Bought a used BVSS and have a few questions...

[Pastprime]

Bought a very nice looking BVSS with a .223 Shilen like new (35 rounds) barrel and have a couple questions:

According to the serial number, G278391, it was shipped as a .308. Do I need to get a .223 magazine box or a spacer to use the magazine? It is a stagger feed. It came with a High Score follower, but I might not use it all of the time.

Looking at some of the posts here, I figure G278391 is a fairly late manufacture. Would 2007 - 2009 be about right?

Did these come from the factory with bedding pillars?

It has a Shilen drop-in Varmint taper barrel in 1/8 twist which I believe will handle fairly heavy bullets. Our range only goes to 200 so I doubt I'll shoot anything heavier than mid-60 grainers. The last Savage I had was a .22-250 and I'm kind of looking forward to shooting this one a lot without worrying about wearing out the barrel or my wallet.....

Hank

[darkker]

No they didn't come with pillars. I wouldn't change the box/ mag. Putting in the 223 version shortens the usable cartridge length, which is backwards from what you want with heavy bullets. A word of caution about that twist. Using light weight and lightly jacket varmint bullets will destroy them. Something like a Varmint Nightmare or TNT has an RPM limit around 240,000RPM, and most heavily jacket stuff like a Vmax or Blitzking are 290-320,000.

[Pastprime]

No they didn't come with pillars. I wouldn't change the box/ mag. Putting in the 223 version shortens the usable cartridge length, which is backwards from what you want with heavy bullets. A word of caution about that twist. Using light weight and lightly jacket varmint bullets will destroy them. Something like a Varmint Nightmare or TNT has an RPM limit around 240,000RPM, and most heavily jacket stuff like a Vmax or Blitzking are 290-320,000.

Thanks. I'll keep the bullet construction in mind when buying them. Probably change to a .222 sometime since that what I really wanted. 90% of my shooting will be at 100 yards and don't need the heavier bullets for that. Too good of a deal on the rifle to pass just because of the caliber though.

[GaCop]

For the distance you intend to shoot, bullets from 55 to 69 grains should serve you well.

[BowNut]

The 12BVSS I bought in 2013 had laminated stock, black forend tip, and pillars, from Savage.

[darkker]

The 12BVSS I bought in 2013 had laminated stock, black forend tip, and pillars, from Savage.

Well there is Savage for you, mine didn't.

[Maztech89]

I've also seen the BVSS stocks with factory pillars.

[limige]

mines pillared as well

[Pastprime]

mines pillared as well

The used rifle I just got has pillars, but it's hard to tell whether they were factory installed or not. Rifle was made before 2009 according to the serial number.

[GaCop]

I've also seen the BVSS stocks with factory pillars.

Ditto. My 308 had pillars. I built my son a 223 Varmint rifle using a BVSS stock three years ago. His stock has pillars. I built myself a 223 tactical rifle in April using a 24" factory barrel I bought from a forum member and used a BVSS stock I won on EBay for the princely sum of $137.00. It was hydro dipped with a camo pattern similar to the Marine Corp M-40 sniper rifle. It too has pillars.