Anyone have any problems with a barrel from Savage-barrels.com?

[taylorce1]

The reason I ask this is I can't get my barrel nut nor the receiver to thread onto my new barrel. I'm not terribly upset and I've sent an email into the company asking what I should do, send it back to them directly or take it to a gunsmith to have him determine the problem? The threads just don't seem to match. The barrel seems to grab the first thread but then locks up tight so it has me thinking the pitch is all wrong, but I don't have any way of measuring that at home.

I had to wait three months to get this barrel as it was a 1:7 twist .243, so I hope I don't have to wait another three to get it fixed. I was hoping to go to the June Sporting Rifle Match in Raton NM with this rifle, if I miss this one the next one I'll have a chance to attend will be Septembers the last one of the season. Not many people must ask for the 1:7 twist but I wanted the option of being able to run 115 grain bullets if I wanted.

Anyway I sent an email off to them this morning. I just hope this problem can be fixed quickly so I can start getting some shooting time in. I should get a response sometime tomorrow, as it seems that Jon is very fast to answer them.

My build is:

Stevens 200 CF short action
McGowen 26" Varmint Contour
Rayhill Tac Knob and recoil lug
SSS Competition trigger
M12 take off stock
EGW 20 MOA base
Leupold QRW med rings
Midway Weaver Tactical GS 3-10X40 scope
Harris 6-9" bipod

[Varget 7-08]

http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,37804.0.html

My barrel went on fine and looks good, though I haven't been able to shoot it.

[MDHOGGER]

I had the same problem with a Savage pre-fit from another well know company. Rather than going through the time and expense of sending the barrel back I took it to a local gunsmith to get the threads chased. What I call the peaks and valleys of the threads were approximately .007" too large. It cost me $50 to have fixed but I had it back to me in about 3 days. Also cost me about $20 in gas as the gunsmith is not that close by. I contacted the company about my situation and they said they would give me a deal on the next barrel. I am not sure I will take them up as I am still getting copper after 100 rounds done the tube. Could also be I am running 17 cal bullets at 3950fps too.

[dkdaws]

I had the same problem, as well as a chitty finish

[jonbearman]

It was caused by the vendor not checking the threads with a thread gage or at least a barrel nut.I have one from a site contributor and the threads are wavy.I wont ever use him ever.I have not had any problems with the shilen prefits yet.

[taylorce1]

Wasn't really expecting a reply on Sunday, but I got one already.


Chad,

Let me talk with McGowen tomorrow. I am sure that they will pay to have it picked up and then make the assessment on what might be wrong.

Thanks,

Jon
----- Original Message -----
To: products@savage-barrels.com
Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2011 8:13 AM
Subject: Barrel Problems


Jon,

I recently got a .243 Win 1:7 twist small shank Savage pre-fit from you. Well my action I was going to build this rifle on finally came in this week. Yesterday I went to install the barrel and I couldn't get the barrel nut nor the receiver to thread on. The threads just don't seem to match up. Do you want me to send the barrel back to you or should I take it to a gunsmith to figure out what the problem is exactly first? I don't have any way of measuring the thread pitch at home to see if that is the problem.

Thanks,

Chad

[taylorce1]

Here is the reply I got from McGowen, and it doesn't leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.


From: Dan J Wynne
To: Products@Savage-Barrels.com
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 8:00 AM
Subject: Re: Barrel Problems


Here is what I tell them when I get these problems. McGowen cuts their threads to the high side of the thread tolerance. The reason that they do this is because we have to make barrels not only for new actions, but older ones also. This ensures that the threads are not sloppy. The easiest fix is to take some emory cloth and wrap around the threads and take the high side of the threads off. Just wrap the sandpaper around the threads and roll the barrel back and forth with even pressure. This will take the threads down at the peaks. Do this for a few minutes, try it on the receiver and then if it doesn't fit do it again until they fit.

Dan

[sinman]

I have had to fix a few of their barrels before because of bad threads, usually its because they don't cut the threads deep enough, usually about .006" shy. If you have a caliper measure the outside diameter of the threads. It will read around 1.058" and if it is that I wouldn't hit it with emory cloth.

[taylorce1]

Thanks Devin, I'll put the caliper on there tonight when I get home. I'll let you know the outcome.

[SMK Shoe]

If it's a McGowen, then the threads being to tall may well be the problem. I just received my third barrel from them and all three were to large> couple swipes with very fine emery cloth took the tops off the threads and then threaded just fine. I would rather have the barrel a little too big then too small. I can fix too big. Once you get it installed you should be happy. First two are shooters and expect same for third one.

[greenhornet-1]

I had the same problem once with them. They sent fedex a pickup order to pick it up. Had it back in a week. I put in a lathe and tried to file the threads down to make it fit, no luck. The threads just needed chasing.

[MDHOGGER]

If you check my reply above you will see I had the same problem. It was a barrel that was bought from a middle man but made by McGowen. All I can think of to do in the future is send them your barrel nut to fit the barrel threads. Particularly if the action had a barrel on it previously and you know the two worked together. Also as I had mentioned above the valleys of my threads were too large so sanding down the peaks would not have worked. If this is an old action/new action thing there should be something you could specify. I like to know if this is just a McGowen thing.

[greenhornet-1]

I have about ten of there barrels and only this problem with one. the rest have ben fine.

[5spd]

All I can think of to do in the future is send them your barrel nut to fit the barrel threads. Particularly if the action had a barrel on it previously and you know the two worked together.

I'd bet that would not work as I have in hand my new Mcgowan bbl I just recieved today & the nut goes on the new bbl as it should, BUT the bbl will not thread into the action beyond 2 threads. My measurements show its height at 1.057", my original at 1.056".
Im in luck as I have a pal whos other pal is a part time custom gunsmith that has a Savage thread die and Im having it cut, that way I wont have to reship it back. I did call the sponser here I had ordered it through to tell him it was not screwing in & he will contact McGowan.

[taylorce1]

Well I took it to a local GS a couple of days ago. Should have it back soon. Just didn't want to mess with it and screw it up. My barrel measured about 1.059 so it was a little tall. I'm wanting this to be a long range rig, so I decided just to make sure everything lined up well.

I kind of wish I had went with the 1:8 twist as I could have just ordered the barrel from what NSS has in stock. I've never had a problem with a NSS or SinArms barrel fitting my actions. If I didn't want to run those 115 grain bullets I probably could have got buy with a 1:8 twist. I won't say I will not buy another McGowen barrel, it all just depends on how it shoots. If it shoots very well then they might be worth another try later on, but I'll probably just buy a blank and have it turned and threaded else where.

[thejimmster]

I have the same problem - the barrel nut and action don't fit the barrel threads. As suggest by SB and McGowen, running sand paper over the threads is not working. I plan to return the barrel to McGowen to be reworked.

[McGowenRifle]

As the voice of McGowen Precision Barrels I found this posting and thought that I should come in and talk about it a little.

At McGowen Precision Barrels we turn all of our Savage threads on a CNC. Typically we stay towards the high end of the tolerance. But each and every barrel is checked with a brand new nut that we purchase directly from Savage Arms. Obviously there is something going on and I'm at a loss to explain what. I will talk to my head machinist about this problem and have him re-program the threading program for the savages. Hopefully this won't be an issue in the future. One thing that seems to help, or has helped in the past is that if you wrap a semi-aggresive emory cloth around the threads and turn them in your hands a few times, check your nut and repeat if necessary this usually will take the tops off of the peaks of the threads and allow it to easier go into your nut or receiver. Not sure why a brand new nut works and yours doesn't but we're working on it at McGowen.

[Adam K]

This doesn't make any sense to me really but I am putting 2 guns together currently so I have 2 actions. I got my 338 Federal barrel and the gauges just came from PTG so I went to put it together. No problem threading the barrel into the action, but the barrel nut for that action would not thread on. I grabbed the barrel nut for my other action and it screwed on no problem. The only difference between the two is that one is blued the other is stainless. It doesn't matter for me really because my other barrel is going on without the nut but I thought that was odd.

[taylorce1]

As the voice of McGowen Precision Barrels I found this posting and thought that I should come in and talk about it a little.

At McGowen Precision Barrels we turn all of our Savage threads on a CNC. Typically we stay towards the high end of the tolerance. But each and every barrel is checked with a brand new nut that we purchase directly from Savage Arms. Obviously there is something going on and I'm at a loss to explain what. I will talk to my head machinist about this problem and have him re-program the threading program for the savages. Hopefully this won't be an issue in the future. One thing that seems to help, or has helped in the past is that if you wrap a semi-aggresive emory cloth around the threads and turn them in your hands a few times, check your nut and repeat if necessary this usually will take the tops off of the peaks of the threads and allow it to easier go into your nut or receiver. Not sure why a brand new nut works and yours doesn't but we're working on it at McGowen.


This is good news. I decided not to go the emery cloth route on my barrel. Talked to a local guy and he put it together for me for $40. I'm building this rifle for a long range steel thumper so I wanted everything to go togehter smoothly.

[Varget 7-08]

Mine seems nice but I'm disappointed with the finish. I ordered matte black and the finish was very thin and sort of rusty. Goign to shoot it Wednesday so as long as it shoots I'll be happy.