Northland Shooters Trued – Savage Varmint Action

[mchljrdn]

– Savage Varmint Action – Matte – Right Hand – Short Action – .308 Bolt Face with AccuTrigger, Trigger Guard, and Blind Magazine – Trued receiver face – Lapped lugs – PT&G bolt head – Lightened bolt lift: $675.00

I was looking at the trued varmint actions on Northland - anybody have any experience or thoughts about these?

[SageRat Shooter]

$675.00 is quite a bit of $$$... Lapped lugs, lightened bolt lift, and trued receiver face are a little over kill in my opinion... I built my .260 off a 111 XP package and didn't add anything to it except a CBI barrel, precision recoil lug, and a new barrel nut.

Did have to pillar bed my action screws in a new stock, but it's a .5 to .25 MOA shooter as is... Try finding a savage 12FV action or something similar as t will save you a couple hundred Bucks that you can apply towards glass or that aftermarket, tack driving barrel, you'll eventually want to put on it.

Just my opinion though.... It's your build.... do it how you want it.... Good luck and have fun!

[Robinhood]

While I do agree with the Savage being a weaker platform to spend a lot of money on. I will also agree that truing the action face of any receiver as well as using a ground recoil lug will improve the the receiver barrel joint stability. If done correctly it will also mitigate the need for windage or unpredictable elevation changes at different ranges. Is it worth it to pay to have that done? I can't say, but if you have the machinery and know how to do it yourself, it pays dividends.

A well machined, timed and trued LRPV action with a SSS or RB SAVII trigger will be a satisfactory rifle for much less than a rebuilt Remington.

[Dave Hoback]

While I do agree with the Savage being a weaker platform to spend a lot of money on. I will also agree that truing the action face of any receiver as well as using a ground recoil lug will improve the the receiver barrel joint stability. If done correctly it will also mitigate the need for windage or unpredictable elevation changes at different ranges. Is it worth it to pay to have that done? I can't say, but if you have the machinery and know how to do it yourself, it pays dividends.

A well machined, timed and trued LRPV action with a SSS or RB SAVII trigger will be a satisfactory rifle for much less than a rebuilt Remington.


Robinhood, while I completely agree with with you on the 12 LRP, the cheapest I have been able to find is a 1 used at $900! That certainly wouldn’t fit into MY budget. When I built mine, I found a used Model 10 w/ Accutrigger for $170. I picked up a 26” Shilen for $300, PTG recoil lug & barrel nut & the tools to change out the barrel and I STILL spent less than the cheapest LRP I can find. Just that you always recommend the LRP to first time builders, but by the time they purchase the rifle, barrel, barrel nut & lug and the tools, they will already be approaching $1500. And that would still leave the origional stock to be used. Is there a better option for the LRP’s?

[Robinhood]

It is possible I overlooked where the OP stated his budget. Hehe, And I really missed it where he talked about your budget.:p. I looked again and I could not find anything about an LRP action or rifle either. I think I missed some parts of this conversation.

Just because my opinion is different than yours does not make me ...or you wrong. Never assume you are the only one who has the best experience or that your situation dictates the requirements of another mans build. This is not my first rodeo.

[Dave Hoback]

It is possible I overlooked where the OP stated his budget. Hehe, And I really missed it where he talked about your budget.:p. I looked again and I could not find anything about an LRP action or rifle either. I think I missed some parts of this conversation.

Just because my opinion is different than yours does not make me ...or you wrong. Never assume you are the only one who has the best experience or that your situation dictates the requirements of another mans build. This is not my first rodeo.


Wow! Calm down there. I was being sincere. Wasn’t saying you were wrong...or right. I was genuinely asking for my own benefit. I have seen you push the LRP action. Is NSS the cheapest? Or is there another source you know of, is what I wondered. I apologize for offending you so deeply, however I never claimed to anything more than I am. I have NEVER said I know more than you or anyone else. I am a constant student, always learning. I apologize you feel threatened. I wish I could change that, but I can’t.

[J.Baker]

– Savage Varmint Action – Matte – Right Hand – Short Action – .308 Bolt Face with AccuTrigger, Trigger Guard, and Blind Magazine – Trued receiver face – Lapped lugs – PT&G bolt head – Lightened bolt lift: $675.00

I was looking at the trued varmint actions on Northland - anybody have any experience or thoughts about these?

I think that's a bit much for what you're getting. Right now brand new take-off 12FV actions have been selling in the classifieds for $250-275 which is the same action. The trued receiver face isn't really a necessity with the floating bolt head. Ditto for the lapped lugs. The PT&G bolt head and lightened bolt lift (I will presume he's using the kit PT&G sells) would actually turn me away rather than be an incentive as PT&G's Savage parts often cause more issues than they resolve.

If it were my money and I was wanting a repeater I would just buy a take-off action and get on the list to have SSS work their magic on it for $175. Assuming you get the action for $300 or less you're looking at less than $500 compared to $675 and you'll end up with an action that's a lot smoother and better functioning. The downside is you might be waiting 6-12 months before you get the call from SSS to send in your action.

[Robinhood]

Dave, I'm not riled up or upset. I was unclear why you made points that did not pertain to this post.

Im not angry with you either. I simply wanted to assert that it is OK if we do not agree. If you replying to my post using quotes, and you follow with nothing but counter points, it takes on the appearance that you have an issue with me. I was just trying to help you understand that.

The LRP is a repeater that is machined similar to the PTA. What is not to like about it. Not everyone's is on a tight of a budget as others and splurging a little does not cause pain..... You don't view us savage owners as a bunch of simple minded cheapscapes do you? :p

BTW we are good.

[Dave Hoback]

Robinhood, yes I do see how you could think that from what I said, and I apologize. Was not my intention, and I certainly do not have an issue with you. I have actually given you props for your knowledge base & agreed with points you made in a couple threads.

[MS50]

FWIW, I talked to Jim at NSS about a month ago during a barrel purchase. The trued varmint actions are sold out. There is no information on if or when more will be in stock. My jury is still out as to whether a trued action makes a difference in a home built rifle. My rifles built from take-off actions and aftermarket barrels shoot pretty well with custom lugs, barrel nuts, and hand loads. On the other hand, SSS is known throughout the Savage community for creating great shooting rifles. There must be something to it.

[Texas10]

I am not sold on the idea that the 12FV action needs to be trued up to shoot well. The front face of all my 12FV action are roller knurled. This both work hardens the mating face as well as truing it. I don't know the exact machine set up that Savage uses in this step. Whether they use the action outer surface or the internal threaded portion as the reference point will affect the trueness of the front face to the threads. Maybe someone here knows that detail.

I lightly hone the front face on a flat plate with 800 grit, just to remove the burr at the outer edge of the roller knurl. Then add a ground lug and trued barrel nut when assembling.

A bolt lift kit can be made out of a 38 cal brass and a ball bearing. That's about what, 10 cents?

If you want to save some money on a good trigger, keep an eye out for a used target action (red blade) trigger in the want ad section. All up you'd spend about $350 and have a very fine shooting action, with just a little elbow grease.

[Robinhood]

You might be thinking of burnishing Tex. I do not know if this is what Savage does or not. Burnishing is not usually done on an interrupted cut. Burnishing can create a very uniform smooth surface. Is normally done on diameters(?) not faces

[Texas10]

Maybe you're right, R.H. but I never thought of burnishing as a step that produces a pattern in the metal, but rather smooths out any irregularities. The front face of my actions all have a pattern pressed into the steel. You can see evidence of metal being moved by the burr on the outer edge of the face. When I lap it, I sand just enough to remove most of pattern and the burr. If there are any low or high points, they show up immediately.

[Robinhood]

When I lap it, I sand just enough to remove most of pattern and the burr. If there are any low or high points, they show up immediately.

I agree. I have been urging everyone who does a barrel change to do just that. A sound practice in my opinion.


I never thought of burnishing as a step that produces a pattern in the metal, but rather smooths out any irregularities.

Yes, I kind of cocked my head like my dog when you state knurling. Burnishing also increases the surface density of the dimension being burnished while reducing the finish rms.


My experience with burnishing is in an industrial environment where a diamond tool with a polished radius is preloaded onto a surface to burnish proximity probe diameters on more expensive rotating equipment. typically the diameter has already been ground to a total TIR of .0002 RO concentric with the bearing fits. It is used to measure a vibration function call displacement. Outside of that I have no other experience.

[South Prairie jim]

IMHO. I don't believe you'll benefit from anything more than a $50.00 bolt lift kit and a good trigger like Rifle Basix, $200. Installed so after trigger your in $875
A Custom action would be superior in almost every way for a few dollars more.
Just a thought
J

[culpeper]

I bought a SS 116 action from NSS with 6.5x284 heavy barrel, nut, and their recoil lug. Bedded just the recoil lug in aftermarket stock. Shoots great. Trued actions can mean almost anything. Mine was trued enough during the manufacturer process. I don't see how it could shoot any better with so-called "trued" in the label. I'm still waiting on a Stockade stock that is about 2 months overdue. My biggest grip with SSS, NSS, and Stockade is you can't order or check status and shipping online. NSS does ship quickly and Stockade will answer the phone at any time on any day. But they all need to update their online capabilities. This isn't 1999 anymore. But Savage is pretty much the same way so what the hell.

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

[Dave Hoback]

IMHO. I don't believe you'll benefit from anything more than a $50.00 bolt lift kit and a good trigger like Rifle Basix, $200. Installed so after trigger your in $875
A Custom action would be superior in almost every way for a few dollars more.
Just a thought
J

Why even spend the money on those? Many here, like myself, make our own bolt lift and perform our own trigger jobs.. So that is $250 one can spend on reloading components!

My point is, can always do what people think of as BETTER “for a few dollars more”, but is it going to increase one’s shooting prowess? I’ll say NO, for the great many of us. Sometimes spending a few dollars LESS, is a far better option. Money does increase skill, period!


Jim, I mean no disrespect towards you my friend. I’m simply pointing out a rampant misconception that could be read by inexperienced enthusiasts.

[gbflyer]

Maybe you're right, R.H. but I never thought of burnishing as a step that produces a pattern in the metal, but rather smooths out any irregularities. The front face of my actions all have a pattern pressed into the steel. You can see evidence of metal being moved by the burr on the outer edge of the face. When I lap it, I sand just enough to remove most of pattern and the burr. If there are any low or high points, they show up immediately.

I think those marks are left from the chop saw they use[emoji1]

[Robinhood]

Savage rifles aren't just for the beginner or budget minded folks. To assert that a person is a fool for spending more that what you would spend on your Savage is like shaming a teenager for having sex. You build your own 45s. Some people buy a Ed Brown or Les Baer. Or those people crazy or just in a different situation. The commonality we have is Savage Rifles.

I drive a 14 yo old vehicle back and forth every day. I park in a lot with brand new cars and trucks costing up to 80,00 or more. I'm OK with that.

[Robinhood]

I think those marks are left from the chop saw they use[emoji1]


This here is very funny.