Savage 11 upgrade to 14

[sharpshooter]

The American Classic has hi-luste bluing, something not found on the rest.

[foxx]

Good point. Moreover, it's hard to place a value on good factory bluing. Personally, I prefer Matte bluing over gloss or high luster. Regardless, that is certainly something to consider. A $300 used rifle will most certainly show bluing wear. My projects are Duracoated. Not even close to the same durability or quality, but I still like doing it.

Another point for the Trophy Hunter, in my book, is the matte blued metal. I like it a lot. Still doesn't make up for their cheap DBM's though. :)

Finally, if the American Classics were ridiculously over priced, and the TH's weren't any good, no one would buy them. I've bought two TH's! :)

[big honkin jeep]

If you can live without the high luster blueing you can always decorate the stock any way you want with hardware store and scrap materials.
Here is a model 11 GL that I decided to do up in a classic style.
I chose golden oak stain for the base color.The white line spacers at the grip cap and recoil pad are made from white plastic sheet rock mud buckets cut to shape filed and sanded then sandwiched in. The ebony fore end is fake and done with ebony stain and the white line on the fore end is automotive pinstripe. The whole thing is sealed with clear Minwax spray poly. Not exactly highly figured imported walnut but for a few bucks in materials I had a lot of fun giving her that "classic" look. :thumb:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/bighonkinjeep/gregsandmine005-1_zpsd016dba6.jpg (http://s176.photobucket.com/user/bighonkinjeep/media/gregsandmine005-1_zpsd016dba6.jpg.html)

[limige]

I bought the trophy hunter and dropped it into a boyds stock. While the mag isn't ideal it serves the purpose being a hunting rifle I wanted easy load and unload. I have not had a feed issue.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/14/huja8ehu.jpg

[limige]

Ps I despise the bottom bolt release. Why in the world did they change

And yes mine is a model 16 not 11.

[foxx]

Big, that is awesome. I like.

Limige, yours, too.

The bottom bolt release has to be the stupidest thing I've ever come across. Sharpshooter told me they wanted to improve the lines and look of the rifle. To do so they changed a bunch of parts (10?) and ended up with a PITA button that interferes with good aftermarket triggers like the Rifle Basix Sav-2 and SSS Comp trigger. I HATE it! Even if you don't want to change the triggers, just trying to push the button and release the dang bolt or remove/replace the action screw is a PITA. I struggle with it all the time. I doubt the design team that came up with that bottom bolt release ever shoot or work on their Savages!

[tufrthnails]

X2 on the bottom release being a PITA. I bought the bottom bolt release TH, then replaced the rings and mounts and picked up a wood take-off from someone here. I like the setup for a hunting rifle the Nikon is adequate for hunting, Savage screwed up the DBM and the bolt release. If I had it to do over I would not have bought a new rifle I would have bought an old 110 top release. My mag does seem to have worked itself into a groove of sorts, but I had problems with the bolt not engaging round to feed for a little while.

[jpdown]

As a hobby, I have built several Savage rifles with American Classic stocks from Numrich over the last 6 years. But If you want a luster blue or SS finish and all metal bottom parts and save a lot of time and hassle, I would just buy the American Classic in 7mm08 ($705 Luster Blue, or $671.00 Stainless; Buds Gun Shop) as Sharpshooter advised. You may be able to find a good used one for less than the cost to build one from parts.

If you want to take the time and hassle or enjoy the DIY aspect, then my advice is to start with a Savage 11 Trophy Hunter XP package rifle in 7mm08 ($473; Buds Gun Shop). This rifle has a black matte finish, Accutrigger, Nikon BCD package scope (Prostaff) and composite/plastic trigger guard and DBM bottom cap. Purchase a SA (4.40"), CF, DBM Savage 14 AC stock from Numrich Gun Parts ($100 to $130). If you like the composite/plastic DBM and trigger guard, then you will need to order a composite DBM frame assembly-surround ($25.00) from Savage Arms Parts in order to get the plastic bottom DBM (same DBM used in Axis models) to work in a Savage SA, CF wood stock with DBM inletting. If you want metal bottom parts, then you will need to order a metal DBM frame assembly and bottom cap ($110) and trigger guard ($26) from Savage Arms Parts. Sell the cheap Nikon BCD paclage scope as a new take-off on Ebay ($75-$90). So the cost to build a Savage 14 AC rifle with matte black finish instead of a luster blued finish and metal bottom parts from scratch is approximately $520- $610 depending on what you net from selling the Nikon package scope.

Most of the Savage 14 AC stocks have an oil-based finish. I lightly sand with 0000 steel wool to dull the finish and apply a few coats of Tru-Oil Gunstock Finish with a cotton rag to refurbish, or repair light scratches after hunting season. This brings out the true beauty of the walnut wood. I don't use Tru-Oil on the checkering to avoid filling. I use thin danish tung oil to darken and seal the wood. Be careful and don't sand through the factory stock finish to bare wood. You won't be able to touch up the spot to match the factory finish.