Lightweight stock options - Long action bottom bolt release?

[Newtosavage]

Picked up a 116 stainless '06 yesterday that was too good to pass on. Might keep it '06 and might order a .280ai barrel for it. Won't decide until I shoot it as-is first. However, I would like to know if there are any lightweight aftermarket stocks worth considering. It wears the old, original plastic factory stock with the hockey puck recoil pad and "axis style" DBM. That may already be as light as I can go, but I would like to find a fiberglass or CF option if they even exist.

Read a bit about Stockade stocks. Are they still in business? Anyone know what their lightest stock weighs?

Thanks.

[Apollo117]

IIRC, Manners, McMillan, and Stockade are the options I looked at in the past. Stockade is the least expensive and probably the heaviest.

[tobnpr]

Of course there are, depends on your budget.
B&C Medalist is 2 lb, 7 oz and is worth checking out with a balance of light weight and decent quality for the $$
McMillan A3 is a few ounces lighter, and double the cost.

Any of the high end FG composite and carbon fiber stock manufs will inlet for a Savage action- but they'll cost 2 or 3 times what you paid for the rifle.

Sub- 2 pound production stocks are heavily weighted towards M700 and clones, not much off-the-shelf for Savage actions.

[Newtosavage]

Thanks. Anyone have experience with the Stockades?

I'm not really interested in anything that's heavier than the factory stock. B&C's have such a fat wrist, and a cheek pad that I can't stand.

such a shame so many good stocks are available for 700's and not Savages. I wouldn't be surprised if Savage has outsold 700's for years now, but I could be wrong about that.

[Newtosavage]

Ugh - Just got off the phone with someone at Stockade stocks, and they said the lightest stocks they make are still about 2 1/2 lbs. :( That's not lightweight IMO. Maybe I'll just stick with the factory plastic then. McMillan Hunters Edge looks interesting. Maybe I'll see if they inlet for Savage LA...

[Apollo117]

You've got a point about Savages possibly outselling 700's.

Savage shot themselves in the foot by changing the screw spacing and bolt release half a dozen times. Nobody wants to make several different action inlets for Savage actions.

1. Short action top release.
2. Short action bottom release.
3. Long action top release.
4. Long action bottom release.
5. Target action.

Multiply the number of Savage action variations times the cost of building a stock mold and the trial and error of getting the CNC programs correct. You've spent a lot of time and money to build stocks to fit a Savage action.

Compare that to Remington 700's, where there's only two different inlets. Long action and short action. Remington has kept their action dimensions the same for 50+ years.

Don't get me wrong. I'd love to have stocks options for Savage rifles but I can't fault a stock maker for treating Savage actions like redheaded step children.

[Newtosavage]

You've got a point about Savages possibly outselling 700's.

Savage shot themselves in the foot by changing the screw spacing and bolt release half a dozen times. Nobody wants to make several different action inlets for Savage actions.

1. Short action top release.
2. Short action bottom release.
3. Long action top release.
4. Long action bottom release.
5. Target action.

Multiply the number of Savage action variations times the cost of building a stock mold and the trial and error of getting the CNC programs correct. You've spent a lot of time and money to build stocks to fit a Savage action.

Compare that to Remington 700's, where there's only two different inlets. Long action and short action. Remington has kept their action dimensions the same for 50+ years.

Don't get me wrong. I'd love to have stocks options for Savage rifles but I can't fault a stock maker for treating Savage actions like redheaded step children.

I get that. And combine those things with the fact (let's be honest) that most folks who buy Savage rifles are looking to save a little $ and probably won't be interested in a $400 aftermarket stock. I get it.

[Apollo117]

Ugh - Just got off the phone with someone at Stockade stocks, and they said the lightest stocks they make are still about 2 1/2 lbs. :( That's not lightweight IMO. Maybe I'll just stick with the factory plastic then. McMillan Hunters Edge looks interesting. Maybe I'll see if they inlet for Savage LA...I appreciate you calling and posting the weight I've been meaning to get an accurate weight for Stockade stocks.

[Newtosavage]

I appreciate you calling and posting the weight I've been meaning to get an accurate weight for Stockade stocks.

That's just what he told me. Said they aren't willing to compromise on build quality, and they haven't found a way to get a lighter stock if they still use the aluminum internal rail and pillars. I was actually pretty surprised by what he said. I figured they had at least one true (sub 2 lb.) lightweight option.

If I wasn't planning to carry this thing around at 10K feet, I'd have more options, but since I am, I want to go as light as I can.

[tobnpr]

If you don't want to drop the coin for a 2 lb stock- nothing wrong with the factory tupperware if it meets your needs.
Even a partial bedding job on the forward part of the receiver and recoil lug can go a long way in establishing more consistency/accuracy, provided procedure for epoxy bedding plastics is followed.

[Apollo117]

There's an old post from a few years ago where someone epoxy painted (I think) a Savage model 111 LWH wood stock. The LWH wood stock is 27-29oz IIRC. Add maybe 2-3oz for several layers of epoxy paint.

It's an interesting idea. If sealed and painted correctly it would be darn near weather proof and would handle all but the deepest gouges.

If you're handy with a router or Dremel you could buy any old wood stock that will fit your action and remove wood until it's the target weight. That's pretty much what Savage did with the LWH stock anyways. Then paint it. Maybe put a better recoil pad on it too.

Edit: The old post is on Rokslide, not Savage Shooters. I forgot which forum I was on. Shouldn't be hard to find, since I think you're a Rokslide member already.

[jpdown]

The Stockade Hunter LA l purchase years ago is 28 oz. It has the blind magazine box which adds 1.8 oz. Add 2.2 oz for metal trigger guard. The Savage LA metal DBM assembly is 9.3 oz with magazine box attached. The Savage LA plastic DBM assembly with Axis-style magazine attached is 4.4 oz. A Savage factory 22” sporter barrel is 2 lbs 6 oz vs the 20” FW version which is 2.0 lbs. My Savage LA LWH walnut stock at 26 oz is the lightest non-tupperware stock I’ve found. But finding a take-off for sale is almost impossible. If you can take the sticker shock, contact Savage Arms Parts to buy one.

[Newtosavage]

The Stockade Hunter LA l purchase years ago is 28 oz. It has the blind magazine box which adds 1.8 oz. Add 2.2 oz for metal trigger guard. The Savage LA metal DBM assembly is 9.3 oz with magazine box attached. The Savage LA plastic DBM assembly with Axis-style magazine attached is 4.4 oz. A Savage factory 22” sporter barrel is 2 lbs 6 oz vs the 20” FW version which is 2.0 lbs. My Savage LA LWH walnut stock at 26 oz is the lightest non-tupperware stock I’ve found. But finding a take-off for sale is almost impossible. If you can take the sticker shock, contact Savage Arms Parts to buy one.

Interesting. I'm not sure why he would tell me 2 1/2 lbs. then. ???

I weighed my factory plastic stock with the plastic bottom insert and Axis style magazine on board. This is the older, original "XP" stock with the hockey puck recoil pad. It weighed 1 lb. 14 oz. on my scale, or 30 oz. Not too bad for a stock with the detachable magazine inserted and trigger guard on.

I'll shoot it and see how it does. I've bedded several stocks, and if I like this one, I'll probably bed around the recoil log like tobnpr said. I had another plastic (Howa) stock that after I bedded the recoil lug, it was incredibly accurate.

[Newtosavage]

The Stockade Hunter LA l purchase years ago is 28 oz. It has the blind magazine box which adds 1.8 oz. Add 2.2 oz for metal trigger guard. The Savage LA metal DBM assembly is 9.3 oz with magazine box attached. The Savage LA plastic DBM assembly with Axis-style magazine attached is 4.4 oz. A Savage factory 22” sporter barrel is 2 lbs 6 oz vs the 20” FW version which is 2.0 lbs. My Savage LA LWH walnut stock at 26 oz is the lightest non-tupperware stock I’ve found. But finding a take-off for sale is almost impossible. If you can take the sticker shock, contact Savage Arms Parts to buy one.

I've actually bought a LWH walnut stock from the factory before, for a short action build my buddy now has. They really are remarkable wood stocks. I just want a synthetic for this particular rifle.