I built mine on a 700 I already had as a switch barrel. Brux 45 cal shooting the 300 grain parkers, and a bunch other MUCH cheaper bullets!! I had a NM Ibex tag and my smith built a breech plug using 45acp brass with 209 primers. I had to shoot it with a bp substitute in NM and was getting like(don't remember exactly) 2400 fps with 170 grain blackhorn 209(volume). I felt good to 500, killed the Ibex at 380. Gun was STUPID EASY to be a tack driver. I can also shoot it with smokeless powder and can get a lot more speed out of it with still being a tack driver. I am using a full forum Swinglok die to size bullets if needed. Do some looking on Doougs message board under savage smokeless forum. The guys over there play with these a ton.
Seriously the easiest gun I have ever had to set and cut bullet holes with just about anything you shove down it.
Actually pretty darn easy to push a proper size bullet down the barrel. Much easier then what I used to do with a knight and sabots
