Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What to do with it???

Picked up a Savage Model 11 FXP3 in .243 Win today at a gun show in Colorado Springs. It came with a Simmons 8-point 3-9s scope in the rings, which will eventually be replaced. (I have a Burris scope for it and will probably replace the rings, too.)

Don't really need a .243 but at $295 plus $10 for the background check I couldn't refuse - I figured the action was worth that. The stock is a little flimsy, about like a Ruger American and may get replaced as well.

If the rifle shoots it may stay a .243. If not I'm considering a rebarrel to, well, pretty much any short action cartridge except a .243 Win or 6mm Rem. If necessary I'm willing to change to the bolt head and magazine follower. The long list so far:

With no bolt head or mag follower change required:
6.5 Creedmoor
.260 Rem
7mm-08
.308 Win
.338 Federal

With bolt head and mag follower change:
.300 RCM
.338 RCM

I already reload for, among others, .257 Roberts, .6.5-06AI, .280 Rem, 7mm RM, .308 Win, .30-06, .300WM and .338WM so it isn't like I'm trying to fill a big gap somewhere. Frankly, I'm not even certain whether to go for something accurate and fun to shoot or change the bolt head and follower and get more of a thumper. The top contenders are probably the .260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win.

Here's a photo of the rifle. Not a beauty but it's a Savage and I expect it will shoot. The stock may get changed down the road for something more solid.



Curious what you guys (and gals) would do?

Change the scope then go forth and kill varmints and big game with it.

If you decide to change the barrel I have a Sharpshooter Supply Savage barrel change tools I could sell you.

Doc

I would sell it and hope you can get your money back.

Great platform to play with. I had something similar - started life as Savage's "mountain rifle" in 7mm/08. I can't remember the model, but it had the light contour barrel, pre-accutrigger, black stock. I put a SSS trigger in it, and rebarreled it to 6BR, then to 250 savage. Shot very well with both - did not shoot well as a 7mm/08. If I still had it, I would probably go to a 22/250 AI twisted for big bullets. That is probably my last itch to scratch....

Kaiser Norton

I would x2 Kaiser and say .22-250 or maybe 7/08 or AI version of either?

Just a couple of ideas...Straight rebarrel: .25 Souper

Bolt head change: .350 Rem Mag

Although an 8mm/08 would be just goofy enough to be real cool...

338 Federal is just a 308 necked to shoot 338....

Not sure I get your point. The .243 Win, .260 Rem, 7mm-08 and .338 Fed are all .308 progeny, which is why mo bolt face or mag follower changes are needed.

See if it shots as a .243. If not then change bbl. to what depends on you. You have big game needs covered. Why not turn this into a small cal, light recoil, fun to shoot pinker gun? Any trigger time is good, but low recoil and cheap to feed make even more satisfying. Could even change bolt face to .223 and open up a whole bunch of options. This is the dilemma that makes buying a new rifle so much fun!

Whatever you do, enjoy?

You need a zippy 22. Get a 22-250 barrel and make sure it has a fast twist. My opinion...

Why in hell did you have to pay for a background check?

Why in hell did you have to pay for a background check?

It's the law. Any firearm purchase at a gun show requires a check if any part of the transaction occurs on the premises. Moreover I was buying from a dealer so it was required anyway.

forpest -

I already have a Ruger MKII in .223 and Ruger MKII VT in .22-250. Also an AR in .223/5.56 (Wylde). That said the Ruger .223 is a slow twist and a 1-8 might be fun.

First change is going to be to ditch the factory rings, bases and scope and replace with Leupold rings/bases and a Buyrris Fullfield II 3-9x-40 with Ballistic Plex reticle.

Second change will probably be to replace the stock with a Boyd laminate.

I don't load for .243 now so no dies, brass or bullets. Before I invest in them I want to see how it shoots. If it doesn't do well with factory fodder the chances of a rebarrel go way up. Bullets in 6.5, 7mm, .308 and .338 I have.

Obviously our outlooks are very different. Every Savage I've played with shot very well. The .22-250 I had would put 5 shots into a 100-yard group you could cover with a dime. Dad put about 1500 rounds through it before he gave it to me and I shot it until the barrel went. That was 12 years ago and I sold it for $250 as-is to a guy that wanted the action.

For me the important part of the this purchase was the action - it is like a Tinker Toy set for adults. I'm not worried about getting my money back but I do plan to have a lot of fun with it.

No

Because you have .338 Federal listed with .300 & .338 RCM under bolt face and follower change in your original post.



It is illegal to sell any firearm in Colorado without a background check, unless it is to immediate family members. So it doesn't matter if it happens at a gun show or private treaty, all gun sales must have a background check. The $10 fee is for Colorado to run a second NICS check on the buyer, besides the one the FFL ran. I could go into a long rant about this, but these two issues besides capacity limits on magazines were passed in response to the President's plea for more gun control after Sandy Hook.

I would stay away from the RCM's. Extinct chambering. Why are you interested in those? Just creating problems for yourself, IMO.

If I go that route (doubtful), I'd buy a lifetime supply of brass.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is looking more and more interesting.