Who has built a "full" custom savage.

[MI223]

As the title says who has went full custom. Not just a stock and barrel swap. I am talking trued and timed, all the bolt lift mods, bushed firing pin, custom sized bolt body, and probably some stuff i have never heard of. What are your thoughts after the work? Have you been able to compare it to any of the custom action manufacturers?

Tell us about your build. What did you have done? Who did it? How do you like it? I know i am interested in this and i hope others are to.

Feel free to post pics with your build

[m12lrs]

I believe you are getting up there into the price of a custom action by then. Kind of defeats the purpose of the savage. If you want it to be like a bat action you better just buy a bat.

what I like is the interchangeability of the savage. Multiple barrels = multiple calibers. No year waiting on a gunsmith. Do it yourself

If you want perfection then hire it done.

[Dennis]

I had 3 Savage Precision Target actions worked over by SSS (a/k/a Fred M.) including his Evolution Trigger. At the time I had them built, it was definitely cheaper vs. a BAT or Panda Action. I also like the McMillian Low Boy Stock.

With this setup, I hung in there with the best of them. If you can find a deal on one already set up, it would be worth looking at.

Dennis

[MI223]

I can see the point of getting near the cost of a custom but i do see a fair amount of savings with a custom savage. I paid 400 for a complete model 11 a true and time job by sss is 165 a fluted ptg bolt body in a custom dia is 105. A nat lambeth bolt lift kit is 35 dallars. Take your pick on a bolt handle. Lets use 60 for a figure.

I would have 765 into custom savage action and and the parts to go along with it. Would it compare to a custom at that point?

[LongRange]

what are you planing to do with the rifle?

[Robinhood]

After fitting closer tolerence bolt bodies, I would go with an unfluted body or have SSS do their fluting on my fitted bolt body rather than use what PTG or some of the other fluting services offer.. The SSS triggers are the best for savage in my opinion. I dont see the Lambeth kit as a value. Trueing and SSS cocking ramp mod is the way to go. I prefer actions with the threads single pointed inline with the bolt and action. Going up to the larger savage thread is one way to do it and still maintain prefit status.

[Hotolds442]

The answer to your thread title: Fred Moreo

[Robinhood]

The answer to your thread title: Fred Moreo thats where I fall. The cocking effort is worth it.

[MI223]

what are you planing to do with the rifle?
Shoot it mostly....lol

Target shoot and maybe some local matches.
I have been looking at barrels and starting thinking about other mods to go with. Have heard nothing bad about sss t and t and may see about getting on his list for that. Mostly i like to tinker and make things as functional as possible.

[DanSavage]

For the guys having timing and trying done, were you having troubles getting the bolt open? How easy does it really need to be? I don't get hard bolt lift, and can't see it helping with accuracy. Panda action 's seem to cock about like my Savages.

[tufrthnails]

This is a pretty cool topic. Personally I don't shoot matches just like to try to put a lot of lead is small groups from time to time and be as efficient hunting as I can be so these items don't really apply to my usage, but it would be interesting to hear what these items physically did to improve your rig. We all know the factory composite package stock do a poor job of supporting the rig and can cause flyers with a loaded bipod so we swap stocks for an example.

[LongRange]

agree with Dan....other than the bolt slide most of the actions ive fondled cock about the same...there is resistance when closing and opening.

MI223...this is a PTA that ive had for about 5yrs...

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/1444267798.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1444267798.jpg.html)

and since you like to tinker heres a few things ive done to this action and id be willing to bet that it is pretty close to a T&T action as far as bolt lift goes...i had the face of the receiver trued and added a PT&G bolt body,bolt head and glades armory bolt handle.
ive polished all of the contact points in the action and smoothed out all the sharp edges with 2000 and 2500 grit wet and dry sand paper...Popsicle sticks work great...ive also polished the cocking piece,cocking piece pin and cocking piece sleeve inside and out,inside the bolt body and the cocking ramp,and the PT&G bolt head...i also found the by polishing the high points on the bolt body it help a little as well. i also radius-ed the firing pin so no need for a bushed bolt head.

i can open the bolt after fired with the back side of my index and middle fingers without the rifle moving much on a bipod and rear bag and could probable make it a little easier/lighter by drilling and tapping the rear baffle and adding set screws to adjust primary extraction...actions are pretty basic and pretty simple to make run smooth.

and by the way there is no bolt lift kit in this action just a little TLC in the right places.

[psharon97]

As the title says who has went full custom. Not just a stock and barrel swap. I am talking trued and timed, all the bolt lift mods, bushed firing pin, custom sized bolt body, and probably some stuff i have never heard of. What are your thoughts after the work? Have you been able to compare it to any of the custom action manufacturers?

Tell us about your build. What did you have done? Who did it? How do you like it? I know i am interested in this and i hope others are to.

Feel free to post pics with your build

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/uu165/psharon97/P6241932.jpg (http://s644.photobucket.com/user/psharon97/media/P6241932.jpg.html)

This beauty was done by Fred. I purchased the action off by brother for $100. It was a Savage 111 in 30-06. Fred converted the bolt from RB RP to LB RP. He then screwed on a 27" Brux 7mm Mag barrel with his muzzle brake. He timed and trued the action, installed a Competition trigger and built the stock for this beast. This is easily one of the most precise rifles I own. I throw 180g Berger Hybrids at ~2860. I could probably hot rod it further, but the groups I get too good to mess with the load lol. The barrel has been cerakoted to match the action a little better.

[big honkin jeep]

Shoot it mostly....lol

Target shoot and maybe some local matches.
I have been looking at barrels and starting thinking about other mods to go with. Have heard nothing bad about sss t and t and may see about getting on his list for that. Mostly i like to tinker and make things as functional as possible.

Confucius says:
Sounds to me like you have the cart in front of the horse Grasshopper.

Too much internet has clouded your mind.

In order to fill your needs a good factory rifle and a hand loading kit is what you seek. :(

You're Welcome.

[Mortarman0341]

If cost of custom vs savage actions is part of the equation you should figure in the value of the gun when you are done with it. What do custom savages sell for compared to a Bat? Unless funds are unlimited resale should always be a concern.

[MI223]

Confucius says:
Sounds to me like you have the cart in front of the horse Grasshopper.

Too much internet has clouded your mind.

In order to fill your needs a good factory rifle and a hand loading kit is what you seek. :(

You're Welcome.
No offense but i disagree... i handload all of my rifles with the best precision I can with the equipment i have. The rifle currently is shooting sub moa but i am always looking for improvement. Some may be happy with sub moa and put thousands of rounds down range and never touch it again and that is great if it makes them happy. Me on the other hand enjoy my trigger time but i also enjoy my bench time triing to improve things as much as possible. Sure I may be the week point in my rifle system but that is also part of what i am always trying to improve upon when i am out shooting.

Longrange hit the nail on the head for me. I have done some polishing on th cocking ramp but never touched the rest of it. Sounds like the bolt os coming back apart and i will get some stones and sand paper out again.

What is being accomplished by the primary extraction mod with the set screws. I guess that one dosnt make sense to me yet.

Thanks for the imput guys lets keep them coming for everyones benefit.

[Robinhood]

What is being accomplished by the primary extraction mod with the set screws. I guess that one dosnt make sense to me yet. the same thing as machining the end of the bolt body, just a shade tree aproach.

[rjtfroggy]

http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?27718-New-br-rifle

Pay no mind to the final cost, it went up with a few changes, and with shooting and tweaking the load the group sizes went down way down. My best to date was a 0.162 and more than a few in the 0.165 range @ 100. But I don't shoot group matches I shoot score matches and my scores have gone up, haven't shot a 250 YET but came close.
This barrel just came off and a 6mm full bull went on but haven't shot yet, waiting on the right dies to come in(2 weeks late).
Stock trigger is set at 7oz. and breaks clean bolt lift smooth and easy with no mods.
For what I paid to build in my cellar I could have spent another couple hundred and let someone else do it but why. I shoot for fun and compete against myself and this custom does just fine.

[LongRange]

If cost of custom vs savage actions is part of the equation you should figure in the value of the gun when you are done with it. What do custom savages sell for compared to a Bat? Unless funds are unlimited resale should always be a concern.


http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?27718-New-br-rifle

Pay no mind to the final cost, it went up with a few changes, and with shooting and tweaking the load the group sizes went down way down. My best to date was a 0.162 and more than a few in the 0.165 range @ 100. But I don't shoot group matches I shoot score matches and my scores have gone up, haven't shot a 250 YET but came close.
This barrel just came off and a 6mm full bull went on but haven't shot yet, waiting on the right dies to come in(2 weeks late).
Stock trigger is set at 7oz. and breaks clean bolt lift smooth and easy with no mods.
For what I paid to build in my cellar I could have spent another couple hundred and let someone else do it but why. I shoot for fun and compete against myself and this custom does just fine.

Mortarman and froggy both bring up good points...

as Mortarman says you should consider resale value just if case you ever want to get rid of it...i have a long action 110BA that is about the same as the PTA i post as far as being smooth...it has a 28" shilen select match in 260rem that shoots 292.5 5 shot groups at 100yds and shot a 591 in a 1000yd F-class...i tried to sell it awhile back for what i thought was a smokin deal...long story short i still have it.

also like froggy says why have someone else do the work when its so simple to make them shoot tiny groups yourself...and also like froggy says with no mods.

i just went with a custom action but ONLY because i need an action that will feed and eject reliably when ran hard and fast and also with resale in mind not because i think its going to be more accurate...now if i was a bench rest shooter that got paid to shoot id have a different view but if youve seen some of the targets i post its pretty obvious im not LOL...can

you make a savage accurate? sure you can take a look for yourself...

8 rounds with two different lots of 140g berger hybrids from the PTA in the picture i posted....

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/1454788678.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1454788678.jpg.html)

this is a 5 shot group at 100yds from my 110BA...

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/photo1-123.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo1-123.jpg.html)

[m12lrs]

http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?27718-New-br-rifle

Pay no mind to the final cost, it went up with a few changes, and with shooting and tweaking the load the group sizes went down way down. My best to date was a 0.162 and more than a few in the 0.165 range @ 100. But I don't shoot group matches I shoot score matches and my scores have gone up, haven't shot a 250 YET but came close.
This barrel just came off and a 6mm full bull went on but haven't shot yet, waiting on the right dies to come in(2 weeks late).
Stock trigger is set at 7oz. and breaks clean bolt lift smooth and easy with no mods.
For what I paid to build in my cellar I could have spent another couple hundred and let someone else do it but why. I shoot for fun and compete against myself and this custom does just fine.

I am with you on that. The reason I like the savage is the do it yourself aspect. I have the gunsmith built guns and they shoot great but I get so much more satisfaction out of the ones I put together myself. Reloading and building rifles that shoot accurately is a challenging hobby. Always something new to try. Always something new to learn. Cost is one of the last factors in my decisions. I know I will never be able to get back what I have spent if I sell a rifle. What I do is give them to my relatives when I have done all I can with one and need room for a new build.