Things are moving along now.
Decided a while ago that the best way to get what i need for my shooting is to pull apart my Howa HB 223lr and use it to build two rifles; one in 7mm08 for deer and casual Fclass, the other a pest control rifle in an ecconomical .224 cartridge.
Howa 1500 SHort action 7mm08
- Remove barrel
- True action and enlarge bolt face
- Replace barrel with 24" True Flite, Light Straight Taper Premium Target in 7mm, chambered for 7-08: ORDERED
- Re-bed into the Boyd stock that it lives in so the new barrel is perfectly match
- New scope: ORDERED & PAID: Nikon Monarch5, 3-15x42, Side Focus (50-inf.), Tac/Targ Turrets, Plex Reticle
Very reasonable quote for this work. Barrel is about $550, smithing about $350.
223SHORT variant
- Zastava M85 left hand action: ORDERED: $450
- Barrel from Howa re-chambered to 223SHORT variant with 30deg shoulder and .313" long neck
- True action and fit barrel
- Full length bed into Boyd stock
- Scope from 223 onto this rifle: Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40
Again, the price for smithing work was very reasonable and about the same as for the Howa.
So, for the price of one Tikka Varmint, i will have two rifles with trued actions fully bedded with worked triggers.
Expect to be complete by the start of August or earlier if lucky.