Painful barrel swap...

[scnewt]

Hey guys,
So I bought a used Savage in 30-06 last October and immediately ran into problems. The front action screw was hitting the bolt lug. I fixed that and took it out to shoot and it shot 6 inch groups at 100 yards! So then I glass bed and pillar bed the action. That reduced the groups to 2.5 inches. I decided that the barrel was worn out. So I bought a Shilen. I took my action wrench and tried to remove my factory barrel. I could not get the barrel to hold in my vise. Since the barrel was already worn I took it over to my bench grinder and made the barrel flat on its sides so it would hold in the vise better. The vise broke after I put a cheater bar on the wrench. It still didn't budge. I was planning on saving the barrel nut but at this point, I just wanted the barrel off. I had to cut it off with a Dremel. The barrel was finally free but the recoil lug stayed on the action. It was welded on! Reluctantly, I decided to cut it off since I bought a heavy recoil lug for the new barrel. I believe that the barrel nut was too. Has anybody else had these problems when changing a barrel? I hope that this is the last of my problems. The new barrel is not on yet since I am now waiting on my new barrel nut.

[GaCop]

No, I've never experienced problems like you have. Obviously some "hack" totally screwed up what's usually an easy rifle to work on.

[Senderofan]

Hey guys,
So I bought a used Savage in 30-06 last October and immediately ran into problems. The front action screw was hitting the bolt lug. I fixed that and took it out to shoot and it shot 6 inch groups at 100 yards! So then I glass bed and pillar bed the action. That reduced the groups to 2.5 inches. I decided that the barrel was worn out. So I bought a Shilen. I took my action wrench and tried to remove my factory barrel. I could not get the barrel to hold in my vise. Since the barrel was already worn I took it over to my bench grinder and made the barrel flat on its sides so it would hold in the vise better. The vise broke after I put a cheater bar on the wrench. It still didn't budge. I was planning on saving the barrel nut but at this point, I just wanted the barrel off. I had to cut it off with a Dremel. The barrel was finally free but the recoil lug stayed on the action. It was welded on! Reluctantly, I decided to cut it off since I bought a heavy recoil lug for the new barrel. I believe that the barrel nut was too. Has anybody else had these problems when changing a barrel? I hope that this is the last of my problems. The new barrel is not on yet since I am now waiting on my new barrel nut.


All a guy can say is "Wow"....or WTF was that previous owner thinking? I echo what GaCop said...ssome hack just messed up what is normally is really easy thing to do...remove the barrel from the action.

Sorry you got stuck with such a project.

Wayne

[Eric in NC]

Wouldn't mess with a rifle that had been welded on around the barrel threads or bolt lug recesses - might be BRITTLE now.

[jonbearman]

If the lug was only tack welded I seriously doubt the reciever was embrittled from welding. If you can draw a file over the reciever only as a slight test and you can cut the material,it probably is fine. I would use it.

[csam]

I guess Bubba ran out of Mausers! I can't imagine why someone would take a welder to the action like that. Bubba must have saved up, used to be all he had was a hacksaw.

[Varget 7-08]

Hey guys,
So I bought a used Savage in 30-06 last October and immediately ran into problems. The front action screw was hitting the bolt lug. I fixed that and took it out to shoot and it shot 6 inch groups at 100 yards! So then I glass bed and pillar bed the action. That reduced the groups to 2.5 inches. I decided that the barrel was worn out. So I bought a Shilen. I took my action wrench and tried to remove my factory barrel. I could not get the barrel to hold in my vise. Since the barrel was already worn I took it over to my bench grinder and made the barrel flat on its sides so it would hold in the vise better. The vise broke after I put a cheater bar on the wrench. It still didn't budge. I was planning on saving the barrel nut but at this point, I just wanted the barrel off. I had to cut it off with a Dremel. The barrel was finally free but the recoil lug stayed on the action. It was welded on! Reluctantly, I decided to cut it off since I bought a heavy recoil lug for the new barrel. I believe that the barrel nut was too. Has anybody else had these problems when changing a barrel? I hope that this is the last of my problems. The new barrel is not on yet since I am now waiting on my new barrel nut.


X2

All a guy can say is "Wow"....or WTF was that previous owner thinking? I echo what GaCop said...ssome hack just messed up what is normally is really easy thing to do...remove the barrel from the action.

Sorry you got stuck with such a project.

Wayne

[Uncle Jack]

It's just one of those unsuspected suprises in life that goes with buying anything "Used". You never know what the previous owner moron may have done to it.

uj

[scnewt]

I'm a little concerned about the action now. :( I thought that Savage might have done this on some of the older models. This rifle does have integrated scope bases on it as well.

[stangfish]

My buddies new FCP-K barrel was on that tight with the new one hole nut. (hey Robin). I had to dremmel the nut off of that thing. What a bear!! You might want to consider rebedding you action, it sounds like you were in a 9 line bind. Based on my metal working experience as long as the action is not distorted from the heat and/or the threads are in tolerence the action is safe to use.

[scnewt]

Yea, I fell better now :D. I have probably put at least 150 rounds through this rifle before I removed the factory barrel and the only thing that made me change the barrel was the shot groups. The action is in need of a new finish now and I am considering Duracoating the rifle but I kind of like the stainless and matte look now. ;) I am seriously considering getting a Choate Ultimate Varmint or Sniper (undecided) and bedding it instead of re-bedding my factory wood stock. One more question for anybody that has any input; Can I remove the integrated scope base and thread hole into the top of the action safely? If so is this a DIY project or will I need it machined. I now have a Shilen varmint 30-06 and would kind of like a 20 MOA base on the rifle. If I have to, I guess I will start a new thread on this topic.

[GaCop]

The action would have to be machined to remove the scope bases.

[DougMH]

Have you considered talking to Savage or a gunsmith about this? Sometimes they know better than forum members who are primarily users... and I consider myself one of those.

I mean if you saw blood in your urine or a stool, would you ask your friends? Or head straight for a doctor?

[scnewt]

The problem is I simply do not know of a good gunsmith in my area (Rogersville, Alabama). I used to have one in the area but he died a few years ago. He was really good. I have checked around in Huntsville but all the ones I have talked to over there don't like to do much more than mount scopes and clean firearms! They have told me that it is too much of a liability. I am really shocked that in my part of Alabama there seems to be a shortage of gunsmiths (since it is Alabama). How good are the factory mounts on the Savage rifles and would I run out of adjustment with the standard mount? I plan on shooting around 500-600 yards and the caliber is 30-06 Springfield. I really would like to avoid getting a new action because I have already paid for this rifle. It might be the only solution for me though if I can't change the scope base.

[Uncle Jack]

At 500-600 yards it would pretty much depend on the scope. Of course there are also rings that will give you + or - 10 moa adjustment.

uj

[Blue Avenger]

How good are the factory mounts on the Savage rifles and would I run out of adjustment with the standard mount? I plan on shooting around 500-600 yards and the caliber is 30-06 Springfield. I really would like to avoid getting a new action because I have already paid for this rifle. It might be the only solution for me though if I can't change the scope base.


No way to tell until you try it. The cast base being right was one problem. The receivers were machined, then heat treated and maybe warped. Millit rings are very adj, but can put a bad twist on your scope tube if you do not lap them. Burris signature rings can be shimmed a lot. But the get pricy when you have to get extra shims

[scnewt]

Well I know that the rifle shot before I cut the barrel off, it was just innaccurate. I believe that I will go ahead and try it out with the factory base first and see what happens. If it does not shoot accurately this time I will get a new action.

[scnewt]

Welp,I finally got my new barrel nut in yesturday and installed my new shilen. I put 14 rounds through it just to break it in. I am glad that this worked out despite the welded barrel that was on it before. I have decided to try the set-up I have now and see if I run out of adjustment on my scope @ 500 yards and if I do, I will buy the Burris Signiture Zee rings that are adjustable since I have permanent mount scope bases on my action. For now though, I will be working on load development.

[scnewt]

Hate to drag up this old post but I thought that I needed to post an update on my rifle. I took my rifle out to the range and sure enough my reciever was not cut square. It was shooting so far over to the right that I could not compensate for it in my scope. It was very depressing until I found another donor rifle for $160 out the door!!! Now everything is OK. I will just take that bad reciever and the barrel off of the new donor and sell it back to the dealer that sold it to me in the first place!!!

[SMK Shoe]

You could always use the burris rings with inserts. Inserts can be had with offset to give you what you need at longer range. Three sets of offsets ( .005, .010, and .020) cost about 15$ thru midway