Good day every one

Long time r/f benchrest shooter here.

A little info on my background, Not quite old but getting there fast. Only hunt whitetails out of a permanent stand. Same stand for the last 22 years, has not failed to produce 2 deer a year yet. Will continue using the old flintlock or marlin 30 30 so this gun will not be used to hunt, unless groundhogs make a miraculous recovery in my area.

Benchrest: Started shooting r/f benchrest 11 years ago after heart attack, always enjoyed it but kinda stopped everything else except the deer hunting, and I have the fellow that owns the farm help me get the deer out. I shoot a Winchester 52 D heavy for target work.

Reason for this post, I am wanting to shoot a little farther than 100 yds these days, and I have a buddy that shoots the 223 for target work. He prefers highpower because he can not best me with a 22lr. Truth be known if he had a better 22 rifle he would have no problem besting me.

Need good info. Know much to nothing on the highpower side of things.

Things I want in this 223:

Heavy barrel

Wide forend stock.

Accurate to my standards, will not be used in competition just who buys the lunch thing. Would like to shoot out to 300 yd every once in awhile. Can't see that far anymore and would have to remember where I put the target. Of course I am finding out remembering is a commodity hard to come by lately also.

Not looking for a custom build, almost everything bolt together thing.

Am looking at:

Savage Model 12 Varmint Series (223 Remington 26 Inch Barrel) This would be put into a Stock's LRV model stock. This is so it will ride the bag better on my front rest.

Savage Model 11 Hog Hunter in the 223 also. I understand this one comes with a heavy/varmint barrel also, but in 20”. How much would going from the 26” to the 20” barrel hurt the accuracy? This would also be put into a Stock's LRV model stock. Would going to the model 11 action give up anything to the 12 action?

Does anyone know how wide the forend of the Stock's LRV model stock is?

On what ever gun I end up with I would be taking the Weaver T 36 off of my 52 and put it on the 223. I have a Weaver T 24 I could put on the 52.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post, and for any info you might provide.

Chuck Phelps