Quote Originally Posted by jpdown View Post
I would go with the .223 Hog Hunter. IMO, you don't need a 26" barrel and the extra weight for your intended use. Take a look at the new Sightron S-TAC 3-16x42 MOA scope. You won't find another scope with better glass, fool-proof tracking, 30mm tube, tactical turrets and side focus for the money on the market today. The Burris 30mm Signature Zee rings are hard to beat. Replace the standard Accutrigger spring with a varmint/target spring ($7.00) and you can get the Accutrigger pull down to around 1.5 lbs. The factory tupperware stock that comes on the hog hunter is crap and will need to be replaced. You can always ask your local gun dealer if they will match online pricing; Buds Gun Shop ($457.00) for Hog Hunter in 223.

The picture below shows a Hog Hunter in .308 with the Sightron S-TAC 3-16x42 scope, 30mm Burris Signature Zee Rings, varmint/target Accutrigger spring and $82.00 (Numrich) Savage SA, CF, DBM factory hardwood stock. I added a 1" Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad and painted with Duracoat base coat and Krylon webbing. It has a Savage metal trigger guard and DBM frame assembly with a 10R Dark Eagle magazine. It shoots sub 0.5" groups with hand loads.

That's a fine rifle you have there, sir. Where did you get a hardwood stock for a Hog Hunter? What mods were needed to get it to accept detachable mags?

I know the B&C M40 stock is configured to accept Savage factory detachable mags, which would be fine if I was putting a 10pc in it that's already set up for that.

I'm starting to think I'm best off starting with a Hog Hunter and using the B&C M40 stock, and skip the chassis idea altogether. This seems viable as long as I can reasonably expect good accuracy from the setup relying solely on the B&C stock's aluminum bedding block. Might use the money freed up by "downgrading" to a B&C stock from an LSS chassis and get the nicer Sightron scope.

Edit: Let me add something. I've probably not been too specific on what I'm looking for, and nothing is quite so annoying as trying to help someone when they don't tell you specifically what the goal is.

What I'm trying to do is loosely (very loosely) based on the BOPR concept that came out on Sniper Central's website. You can Google "bug out precision rifle" and it should take you to the article. What I'm trying to do isn't exactly like that, but similar. I'm not looking for a light weight sporter rifle, or a heavy bench gun, but trying to fit into a sweet spot in the middle. Something with a heavy enough barrel to shoot very good groups, but not so massive you'd never should up and fire offhand.

What I'm trying to do is really similar to an SDM rifle you see implemented using the AR-15 platform. Now, I love ARs quite a bit...I just love bolt guns a little more (I find that the triggers tend to be better with bolt guns, unless you spend serious money on a Geiselle or something...and even the high end AR triggers can't compete with a Savage on lock time). So I guess in my mind what I'm envisioning is a bolt action SDM rifle. I think of it more as a skirmisher and/or general purpose survival rifle. Also seems to be similar in concept to the Scout Rifle.

The heavy profile short 20" barrel of the Hog Hunter (and the Model 10pc for that matter) fits into this concept. In 223 especially I think it makes sense. 223 / 556 does not benefit enough, velocity wise, going from 20" to 26" to justify the bulkier barrel, especially when I'm trying to be reasonably mobile. It satisfies the accuracy AND weight requirement, and further, shortish heavy barrels are usually best for good offhand shooting.