Just out of curiosity

[donwells]

Across the board what is the realistic tolerances In the actions of Savage rifles.
I know the blueprint says one thing but in reality how close do they come to that number.

I am having one built and hope it is done by the time i get back home as i work out of the country. All i said to him was that when it was finished i wanted a rifle that would hopefully 3/8" or less and I was told that he would guarantee me that if it wouldn't shoot 1/2" he would redo the rifle for me. So i am just curious as to what to expect because i don't know.

[darkker]

Seems you have a couple somewhat unrelated questions.
1) What does Savage allow for tollerances. - No one but Savage knows that, and they ain't likely to say squat.
2) You are having a rifle built, and "He" is guaranteeing an accuracy level. -
Don't know who "he" is, but Savage Actions don't really need to be as "square" are a gnats arse, the floating bolt head takes care of that. The main ingredient for accuracy is the barrel first, then the load being shot after that. As you can read from my posts going back in time. Even a Clearance priced E.R. Shaw with a tight spot, can be a one-hole shooter without voodoo and $$$.
Ammo / Loads are the kink in the armor that most people trip on. If you are using factory ammo, that gets really complicated as components change without notice and the next wave of powder may not be what the last was. Same with handloads. Some people forget we are a waste market, and think that a name on a bottle is identical in every way, so they load the same Charge weight and pretend there are no burning rate variations; which is as naive as it gets. Luckily when you find a real accurate node, the typical burning rate shifts found in canister grade powder don't take much fooling with to get back to center; but will require some level of change.

[savage2]

I think he said Savage has a great action and get a good barrel! hand load and you will have a shooter

[wbm]

I was told that he would guarantee me that if it wouldn't shoot 1/2" he would redo the rifle for me. So i am just curious as to what to expect because i don't know.

If that is what he said, then that is what you should expect.

[donwells]

OK, thanks guys, I guess i got it. I will find out when i start shooting it. I was just wondering because the very first savage i had any dealings with wasn't worth shooting and left a bad impression and i haven't wanted one until now, It was back in the earlier 90's when they were trying to compete with the law enforcement long guns. the Cherokee County Ga. sheriffs department had one and ask us to help them with it because they couldn't get it to shoot. We couldn't get it to shoot either, The very best that gun would do was about 1.75 out to 2" 5 shot groups at 100.

[psharon97]

Biggest impacts on rifle precision: Good barrel, good hand loads, good scope, good trigger, excellent marksmanship fundamentals.

[sharpshooter]

Well, I do have a set of prints, and I can tell you that I have never found even one action that fell within the prints 100%. Some of the specs are "suggestions" and they can't hit them at all. Then there is the "revision" block, where it shows that they changed their minds on one spec. 5 times in 15 yrs. I've learned how to work around all that because their specs are not always the optimal anyway.

[RC20]

What caliber?

What exactly is he doing to it? What ammo is he using to test.


You also need to define what 3/8 means as far as shot strings. 3, 5, or 10?

And can you shoot that well?

I have found that once you hit 1/2 inch, that next quarter is devilishly , I don't think I will ever get to 1/4.

Best chance is a good barrel and good hand loads. Shilen To Match or equal barrel (a number out there but I think Shillen is a good benchmark for a barrel that should shot 1/2 MOA>

So far my opinion of Savage barrels is you are lucky to get sub MOA with the Pencil, maybe Sub 3/4 or 5/8 with the Varmints or Bull.

[savage2]

my vt 308 out of the box shot 7/8 inch at 180 yards with perfecta 140 grain

[donwells]

I am not trying to impress anyone. I was just trying to find out what the print specs were.
Yes i can shoot 3/8" 5 shot groups and yes i have shot a number of 1/4" 5 shot groups and yes i agree that 1/2" is a good shooting gun I have shot these with different guns but they were all model 700's using federal gold cup match 168gr. and Sender using 190gr this gun i was shooting 3 shot groups with and could put 3 shots in a 1' bullet paster at 300yd and no not every time but yes i have.
this Savage that i am having built will be my first one and as i said earlier the first one that i ever had any experience with left me with a bad taste for them.
I know things have changed over the years and that is why i am going to give it a try and was trying to find out what the print specs were as far as the tolerances go.
As far as to what he is doing to it I am having it set in a boyd stock pillar bedded as well as the complete receiver bedded I told him i wanted a clean razor sharp 2 pound trigger. a 20 minute steel one piece base. A match 26" X-Caliber barrel in 308 with 1/10 twist. I can't tell you what model action i will be getting because he is getting that for me and is putting an internal mag in it. I can tell you that it is a Stainless steel action and that.is all i know until i get home next month and see it. and it is supposed to be ready by then... I sure hope so because he has had it since last spring but i wasn't in any hurry because i have been gone.
The ammo i am going to shoot in it is factory match 168s the same as i have always shot and like i said i can shoot what i said and that is the only ammo i have ever shot to do it with. I do reload but i am not fanatical about it because when factory will do that i am a happy camper.

[Zero333]

Never had a Savage action that didn't shoot small groups. Accurate Factory Savage barrel ? that's another story.

What other said...

Quality Barrel
Quality ammo
Quality marksmanship

Solid bedding and a reliable scope.

[RC20]

Well you got the chops for shooting to its capability.

I would guess sub 1/2 MOA if the setup is done right. I flirt in that area but honesty still sub 3/4 on the average.

It certainly sounds like you have the basis for a fine shooting gun.

It sounds like the concern is he has had it for a long time and no word?

I am working on my X-Caliber barrel now, not great results but may shift powder as the I4895 does not seem to have a good node.

Of the three barrel, Savage Varmint hardest to clean, X-Caliber in between the Shilen the easiest.

Been doing better with R17. Same twist and length, hand loads

[donwells]

X-caliber was what he suggested. I have never shot one before so i was willing to try it I have shot Douglas, Hart, Schiling, and others but i never worried what kind they were my concern was only if they would shoot.

I forgot to mention last night that I am also having an adjustable comb and pull on this stock.

I was a shooter/instructor for several years with the U.S.A.M.U and the Sniper school, in my (opinion) the main thing to getting to where you can hold good groups is time on the trigger and solid fundamentals.

I haven't been concerned about the length of time because i have been gone I will be back home from the middle of Nov to the middle of Dec so i will pick it up then all i will have to do is decide what scope that i want to get for it. I have some in mind but just have to make up my mind Then I will find out how it will shoot then i will know if i made the correct decision.