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Thinking about .223 Trainer #5743802 05/14/15 05:25 PM
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RCINTX Offline OP
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I finally got my .308 setup and shooting better than I can. I plan to keep working with it and increasing distance, but am also considering putting together a .223 trainer that I can shoot more often (less recoil, and cheaper ammo). My .308 is a heavy barrel Savage with accutrigger and accustock. I can't find a .223 setup similarly on Savage's website. Am I just missing it?

I am also not against going with something else. I have considered a Remington action and the Magpul stock, just because I think they look cool.

Any other ideas/options? Would it be in my best interest to try and keep it similar to my .308 so everything stays the same?

Photos of my .308 and the kind of groups I am getting with factory loads.






Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743838 05/14/15 05:57 PM
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Love those Savages! Nice shooting by the way. In my opinion, stick with what you have, and learn with what you have. The cost of a comparable 223 would buy a lot of ammo. And you need to put a muzzle brake on it, obviously helps with recoil, but will also help with anticipating the shot and being able to see your hit.


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Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743843 05/14/15 06:01 PM
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A Savage model 12 is a heavy barrel. I would try to keep it the same length and weight of the .308 So once you build muscle memory shooting positional, you will have it built in when you transition back to the .308

A stock swap will be easy with the model 12. Its a short action Savage, that's almost it. The only other variable is the screw spacing on the action depending on its' age.


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Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743850 05/14/15 06:05 PM
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Also, you can use the same scope that's on the .308 on the .223

Take notes the first time you move it from the .308 to the .223 for what it took to zero it. X amount of tenths of Mils up or down, and left or right. With good rings it should return to zero each time you move the scope. Yesterday I moved my SS 5-20, sitting in Badger Ordinance rings, from my 7mm-08 to a friends .223, when I put the scope back on the 7mm-08 I had no zero shift.


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Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743889 05/14/15 06:30 PM
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And if you are shooting the Federal Gold Match then a box of 20 is actually cheaper than a box of 20 of the same in 223. Look at Academy for the Gold Match, usually find it less then $25 a box


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Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743901 05/14/15 06:41 PM
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Hey, great rifle. I have a very comparable Savage myself and it too started life as a heavy barreled model 12.

Anyways, if you're still looking for a trainer 223, I would highly recommend getting the Tikka varmint my wife has. I'm one of those who believe it's always a good idea to have a 223 bolt gun in the collection for several reasons and not just purely the cost analysis of saving on ammo. That Tikka shoots like a champ and we did nothing but get cheap Talley rings and a decent Nikon scope. If you're used to having Savages then you should already be fine with a crappy but functional stock so hopefully that's not a problem for you either.

I don't know if i consider it as "training" for shooting my Savage, but I just plain enjoy shooting her 223. I figure there is no such thing as too much trigger time regardless of which bolt rifle I shoot.


I'm a dude who likes long barrels!
Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743909 05/14/15 06:50 PM
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I sure could buy a lot of ammo for the money a new rifle would cost. Thats a great point.

FiremanJG,

Do you move the rings with the scope? Or have a set of rings on each rifle and drop the scope into it? I am hesitant to move the PST as it took a lot of playing to get it "perfect" for me. As you told me in another post, that scope does not have the most forgiving eyebox. However, now that I have it setup, I love it.

Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: BigPig] #5743913 05/14/15 06:51 PM
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I am shooting Federal Gold Medal Match. I found it for $22/box with no shipping or tax. I picked up a case at that price.

Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743919 05/14/15 06:54 PM
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Here is a different thought.

Rather than going .223 for an understudy to your .308, why not go .22LR. If you can learn to shoot a .22LR at 100-200 yards in the wind the .308 will seem like a piece of cake.

Get one of the Heavy Barreled Savage MKII's with the accu-trigger, put a similar scope to your .308 on it, buy a case of Wolf Match Target ammo and you are still cheaper than the .223 rifle without any ammo. By the time you have put 5,000 rounds of .22LR down range the rifle will have paid for itself and the barrel will barely be broken in.

Another option is to go with one of the 93R17 Savage rifles in .17 HMR. 2,500 fps 17 gr bullet on a 200-300 yard range is a lot of fun. Even when all other ammo was tough to find I could still find .17 HMR on dealers shelves.

Last edited by VAFish; 05/14/15 06:56 PM.

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Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5743941 05/14/15 07:04 PM
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Originally Posted By: RCINTX
I sure could buy a lot of ammo for the money a new rifle would cost. Thats a great point.

FiremanJG,

Do you move the rings with the scope? Or have a set of rings on each rifle and drop the scope into it? I am hesitant to move the PST as it took a lot of playing to get it "perfect" for me. As you told me in another post, that scope does not have the most forgiving eyebox. However, now that I have it setup, I love it.


He would have to leave the rings on it to do that, and probably make sure to torque it back down to the same specs when he puts in back on the original rifle.

Last edited by jdk1985; 05/14/15 07:06 PM.

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Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: VAFish] #5743952 05/14/15 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted By: VAFish
Here is a different thought.

Rather than going .223 for an understudy to your .308, why not go .22LR. If you can learn to shoot a .22LR at 100-200 yards in the wind the .308 will seem like a piece of cake.

Get one of the Heavy Barreled Savage MKII's with the accu-trigger, put a similar scope to your .308 on it, buy a case of Wolf Match Target ammo and you are still cheaper than the .223 rifle without any ammo.


Have you been looking in my safe? I have a Savage MKII in there now.

I never thought of this. Honestly, I wonder... How exactly do you shoot a .22 in west Texas (always windy) at 200 yards? That really must be a skill. I am not being sarcastic. Is there a trick to this?

Re: Thinking about .223 Trainer [Re: RCINTX] #5744009 05/14/15 07:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: RCINTX
I sure could buy a lot of ammo for the money a new rifle would cost. Thats a great point.

FiremanJG,

Do you move the rings with the scope? Or have a set of rings on each rifle and drop the scope into it? I am hesitant to move the PST as it took a lot of playing to get it "perfect" for me. As you told me in another post, that scope does not have the most forgiving eyebox. However, now that I have it setup, I love it.


Yes the rings stay with the scope. The type of rings like Badger and Talley Tactical that have the 1/2" hex nut oitside the weaver clamp allow easy on off. Loosen the 1/2" nut, rock the scope rings and all off the picatinny rail, move it to the next rifle, tighten the hex nuts. It took me all of 90 seconds to do this yesterday, each time. Since the length of pull on most adult rifles is 13 1/2", moving from one rifle to another keeps the eye relief that you took the time to get perfect.

I didn't have a torque wrench with me yesterday so a 1/4" drive ratchet did the job. Tighten it until its tight enough is all I did. Good rings allow that.


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