Rebarreling a pre-66 savage

[greyling]

I have a pre-66 model 110 left handed rifle I found in a pawn shop a while back. Spectacular trigger, lovely fajen stock, barrel direct threaded into the action with no nut.

However, the barrel is now shot out. I alhad it bore scoped and it is dark, pitted and eroded almost the entire length of the barrel. It currently shoots 2-3 moa no matter what I do.

So, on to a rebarrel. I have 2 options that I can see:
1) buy a blank or prefit and have a gunsmith fit it. Figure $300 for a barrel and $200-250 for the work.
2) buy a prefit and a barrel nut and do the install myself. BUT, if I do that, I need a new style bolt or to convert mine to the new style.

If I go that route, I'd need a complete bolt head, a new style bolt body and firing pin for sure. Are there any other parts I'd need, or can I recycle the rest of my old bolt? I'd need to remove the old ejector from my magazine box, but that that's not hard.

[geargrinder]

I'd swap the whole bolt out. The firing pin assembly, bolt handle and rear baffle are about the only parts you would want to re-use.

The BAS could be re-used but it is the slot style, the allen style is easier to work with.

The bolt body and bolt head are obviously not compatible.

I'd get a new complete bolt assembly, give it a lift kit while you're at it.

[greyling]

Thanks for the reply.

Where would you find a long action left hand bolt assembly? Because I've looked all over and am coming up dry. Best I can come up with is piecing something together from numrich. And their bolt head looks rusty.

[darkker]

Why do you need to convert your bolt "to the new style", but ONLY if you recall with a nut??

Bolt parts are found on Midway and PT&G.

[stomp442]

I would just buy the blank of your choice and have a smith re-barrel it for you the way that it should be. Those old Savages are sweet little rigs I don't think I would go buggering it up. Bolts are not cheap and by the time you have one bought and and everything converted it would probably be pretty close to a wash from a price stand point. Shilen blanks can be purchased from Midway for well under $300 or Wilson blanks can be found over on ragged hole barrels for under $200.

[greyling]

It is a wash if I install a profit or have a gunsith install. For the next barrel. But after I shoot that one out, it makes the next one cheaper. Not an issue if I rebarrel in 308, but if I did 6.5 creedmoor or 260 Ackley or something I probably will wind up burning that barrel out too.

[geargrinder]

Keep an eye on Ebay and Gunbroker. They come up fairly often.

The nice thing about upgrading to a newer bolt is that they are compatible with every post-67 factory barrel or prefit.

[PhilC]

It is a wash if I install a profit or have a gunsith install. For the next barrel. But after I shoot that one out, it makes the next one cheaper. Not an issue if I rebarrel in 308, but if I did 6.5 creedmoor or 260 Ackley or something I probably will wind up burning that barrel out too.
May be, but to my knowledge there are no pre-fits for your pre-66 action. If you get a post '66 pre-fit you have to replace bolt too, and while you're at it, might as well verify whether your "spectacular" pre-66 trigger could be retained if you go that route (I don't know).

Not so sure it's a wash, I'm thinking you'd be money ahead to have a 'smith replace the existing barrel in the same manner it currently is and retain everything you already like about your rifle. Precisely what I'd do with my early 110 if/when that day comes. :thumb:

[BillU]

Why not have the existing barrel rebored by JES to a larger caliber? All your existing parts would work....as would the existing barrel.