Choosing actions for a build

powdergun

powdergun

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When planning a build on a budget the starting action can affect cost. I know that the preferred action is the good old 700 because of the available options designed to go with it. A fellow could look for an old beater with an action for a donor but cost wise I notice savage rifles come a fair bit cheaper.

My question: Does a Savage action ( like a 111 or similar ) offer the same versatility as the Remington and provide as good a base to build from.

Thanks
 
I used Savage for my first build and will use Savage for my bext one in 2019.
Timney and rifle basix make triggers, MDT fully supports the savage platform for chassis, ATRS make nice steel 20moa rail, and barrels are self swap without gunsmith fitting.
I like my savage very much.

Saving up for a stealth evolution or ashbury edition right now.
They got the upgraded receivers, strip it down and start a build off that.
Anyways it’s my plan for the time being.

Savage won’t have the same options as rem700 though.
 
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I say this as a guy with very limited experience with Savages but I own a few Rem 700s and a couple high end clones, you won't have nearly the same amount of options with a Savage than with a Rem 700. I don't think there is anything wrong with a Savage and like Marty said, there are options for them. The nice thing about Rems though is if you ever do decide to go with a high end clone down the line (think Defiance, ARC, Surgeon, etc) you'll still be able to use whatever Rem accessories you got along the way (like your chassis, trigger, etc). I'm not sure how cheap you can get a Savage donor action but Rem 700 actions can normally be found for around $500. Get a barrel chambered by a gunsmith or get a Remage type barrel with a nut and do it yourself.
 
What are the end use goals?

What type of layout and features?

What trigger pull weight?

There are always pros and cons to any action and some work better for differing end uses.

More info please..

Jerry
 
What's your budget? I would avoid both Savage and Remington stock actions. The Savage's feel like hammered dog sh*t, and quite frankly, the stock Remington's are not much to write about either. Savages also have a lot of reliability issues - Frank Galli of Snipers Hide won't even let people train at his courses with Savage rifles anymore, as he's spent a lot of time in the past fixing students Savage rifles. They are built cheaply, and it shows.

If you can swing it, I would go ARC Nucleus, Bighorn Origin or Defiance Tenacity. Not budget, but they are more affordable quality custom actions. If you can't swing that, build off of a Tikka action. They work great, and there are a lot of options becoming available for Tikka.

Going cheap at first is usually a more expensive way to go in the long run. Inevitably you will spend more money upgrading as you grow out of your budget rig, if you shoot fairly seriously. If you don't put much rounds down range year after year, then a more budget option may make more sense and check all the boxes for you.
 
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There are a lot of good ways to go, your goals for the rifle will be what ultimately drives what will be best for you. Remington 700 is a decent starting point and be built well depending on what your budget. Savage has a lot of things going for, and if you are comfortable with tools you can potentially do most of the serious gunsmithing work yourself, but they aren't perfect rifles, and like a Remington, they will have their plus and minuses. I've been really into Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard as a decent starting point. However, if you just want to get into a heavy barrel target gun there are lots of options for turnkey rifles without getting into custom work. I like going with a factory option because you will learn what is important to you and not a million opinions on a internet forum can ever make up for that.

My want's and desire for why I like certain rifles has change alot over the years and probaly will continue to change.
 
I'd skip both the savages and the Remingtons, unless the goal is to make it as cheap as possible rather than as good as possible. If its just about being as cheap as possible I'd suggest either shooting factory rifles or buying someone else's build after they threw half of their money away. If they are lucky that's all they lost.

If your goal is the best possible (or possibly best) its better to emulate horse racers. You breed the best with the best and still have to hope for the best.You don't built a mansion on sand, you don't try to polish a turd and you don't put a blower on your lawn-mower.
 
powdergun said:
When planning a build on a budget the starting action can affect cost. I know that the preferred action is the good old 700 because of the available options designed to go with it. A fellow could look for an old beater with an action for a donor but cost wise I notice savage rifles come a fair bit cheaper.

My question: Does a Savage action ( like a 111 or similar ) offer the same versatility as the Remington and provide as good a base to build from.

Thanks
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I know that the preferred action is the good old 700 because of the available options designed to go with it.

That isn't the only reason a 700 is so popular. It is relatively inexpensive to start with and it can be trued inexpensively and a trued 700 will shoot as well as any of the expensive customs all other things being equal.
 
Basically everything above is spot on. Don't start with a Savage. Remington... ok if you already have one but I'm not buying a Remington action for a build.

The only way to really answer this properly is to tell us your budget.
 
Use a tikka, Savage is junk and the aftermarket triggers are garbage. That last few Remington’s I’ve seen lately are horrible as well, they are coming with terrible primary extraction and after trued up it’s worse. Almost to the point where the bolt handle has to be moved forward. By the time you spend all the money getting a Remington where it needs to be you can almost buy an entry level custom. The tikka is straight, you can change bolt handles yourself, lots of aftermarket support as far as stocks, bottom metal, chassis, optics rails etc. the factory trigger is great for a factory trigger and Timney now has a nice two stage replacement too.
 
guntech said:
I know that the preferred action is the good old 700 because of the available options designed to go with it.

That isn't the only reason a 700 is so popular. It is relatively inexpensive to start with and it can be trued inexpensively and a trued 700 will shoot as well as any of the expensive customs all other things being equal.
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^^^^^
Listen to this man and build off a Remington. If you really want the most bang for your buck.
 
Shawn_338 said:
Use a tikka, Savage is junk and the aftermarket triggers are garbage. That last few Remington’s I’ve seen lately are horrible as well, they are coming with terrible primary extraction and after trued up it’s worse. Almost to the point where the bolt handle has to be moved forward. By the time you spend all the money getting a Remington where it needs to be you can almost buy an entry level custom. The tikka is straight, you can change bolt handles yourself, lots of aftermarket support as far as stocks, bottom metal, chassis, optics rails etc. the factory trigger is great for a factory trigger and Timney now has a nice two stage replacement too.
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Really!
 
I too recommend a Remington 700 for all the reasons previously stated. if you can still find them in your calibre of choice, I'd look into one of the SPS AAC-SD barreled actions. I know a few guys with builds off that platform who couldn't be happier, their only suggestion was to swap out the trigger for something better.
 
I think the old favourites may be a bit played out.

I can't really think of amything you can't do to a tikka (stock, dbm, chassis, etc) that you can do to a 700.

With that said a budget custom would be my way to go (Stiller, Tenacity, Origin, Nucleus).
 
LexInfidelis said:
I too recommend a Remington 700 for all the reasons previously stated. if you can still find them in your calibre of choice, I'd look into one of the SPS AAC-SD barreled actions. I know a few guys with builds off that platform who couldn't be happier, their only suggestion was to swap out the trigger for something better.
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Problem with going this route is you sink a bunch of money turning a basic budget action into a slightly better mediocre action, without increasing the resale value. Sure you can make it shoot well, but it's still feature lacking and doesn't feel that great compared to other options. Not a wise investment IMO.

Better off starting off on a Tikka or better. The exception to upgrading a Rem700 is a TacOps, but they do things to those actions no other gunsmiths do.
 
The problem I see with starting with a Savage is that it is a Savage! Pretty much considered by most to be the bottom of the barrel for custom builds, the biggest issue is after you build on this action and then realize you want something better, every accessory you bought...ie: trigger, barrel, stock, rails, are specific to that action. If you use a Remington or custom based on the Rem, almost everything can swap over to a new build if you choose to upgrade your action.

Having said that, I have one custom built on a Tikka and it is working great for me. I have two other straight up factory Tikka rifles and they are right on the heals of my custom build. Options and accessories for the Tikka are very good right now and expanding almost daily, for me that is all I will use in the future if I build any more rifles.
 
I'd either go trued 700 or jump right up to the Ultimatum Deadline.

More options than Lego's with those choices.
 
Tikka or custom action. No doubt about that one. Trued rem action over a savage action that is for sure but neither of them gets my vote
 
Custom action is the route I am taking. There are several at least that are based off a Remington and use Savage barrel nuts. Best of both worlds.
 
rugbydave said:
I say this as a guy with very limited experience with Savages but I own a few Rem 700s and a couple high end clones, you won't have nearly the same amount of options with a Savage than with a Rem 700. I don't think there is anything wrong with a Savage and like Marty said, there are options for them. The nice thing about Rems though is if you ever do decide to go with a high end clone down the line (think Defiance, ARC, Surgeon, etc) you'll still be able to use whatever Rem accessories you got along the way (like your chassis, trigger, etc). I'm not sure how cheap you can get a Savage donor action but Rem 700 actions can normally be found for around $500. Get a barrel chambered by a gunsmith or get a Remage type barrel with a nut and do it yourself.
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This.

I have never left any of my firearms stock. whether it was a 10/22, 1911, AR15 or bolt action, every single one was modified or completely built from the very best parts I could find. The AR 15 was a breeze to build because of the options and modularity, so was the 10/22. The 1911 required more homework and fitting but it was also enjoyable because of the large amount of options available to me, whether it be tools or parts.

This being said, I built up a savage and it shoots great but its still a savage action, and there aren't that many triggers out there that replace an accutrigger...if you want the close tolerances of a defiance surgeon etc. or the Jewel trigger, I would go with a 700. I am currently planning a 338 lapua build around the Defiance Deviant 338 LAR. Remage barrel...maybe a Mcgowen? not sure yet. There are so many options to choose from with the 700, it makes the build a little more satisfying because you aren't restricted with one or 2 or no options.
 
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