Aftermarket 110-series Action
Perhaps I'm not posting this in the correct sub-forum, but since it pertains to the 10/110 series of Savage bolt actions, it seemed appropriate to post here.
The question I have for those who have much more knowledge than I do about this subject is this: Why doesn't anyone make an aftermarket precision Savage replacement action? Or does someone already?
I'm aware that you can buy Savage target actions (multi-port, non-repeater) and even blue-printed model 10s from Northland Shooter's Supply and perhaps other Savage dealers.
I looked at the original patent (1963) and designs from 1958 by Nicholas Brewer. The 110 series has been around even before the Remington 700. It seems like everybody and their brother makes aftermarket precision actions with a Remington 700 footprint and bolt/trigger combination.
I'm sure some will say that the floating bolt head of the Savage negates the need for a precision target action, but... I don't believe that to be exactly true. From what I can observe, the floating bolt head does a good job of ensuring that the lugs press against the lug abutments in the receiver (the ejector spring pushes the bolt head backwards), even if the bolt bore axis is somewhat out-of-center or misaligned from the bore of the receiver, or if the bore of the barrel is ever-so-slightly out-of-center or radially misaligned comparative to the threads on the barrel. (Or maybe I'm mis-understanding the function and benefits of the floating bolt head altogether.)
It seems that precision gun-smithing can correct these problems, such as truing the receiver threads to the bore of the receiver, ensuring that the locking ring and the bolt lugs do not have too much play, and using an aftermarket barrel that has the bore and chamber reamed true to the threads, along with a precision ground thicker recoil lug and barrel nut. And also lapping the lug faces into the lug abutments in the receiver, along with trigger/firing pin/and primary extraction ramp tuning.
A few aftermarket triggers exist for the 110-series, such as the Timney part, Rifle Basix, Sharp Shooter Supply and Jard (Rifle Basix and SSS look like the best quality to me).
The combination of purchasing a factory or target receiver and having it blueprinted would be right up there in the $900+ range. And this is why I'm wondering why no one produces a precision machined Savage receiver, with integrated recoil lug (and thus deeper action threads), along with a fitted bolt body and perhaps a PTG precision machined bolt head (still a floating head, thus retaining the ability to swap calibers that Savage owners value.) Supplying this along with an aftermarket trigger, as mentioned above, seems like it would be possible, no?
I've read that the Remington-style firing pin and sear/trigger mechanism are more "refined", allowing for a very quick lock time. But I have observed both the Remington-style firing mechanism, and the Savage-style firing mechanism (I own several of both), and both seem to have similar moving mass, although I've read that the cocking piece and button in the Savage add mass that slows the lock time. (I do not know if that is true or not.)
I've read that the top-tier benchrest opinion seems to shy away from the floating bolt head, and I'm inclined to believe that somewhat.. that everything being tighter and solid is what is needed for ultimate precision. But I don't have the requisite field experience to confirm that.
I'm sure there is something I'm overlooking in regards to this subject.
Any and all comments appreciated! It's entirely possible that I'm way off in my observations and assumptions.
