Main Menu
As some of you may know, the Duramaxx is designed to be a drop in fit for the Savage action, and normally it is. You may have to make a small modification for an Accutrigger model but for the most part, they drop right in. However, there can be problems! The main problem I have encountered and the one I will be concentrating on is the contact points that can be present between the action and stock. The areas that I have seen in the two stocks I have are as follows: uneven contact on front pillar, contact along side of action in the magazine area, uneven contact on rear pillar and normally heavy contact in the tang area. (see Figure 1) I've found this contact to cause flyers and enlarged groups, especially with a harder recoiling rifle. In addition, as the contact points wear it may cause a drastic shift in point of impact. My model 12 shifted 3 inches low and 2 inches right after about 100 rounds.
As you know, the Savage action was designed to have a floating tang area and when there is contact, it can adversely affect accuracy. One of the easiest ways to fix this problem is by using some 100 grit sandpaper. After shooting my model 12, I removed the stock to adjust the trigger and found shiny spots in the areas that I noted above. Using the sandpaper, I sanded those areas to remove the paint and primer. Usually, this is plenty to allow clearance but there may be times where a little more material will have to be removed. After sanding for about 10 minutes, I placed the action in the stock and checked for contact by running a piece of paper in between the action and stock. (see Figure 13) Instead of continually removing and replacing the action bolts, I got some 3 long 1/4" x 28 bolts from the local hardware store (cut the heads off) to help align the action in the stock. As you can see in the photo, I wrap the bolts with 3M tape to ensure the bolts are centered in the pillars. (see Figure 2) As I sanded, I used a trial and error approach as I didn't want to remove any more material than was necessary. As I worked, I would check for contact with a piece of paper and note any contact on a piece of 3M tape that was placed on the stock. Once satisfied with my work, I went back over the sanded areas with a fine sandpaper to smooth things out.
As you can see from Figures 3-1 and 3-2, by relieving these contact areas my model 12 began to shoot much tighter than it had. If you look closely at the groups, you'll notice some horizontal stringing. One other problem that has occurred is that the action will normally be slightly pushed to one side in the stock. My Model 12 had this problem which was causing the stock to contact the trigger group. This contact was making the trigger to be very inconsistent - it went from about 1 pounds to about 10 ounces!. At times, the trigger would function normally but at times the darn thing would break at 10 ounces. Talk about a shock to the system! Some light sanding around the front pillar helped the problem but I have to be very careful while assembling the rifle to ensure the trigger group isn't contacting the stock. I have plans on bedding my model 12 which should completely solve this and the stringing problem.
Since the above modifications worked well with my model 12, I decided to use the same methods for my Stevens 200, but take things a bit farther. I purchased another Stevens 200, this time in 223, for the sole purpose of building a 223 Ackley Improved. After bringing the rifle home, I immediately took the rifle apart and installed a Timney trigger, new bolt handle and replaced the plastic trigger guard with a metal one. I then removed the factory barrel and began the sanding process explained above. For this rifle, I chose to use the olive drab with black webbing colored Duramaxx. I was able to relieve the contact areas very easily but there were a few spots (tang, mag area) that required a bit more sanding than usual (see Figure 4). Once finished, I decided to complete the project by bedding the action with Miles Gilbert Bedrock. I have had very good success with Bedrock and I love the microballoons.....the ability to change the consistency is a huge plus in some areas.
After removing the contact points, my first step in bedding was to check the areas in the stock where the action was making contact with the pillars. To accomplish this, I used some Miles Gilbert Inletting (see Figure 5). By applying the inletting to the action and then setting the action into the stock (and securing), the material is transferred to the stock and you are able to tell exactly where material needs to be removed. A little note here: the inletting I used was very thick and tacky and a real pain to remove. It worked, but I would recommend using something else (marker or white-out maybe?). As you can see in the photo, the contact on the front pillar was hit and miss while the rear pillar was contacting very well. (see Figure 6) For removing material in a synthetic stock, there is nothing better than the good ole Dremel! I chose to remove about 1/8" of material on top of the pillars and a good portion around the recoil lug area. The recoil lug (SSS lug used) is the key......if bedding is done properly, all of the recoil should be absorbed here and not elsewhere in the stock. As you can see, I did not remove material for the entire width of the recoil lug but the relief does extend to the bottom of the pillar. Also, I chose to bed the area in front of the recoil lug. If this is done, make sure to use a couple layers of tape when covering the front and sides of the recoil lug (do not tape the rear surface) (see Figure 7). I also used several layers of tape on the barrel nut and first few inches of the barrel to ensure there is no contact in these areas. In addition, make certain that there is no contact between the bottom of the recoil lug and stock. Note that I also filled the holes on each side of the front pillar. (see Figure 12) I used a small amount of Bedrock to fill these holes prior to bedding the rifle. By filling the holes in a separate step, I was able to sand the areas to ensure a flush surface. Removal of material is very straight forward and made simple by using the inletting (or a version of) and a Dremel. (Figures 8-1, 8-2) Tip: When using a Dremel, please wear eye protection and a face mask doesn't hurt either. Some types of synthetic stocks can be very irritating to the eyes and lungs!
I am not going to go into great detail on the bedding process as the instructions supplied with Bedrock are VERY good. In addition, most of my process was taken from the article Stock Bedding 101" written by Lefty223 which is on the homepage. Lefty223 does a fabulous job in his article and it is well worth your time. I will however pass along a few more tips and photographs. Once you have the material removed, its time to prep the action. I prefer to remove the scope, bases, rings and trigger group.....just to be safe. I do NOT remove the magazine box. Removal of the mag box would make things a little easier, but I find that trying to get those darn things off and on isn't worth the trouble! Clean the action well to remove any oils or solvent that may inhibit the release agent....this is a MUST!!! Once you get the action cleaned, tape off or fill (modeling clay) any areas on the action that may create a mechanical lock (mainly the trigger area - see Figure 15).
vBulletin Message