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My rifle started out as an axis heavy barrel. I've since put an x-caliber heavy varmint profile on it which is larger. If I stick with the stock stock, then i will have to dremel it out. If i go to a boyds, which i planned all along, I assume I will have to do the do the same thing but perhaps not. anyone have experience with this? Is there a better replacement that will accept the heavier barrel with no need to manually free float? thanks
Boyds should be alright. If not, it won't take much sanding at all to open it up, IF you can get it with the bull barrel channel.
Some models are not avail with bul barrel chanel, though. If you have to get "factory" barrel channel, there's a lont more sanding to do, of course. It's not too bad, though.
Some of Boyds' profiles aren't as well suited to heavy barrel profiles as others. I think they specifically mention the Classic, Prairie Hunter, and Featherweight Thumbhole will end up with very thin wood on the sides of the forend. The Platinum, Heritage, and Pro Varmint don't have the finger grooves on the forend, and should work better for heavy barrels. I have a Pro Varmint on an Axis with a 1" bull barrel, and there's still a good amount of real estate between the widened barrel channel and the edge over the entire length.
Boyds does list as large as Varmint and per Savage speak, by definition that is a heavy varmint one profile down from a bull.
I am working on that as well in a thumb hole Varmint setup.
Worst case if I put a bull on it I have to sand out the channel a bit (I have done two of those).
A lot of work if not close but close and its pretty easy.
As my plan is for the Varmint profile for the next build, that works nicely. I have one Savage varmint I want to play with as well as a few thinner barrels and then long term it may get my long range project 7.5 Swiss on it in a Varmint profile
vwas on boyds site this morning. Looking at getting the varmint thumbhole w bull channel. My barrel is a 28" x caliber varmint contour, so .8" at muzzle. Will i have to sand?
There is usually a little sanding one must do when they first get their Boyd's stock. They are pretty much drop in though as long as you can get them to cut the proper barrel channel. I've had 2 of them now and being left handed, I've always had to order the factory barrel channel and then open it up from there. A 1" dowel and sandpaper does the trick just about perfect.