Hey all,
I'm trying to put together a rifle with the precision of an LE rifle, but with the durability and dependability of a Military rifle. Any ideas on how to achieve this? (stock ideas, scope ideas, etc.)
 
-Rohann

Interesting challenge but I've got to ask a question before I can give you answer.

What is a LE rifle?

Im guessing Lee Enfield? Whoops, my mistake. A Lee Enfield is a military rifle:o

im thinking Law Enforcement

Rohann, I thought you wanted to buy a Savage 10fp in .308?

Oh sorry,
Yes a LE rifle is a Law-Enforcement rifle. I'm trying to build a rifle with Military and Law-Enforcement traits.
Here is some info copied directly from http://world.guns.ru/sniper/sn00-e.htm:
 
Military sniper rifles used by different military units. Along with main requirements for accuracy and sufficient effective range, military use commands some other: military sniper rifle must not be too heavy, because sniper usually must carry it for the long hours, with ammunition and other stuff. Also, military sniper rifle must be extremely reliable in any weather and climatic conditions and could withstand hundreds of rounds fired without cleaning and maintenance and without any loss of accuracy. Third, military sniper rifle must be easy to fieldstrip and easy to repair in field conditions. Also, military sniper rifle often must have backup iron sights, in case of telescope breackage.
Another requrement is that military sniper rifle must use military ammunition, conforming to international war threaties and generally available to the troops. In most cases, military sniper rifle use variants of the standart caliber army cartridges (such as 7.62mm NATO or 7.62x54mm R), specially developed for sniping.
Effective range for the standart-caliber sniper rifles against the single human-sized target may be estimated as 700-800 meters for first-shot kills. To extend effective range beyond 1000 meters, often used sniper rifles, designed to fire more powerful ammunition, such as .300 Winchester magnum (7.62x67mm) or .338 Lapua magnum (8.6x70mm).
Military sniper rifles may be further separated in two tactically diffrent categories: the sniper rifles itself, designed to achieve aimed hits at long distances, and the Designated Marksman Rifles (DMR), designed to provide accurate fire support for line troops. While the "true" sniper rifles usually are bolt action ones, to achieve maximum accuracy, the DMRs usually are semi-autos, such as Russian SVD or German G3ZF or MSG-90, to gain higher rate of fire. But the difference lays more in tactical applianses, than in the rifles itself.
Police / Law Enforcement (LE) sniper rifles are somewhat another kind of tools. If in most military/war scenarios wounded enemy is equivalent to killed enemy, or even better, in LE and counter-terror (CT) scenarios wounded criminal or terrorist may lead to many innocent victims. Sometimes, the LE or CT sniper must not only kill the terrorist, but hit the particular part of the body - head, or hand, holding the gun, etc. So, in general, LE and CT sniper rifles require more accuracy, but at shorter distances. The majority of LE or CT scenarios require precision shooting at the distances lesser that 300, or even 100 meters. These scenarios also require really few shots per scenario - sometimes one and the only one shot. This also require extreme accuracy and stability of results in any weather conditions. LE and CT snipers also has no limitations on caliber and ammunition selection, so they could select almost any caliber/cartridge they department want, or can afford.
Usually, LE/CT sniper rifles had completely ajustable stocks to suit snipers of different statute, sometimes they got half-of-dozen ajustable screws. This is absolutely unsuitable for military sniper rifles, but for LE sniper rifles, which are usually carried to the point of action in special cases, this is OK.
Many USA made LE sniper rifles are built on the hunting "varmint" rifles. Varmint rifles are small or medium caliber hunting rifles, designed to kill small pests, such as squirrels, rabbits etc., at extended distances. Some LE sniper rifles, such as Remington 700 Police, are simply Remington 700VS varmint hunting rifle barreled actions, bedded into sniper-style stocks.
In Europe, some sniper rifles built on sniper rifles (such as Mauser 66, SIG-Sauer SSG2000, Blaser R93 Tactical), and some built on hunting rifles (such as Steyr Scout Tactical). LE/CT sniper rifles use many kinds of ammunition, from .22LR for training and short-range sniping, to .308 Win, 6.5x55mm, .300 Win magnum etc.

Well, you've picked yourself a doosie, Rohann.
There are some seriously conflicting requirements in some places.
Exactly what have you decided on?
Is this in addition to the Savage 10fp?
 
Without answers to those questions here's a couple of suggestions for the optics.
Why not set up a system that uses a 4-12x scope with QD mounts and fold down ghost ring to be used for open sights.
Steyr's tactical elite uses this.

Thanks Kombi, sounds like a aood setup to me. What kind of scope are you thinking of? Do you think you could give me some more info on the ring type and sights?
Yes I plan on buying the 10FP, but I want to upgrade it over time to make it a blend of these two types of rifle.
 
-Rohann

Well, Warne make QD mounts and rings so there's a start.
As far as a scope goes, it all depends on how much you want to spend.
If you really want that military look you could get high mount rings.
 
Look, I haven't recommended this to anyone and I'm pretty sure it'll be a long while before I do so again, but have you thought about looking into getting one of the military style semi-autos that are designed as DMR?
You seem to want a rifle that looks military, performs military and will be super accurate.
In light of that, if Canadian legislation allows it, have you thought about picking up a DMR in 7.62 NATO?
Then you can customise it with stuff like claw mount scopes and other gear.
You can still use it for hunting and the like but have your cake and eat it.
 
Please if someone has a better idea feel free to suggest it.
It just appears that it's like re-inventing the wheel.

Oh I'm sure I'll pick up a DMR sometime along the way, but I have decided on the Savage 10FP (unless convinced otherwise). It is an LE rifle, but I would like to customize it and build it up a bit to make it more of a Military rifle. In short, the accuracy and precision of an LE rifle, but the durability and ruggedness of a Military rifle.
 
Also, could you explain the rings and mounts?
 
Thanks,
-Rohann

Well, QD stands for Quick Detachable and used with the correct set up allows you to use any open sights you may have as well.
Or you can swap between a high power scope in one set of QD rings and say a red dot sight in another set without having to re-zero the rifle.
 
What I meant by high mount rings is that rings come in different heights to allow for different applications.
For instance, some rifles require the scope to be mounted high to clear the safety or hammer.
In other cases some shooters prefer a high mounted scope, even though a low mounted scope is arguably more accurate.
If you look at the current stock of service rifles though, like the Steyr AUG the Australian Army uses, they generally have a clamp-on high mounted 2.5x power scope(or similarly low) that works in tandem with a night vision device.

Oh ok thanks. Yeah QD sounds like a good plan, but how sturdy are they? Will they keep your scope zeroed? How much do they cost?
My rifle doesn't come with iron sights, but I could get them installed?
I think I may also get high mounts, depending on the size of the objective lens and the power of the scope (so I won't bash my knuckles with Savage's 90 degree bolt lift).
 
I'm a bit confused now about the stock. I want to get a stock like on the SSG-3000 (without the detachable mag section though), but I can't figure out which one I'm going to get if I order the rifle with an "SSG" stock though.
See now this is the stock off the McMillan site; the SSG P1 stock that I am looking at buying, but I think it's supposed to be the stock off the Steyr SSG; though it looks nothing like the Steyr SSG's stock.

This is the SSG-3000 stock, apparently a McMillan Tactical stock, which is shown on the Sauer site as well:

Though I found this picture of the "SSG-3000" with a completely different stock, and this is the one I was looking at buying (found on the "Sig Arms" site). It was also featured on "Behind Enemy Lines":

Now I don't think I'd want to get the hollow stock as much as this one, but could any of you help me out a bit?
Thanks a bunch,
-Rohann

well as far as QD rings go the American Rifleman guys like em' the last i saw they used them on a Weaver for evaluation and sure enough even after the rigours scope treatement (with rings still) the scope stayed zeroed. Not sure what make but i'd  bet Leupold.

This is an interesting question. what your looking for is a tactical/sniper system to build on a Savage. I would like to bet you won't find most of the parts your looking for to fit that gun. Most tactical rifles are built on the rem 700 or win 70 action. The reason for this is these actions are very easy to "true" up. That means square up locking lugs and square the bolt face. Not many, if any , custom guns are built on a sav. Now I got no beefs with savage, but you may want to go with a 700 for avalibility of parts. Then your possibilties would be endless. Stocks triggers detachable mags, bolt handles, titanium firing pins, springs & a whole bunch of other gadgets are readily avail from many manuf. The next ? is why don't you buy a custom rifle? By the time you stick all that time/money into this one you could have bought an h-s or a FN. Buy the savage and shoot it, and save your money to buy one of these. Im looking at the Sako trg or the Accuracy Int. About$4000 for one of these. The next thing is resale value. An h-s will still be worth the money in 5yrs whereas  your savage no matter how cool it looks is still a savage. To prove my point, I recently had a 243wssm built on a 700 action. $529 for the gun, $600 for tyhe Kreiger barrel, 200 tu install barrel, open bolt face, and square action, 100 for sako extractor, 200 jewel trigger, 50 to open stock to accept barrel. I got 400 in labor that I won't get back. A 2500 h-s is still 2500. Just a thought. As far as the QD rings, I own 5 sets of leupold QRWs. They will fit on any weaver rail. They are nice cuz you can have three scopes for the same rifle. I have two for my 243wssm. A zeiss 2.5-10x ill for coyotes at night & a Leu 6.5-20x LRT for day & target shooting. One more ? what are you looking to do with this rifle? Are you looking for a long range target rifle or for the "ooooo & aaaaahhhhh" factor when you pull it out of the case?

kinda odd aint it? you'd think a fine gun like the Savage would have lots of options, but i suppose the 700/70 had Vietnam and beyond to gain glory that and today's M-24/40 are M700's. I'd havta say go with the 700 and match things to the Marine's M40A1 which is a sniper's dream rifle. may cost more but it's your best option i guess. not sure which 700 they use but any i suppose would work, why spend more on a BDL if your just gonna get rid of it anyway.