Got a Mutt, what to do with it.

Short version of long story, I've ended up with a Savage Bolt Action rifle. The 20" threaded barrel says Model 10 .308 Winchester. It has what looks like a Hogue over molded stock. I assumed it was a short action. But, the spacing between the action screws is 5" which tells me it should be a long action. A .30-06 round fits in the magazine just fine (which also tells me it's a long action). The magazine follower is binding up, the spring is bent all funny. I'm guessing someone swapped barrels at some point.

There also is no recoil lug.

I have a .30-06 rifle, was kind of wanting a .308 knock about truck gun.

So now what do I do? Buy recoil lug, new magazine box and follower for short action ?

or re-barrel to a long action caliber? If I leave it a long action I've wanted another 6.5x55 Sweede for a long time. (had one about 20 years ago and loved it). Will the Sweede fit a .308 bolt face? Other thought was to make a .257 Roberts out of it.

I have a barrel wrench and .308 go/nogo gauges already. Just not sure where to get the magazine parts for it.

Also with the missing recoil lug, is there any advantage to going with the thicker custom lugs over the factory? I see the factory lug at Midway is about 1/4 the price of the custom ones.

Thanks in advance.

Generally a good upgrade with the recoil lug. which begs the question, what the bleep is up with a missing recoil lug?!!!

sounds like you bought somebody’s spare parts build. Lol.

Have you shot it yet? Curious how it shoots missing a recoil lug. Although I wouldn’t be doing much of that. Seems it would be hard on the action screws and receiver threads.

There is another post about going to a Swede. I think sharpshooter answered that.

Is it a center or stagger feed?

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Originally Posted by RustyShackle

Generally a good upgrade with the recoil lug. which begs the question, what the bleep is up with a missing recoil lug?!!!

sounds like you bought somebody’s spare parts build. Lol.

Have you shot it yet? Curious how it shoots missing a recoil lug. Although I wouldn’t be doing much of that. Seems it would be hard on the action screws and receiver threads.

There is another post about going to a Swede. I think sharpshooter answered that.

Is it a center or stagger feed?

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It was in parts on the bench when I got it, I haven't shot it without the barrel lug. And yes I'm pretty sure it was someone else's spare parts or the beginning of a project, I think the original plan was to make a long range target rifle out of it.

I notice there are several different thickness of recoil lug, is there any advantage to the thicker ones in a .308?

The magazine box is attached to the action, so I'm guessing it's a stagger feed. Which after a little more searching doesn't look like it is easy to convert to short action, but others say the .308 should feed from the long action box just fine.

Look at the under side of the action. Is there a slot where the recoil lug normally goes between the action and barrel nut? Wondering is you have an Axis by chance....

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Originally Posted by LoneWolf

Look at the under side of the action. Is there a slot where the recoil lug normally goes between the action and barrel nut? Wondering is you have an Axis by chance....

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Looking at pictures of the Axis action it is definitely not one, the ejection port area doesn't look right for an Axis action. From what I can tell now I'm 99.9% sure it's a non- accutrigger, flat rear, staggered feed, long action 110. It belonged to a buddy of mine, I know at one point he was talking about building up a couple of rifles so he and his son could take a long range rifle class. It was a pile of parts scattered around his work bench and shop area. I may not have gotten all the right parts but it's what I could find. He is in hospice and pretty much out of it on pain pills so I won't get any information out of him. He was a bit of a hoarder and I'm helping clean stuff out and get it sold or disposed of. I'm not getting ripped off on a purchase, this is a labor of love.

I'm going to make something out of this that shoots. Still not sure what, just trying to work that out and figure out what my best options are.

Edited to add:

My son is over working at their house today, he found the recoil lug in the shop, I had just overlooked it.

Edited to add even more:

Got the recoil lug installed, headspace set and even found an old Redfield 1-4x scope to throw on it. Will take it to the range this weekend and see how it shoots and feeds the .308 from the long magazine.

Well the old Redfield 1-4X was stuck on 1x and wouldn't zoom. I put a new EGW one piece base on it. Only other scope I had laying around was a 4X BSA of unknown origin (probably pulled off some other rifle I bought I believe). Took it to the range today. Only had 2 types of ammo, some American Eagle 150 gr FMJ and some PPU 168 gr BTHP match ammo.

Started out with the American Eagle, was weird would shoot a 5 shot group with 3 shots touching and one shot to the right 1" and one shot to the left 1". Wind was not a factor. It settled down after a while and I put 2 boxes through it, groups were mediocre 1.5" to 2". Switched to the PPU match and things got much better. Very consistent .8" to .9" groups. Can't wait to see what it can do with some better glass on it. I'm also going to put some sort of raised cheek piece on it. Why can't manufactures properly stock a gun for use with a scope?

having a 3006 as a truck gun is not a bad thing. There is very little practical difference bewtween a 308 and a 308 in terms of performance.

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Originally Posted by strut64

There is very little practical difference beWtween a 308 and a 308 in terms of performance.

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Actually, the is no practical difference between a 308 and a 308 in terms of performance. ;)

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Originally Posted by WV1951

Actually, the is no practical difference between a 308 and a 308 in terms of performance. ;)

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On the contrary... If one 308 is loaded with issued M118LR in a 20" tube and the other is hand loaded with 185 Berger Juggernauts at 2780 from a 30" tube there is quite a bit of difference lol

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Originally Posted by WV1951

Actually, the is no practical difference between a 308 and a 308 in terms of performance. ;)

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I think he meant .308 and .30-06. Which makes for great internet arguments, but in terms of practical performance there isn't a deer that could tell you the difference between a hit with a .308 and a .30-06