Welcome aboard :)
Check and tinker all the normal stuff before giving up on it as a shooter. If you look at it as a project it'll be a ton of fun and educational as well.
1) Is the barrel and tang free floated? If not relieve some of the material in these areas of the stock, Cost= a sheet of sandpaper.
2)Epoxy bed the action to the stock. Cost = a couple of bolts with the heads cut off, some big rubber bands, a roll of painters tape, can of shoe polish and a tube of JB weld.
3) Check to see if the trigger is a 3 screw. If so adjust it till crisp and light. If not either have it drilled and tapped for a sear adjustment screw, replace it with one that is (about $35 if you can find one) or install an aftermarket unit.
4) Add some good bases rings and optics. cost is up to you.
5) If it still wont shoot, re barrel, pick any caliber you want. just be aware that if you deviate from .223 the bolt head will have to be changed to correspond to your caliber selection. the bolt head swap is really no big deal. cost again is up to you anywhere from $35 for a used takeoff to whatever you are willing to spend on a custom tube.
6) Once you decide on a caliber then try to find a Detachable Box Mag stock and hardware to match. (the older flatback staggered feed DBMs had a few problems staying put under recoil and sometimes need a little tweaking)
If you treat this as a learning project you might be amazed what you come up with.
Here is the evolution of a plain Jane 243 model 11 very similar to yours. First to a copy of an American classic by modifying it with items obtained at a hardware store and using a plastic bucket to make white line spacers. Then on to a 16" barreled .308 knock around carbine with a shortened length of pull and DBM I put together. Most of the parts I got here in the classifieds. It was very budget friendly with the cutting crowning and threading being the only outside smithing services I needed. I still need to touch up the camo paintjob and fill in the holes where I relocated the swivel studs but it's a breeze to carry and a great shooter.
It started off looking like yours and then I first turned it into this American classic copy in .243
and then currently to this .308 carbine. the possibilitys with a Savage are nearly endless and similarly to an AR they are like Barbies for men.
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