What else?

So about a month ago I decided I was going to start my first custom build, starting with an action off of a model 11 .243. I've purchased pretty much every part needed to put together a decent bench gun, and I'm about ready to take it all to the gunsmith, but then I thought, wow there's a lot of guys on here putting together their custom rifles themselves...so I figured, why not me too? I know to properly install the barrel you need headspace gages (the "go" and "no go" gages), and you also need a barrel nut wrench. I've read elsewhere that others have used an action wrench when putting together their custom build, but its not absolutely necessary. I guess my question is, besides the go/no go gages and the barrel wrench, what else do I need? If its really that simple I might forego the gunsmith, but I don't want to just put it together so it will shoot, I want to put it together so it will shoot accurately. Anyone assemble the rifle yourself and wished you had gone to a gunsmith instead? Or are most guys happy with custom builds they've put together at home?

Doesnt matter if you or your gunsmith headspaces your rifle. If you do it right they should be the same.

Its really simple. Snug it up on a go gage, put on the barrel nut wrench, whack it with a heavy hammer hard about 4-5 times and then double check it with a go and no go gage, and chamber a dummy round to make sure.

I used to torque my barrel nuts, but I like the whack it method better since you can do it without a barrel vise. If you are going to torque
the barrel nut then you need a barrel vise. Manditory with something like a mauser where you need a good barrel vise and an action wrench.

Savages are not like mausers, Remingtons and winchesters. Typically with those rifles the barrel has a shoulder IE no nut and you have the barrel short chambered then once mounted you finish ream the barrel to head space it.

With a Savage you just adjust the headspace with the nut.

No never wished I had a gunsmith do it. First one I did I could not believe how easy it was.

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Originally Posted by tammons

No never wished I had a gunsmith do it. First one I did I could not believe how easy it was.

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+++++1

Did my first one last year. Have order all the parts for another. Will be a Savage guy for life just because of how easy they are to work on. My buddies talk about getting their remmies customized, but don't want to drop the coin or wait on the gunsmith. I get a new barrel go out in the garage spin one off, spin the other on, and call it a day. Sometimes you run into a few speedbumps along the way, but it's really hard to mess up. When I had questions during my first one I posted them here (pictures always help) and usually got multiple answers/suggestions within a couple minutes. You're in the right place to walk down the road of your first Savage Custom build.

Best thing about it is when you say you built the rifle, you really did build it and not paid a gunsmith to build it for you!

Beware..... its really addicting....

"89" since your considering the endeavor, it sounds like you have the basic mechanical skill to do this. And as stated above, basic skills are all that are required.

What can really make it easier, is to become really good at doing a "search" on this site. "Everything" you need to know about changing a Savage barrel is right "here"! You can develope a lot of confidence if you have all the information you need before you start.

In my opinion, the most difficult part of the process you "could" encounter, is removing the barrel form your donor action "the first time". Some of them are more difficult than they should be, to get off, for various reasons. My "first" one was a bear, and my last one I did, two months ago, was also. On both of those, I "had" to use heat, but it was something I was used to from my past work experience. That process can be found on this site, "if" necessary.

But once your donor action is barrel free, it's all a "walk in the park" after that! ;-)). I don't have an action wrench or a barrel vise. I use oak blocks in a bench vise, on the action. An action wrench is a nice tool, and I suggest it, over a barrel wrench, because the action is a larger, straighter surface to grip. And before anyone jumps in and says "I could have gotten those problem actions apart with an action wrench", not so! They were "bonded" together with some kind of "gook", not "torque". I use a bolt in the wood block, against the recoil lug, to prevent anything from moving, and if I had applied any more torque to those problem actions, something would have broken, so I went with the heat. "But" most of my builds, in between, came apart as the should, and hopefully your first one will also. Not trying to scare you, but prepare you ;-)).

Like I said, all the info you need is right here on " Savage Shooters", but if you can't find it, all you have to do is ask! ;-))

Good Luck! ;-)).....Jim

If you want a great barrel vise contact this guy and see if he can make one for you Savage size. This model may fit but not sure.
That said on a savage the only time you really need it is the first time you remove the barrel nut from a new gun.

I got one for mausers to get a barrel off that I thought was stuck for good. I mean it was rusted and stuck. Kroil, this vice and a BFH got it off.
When you crank this rig down and have talc between the barrel and bushing, it will not slip at all

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BARREL-VISE-...item56653e2b80

Get ahold of this guy if you want a really nice barrel vice and slightly less expensive pbike257@Gmail.com I bought one of his and it has taken factory barrels off and stuff I put on easily and no need for bushings or talcum powder.Jim Briggs has the receiver wrench you need and any parts you may need too.His number is 1-763-682-4296,he is Northlandshootersupply.com

I will add that with savage you dont always need much stuff. Mauser, Remington, Whinchester then yes.

Case in point I was swapping a barrel on a Savage rifle that had never had the barrel changed.

I forgot the barrel vise inserts I was using at the time and headed out into the woods cut off a 5" diameter oak branch
drilled a hole in it from side to side, split it, put the barrel in that with confectioners sugar in a big a$$ vise and cranked down on it and that worked too.

You guys make it sound so easy! lol.....Well I still have a week or two before ALL my parts are in, so I will continue reading up and make my decision then. I've also have found a very useful walkthrough video on youtube which I could follow step by step to get the job done. For me its not so much the engineering aspect of the build, it's my health that may require I take it to a gunsmith. I've been battling cancer for 3 and a half years now and most of the time I let my pride get the best of me and I try to do things on my own but this project may require more effort than my body can give.

One more question, I read in another thread some guys like to remove the extractor and plunger from the bolt when swapping barrels and checking head spaces, but I didn't quite understand why....can someone help me out?

Removing the extractor and plunger not required. On an AR15 or AR10 yes because of the way the bolt engages.
Basically you want the bolt to close on a go gage and not close on a nogo.