richardsaltonstall
05-20-2011, 08:15 PM
Savage 116 30 06 to 300WM Conversion/ McGowen Barrel/ SSS Lug
First timers notes and shameless endorsements:
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. So she used to say.
Conversion from 116 Savage Accu stock, Accu trigger hinged floor plate 30 06 to Custom Savage 300 Win Mag.
I used a Mcgowen Barrel 26 inch 1:10 300WM standard shank. Flutes are all perfect. Threads were spot on, tube spun in and out of receiver smoothly. Crown was flawless. Finish was top notch. Chamber is snug fit. Barrel weighed within 2 ozs of published spec. McGowen shipped on time and promptly answered e mail and phone.
Used barrel blocks made from Delren as well as a set from wood with a bench vice and SSS wrench. Factory tight is pretty tight and required some heavy hard frantic taps from a large ball peen to persuade. I did not screw barrel nut back on that tight and it came off harder than I thought it would later but not as hard as factory tight.
The biggest issue I ran into was verifying what I needed for mag metal and follower. Heres wishing for a user friendly parts resource with decent parts diagrams and numbers for all models. Existing Savage parts specific to user serial number is not so friendly.
As well as a new belted mag bolt head bolt head, conversion required a standard 300 Magnum magazine for standard or long action as well as the follower. The standard or long action follower used with the 30 06 will not fit the standard 300 magnum magazine. I suppose you could modify 30 06 follower to fit, however the Savage standard 300 mag follower is cheap. The standard 30 06 mag is not the same as the standard 300 magnum mag. They are both long action mags but the lips and interior guides are different. It is not a good idea to bend tempered metal mag parts. Mag to receiver tolerance and fit are precise and crucial. Both mags fit the same bottom metal.
I am using the smooth barrel nut with a Sharp Shooter Supply heavy recoil lug. SSS customer service is slow to respond but worth the wait. Folks at SSS are cheerful and ready to help. The SSS heavy recoil lug has tapered sides which are great for maintaining a constant relative fit to the cast recess of a glass bedded stock but it will not fit the accu stock without modifying the stock.
I am no fan of the accu stock. I think the stock is heavy and the butt plate is very narrow which does not lend to distributing recoil. Accu stock fore end is soft and aluminum bedding block works well enough but not as well as a glove fit cast into epoxy and high molecular weight filler. Plastic stocks do not absorb recoil as well as an epoxy glass and urethane foam composite alternative. Far as it goes my sensitive shoulder says build the butt end with glass, not carbon or Kevlar and use 2lb urethane foam. I have tried all the composite flavors with my own molded stocks and the glass stocks seem to work the best to dampen recoil. The carbon and Kevlar stocks look cool, they are light and very stiff. Too stiff in the wrong places does not dampen recoil.
By using the smooth barrel nut it was possible for me to swap from one barrel to the other without re bedding the recoil lug. SSS recoil lug is keyed to fit receiver well enough to ensure a constant relative fit. With a smooth nut it is possible to bed the nut as well as the recoil lug for a better fit. That might not be so easy using a knurled nut since you would have to relieve the bedding to accommodate the knurled spacing. Sharp Shooters Supply barrel wrench is really nice, its not worth the time to make your own. Just order the wrench from SSS.
I use Go No Go gauges to set and check head space. Recommend disassembling bolt head so you can feel bolt head face to gauge fit without interference from extractor or ejector. Ejector retaining pin can be drifted out with a small punch. The ejector retaining pin hole/keyway is smaller than a standard 1/16 inch punch. I made my own small punch from a sacrificed allen head wrench. Bolt needs to be disassembled and firing pin removed.
I use Talley light weight mounts exclusively. They are great. You have to remove your scope to change tubes. The solid Talley one piece base to ring fit means that the scope goes back on very close to where it was with confidence. Recommend lapping because its good for the head; you wont be wondering later. All Talley mounts I have installed have been dead on and required very little compensation from scope. Talley customer service is very attentive.
Radio towers make a great vertical to horizon for checking scope to tube alignment. My own personal favorite tower is about 2.5 miles away from my shop.
McGowen tube is breaking in well with flashes of superb performance with factory ammo. Groups have run from .5 to 1.5 minute of angle depending on ammo and me. 40 rounds down.
Richard Saltonstall
First timers notes and shameless endorsements:
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. So she used to say.
Conversion from 116 Savage Accu stock, Accu trigger hinged floor plate 30 06 to Custom Savage 300 Win Mag.
I used a Mcgowen Barrel 26 inch 1:10 300WM standard shank. Flutes are all perfect. Threads were spot on, tube spun in and out of receiver smoothly. Crown was flawless. Finish was top notch. Chamber is snug fit. Barrel weighed within 2 ozs of published spec. McGowen shipped on time and promptly answered e mail and phone.
Used barrel blocks made from Delren as well as a set from wood with a bench vice and SSS wrench. Factory tight is pretty tight and required some heavy hard frantic taps from a large ball peen to persuade. I did not screw barrel nut back on that tight and it came off harder than I thought it would later but not as hard as factory tight.
The biggest issue I ran into was verifying what I needed for mag metal and follower. Heres wishing for a user friendly parts resource with decent parts diagrams and numbers for all models. Existing Savage parts specific to user serial number is not so friendly.
As well as a new belted mag bolt head bolt head, conversion required a standard 300 Magnum magazine for standard or long action as well as the follower. The standard or long action follower used with the 30 06 will not fit the standard 300 magnum magazine. I suppose you could modify 30 06 follower to fit, however the Savage standard 300 mag follower is cheap. The standard 30 06 mag is not the same as the standard 300 magnum mag. They are both long action mags but the lips and interior guides are different. It is not a good idea to bend tempered metal mag parts. Mag to receiver tolerance and fit are precise and crucial. Both mags fit the same bottom metal.
I am using the smooth barrel nut with a Sharp Shooter Supply heavy recoil lug. SSS customer service is slow to respond but worth the wait. Folks at SSS are cheerful and ready to help. The SSS heavy recoil lug has tapered sides which are great for maintaining a constant relative fit to the cast recess of a glass bedded stock but it will not fit the accu stock without modifying the stock.
I am no fan of the accu stock. I think the stock is heavy and the butt plate is very narrow which does not lend to distributing recoil. Accu stock fore end is soft and aluminum bedding block works well enough but not as well as a glove fit cast into epoxy and high molecular weight filler. Plastic stocks do not absorb recoil as well as an epoxy glass and urethane foam composite alternative. Far as it goes my sensitive shoulder says build the butt end with glass, not carbon or Kevlar and use 2lb urethane foam. I have tried all the composite flavors with my own molded stocks and the glass stocks seem to work the best to dampen recoil. The carbon and Kevlar stocks look cool, they are light and very stiff. Too stiff in the wrong places does not dampen recoil.
By using the smooth barrel nut it was possible for me to swap from one barrel to the other without re bedding the recoil lug. SSS recoil lug is keyed to fit receiver well enough to ensure a constant relative fit. With a smooth nut it is possible to bed the nut as well as the recoil lug for a better fit. That might not be so easy using a knurled nut since you would have to relieve the bedding to accommodate the knurled spacing. Sharp Shooters Supply barrel wrench is really nice, its not worth the time to make your own. Just order the wrench from SSS.
I use Go No Go gauges to set and check head space. Recommend disassembling bolt head so you can feel bolt head face to gauge fit without interference from extractor or ejector. Ejector retaining pin can be drifted out with a small punch. The ejector retaining pin hole/keyway is smaller than a standard 1/16 inch punch. I made my own small punch from a sacrificed allen head wrench. Bolt needs to be disassembled and firing pin removed.
I use Talley light weight mounts exclusively. They are great. You have to remove your scope to change tubes. The solid Talley one piece base to ring fit means that the scope goes back on very close to where it was with confidence. Recommend lapping because its good for the head; you wont be wondering later. All Talley mounts I have installed have been dead on and required very little compensation from scope. Talley customer service is very attentive.
Radio towers make a great vertical to horizon for checking scope to tube alignment. My own personal favorite tower is about 2.5 miles away from my shop.
McGowen tube is breaking in well with flashes of superb performance with factory ammo. Groups have run from .5 to 1.5 minute of angle depending on ammo and me. 40 rounds down.
Richard Saltonstall