Rebarrel my Savage model 11, find a donor action for a 6.5 build, or buy a Ruger?

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Newtosavage

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Thinking I want a range gun in 6.5.

I currently have a Savage 11 in .308 that shoots great, and I bought it and have worked up loads for deer hunting.

Now I'm thinking I may want a 6.5 x something for a range gun. Maybe with a heavier barrel and the Accustock or a bedded stock.

So, I could rebarrel my 11 to a 6.5 Creedmoor or .260, I could find a donor action (already located a Stevens 200 in 30-06 for a reasonable price) and build a 6.5x55, or I could just buy a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Thoughts?
 
I wouldn't buy the Ruger as a range rifle myself, I think it's more suited to field use. I have a Savage 12 in 6.5 CM with a heavy barrel that's well suited for range work, I'd have to work hard to get it too hot.

On the other hand, I'd hate to pull apart a known-good rifle (your 308).

I say get the donor action and barrel accordingly.
 
Yup, my reluctance is pulling apart a well-known and good performing .308.

Decisions, decisions.
 
Get a donor rifle or action and go heavy barrel, or at least medium contour. And don't shoot the donor rifle first! I have had way too many projects stop because I fell in love with the donor as it was...
 
What's your budget? You really need to decide that and which 6.5 you want to play with first.
The 6.5 x 55 needs a long action. .308 uses a short action.
"...my reluctance is pulling apart..." Rule Number One. It works. Don't fix it.
A Stevens 200, while a decent rifle, is also an entry level rifle. Issue will be finding a barrel. Savage doesn't list the M200 any more.
 
I wouldn't buy the Ruger as a range rifle myself, I think it's more suited to field use.
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I'm sure there are pros and cons, but I bought a standard Ruger American in 243 on a whim, Put a cheap scope on it and took it to the range and was amazed at the accuracy of this rifle right out of the box. I have 2 friends who also boughht RA's in 30-06 and 270 and they give the same report. Amazingly accurate right off the shelf at a pretty resonable price. I do wish the stock was a little nicer though.
 
Buy the Ruger Predator. Thank me later. They already come with a medium weight barrel threaded for a suppressor or flash hider, are twisted for heavy bullets, have a great trigger, scope bases are included and they shoot. All for about $400.
 
offthepaper said:
I'm sure there are pros and cons, but I bought a standard Ruger American in 243 on a whim, Put a cheap scope on it and took it to the range and was amazed at the accuracy of this rifle right out of the box. I have 2 friends who also boughht RA's in 30-06 and 270 and they give the same report. Amazingly accurate right off the shelf at a pretty resonable price. I do wish the stock was a little nicer though.
Click to expand...
Not questioning the accuracy of the Ruger, my point is a rifle intended for range target use is generally optimized for thermal management versus weight and/or size management. They are all expected to be accurate.
 
I'm sure there are pros and cons, but I bought a standard Ruger American in 243 on a whim, Put a cheap scope on it and took it to the range and was amazed at the accuracy of this rifle right out of the box.
Click to expand...

I had the exact same experience with a .243 American I bought for my brother. Sub-MOA right out of the box, not even broken in.

Buy the Ruger Predator. Thank me later. They already come with a medium weight barrel threaded for a suppressor or flash hider, are twisted for heavy bullets, have a great trigger, scope bases are included and they shoot. All for about $400.
Click to expand...

Very tempting. I suspect with a Boyd's stock to add some weight and a muzzle brake, a 6.5 Creedmoor Ruger Predator would barely kick at all.
 
A Stevens 200, while a decent rifle, is also an entry level rifle. Issue will be finding a barrel. Savage doesn't list the M200 any more.
Click to expand...

Actually, the M200 Stevens is nothing more than a Savage 110 action, so pre-fit barrels are easy to find, and inexpensive. Lots of folks buy old Stevens rifles just for the actions.
 
You could go several directions with the Stevens 200 long action.
The 260 Remington would actually work better in a long action if your wanting to shoot the longer 140 grain match bullets.The cartridge overall length is usually too long for them to fit in a short action magazine when you seat the longer bullets out near the lands.
The 6.5x55 is a very good choice,or you could go with the 6.5x284 or 6.5-06.

I shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor-260 Remington-and 6.5-06,you can't go wrong with any of them.
 
Thanks TX. Only ? I have on the Savage rebuild is the stock. Not sure which direction I'd go with that.
 
Newto;

My first question is how far will you range let you shoot? And, do you want to shoot that far? In other words, there's no sense to building a killer 1000 yard gun if all you're going to shoot is 300 yards.

I agree that if the .308 isn't broke, don't fix it. Also, do you have a budget in mind or is the sky the limit? You can buy a perfectly acceptable Tikka Super Varmint in 6.5 Swede for about the cost of just the Stolle or Defiance bench gun bare bolt action. The Tikka will put 6.5mm holes very close together at any reasonable range.

900F
 
The Tikka CTR in .260 would also meet your needs. Mine is in .308, but at least one member here has a wickedly accurate .260 CTR.
 
CB, my regular range is 300 yards but occasionally I'll have a chance to shoot further.

The other day, I wrung out a very unlikely 1" group at 300 with my factory model 11 (no accustock, thin barrel) using handloads. Most groups with my handloads are in the 2-3" range at that distance.

I've just always admired the 6.5 calibers for their efficiency and performance on game. I had a 6.5x55 Gustav Swede in the 90's that dropped everything I shot with it where it stood, including some 200+ lb. hogs at 200 yards.

I guess at this point I'm leaning toward rebarelling that Stevens 30-06 to 6.5 Swede. That way I'll have a range gun and if I ever decide to, I can put the '06 barrel back on for elk.
 
Newto;

I live, and hunt, here in Outer Montana. I have a .30-06 also, but if the weather isn't dead lousy my elk hunting gun is the Swede. And I don't feel in the least under-gunned either. However, that gun has a custom chunk of walnut on it & that I don't abuse. The synthetic stocked ought-6 does come out when conditions turn to cwap.

With a modern action, such as mine, it's perfectly possible to get a 140 grain bullet leaving the muzzle in the 2700's safely. Go to the JBM ballistics site & fool around with the calculations there. You'll see that a 140 with a good B/C at 2750 will hold it's energy to a surprising distance.

900F
 
If I went the 6.5x55 direction, I'd keep my .308 as-is, so that's one of the pluses to rebarreling the 30-06. The whole "if it ain't broke" argument and all...
 
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