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Post by cougariii on Feb 25, 2015 23:00:18 GMT -5
I am on the lookout for a donor action. I know a remington 700 ML works but what others are used and have readily available barrels to swap out? Will any remington 700 rifle work? How about savage rifles?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2015 23:14:16 GMT -5
Savage is the easiest of the center fire actions to convert. You just get a new bolt head and go from there . The 700's are great platforms and you can go a Richard Franklin style build or convert it to 209 and use a savage style or Luke's upcoming plug to go with 209's. All in all, any action can be used to build a SML depending on how much you wish to sink into it.
As far as readily available barrels you are looking at the 700ml prefits, a 700cf prefit for Dave d's plug or a savage of any flavor
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Post by rossman40 on Feb 26, 2015 10:17:11 GMT -5
A Ruger #1 makes a d**n sexy looking SML IMO, but the cost of the donor action is pretty steep. Trying to find the cheaper #3s is tough. Other actions like a Remington XR-100, a single shot 40X CF or a 40X rimfire are like gold. If you could find a used Savage model 12 single shot cheap that would be cool. A model 12 VLP single shot in the laminate stock is pretty awesome, great stock! Swap the barrel, maybe change boltheads and then bed it and your ready to go with a pretty awesome rig. If I was going to pay over $500 for a donor action I would buy one of the Savage Target actions. The Savage and Stevens bolt actions built on the 10/110 and Remington 700 CF repeaters are cheap. I would avoid the Savage Axis and Remington 710 and 770. The new 783 might be interesting but I do not think anyone has attempted a build on one yet. One thing you do have to remember is cheap rifles come with cheap synthetic stocks so a stock replacement would be necessary to get the most accuracy. You can get by with a flimsy stock on a .223 or maybe even a .308, but on a heavy thumper you need the solid foundation of a good stock.
Any Savage would be the easiest for the DIY types, more so with a first timer. A 700ML would be second and a 700CF third maybe due to the headspacing. The more exotic actions will take even more work and a lathe.
If you want to go break-open it is tough to beat the H&R or NEF Handirifle in 45-70. You might not be able to push it as hard as a bolt action conversion but they still make a good hunter and your total cost is low. Just send it to Slufoot to be machined for the breechplug, then install the breechplug and your ready-fredy. You can always start out with one of those and keep it around for the kids/grandkids.
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Post by 10ga on Feb 26, 2015 20:31:46 GMT -5
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Post by 10ga on Feb 26, 2015 20:34:57 GMT -5
Computer issues = double post = delete. 10
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