Whatcha ya'll think of the .300 Savage?

[taylorce1]

I know it isn’t a Savage but it is a Savage Classic cartridge. What you see below is my newest addition to the safe a M93 Mauser chambered in .300 Savage! Some Bubba did a real hack job on the original 93 rifle and had a severely pitted trigger guard and floor plate, and was in stuck in a K98 laminated stock. I saw something in this rifle with 6 holes D&T in the receiver rings but didn’t know what, but I bought it anyway for more money than I should have paid $50 was what I negotiated to.

I then took the rifle to a friend of mine that wants to be a gunsmith and had him tear it down so I could start salvaging the action. Basically all I wound up for my money was the receiver, bolt, trigger, floor plate release, spring, and pin. I still have the stock but don’t know what I’ll ever do with it I guess I could bed a M98 back into it.

So I set on this action for a couple of years until one day I was cruising AR forums and a guy named Vapodog had a small ring barrel in .30-06. He does a lot of custom work on his own rifles and so I asked him if he thought I could put it on a M93 and set it back far enough to cut a .300 Savage chamber since it probably isn’t smart to leave it an 06 on that action. He said there was plenty of shank to do it so he sold me the barrel which he thought was a brand new A&B barrel for $45 shipped.

Now I just had to find some sucker to work on it cheap for me. So back to the friend who tore it down for me. He installed a new bolt handle, filled a couple of holes, milled me a new rear base, removed the charging hump, cut the old threads off, rethreaded the barrel, and chambered it in .300 Sav for $200. I did have to pay for the reamer rental separate from 4D.

He had it in a Ramline synthetic stock for him to test fire and he kicked in the Trashco scope when he handed me back the barreled action. I had ordered a laminate stock from Richard’s to bed this rifle in. Anyway here is some of the work I’ve done to it since I got it back a couple of weeks ago. I’m ready to spot bed this rifle and shoot it, before I go further on the stock. I feel like I didn’t do half bad for my first attempt at shaping a rifle stock.

Here is my little rifle finally fitting in the stock!
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/dsc0241.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/dsc0240.jpg[/img]

Here it is with the start of my wood working project about 4 hours behind me.
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/3002.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/3004.jpg[/img]

Finally finished, the rough shaping that is!
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/3008.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/3010.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/3009.jpg[/img]

Here is the link to the rest of my progress pictures. http://www.myhostedpics.com/gallery....1&g=300-Savage

I’ve installed a Bold 94/96 trigger as of last night, and I’m going to try and get it prepped for spot bedding tonight. Hope to be shooting this for groups at the range by a week from Saturday. I’ll need to take it back to my buddy or another gunsmith to get them to put the speed lock kit in it that I ordered to make it cock on open.

I’m thinking this rifle will be great with 130 grain bullets for just about anything. Hornady 130’s for deer and smaller, 130 Barnes TTSX for elk. Think this might be my 7 year old daughter’s first big game rifle with some of the light weight bullets available today shouldn’t beat her up in the recoil department either. If anyone has any recommendations for a decent hunting load let me know please!

Mods, I know this isn’t really a cartridge discussion but I didn’t know where else this one fit in. If you need to move it feel free.

[Eric in NC]

Love the 300 Savage and love the small ring Mausers (have a 96 in 35 Remington and 93's in 35 Rem and 250 Savage).

I might err on the side of caution for daughter's first rifle though - 110 year old small ring should be fine if you have checked it out good, but they just don't handle pierced primers or other gas leaks like the 98's or 1909's do. Just a thought (from a guy that shoots original trapdoors and Martini Henrys all the time...).

[358Hammer]

Very nice_ great cartridge!

Since its apparent that you enjoyed doing this type of work. Welcome to the dark side.

Neal

[taylorce1]

Well here is how my rifle looks now. I've torn it back down and will bed the action tomorrow!

[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/3012.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=398]http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/taylorce1/3015.jpg[/img]

I know the gas hanling capabilities of this rifle isn't as good as a 98, but I'm not going to push the envelope with the loads that she will hunt with. At the range with safety glasses I'll go for max loads but I doubt they will prove the most accurate.

Hammer, I've been traveling the darkside for a while now and it is good! :D

[nova1194]

Probably a bit much of a load for a daughters rifle but I run a 150gr sierra pro hunter flat base bullet over as much H335 as the hogdon book will let me. I get about a 4 inch gruop at 200 yards out of my 99 with this load.

Mike

[taylorce1]

Probably a bit much of a load for a daughters rifle but I run a 150gr sierra pro hunter flat base bullet over as much H335 as the hogdon book will let me. I get about a 4 inch gruop at 200 yards out of my 99 with this load.

Mike

You know she amazes me with what she can do. She is only 7 and she loves to shoot her little pink cricket. She seems to be a natural at shooting, she swears up and down that she wants to hunt elk for her first hunt when she is 12. I plan to try her out on some pigs in OK or TX first, and I really want to build her a .250-3000 for her to work up to. She is already 4'8" and growing like a weed, so I doubt I'll have to shorten up this stock much if any by the time she is ready for her first elk.

[JCalhoun]

Taylor;

Nice rifle. I like Mausers also.

Anyway, here's a custom carbine I built in .300 Savage. It's a Stevens action, 20" E.R. Shaw barrel and SSS laminated stock.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d118/gotrektheslayer/Stevens%20200%20carbine/000_0546.jpg?[/img]

[taylorce1]

Nice rifle as well! How do you like the SSS stock? I like my grips a lttle more open then what SSS offers.

[375Win]

I've used a 300 Sav, a couple of 99's, a Rem 722 and 760 for deer hunting in Northern MN and WI. My go to round was the Rem 180gr RN, never failed me.

375Win

[JCalhoun]

I like the SSS stock. I trimmed a couple inches off the front due to the short barrel. It has good balance and fits my hands well.

[taylorce1]

Well took it to the range today, and was hoping to shoot some groups with it. But just my luck I had switched out the cocking piece to fix the problem I was having with the firing pin hanging up on the rim of the cartridge. Now it doesn't dent the primer, so no rounds down range with it today.