New Savage Model 11 failed headspace...

Picked up a new model 11 from Dick's this morning to use as a donor action for my build. (it was $100 less than what savage wants for the same action, plus it comes with a cheapo stock to practice bedding before i do it with the SSS stock, and a cheap scope, scope rings, scope mount, and barrel for my next project)

Just for the heck of it, I tossed my .308 go gauge in there.
the bolt would not close at all. Tried closing it fast, tried pushing hard on the bolt handle. will not close. I've used these same gauges in other .308 rifles and they've worked fine. closed with ease on the go, would not close at all on the no go.

i'm not really upset about it since I'm rebarrelling this thing anyway, but I'm kind of disappointed in the QC at savage on this one. what if one of those "normal" people that buy a savage and DON'T immediately tear it apart had bought this and fired it? (it WILL chamber a .308 round)

also, oddly enough, it doesn't have an accutrigger even though it is very obviously a new model and very clearly stamped model 11 on the side. maybe this was a special run for Dick's?? the trigger is awful. glad i went ahead and got the SSS competition trigger for it.

anybody else ever run into this with a savage (or any other rifle?)
how does a rifle leave the factory without having been checked for headspace?

The dimensions of go gages varies slightly with the manufacturer. If a loaded .308 Win cartridge fits but the bolt WON'T close on your go gage, the headspace is just a little tight but OK. No big deal. Not a safety issue. Nothing to bad mouth Savage about on a public forum.

not badmouthing them, just a little concerned.

i'm a little confused about the headspace gauges. there are more than one standard? i thought that's why we had gauges in the first place.

I agree with you. That would concern me as well if a new gun wouldn't close on a go gauge.When it chambers a round, does it feel tight? Could it be that it's crushing the shoulder?
ODD!

yeah, it was pretty tight when i closed the bolt. i'll have to check the shoulder more closely. i just popped a round in there out of curiosity after i couldn't get it to close on the go gauge, but i didn't think too much of it at the time. I know bolt actions are a different ball game, but you can absolutely chamber a .50 bmg round in an M2 that is set below minimum headspace. that's why i was always trained to trust the gauges and not take shortcuts. Guys lose fingers taking shortcuts.

I have the same model 11 and caliber as you phirebug and I"m VERY happy with my rifle. I did out a SSS comp trigger in it and the groups were better, 3/4ishMOA with factory ammo. I wish I had a set of gauges to check head space but I don't, they are on the "to buy" list. Since you have the guages reset the head space and enjoy your 11 you still have a good rifle!

this humble pie tastes like crap, but i was wrong. the set of Clymer gauges i've got are closer to the NATO spec than the .308 spec. my gauge is still .002 above the minimum, so it could still be in spec and not chamber my gauge.
I'm sure the model 11 is a great rifle, as are all the other savage models i've ever shot, and i'm not worried about the headspace anyway. I was just somewhat startled that a factory rifle wouldn't close on a go gauge, but I know these things are set to the bare minimum headspace, so i guess a new set of gauges is in order.
I'm using it as a donor action anyway, so i'll be setting headspace when i rebarrel it. the barrel that's on there now is going to go to a swap barrel striker project i've got coming up next.
i'm sorry if i got over-excited, i was just concerned.
think i ought to head back to my lurk-hole for a while again.
thanks for the info, folks. this forum is a great wealth of information, i think i just get a little to excited and post before i think sometimes.

LOL more them once it has been brought up, just because you have a gauge it's not right until you check it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phirebug

i think i just get a little to excited and post before i think sometimes.

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Been there, done that! ;D