDI trigger guard which added about 30 minutes. At the end, I achieved a very reliable 9 oz. trigger pull. It does not have quite the crisp feel of the Timney CE, but is certainly good enough. I am happy with the result. I do recommend this trigger IF you have above average mechanical aptitude and know the challenge going in. Also, a fair amount of patience is required.
