Savage Stealth in 6.5 - First impressions.

[19E60]

Nice shooting Jrs.

Mine got back from Savage yesterday. I did not enclose a mag when I sent it back, however they included a new stock mag in the return box, nice. Work looks great, barrel looks fine but bore is dirty. They also refinished the btube nut as requested. That thing began rusting as soon as I removed the plastic wrap when I first brought it home.

Installed new bolt handle, still need to reinstall scope. Probably won't get out to the range until middle of next week. The warden seems to have this crazy idea that the kitchen rehab takes precedence over my shooting. The nerve of some people.

Tubbs FF bullets arrive today so I will get them loaded and ready.

[Jrs81]

Thanks 19E60! Gotta love the wardens lol

[Jrs81]

Cbryars2, what have you been seating those eld m rounds to, c.o.a.l. Only asking cause I ran into an issue tonight with a load being into the lands

[CBryars2]

Jrs81 - you shoot a heck of a lot better than I do.

For ELD-m I load to 2.18ish CBTO, no issue on coal as still fit in my pmag. My new barrel hits hard lands about 2.26, soft at 2.25 CBTO. My old barrel was in the 2.23 to 2.24 CBTO range from memory.

[Jrs81]

Thought I was loosing it but yours is almost identical to what I got for measurements. 2.25 was hard lands for mine, I was expecting to go a little further but stopped and had to go back to the drawing board.

[CBryars2]

Double checked my notes, 22" barrel also 2.26 CBTO with soft lands 2.25. That is pretty good that 2 barrel lengths have same measurement. Makes more confident in their QC.

I loaded 30 rounds tonight, 25 Berger. Held 2.1795 - 2.182, (had a little primer depth issue)90+% holding .015 variance. Started at 38.1 then 39, 40, 41, 41.5. Will see how they shoot. They fit easily in my Pmag. Once I get dialed in I'll try working more on seating depth.

Will be Tuesday before I can test.

[CBryars2]

The 24" barrel really shoots. Took 5 foulng rounds, 5 factory ELD-M and 25 Berger 130 OTM rounds with CBTO of 2.18 with H4350 starting 5 rounds each of 39gr, 40gr, 41gr, 41.5gr.

Here are results:
Factory 140 ELD-M Hornady Approx .8 MOA

Berger 130 OTM 2.18 CBTO, H4350 40 gr - 5 shot .554 MOA and 3 shot .302 MOA
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y437/cbryars2/Precision/.544MOA%205%20shot%20.277%203%20shot%20130%20Berge r%20OTM%20h4350%2040gr%20%20100yd%2020-Sep-2016_zpsjcfxxb8i.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/cbryars2/media/Precision/.544MOA%205%20shot%20.277%203%20shot%20130%20Berge r%20OTM%20h4350%2040gr%20%20100yd%2020-Sep-2016_zpsjcfxxb8i.jpg.html)

Berger 130 OTM 2.18 CBTO, H4350 41 gr - 5 shot .583 MOA
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y437/cbryars2/Precision/.583%20MOA%205%20shot%20Berger%20130gr%2041gr%20H4 350%20100yd%2020-Sep-2016_zpsnv3xjsho.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/cbryars2/media/Precision/.583%20MOA%205%20shot%20Berger%20130gr%2041gr%20H4 350%20100yd%2020-Sep-2016_zpsnv3xjsho.jpg.html)

Berger 130 OTM 2.18 CBTO, H4350 41.5 gr .86 MOA 5 Shot
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y437/cbryars2/Precision/..86%205%20shot%20Berger%20130gr%2041.5gr%20H4350% 20MOA%20100yd%2020-Sep-2016_zpsvknragfj.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/cbryars2/media/Precision/..86%205%20shot%20Berger%20130gr%2041.5gr%20H4350% 20MOA%20100yd%2020-Sep-2016_zpsvknragfj.jpg.html)

Seem to like between 40 gr and 41 gr. Will work around 40 gr to see if it tightens up.

Very happy with the new barrel.

[CBryars2]

The Berger 130's shot well at Talladega, 90% x ring with other just outside the ring. Have to send scope in for repair, not adjusting elevation consistently.

[jonbearman]

My son in law has one and I like the stock but not the butt. Anyways after the long break in he insisted on it now coppers up like all savage barrels except it shoots decent groups at the 60 yd pistol range we broke her in at. I shot 3 into one hole with hornady cheap hunting ammo. I want him to get the match ammo to try ,then we or should I say I will reload for it. It shows good promise. If it were mine I would rebarrel with a criterion,mcgowen,x-caliber barrel so the copper mining can stop.LOL All in all it is one nice rifle, with the only problem is you have to really work the bolt harsh to feed smoothly. The mag lips are wearing and after a bit it may smooth out.

[CBryars2]

Your right about a firm bolt manipulation, feeds better, slow and easy gets more issues. I love this 24", not in a hurry to swap yet. The fit to finish is supposed to help some with coppering. Need to clean again after the 50 rounds, will see how it looks.

Have a 300WM that needs a REMAGE barrel, the remington shot out pretty quick. So that is next big purchase. Rate we shoot, this 6.5 barrel will be gone in about 12 months or so then will swap to one of the brands you mentioned.

Thanks

[Keith_A]

When I talked to them 10 days ago they had just sent it to Fluting Dept. I then requested that they not flute the barrel, if it was not too late. Guess I was lucky this time. I now have an un-fluted barrel.

I noticed that the bolt action was not only stiff but also seemed to be grinding. (Almost like running your finger nails over a blackboard.) I disassembled the bolt and cleaned all parts with WD40. Wiped the parts dry and coated them with a fine layer of synthetic grease before re-assembling. The action is a lot smoother now. It takes more pressure to open and close the bolt as compared to my Browning rifles, but I understand that is the nature of the Savage Action.

Keith

[CBryars2]

Congrats on the new barrel, let us know how it shoots when you get back.

[CBryars2]

Any updates Keith A?

[Kalison]

Really liked this thread. I went and bought one of these Stealths, and I gotta say I am pretty disappointed in it... and I haven't even fired it yet!

I can't get it to feed rounds through the magazine to save my life. It keeps getting nose down, butt up half way into the chamber and jammed. I let off the pressure just a bit and the round settles and I can chamber it like normal.

It will feed normally about 30% of the time going as slow as I can.. but in general it will end up butt up and stuck till I take tension off of the bolt.

SAVAGE!!!!

[Steelhead]

Really liked this thread. I went and bought one of these Stealths, and I gotta say I am pretty disappointed in it... and I haven't even fired it yet!

I can't get it to feed rounds through the magazine to save my life. It keeps getting nose down, butt up half way into the chamber and jammed. I let off the pressure just a bit and the round settles and I can chamber it like normal.

It will feed normally about 30% of the time going as slow as I can.. but in general it will end up butt up and stuck till I take tension off of the bolt.

SAVAGE!!!!
What mags are you using?

[Kalison]

What mags are you using?

MDT Mag and PMAG AICS so far

[Steelhead]

Not a big fan of the mdt mag but the magpul AC mags are gtg
May want to try a real AICS or accurate/metal Ruger gunsite mag.

[Kalison]

I don't know that I will continue to spend money on this rifle being as this is a basic function that should not need any aftermarket attention, tweaking mag lips I am okay with. Then again there are plenty of rifles that feed without issues from different magazines.

I took it for sight in and barrel break in this morning, and it's going to be one hell of a shooter! I wasn't going for accuracy but groups started forming in the half MOA area easily, with a tweaked hand load and doing my part, I think it could actually get into 1/4 MOA.

Ejection was positive and repeatable (this is where I have heard Savage has the most problems, but good experience for me)

But, if I can't cycle the action at a decent cadence, it's not worth it.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[19E60]

Finally got to the range with 50 handloads. Shoots pretty well, these are the 2 best groups, will refine further. Barrel now has 125 rounds through it. Little B brake shifted poi up about 2.5moa, elevation is now 10 clicks up from bottom of travel.


Not bad

2219


Better

2221

[19E60]

100 yds.

Not bad

2223

Better

2224