Change Stock or Not?

Hi everybody,

First off I like to say thanks for all of the information here on this forum. It's a wonderful resource,
Especially since I became a Savage F/TR owner early last spring.

I'm happy with my 308 so far.
You hear it all the time, "...great shooter out of the box...". This one is no exception. I love how it makes me look like I know what I'm doing when I'm at the range. It's kind of like knowing the secret to a good magic trick, the trick being how to shoot sub MOA. ;D

From time to time I think about changing the stock. There are several reasons. One being ergonomics and another being pure looks. In my humble opinion, the factory stock is pretty bland. I've replaced the cheek rest 'lump' with a Karsten in a effort to tune it up a bit. That made a world of difference in the comfort department. I'm still not satisfied.

I like the Look of the Prairie Dog Special by Stockade. If I change up, this will be what I get unless I see some compelling arguments against it. My hesitation in swapping stocks is mainly because I don't want to mess up a good thing. This rifle, as I've said, shoots great and I don't want to screw that up just for the sake of a (any) new stock.

So, all that being said, How hard is it to change stocks - really?
What are the chances that my rifle won't shoot as well after the stock swap?
I've never done any bedding before. I'll admit I'm a little apprehensive about this. Is that going to be a big deal?

Thanks

B

How hard is it to change stocks - really?
2 or 3 minutes if you work slowly

What are the chances that my rifle won't shoot as well after the stock swap?
50/50

I've never done any bedding before. I'll admit I'm a little apprehensive about this. Is that going to be a big deal?
Its easy. Study forums, then go slowly for a practice round without epoxy first

A wealth of good information on this site for glass bedding. The first stock I did a few years ago scared the hell out of me, I just knew I glued the action to the stock but in the end, everything popped apart with a slap on the underside of the barrel.

Looks like the other guys answered most of your questions, but I wanted to give a shout to Stockade Gun Stocks. I just posted my new build down in the photo section under the title Xmas rifle, but it has Stockade Elk Stalker on it. The Rayhills were pleasant, helpful and made the process easy. My rifle fit the new stock like a glove where it was supposed to and was 100% free float with no touch ups. I got the optional bottom metal to keep the rifle w/ a DBM. He builds the mag well himself to fit the Accuracy International mags. The mag well is a bit chunky compared to some other mag wells but it works perfectly so far. I give them two big thumbs up for customer service and quality. It will take you a few months to get the stock, be aware of that. I got the "money saver" both to, well, save some money, lol and because I knew I would repaint it anyways.