Finished my vintage 110 (7x57) rebuild

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05-10-2021, 09:56 PM
Newtosavage

Finished my vintage 110 (7x57) rebuild

Some of you might remember when I got this rifle, on a black friday sale late last year. I fell in love with the old walnut stock and vintage 110 action. I was never in love with that old worn out 30-06 barrel however as it was shot out and the venerable old '06 is not at all one of my favorite rounds.

The trigger needed work, as usual, on this 61 year old gun too. I wanted to see if it would be possible to convert it to a Timney trigger so I spent half the winter doing all that (threads posted here throughout). I finally got it done though. The action and stock and 6x36 gloss Leupold scope have been sitting in my closet waiting on the custom barrel for the past 4 months. It finally arrived and I have gone through the break-in process.

I wanted to stay with a classic cartridge, and I have a soft spot for the "grandaddy of them all" the 7x57 so that's what this one is now.

I had the barrel contoured to match the factory '06 barrel and the bluing looks really good. It's a 9 twist 21" barrel, which balances perfectly on this stock and action. You might recall I bedded the action, so as soon as this barrel arrived, I spun it on and it was off to the range.

While waiting on the barrel, I happened across a clearance sale for 7mm 160 grain Speer (bonded) Deep Curl bullets, 100 packs for just $22/box. I couldn't resist and I bought 4 boxes with this rifle in mind. I lucked out and they shoot really well from this barrel. I'm not surprised though. Every speer bullet I've tried so far has shot really well.

So here she is, and I included a photo from the range. That's a group at 100 yards with the 160 grain speers while I was breaking the barrel in. I think it will only get better. Recoil is very mild and she's a real pleasure to shoot. Ramshot Hunter (50g) pushes those 160 Speers to 2650 fps which will make a darn useful hunting load for anything up to elk inside of 500 yards.

In a way, this is my very own Jack O'connor tribute rifle. I'm convinced it's what he would have carried had he been a Savage man. ;) Okay, maybe what his wife Eleanor would have carried. LOL

I'm pretty tickled with this project. This is the fist time I'm taken so many chances on a build and for the most part, they all paid off. Oh, and one last thing - this old action and blind magazine feed like buttah! Smoothest Savage feeding I've ever experienced, bar none. :D
05-10-2021, 09:58 PM
Newtosavage

More pics
05-10-2021, 10:31 PM
RED333

Very nice and a darn good job!!!
05-10-2021, 10:31 PM
Phreddie30.06

Beautiful rifle but the bolt handle is on the wrong side. Joking.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
05-11-2021, 01:20 AM
Robinhood

This is one of the best builds I have seen on here in a long time.
05-11-2021, 07:20 AM
GaCop

Beautiful rifle in a great caliber. I too love the 7X57. I have a Mannlicher styled sporter, Mauser 1893 conversion, I picked up in New Mexico back in the early 70s for $60.
05-11-2021, 09:56 AM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phreddie30.06

Beautiful rifle but the bolt handle is on the wrong side. Joking.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

LOL
05-11-2021, 09:57 AM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robinhood

This is one of the best builds I have seen on here in a long time.

Thank you. It really was fun, and challenging. At a couple points, I was told (or read) "it can't be done" (regarding the trigger) but in fact, it can. :D

That action was just begging for something like a 7x57 barrel. This one really suits it. I was afraid they wouldn't match the bluing very well but they certainly did.
05-11-2021, 09:57 AM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by RED333

Very nice and a darn good job!!!

Thank you.
05-11-2021, 12:51 PM
PhilC

OUTSTANDING!

I have a soft spot for 7mm anything and your choice for that vintage rifle is perfect IMHO. Btw, check your PMs. ;)
05-11-2021, 03:44 PM
Orezona

Great looking rifle and a great job making it happen.
05-11-2021, 04:26 PM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orezona

Great looking rifle and a great job making it happen.

Thank you. I nearly gave up on that trigger job about 3 times and just used the original, but of course now I'm glad I didn't give up.
05-11-2021, 04:35 PM
Newtosavage

One of the main reasons I invested in this rifle was how light and well balanced it is. That walnut stock, even with the raised cheek piece and recoil pad, is only 29 ounces. The whole package came out to just 7 lbs. 3 oz. with the scope and the balance point is right under the recoil lug which makes it feel even lighter in the hand.
05-11-2021, 08:48 PM
Stumpkiller

Nice. Classic lines and caliber. And to come out that light in the completed set-up is fantastic!
05-11-2021, 08:52 PM
Orezona

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumpkiller

Nice. Classic lines and caliber. And to come out that light in the completed set-up is fantastic!

x2 on those compliments.
05-11-2021, 09:49 PM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orezona

x2 on those compliments.

Thank you.

I could cycle this rifle all day long. The rounds just drop into that blind stagger feed magazine with ease, cycle like a penny being sucked into a vacuum and that old school ejector throws the brass a country mile. Why Savage ever got away from this action is just beyond me, and a crying shame.
05-12-2021, 09:19 AM
wbm

Quote:

Oh, and one last thing - this old action and blind magazine feed like buttah! Smoothest Savage feeding I've ever experienced, bar none.

+1
05-12-2021, 02:36 PM
PhilC

Quote:

Oh, and one last thing - this old action and blind magazine feed like buttah! Smoothest Savage feeding I've ever experienced, bar none.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbm

+1

Make it +2 as that's precisely my sentiment too (or smooth as silk if you prefer). ;)
05-12-2021, 04:43 PM
Robinhood

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilC

Make it +2 as that's precisely my sentiment too (or smooth as silk if you prefer). ;)

I agree with that on the old flat backs. I don't know if the craftsmanship was better, they had or took more time to make them right or what but they are smooth... even the ones just 20 years ago seem to be smoother. Maybe they are worn in.
05-12-2021, 05:02 PM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robinhood

I agree with that on the old flat backs. I don't know if the craftsmanship was better, They had or took more time to make them right or what but the are... even the ones just 20 years ago seem to be smoother. Maybe they were worn in.

That's part of it, but I attribute most of it to the well worn follower in the blind magazine. You just don't get that kind of smooth feeding from a DBM setup.

My 7x57 rounds literally leap into the chamber on their own. It's crazy. I don't think I've ever had any rifle that's fed smoother than this one.
05-12-2021, 05:28 PM
want2ride

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newtosavage

That's part of it, but I attribute most of it to the well worn follower in the blind magazine. You just don't get that kind of smooth feeding from a DBM setup.

My 7x57 rounds literally leap into the chamber on their own. It's crazy. I don't think I've ever had any rifle that's fed smoother than this one.

I have a round back long range hunter (was a 7mm rem mag) that i changed to a 7x57 and it feeds perfect every time, but i did swap the mag box, spring and follower to new ones. It is just perfect, like it was made to run a 7x57.
05-12-2021, 08:38 PM
Mr.Snerdly

Why is it that some people say a Savage shoots very well but they are ugly? I think they look as good as any other rifle.
05-13-2021, 08:57 AM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Snerdly

Why is it that some people say a Savage shoots very well but they are ugly? I think they look as good as any other rifle.

I think these old original 110's look as good as any other rifle. But they did get pretty plain and pretty ugly after that. I think the "fat" rear end of the bolt assembly does Savage no favors as it really chunks up the lines of the rifle. The barrel nut was a turn-off for a lot of people too, which is why I think Savage finally went to the smooth nut (and then every other company followed with their budget minded rifles).

Savage was probably one of the first to go to "hardwood" stocks vs. walnut and that was pretty early.

But when you combine the original flat-back action with the original barrel (with the rear sight swell) and the original hand-checkered walnut stock, to me at least, they are every bit as good looking as the Remingtons and Winchesters of their day in my opinion. That's a big reason I had to buy this rifle the day I found it. It sure didn't hurt that I got it for under $300. :D After having this stock for a while, I would probably pay close to that just for this stock alone. Savage has never since made stocks as good as this one in my opinion.
05-13-2021, 12:23 PM
PhilC

The pre-66 110 was, IMHO, manufactured to higher standards than later models, and to me, my 1985 110 doesn't hold a candle to my 1957, it is that much better.

Not to sidetrack Newtosavage's topic, but according to forum member MadDog, #71 is the oldest 110 in his registry, can see it here.
05-13-2021, 08:05 PM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilC

The pre-66 110 was, IMHO, manufactured to higher standards than later models, and to me, my 1985 110 doesn't hold a candle to my 1957, it is that much better.

Not to sidetrack Newtosavage's topic, but according to forum member MadDog, #71 is the oldest 110 in his registry, can see it here.

Very impressive rifle there. Thanks for posting that!

I had no idea I was getting the early "MC" version (monte carlo stock) when I bought that old rifle, but I'm sure glad I did. That stock puts my eye in a great position for the scope. If I had come across a non-MC version, I am certain I would have bought it too, and I would have set it up for iron sights, probably with a vintage rear peep, and enjoyed using it that way.

I imagine that as light as these early 110's are, a non-MC version with a steel butt plate fired with only iron sights would have been very "spirited" in a 30-06 indeed. Mine, even with the added weight of the MC stock and recoil pad, still weighs less than 7 1/2 lbs with the scope. So I suspect those early non-MC's with iron sights were in the 6 1/4 lb. range. Loaded with 180 grain '06 rounds, I'm sure those steel butt plates were responsible for more than one black and blue shoulder.
05-17-2021, 03:23 PM
Newtosavage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newtosavage

One of the main reasons I invested in this rifle was how light and well balanced it is. That walnut stock, even with the raised cheek piece and recoil pad, is only 29 ounces. The whole package came out to just 7 lbs. 3 oz. with the scope and the balance point is right under the recoil lug which makes it feel even lighter in the hand.

So far, everyone who has picked up this rifle has commented how light and well balanced it is. I guess people see walnut and think heavy. But it sure isn't.
05-17-2021, 08:46 PM
Stumpkiller

1 Attachment(s)

Unrelated firearm - but to your point about walnut. This smoothbore has a flame walnut full-length stock and a 42" 16 gauge barrel. Weighs exactly 7 pounds!

Attachment 8006
05-17-2021, 10:29 PM
Newtosavage

Nice rifle! I think Walnut was chosen - among other reasons - because of it's light weight, relatively speaking. It always surprises me how light it is compared to modern plastic stocks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumpkiller

Unrelated firearm - but to your point about walnut. This smoothbore has a flame walnut full-length stock and a 42" 16 gauge barrel. Weighs exactly 7 pounds!

Attachment 8006
05-20-2021, 06:34 PM
want2ride

Wonderful looking gun! I just love that 7x57!