.223 home build done

[fastbs]

Had been wanting to play with a savage for a while to see how the whole barrel swap thing worked, and since i have also been wanting a .223 bolt gun it only seemed right to try a .223 savage.

thanks to geargrinder for turning me onto this place and words of advice

the bulid
-started with a stevens 200 7mm-08 traded a scope for
-swapped out bolt face, shroud, and extractor for .223
***quick tip: put bolt in a clear plastic bag to take extractor apart to avoid detent ball shooting across the garage*** (got that from someone after my detent ball flew away)
-Mcgowen barrel .223, #7 contour, 1:7 twist, 20" length, recessed crown
-Sharp Shooter Supply recoil lug
-3 screw savage trigger (changed the spring and adjusted nicely)
-Bell & Carlson medalist stock, sanded down forend, floated tang, and installed flush cup sling swivel studs on left side
-center feed .223 mag box to go in the stock
-oversize oe savage bolt handle
-bolt lift kit from stockade gun stocks
-Weaver ffp mil/mil 3-15x50 scope mounted with weaver 20moa base and weaver 6 screw rings.

Ordered a wheeler barrel wrench and a .223 go gauge to get the headspace right. hardest part of the whole thing was getting the factory barrel off.

[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110730_113548.jpg[/img]

Loaded up 2 10 round strings ranging from 23-25.2 grains of varget in nosler brass behind a hornady 75gr bthp.
Loaded to 1.876" length at the bullet ogive. this jumps .001" to the lands on this barrel.
Also put together a few rounds with 24 gr of varget to play with and was impressed with the results.
100 yd 7 shot groups with the 24 gr loads
left is about as fast as i could load n shoot. right i waited a minute between shots.
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110723_192237.jpg[/img]

300yd 5 shots with same load
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110723_205953.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110723_185421.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110723_174421.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110730_113624.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110730_113706.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110730_113518.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=448]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110730_113608.jpg[/img]
[img width=336 height=450]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo94/fastbs/stevens%20200%20223/IMG_20110626_154839.jpg[/img]

Only parts i'm not happy with are the weaver rings and stock. They are working fine but the top ring half seems awful flimsy and should have also put a little more time in reshaping the stock fore end. Will replace the rings sometime. Not sure if i want to reshape the stock again or get something else

The ladder test results look like 24.5gr of varget may tighten this thing up a little more and i'll play with loading for it. I'm putting a chronograph on my birthday want list if anybody wants to get me one. ;D

For it's first range trip i feel like i've accomplished something. Pretty neat being able to rebarrel a rifle in my garage.

[Salvo]

Nice work!

What other calibers and cartridges are you considering?

[fastbs]

Nice work!

What other calibers and cartridges are you considering?

Thanks for the compliment, much appreciated:)
You won't catch me swapping out everything to swap calibers after I get one set up. Seems easier and more economical to just get a second rifle or settle on a caliber and learn it well.

Wanted to experience being able to build a rifle with what i have instead of sending it all out to a gun plumber.

So far i'm very impressed with it. It's a chubby thing though, weighs in at a little more than 13lb i think.

[dcloco]

Nice build. I like the Joker on the stock.

Couple things to tighten up your groups. An FFP scope covers a lot of the target grids. Second, change to black/white targets. Color tends to blur.

[Firefighter]

That turned out "NICE" its great you can shoot the heavies with that 1:7 tw,,,,Enjoy

[lmb7784]

What height rings are those? And which model scope? Build looks nice.

[fastbs]

What height rings are those? And which model scope? Build looks nice.

Rings are lows. Midway lists the actual measurements on them. Had to trim the flip cap a little to clear the barrel; without the sun shade the flip cap fits great. I would suggest going with at least TPS rings of the close to the same measurement. It may be just that I've gotten used to more robust rings. The weavers are holding just fine. The weaver base fits good and true so I do not regret that purchase.

Scope is a weaver tactical 3-15x50 ffp mil/mil. I give it an A+. Really nice for the money hard getting used to the pull to crank turrets, but no biggie.

Nice build. I like the Joker on the stock.

Couple things to tighten up your groups. An FFP scope covers a lot of the target grids. Second, change to black/white targets. Color tends to blur.

Couple things to tighten up your groups. An FFP scope covers a lot of the target grids. Second, change to black/white targets. Color tends to blur.
[/quote]
Thanks for the tips. No probs with the reticle covering too much. I will try black n white targets. Results have been pretty steady 1" 5 shot groups but having trouble getting much better so far. Next range session I'll try a 24.5 grain charge and see if it tightens up too. May eventually bed it. Never tried bedding one myself before.

Looking forward to trying the 223 out further than 300yds. :)

[M.O.A.]

try an 80gn berger bullet the 1-7 twist might be to fast for the 75gners or try runing your 75ers faster if you can

[fastbs]

try an 80gn berger bullet the 1-7 twist might be to fast for the 75gners or try runing your 75ers faster if you can

Ha ha! I like your thinking.

[M.O.A.]

im not kidding the 1-7 twist is for the heavier bullets that being 77,80,and 90grs so take your pick and man they should be awesome down range ;D ;D ;D

oh and hornaday has 80gr amax's that sould do and there cheaper

[fastbs]

I ain't kiddin either. I like ur thinking. Amax has been golden out of my rem 700 308. Came up on a deal on a couple boxes of the 75gr hpbt so that's what iv been playin with, amaxes are on my short list.

[M.O.A.]

i shoot the hornaday 68gn bthps with great groupings out of a bone stock stevens .5 moa best and .75 average its a 1-9 twist