Brief background.
In the salad days of Walmart clearance rifles, I got a wood stock Savage Axis 223 for $12 (I like pointing that out because every time I type "$12", it makes me smile). I finally put together some handloads for it and shot a couple groups. It grouped at between 1/2" and 7/8" with my handloads. The 1/2" group was when I was took a little more care pulling the trigger. This made me smile, because when I bought the gun, I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it. Now I definitely plan on keeping it - and thinking about upgrades (which will put the priority of other items on my list in a conundrum ).
One thing for sure, the trigger was not good. I don't shoot enough or have enough guns to really know what a great trigger is, but one of the first upgrade will be the trigger. I found a "new in package", never used, Timney trigger someone is willing to sell me for $75 and will be on the way soon.
Next, even though my rifle has a wood stock, not a flexible plastic one, I was thinking about getting a chassis for it. An MDT LSS Gen 2 for $225 is available. I have a buffer tube and a cheap buttstock I can put on it, but I will likely want a buttstock with a cheek riser.
Those changes, if not upgrades, will put me at $312 - $460 dollars for the rifle, depending on what buttstock I go with.
So, the target was fuzzy looking through the scope at 100 yards, so I am also thinking of upgrading the scope. This will mostly be a rifle for punching paper and plinking, but I've also got it in my head to try prairie dog hunting with it now that I know it can shoot.
To add, I have no rifle with adjustable cheek risers and I've never been prairie dog hunting.
With that information, I'm open to recommendations on a budget buttstock and scope and comments on my grand plan for this rifle. To me, budget doesn't necessarily mean cheap, just not past the point of diminishing returns for what the rifle is and my purpose. I don't think I need glass clear enough to see out to a mile, but clear enough for typical prairie dog shooting distances (whatever that is) or to see the grid lines on a target at 100.
In the salad days of Walmart clearance rifles, I got a wood stock Savage Axis 223 for $12 (I like pointing that out because every time I type "$12", it makes me smile). I finally put together some handloads for it and shot a couple groups. It grouped at between 1/2" and 7/8" with my handloads. The 1/2" group was when I was took a little more care pulling the trigger. This made me smile, because when I bought the gun, I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it. Now I definitely plan on keeping it - and thinking about upgrades (which will put the priority of other items on my list in a conundrum ).
One thing for sure, the trigger was not good. I don't shoot enough or have enough guns to really know what a great trigger is, but one of the first upgrade will be the trigger. I found a "new in package", never used, Timney trigger someone is willing to sell me for $75 and will be on the way soon.
Next, even though my rifle has a wood stock, not a flexible plastic one, I was thinking about getting a chassis for it. An MDT LSS Gen 2 for $225 is available. I have a buffer tube and a cheap buttstock I can put on it, but I will likely want a buttstock with a cheek riser.
Those changes, if not upgrades, will put me at $312 - $460 dollars for the rifle, depending on what buttstock I go with.
So, the target was fuzzy looking through the scope at 100 yards, so I am also thinking of upgrading the scope. This will mostly be a rifle for punching paper and plinking, but I've also got it in my head to try prairie dog hunting with it now that I know it can shoot.
To add, I have no rifle with adjustable cheek risers and I've never been prairie dog hunting.
With that information, I'm open to recommendations on a budget buttstock and scope and comments on my grand plan for this rifle. To me, budget doesn't necessarily mean cheap, just not past the point of diminishing returns for what the rifle is and my purpose. I don't think I need glass clear enough to see out to a mile, but clear enough for typical prairie dog shooting distances (whatever that is) or to see the grid lines on a target at 100.