Budget Rifle Project *now with pics*

Most of you are familiar with my Savage bolt action .223. The idea behind the rifle was to begin with an out of the box rifle on a budget capable of MOA groups with off the shelf readily available ammo.

I've not spent a lot on the rifle and to stay on the low end of the budget, I compromised on a few things. I didn't get a rifle with a bedded stock (accustock for Savage) and it doesn't have a detachable box magazine nor does it accept AR magazines like the Mossberg MVP rifle series.

I've found the gun is capable of sub-MOA groups though more commonly I'm shooting a little larger than MOA.

So here the budget part of the project continues. I want to put a bi-pod on it and I have found a means of keeping the cost low (in fact free to me via an e-gift card for Amazon I won). I can get a UTG QD lever mount adjustable bi-pod and still have $$$ to purchase a book my youngest has been wanting. I've had a Magpul MOE rail for about 7 years that's never been used so that's what I'll use for the mount.

But I need some advice. I need to attach the rail to forend and possibly move my sling stud back. How would you folks recommend attaching the rail? If I move the sling stud back I can use that as a reference and pick up some like hardware, which I'm assuming is threaded similar to a wood screw. In my mind the most solid way would be to remove the stock and add washers or some sort of backing but if the sling stud is just run into the forend without being backed up then I won't worry about it. I won't be hanging anything off it.

Would you drill a pilot hole first? I'm thinking yes.

I put a sling stud on my savage MK2 22lr plastic stock recently.

I lined up the hole farther rearward than the original hole with a piece of string (like marking with a chalk line) and drilled a pilot hole like you mentioned. What I did was remove the front sling stud and then placed the chalk line through the hole and pulled it back down toward the trigger where I lined it up, then snapped the chalk line and then drilled the hole. It doesn't get much more simple than that.

I also used the biggest diameter washers that would fit inside of there to give it as much strength as I could.

I used the sling stud that had a machine screw and nut, rather than a wood screw and marked the excess that protruded inside and grinded it so the nut would be flush with the nut, or at least won't thread too deep affecting the barrel rubbing on it. Finish it off with Loctite once you're happy with \everything.

So it's looking like the only way will be to remove the action from the stock. I've never attempted it but how hard can it be?

There would probably be a takedown disassembly video on youtube.

For the MK2, it's as simple as 2 screws.

I've read through the disassembly and reassembly but even so, I'll definitely look for videos. Mine is just the two action screws and trigger guard also.

I've been checking it out. The sling stud is a machine thread and there's a metal threaded insert. The Magpul rail uses two machine thread screws and comes with threaded washer/nut things.

My plan is to see if the two parts, the sling stud and Magpul rail screws, use the same thread and pitch. If this is the case, I can use the threaded insert for the sling stud for the rear screw on the rail and drill the front. Then also drill a new hole for the sling stud and use the left over washer/nut thing saved from the rail for the stud.

Mine is the model 11, so it's essentially identical to the 10/110. I'm not there yet with bedding the stock or action in any way. I've got a couple things to try first to see how it goes.

I got the bipod ordered. It should be here by Monday but I'll probably start getting into the stock this evening.

The Harris was a little out of my price range. My limit was $50 based on the gift card I had.

The UTG will attach to the swivel but the last one I had didn't have the attachment to still use the sling.

I'll get plenty of pics as I go.

Just did some checking, the model I ordered comes with the rail and sling stud adapter.

I also compared the Magpul rail screw thread pitch to those of the sling stud and they're different so I'll definitely try the UTG set up before I do any drilling.

Alrighty, I've got the bipod on so its time for some photos.

Packaged and it's parts.






Installing.

Installation was easy, no tools needed really except for the small screw/pin that locks the new sling stud over the existing. The knurled nut is only finger tight. This was far simpler than removing the action from the stock and drilling new holes.

I have seen UTG stuff made in the US, this is not one of those things but I was given the Amazon gift card. Maybe I'll be able to replace it with something like a Harris or Atlas in the future.

I hope to be able to shoot it this weekend but I'll have to round up a kid to do the walking up and down the hill to hang and retrieve targets.

We did some shooting today with the model 11 Hog Hunter and the new bipod and I got some pics.

My older daughters boyfriend (and maybe my future son in law) shot the best 5 round group which was sub MOA but for one flier. My groups are all about 1.5 to 2" today.

This is his 5 round group,



And one of mine,



Here's a pic looking down range. The blue square in the background is 4'x4'.



And some better pics with the bipod. The legs are adjustable in set increments and this case it was helpful on slightly uneven ground. I'm using the combination of the bipod with my backpack. Before having the bipod I used just my backpack which was alright but th rifle would sometimes slide unless I rearranged the contents.

Since adding the bipod, accuracy has suffered. I don't know for certain that the bipod is solely the reason. Prior to revisiting this thread, I had forgotten about the groups pictured above that were shot using the bipod. But since, 5 shot groups are averaging 2-1/2 to 3".

It could be the bipod paired with the spineless factory stock so I'm going to do some shooting with it rested again to either rule it in or out. If that makes no difference I'll try some mild cleaning. If it is the bipod, a Hogue pillar bedded stock will be at the top of my list.

Is the stock exerting pressure onto the barrel, or even the receiver?