I don't know what it is, but for a few months now I've been eyeballing guns. I'll always be a bowhunter first, but during the offseason I really enjoy shooting guns, and I love hunting predators and groundhogs. So I've been kicking myself since selling my 10fp to Matt / PA. Only reason I unloaded it was to fund my AR project. I decided to get into another Savage as soon as I could scrounge up some $$$. The AR is a great groundhog gun in NY, but in PA (where I have access to thousands of acres of prime groundhog hunting) you cannot hunt with a semiauto rifle. I found this gun for a steal, and managed to build what I think is the ultimate "budget" groundhog gun. Just last night I finished up the action bedding job into the new stock, this was my first try at bedding and I really think it came out great. Now I'm anxious to get out and see what it will do. Savage 12fv - 26" bull barrel - Tuned 1.8lb Accutrigger Bell and Carlson Duramaxx stock - I bedded the action and recoil lug EGW 20moa one piece base - Burris Signature Zee rings Weaver Grand Slam 6-20x40 with the Varminter Plex reticle, and their Micro Trac turrets for dialing yardage in. I haven't even fired the gun, but I've got 2x boxes of factory shells that I plan to run through it tonight. After those are burned up, I've got a couple pounds of Benchmark, along with 100 32gr Vmax's and 100 35gr Bergers to come up with a good handload. This thing should do one hole 5 shot groups at 100 yards, we will see what she actually does tonight. I can't wait to go find some groundhogs with this thing, now I just need a better rangefinder that will go out past 400 yards.......:d
Thanks guys. It's actually a 204. I would have rather gotten a .243 for a long range rig, but this will do out to 500ish yards, and I'd like to get a custom barrel and new bolt face for it sometime next year for truly long range stuff. I'm looking at a Shilen barrel in .260 Rem Ackley Improved for the next barrel, it should be a 1000 yard gun then.
