Quote Originally Posted by tammons View Post
Personally for me, I would just start off with a 223 and if you want to AI it do that later but thats me.
There are some benefits to AI but in 223 only case stretch.
If very serious target only then you will be doing a ton of brass prep anyway so fire forming may not be such a big deal.

The Sniper stock is a very heavy stock and basically a slightly reconfigured Ultimate Varmint stock.
Personally I would prefer a Choate tactical stock with the adjustable cheek rest and shoulder pad - expensive.

Midway shows the left hand 223 bolt heads in stock in mid March.

Yes machined recoil lug now.

This is what I would do....

Of course change the barrel, bolt head and magazine plus......
Machined recoil lug, SSS trigger, choate V block stock or bedded B+C medalist stock, Farrel base plate or EGW if on a budget, Top rings of some sort
and a top top scope.

I would probably build a 7 twist personally unless I was going to shoot super light bullets like 35-40 gr.
Reason for 7 twist for me would be 90 gr bergers and the 70 gr barnes TTSX.
I have never shot an 8 twist and not sure if it would shoot either super tight in 223.
I know the 90 gr berger takes a 7 twist, but no huge advantage in 223 or an 80 gr bullet so....

My 2 tightest shooting rifles have been.....

6mmBR, as above, Shilen midway barrel riding in a Choate ultimate varmint stock with a nightforce 12-42x scope. Shot 3/4" at 300 yards.

223 7 twist factory barrel Savage moded as above riding in a bedded Medalist stock with a Nikon 6-18x scope I think.
It took a long time before I got it to really dial in like 200 shots, but finally got it shooting 1/4-3/8 groups, but I could only do that with 2 bullets. 52 gr amaxes and 90 gr berger. Everything else shot about 1/2". Never could find a combo that shot like those two. All of those were with CCI BR primers and lapua brass.
Yea, I was kind of up in the air on the 223/223AI thing. Case life was my main reason for going with the AI version, but brass should be readily available again in the near future.

I just ordered this stock...
http://www.tacticalworks.com/Savage-...by-Choate.html
Maybe not the best, but it does have the V-shaped aluminum bedding block and is fairly heavy. I'll give it a try and if it does not work out replace it with something better down the road.

I really wanted the Shilen barrel, but Criterion is a branch of Krieger and I can't imagine them producing a bad barrel. Either way I only had about $700.00 to play with right now and the barrel from Shilen was about $390.00 shipped. I want to contact NSS and see if their prices are any better. Maybe even order the bolt head and recoil lug from them also.

Thanks for all the info. It is greatly appreciated!
Gary