Savage 12 F Class Action Screws

[FClass12]

New to the group, this is my first Savage. I just picked up a lightly used Savage 12 F Class. Factory Stock and Target Action, 30" Criterion Barrel, Jard Trigger, Master Class 3 Way adjustable Butt Pad. I took the stock off and noticed the action screws were only engaged by 3 threads. I checked to make sure the recoil lug wasn't bottoming in the stock and that checked out okay. All 3 action screws appear to be factory original. The two short action screws measured 1.060 from end of thread to the shoulder of the screw. I checked the available thread depth in the action and a screw of just under 1.250" will fit without touching the bolt. I called Savage and after giving them the action's serial number, they are sending out 3 new action screws, though they couldn't confirm the length of the screws over the phone. Hopefully, they are the correct length. For a 1/4 inch screw, you should have at least 1/4 inch of thread engaged, which for a 1/4-28 screw, would be 7 threads. I have to commend them for their customer support. Will update when the new screws arrive.

[Dave Hoback]

Good of them to send you new screws. Though, I wouldn’t hold my breath they will be any different.

Tell you what I do, I use 6AL4V Titanium screws on anything I can with firearms & equipment. In my case, I’m using a Chassis which has Socket Head screws. I get most screws through Ti64. https://www.ti64.com/default.asp I always buy them longer than needed & fit the screws precisely to the Action. That way I know all useable threads are utilized.

Remember, the Action screws are custom screws that are proprietary through Savage. Standard ButtonHead Screws work very well. And if you want, it’s easy to turn a ButtonHead screw into a PanHead screw.

Savage PanHead screw.
https://i.ibb.co/FhfRXMV/8-F52-DFC8-8-D75-4248-ABD0-C69771427-D12.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

Titanium ButtonHead. (Cut to fit)
https://i.ibb.co/fQd2JHq/7802-C5-C7-8049-4-F29-A038-89-BA9-BAD1-B73.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

[FClass12]

Thank you for the info Dave and I'm going to bookmark the Ti64 Site. I have some button heads on order as a backup to the Factory Screws.


Good of them to send you new screws. Though, I wouldn’t hold my breath they will be any different.

Tell you what I do, I use 6AL4V Titanium screws on anything I can with firearms & equipment. In my case, I’m using a Chassis which has Socket Head screws. I get most screws through Ti64. https://www.ti64.com/default.asp I always buy them longer than needed & fit the screws precisely to the Action. That way I know all useable threads are utilized.

Remember, the Action screws are custom screws that are proprietary through Savage. Standard ButtonHead Screws work very well. And if you want, it’s easy to turn a ButtonHead screw into a PanHead screw.

Savage PanHead screw.
https://i.ibb.co/FhfRXMV/8-F52-DFC8-8-D75-4248-ABD0-C69771427-D12.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

Titanium ButtonHead. (Cut to fit)
https://i.ibb.co/fQd2JHq/7802-C5-C7-8049-4-F29-A038-89-BA9-BAD1-B73.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

[jo2015]

If the screw is just a little to long run a nut down the threads and file or use a cutoff wheel to shorten the bolt

[FClass12]

You called it, they were the same. I tried to explain to them the screw length is not just a function of the action (I provided them the serial number) but also the type of stock. To my benefit, they shipped me two long rear screws and only one short screw. I bought some standard 1/4-28 button head screws, but the heads on those are a larger diameter than the custom Savage Screws and wouldn't seat correctly in the counterbore. I ended up using a cut off wheel and bench grinder to cut the two long Savage screws down to the proper length. So I'm running the action with two proper length screws upfront and the front trigger guard screw that is hanging in by 3 threads.

[CFJunkie]

The rear trigger guard screw doesn't really mount the action, it only secures the trigger guard to the stock, so it should not be a problem.
To remove the action from the stock, you shouldn't even touch the trigger guard screw.

If I remember correctly from adjusting trigger pulls on just about all of my Savages - both model 10s and 12s - the action mounting screws are different lengths.
It is possible that someone mixed up the mounting screws from two different Savages and put two short screws in your F-Class.

[Dave Hoback]

Yup.. again why I buy them long & machine perfect to length. As for the head diameter if they are too large, you can Chuck them in a drill & spin the circumference on your grinder, then some sandpaper to smooth them.

[charlie b]

I do that all the time with screws on all sorts of machines. Works really well.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

1/4" 28 TPI in the length you want/need. Heads can be modified to the shape YOU want. Get them long and trim to length. SS Allen head socket screws look good polished. Like mentioned, too long, double nut and trim to length. Just make sure they don't come thru the action bottom and block the bolt movement. And just about any BIG hardware store will have a good selection of screws to choose from.

[FClass12]

I'm talking about the front trigger guard screw, which is the rearmost screw mounting the action. There are 3 screws to mount this action.

[FClass12]

If I had access to a lathe (was a machinist for 7 years) I would have went that route and used a standard 1/4-28 button head and turned down the diameter of the head to fit in the counterbore of the pillar, but sadly those days are long gone. As of now, I was able to cut down the long action screws that Savage sent, so all is good.

[pdog06]

So it’s the rear action screw that is still short.

they sent you (2) long ones and you should’ve already had one long one. So the long action screw is still too short for the rear, correct? That’s usually what the long one is for.

By any chance has the action been bedded? Sometimes that will raise the action slightly unless you grind out the bedding area so it ends up at the same height after bedding, which would cause the screws to be short.

Is the trigger guard sitting flush with the stock inlet? Or is it raised slightly? Like maybe the rear pillar is a little long or something? If so you could relieve under the trigger guard to get ya another couple threads worth.

Is the rear tang free floated when the action is tightened in the stock? If not then it could be holding up the rear of the action and not letting it rest against the rear pillar?

Did you test to make sure the action is sitting on all the pillars. Like a thin layer of lotion/etc on bottom of action. Press action down into stock without tightening down. Remove and see if lotion/etc transferred over to the pillars.

Just trying to see why it’s that screw that is short, when usually that is the one screw that threads all the way Thru the action threads on most Savages. Atleast in my experience.

[charlie b]

Note that when I said I turned down the screw heads it was with a drill, not lathe. Many times it was my battery powered 3/8" drill. Just chuck the screw up and spin it. Use a file of choice to trim the head. If you want polished you can use fine sandpaper.

[Dave Hoback]

You said all that? ;)

[charlie b]

Sorry Dave, forgot a comma. :)

[Oklahoma Jim]

What torque value do you guys use for the stock screws?

[Dave Hoback]

Depends on what Stock/Chassis being used.

35in.lbs. front/ 25in.lbs. (or less) rear, for Wood, Polymer stocks.

35-45in.lbs. front & rear for Pillar-bedded stocks.

50-65in.lbs. front & rear for Chassis.

[FClass12]

I checked out the action to pillar contact, it's all good. Here is a thread from our site: https://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?153-Savage-Action-Screw-Lengths. The rear action screw (which is the front trigger guard screw should be 1.570" long, for a laminate stock Model 12 F Class. The "long screws" sent by Savage were under 1.500".