So; earlier I posted I had settled on a .26 Nosler build; after another round of analysis and perusing the cost of ammo decided that the extra muzzle velocity and novelty weren't worth paying 2x as much per trigger pull. Feel free to laud the "I told you so's" as you see fit.
Good news is whilst purchasing some primers and various other items for the .25-06 I stumbled across a used model 10 in .243 for a pretty sweet deal so... I now have a donor rifle in hand!
Just wanted to do a quick run-down of my plans for a sanity check from the crowd who has done this before; please comment on whatever I'm missing or overlooking or things that in your experiences are going to be incompatible
-Since the donor is in .243 I can keep the same bolt face and have the option of sticking with .234 or going with a .260 Rem, .308, .7mm-08 and a few others; right now I'm between the .7mm-08 and the .260... Barrel will be one of last items ordered to give me a few extra days to mull that choice over before ordering (narrowing down barrel choices is another bag of worms too: Criterion and Shilen are currently the top runners)
-Going to replace the factory lug and barrel nut with a heavy-duty set
-Keeping factory accu-trigger
And here is where I need a good bit of help... the original stock was the cheapo hollow plastic with a blind magazine and I want the new build to have a DBM. I've been looking at stock options and bottom metal... from my research I am trying to decide between going with the factory bottom metal/DBM (not the axis-style) or something like the Accurate-Mag set up here: http://store.accurate-mag.com/savage...mmetalkit.aspx . The problem I have is I'd like to keep the rifle as much a "hunting" rifle as possible and less of a benchrest/bipod baby (primary use is going to be deer from ground blind or tree stand) and I don't want any excess magazine sticking out the bottom if I can help it. Also... trying to find a composite stock that fits the bill; pointers in the right direction will be appreciated.
So... I'll need a go/no go for the caliber chosen, barrel wrench, stock, bottom metal and magazine, lug and barrel nut, and barrel. May replace bolt handle... may not... all up in the air still. I do have bedding material and loctite... anything else I need?
