Any interest? Savage "Bush Carbine"
- Thread starter CanAm
- Start date
My humble suggestions...
Forget the 7.62x39 as there is already a shortage of hunting ammo in this caliber being eaten up by the surpluss in SKS in Canada.
Keep it in .308, IMHO there is not enough .308 rifles on the market.
Ghost ring sights are a huge plus in my books for a brush rifle.
At best I only put red dot sites on my brush rifles.
Consider 19" barrels, as if one had to re crown a muzzle it would be nice if the smith had something extra to work with.
If my money situation changes I would be most interested in one, not sure which one though.
Forget the 7.62x39 as there is already a shortage of hunting ammo in this caliber being eaten up by the surpluss in SKS in Canada.
Keep it in .308, IMHO there is not enough .308 rifles on the market.
Ghost ring sights are a huge plus in my books for a brush rifle.
At best I only put red dot sites on my brush rifles.
Consider 19" barrels, as if one had to re crown a muzzle it would be nice if the smith had something extra to work with.
If my money situation changes I would be most interested in one, not sure which one though.
Can't believe i'm going to say it...
I'd be interested in a compact stevens series rifle, in .308, with a factory peep. I think the stevens is a better value for $200 less then a 11series you could upgrade the trigger and still save $$, while the DM I dont care about and wouldn't pay extra to have.
Hate to say it, but it'd make one hell of a handy little hunting beater rifle. Accurate enough for longer shots if required, but still small and compact for the thick stuff, and on a tight budget.
I'd be interested in a compact stevens series rifle, in .308, with a factory peep. I think the stevens is a better value for $200 less then a 11series you could upgrade the trigger and still save $$, while the DM I dont care about and wouldn't pay extra to have.
Hate to say it, but it'd make one hell of a handy little hunting beater rifle. Accurate enough for longer shots if required, but still small and compact for the thick stuff, and on a tight budget.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
dispel the fantasy of a sub-MOA factory bolt gun shooting crates of dirt cheap 7.62x39. shooting milsurp 7.62x39mm from a bolt-action Savage, you are not going to get much better groups than from an SKS or Norinco. seems the main limiting factor is the ammunition - not the gun. i was planning on rebarreling a Savage 16 FCSS to an ~18" medium contour 7.62x39mm match barrel to make an accurate cheap plinker but after speaking to Jerry (mystic) i decided its not really worth the trouble since it most likely would not live up to even my most basic expectations.
...and if you are going to reload for 7.62x39, then you may as well reload for a better cartridge thats based on a common case like .308, .223, etc with easily available quality brass.
RE: the short Savage, ive been thinking about it a bit more...
IMO it will need some feature beyond just having an 18.5" barrel to really appeal to buyers. i could just pick any Savage model out there, take it to my gunsmith and have the barrel cut/crowned pretty cheap - so why limit myself to this model? if the only added 'value' was a shorter than normal barrel, personally i would rather lean towards a stainless accustock model... or possibly a predator and just having my gunsmith shorten it.
so.... IMHO to make your config really appeal to the masses its got to have some added value beyond the shortened barrel. quality (ie: not the cheap flip-up crap) iron sights and a short barrel? that would definitely make it extremely attractive to prospective buyers.
or perhaps look into an even shorter barrel: with .308 you can go down to 16" before the disadvantages start to outweigh the advantages. you cant buy a .308 Savage and have the barrel cut down to 16", but if it came that was as a factory config it would be non-restricted. just another thought.
...and if you are going to reload for 7.62x39, then you may as well reload for a better cartridge thats based on a common case like .308, .223, etc with easily available quality brass.
RE: the short Savage, ive been thinking about it a bit more...
IMO it will need some feature beyond just having an 18.5" barrel to really appeal to buyers. i could just pick any Savage model out there, take it to my gunsmith and have the barrel cut/crowned pretty cheap - so why limit myself to this model? if the only added 'value' was a shorter than normal barrel, personally i would rather lean towards a stainless accustock model... or possibly a predator and just having my gunsmith shorten it.
so.... IMHO to make your config really appeal to the masses its got to have some added value beyond the shortened barrel. quality (ie: not the cheap flip-up crap) iron sights and a short barrel? that would definitely make it extremely attractive to prospective buyers.
or perhaps look into an even shorter barrel: with .308 you can go down to 16" before the disadvantages start to outweigh the advantages. you cant buy a .308 Savage and have the barrel cut down to 16", but if it came that was as a factory config it would be non-restricted. just another thought.
One of these (in an optional youth length stock) with a set of sights like whats on my Marlin 336. Flip down rear I beleive. Chamber it in .308. Then theres lotsa jam for bears and moose. I like it. Sounds good to keep it in the cheapest style cause it willl sell better and a bush gun doesnt need an accu trigger. Would be better than the norinco 7.62x39 bolt gun by far!!the shorter stock might help it to fit into quad boxes better.
the peeps is a good idea.
and i like the stevens 200 alot, its justa bush gun, and the guys who complain about the 200's havent given them a chance, its alot of bang for the buck.
why not go a bit shorter on the barrels, like 16''?
.308, 7mm-08 and .338fed would be some good potential calibers, but i bet .308 wold sell best as not everyone reloads.
and i like the stevens 200 alot, its justa bush gun, and the guys who complain about the 200's havent given them a chance, its alot of bang for the buck.
why not go a bit shorter on the barrels, like 16''?
.308, 7mm-08 and .338fed would be some good potential calibers, but i bet .308 wold sell best as not everyone reloads.
TheCoachZed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
My humble suggestions...
Forget the 7.62x39 as there is already a shortage of hunting ammo in this caliber being eaten up by the surpluss in SKS in Canada.
Keep it in .308, IMHO there is not enough .308 rifles on the market.There are far more rifles available new or used in .308 than in 7.62x39. Ammo shortage? Put in a new order to Prvi. Dealers should be importing soft-point 7.62x39 ammo into Canada by the truckload, because all those SKS's aren't going to sit as collecters forever.
I agree it probably wouldn't be as accurate as .223 or .308, but it would still be a fun rifle to shoot. There's no commercial 7.62x39 rifle available right now besides the Mini-30 and the Norinco, as far as I know, and lots of guys can't afford the Mini-30 and don't want to mess around with the JW-103. A 7.62x39 rifle with iron sights would be pretty appealing to someone looking to buy a quality sporting rifle they could also afford to plink with.
But, of course, your mileage may vary.
I think ManBearPig has a point about making the barrel length shorter to offer appeal. I've recently started a .358 Win project on a Ruger Frontier specifically because it comes with a 16 1/2" barrel. I just wanted a basic peep sighted bush wacker, my problem now is filling the holes left from the removed 1/4 rib.
IMO offer a short (16 1/2" barrel) Steven's with a Boyd's laminate stock (Stevens stocks suck, laminate the cheapest alternative) with a shortened forend like the Ruger compacts. Equip it with a ramped front sight at the right height for the NECG removable rear peep or XS Sights Tall Weaver backup mounted to a weaver bases that would come installed. This will allow switching between scopes and peep which is ideal.
http://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/index.html?Peep sight.htm~maindeal
http://www.xssights.com/store/rifle.html
Guns should be offered in .308Win/.358Win/.338Fed as these work better with a short barrel, you'd likely have to pick one though, .308Win makes best sense. Get Mystic Precision to carry some cheap 16 1/2" replacement barrels (Midway had some for around $60-70) in .358Win/.338Fed w/ramps installed if possible so guys can spin on barrels in a couple other calibers . Now you have a base that appeals to everyone.
Better yet just get Ruger to offer the compacts with front ramp sights and NECG peeps! Must have them in .358Win!
Here's my rendition of the Frontier in .358 I'm working on.
IMO offer a short (16 1/2" barrel) Steven's with a Boyd's laminate stock (Stevens stocks suck, laminate the cheapest alternative) with a shortened forend like the Ruger compacts. Equip it with a ramped front sight at the right height for the NECG removable rear peep or XS Sights Tall Weaver backup mounted to a weaver bases that would come installed. This will allow switching between scopes and peep which is ideal.
http://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/index.html?Peep sight.htm~maindeal
http://www.xssights.com/store/rifle.html
Guns should be offered in .308Win/.358Win/.338Fed as these work better with a short barrel, you'd likely have to pick one though, .308Win makes best sense. Get Mystic Precision to carry some cheap 16 1/2" replacement barrels (Midway had some for around $60-70) in .358Win/.338Fed w/ramps installed if possible so guys can spin on barrels in a couple other calibers . Now you have a base that appeals to everyone.
Better yet just get Ruger to offer the compacts with front ramp sights and NECG peeps! Must have them in .358Win!
Here's my rendition of the Frontier in .358 I'm working on.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I agree there, 16" - 16.5" 308, in a youth stock
thats going to be nice and handy.
Check out the XS peep that's built into the Rem700 base, too bad they only make it for the Rem700 Weaver base.
The only problem I see with the Weaver mounted peep on the Stevens is that it would be quite high. With the Ruger the rear receiver bridge is lower than the front, so your front sight can be lower. With the Stevens a peep mounted to a Weaver base may be too high and look odd. You'd have to do a mock up.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
There are far more rifles available new or used in .308 than in 7.62x39. Ammo shortage? Put in a new order to Prvi. Dealers should be importing soft-point 7.62x39 ammo into Canada by the truckload, because all those SKS's aren't going to sit as collecters forever.
I agree it probably wouldn't be as accurate as .223 or .308, but it would still be a fun rifle to shoot. There's no commercial 7.62x39 rifle available right now besides the Mini-30 and the Norinco, as far as I know, and lots of guys can't afford the Mini-30 and don't want to mess around with the JW-103. A 7.62x39 rifle with iron sights would be pretty appealing to someone looking to buy a quality sporting rifle they could also afford to plink with.
But, of course, your mileage may vary.
did you read what i wrote?
youve seen all the bashing the mini-30 gets.
what do you think will happen when people buy a factory bolt-action Savage in 7.62x39mm and get well over 2" groups with milsurp ammo? they will start #####ing and moaning that the rifle is garbage. i dont think its a good idea.
.308 works great in over 16" barrels, is a very popular and multi-purpose round, and has a lot of reloading potential and plentiful quality brass. IMO it would make more sense.
a short Savage .308 like the Ruger Frontiers but with quality iron sights and a detachable mag would sell like hotcakes. CanAm: if you havent thought about it yet, and Savage is letting you customize, you should also consider the tactical style oversize bolt handle. it may only cost $5 more at the production stage per rifle but would add a bit more appeal since a lot of people change over to these anyway. they dont add weight (theyre hollow) but they do add a much more positive feel to the bolt.
