Savage 110 Conversion to 26 Nosler

**Mr65** · 10-04-2023, 01:30 AM

So guys I got the 26 Nosler bug and have a Savage 110 that was originally .308, currently it is a 6.5 Creedmoor but I want to do it in 26 Nosler. This is a TRUE long action Savage 110 even though it was chambered in .308. I think I may have to mill a little of the receiver bottom? It is in a LA Bell and Carlson stock already.

Parts I have already purchased -

X-Caliber 5R Barrel 1:8 Bull Blank in 6.5 ( I will profile, thread and chamber myself)
Magnum Bolt Head for RH Savage 110 with parts kit
26 Nosler reamer and head space gauges

What obstacles am I going to run into besides the magazine box? Any advice for that? I am all ears, the 26 Nosler is a new one for me.

Yes I know it is overbore and supposedly burns barrels, not concerned about that, also not concerned about small shank large shank debates as I have full faith in the small shank for this cartridge.

Thanks for any information on the actual conversion you might have!

Here is the rifle to be converted -
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**Dave Hoback** · 10-04-2023, 02:47 AM

Im not positive off hand, but I don’t believe you’ll need to machine the magwell. I believe it was all accomplished via blocking the mag box. Have you pulled the barreled action from the stock? Although, if you want to run a magazine, I would certainly machine it just the bit to allow the Centerfeed AICS. Also, you won’t hear any debate with it being Small Shank either. Many, many people are running full magnums in the Small Shank. Even Savage did until awhile after the WSM cartridges were released. That’s when they started making the Large Shank. But even they were originally made in the Small Shank Actions.

No other obstacles.

**Mr65** · 10-06-2023, 10:16 PM

The X-Caliber barrel blank arrived today 1.25" diameter. I chucked it up in the old Southbend and used the taper attachment to profile it .830 at the muzzle 26" long straight taper. Got it chambered and the receiver shank threaded. That may be the largest chamber I have ever cut, a real big hole! I cut a 2 step target crown and it is ready to mount and headspace. Turns out I am going to have to machine 3/8 from the bottom of the receiver for the magazine length. No big deal... The Magnum bolt head came in, I trued the face of it on the lathe, just a skim cut to make it perfect. Undecided about a muzzle break but probably should thread it for one. I am sure she is a mule kicker.

**Dave Hoback** · 10-06-2023, 11:04 PM

We like pictures of things..

**GrenGuy** · 10-07-2023, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by Mr65

The X-Caliber barrel blank arrived today 1.25" diameter. I chucked it up in the old Southbend and used the taper attachment to profile it .830 at the muzzle 26" long straight taper. Got it chambered and the receiver shank threaded. That may be the largest chamber I have ever cut, a real big hole! I cut a 2 step target crown and it is ready to mount and headspace. Turns out I am going to have to machine 3/8 from the bottom of the receiver for the magazine length. No big deal... The Magnum bolt head came in, I trued the face of it on the lathe, just a skim cut to make it perfect. Undecided about a muzzle break but probably should thread it for one. I am sure she is a mule kicker.

With Your skills You should “bush” the Firing Pin. Or send it to Carlsbad or Grimstod.

I can’t imagine that You “wouldn’t” need a Break on that thing !!!

**Mr65** · 10-07-2023, 08:19 PM

Ok got a bit done today. Ran into several issues I had to resolve, the first was the magnum bolt head they sent was not the exact right one. It needed a notch machined as pictured, then the firing pin hole was for a different firing pin so it had to be opened and it was as hard as wood pecker lips, while I was at it I bushed it, can you tell? I cut the receiver on the milling machine to accept the magnum magazine box and re-blued. Cut the muzzle threads for the break. I also got it head spaced. Maybe tomorrow I will assemble the rest if I get time.Rifle ought to shoot as it has given me all kinds of issues! Usually the tough ones shoot best :)

The pictures are in no particular order they just show some of the before and after stuff...

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**Dave Hoback** · 10-07-2023, 09:36 PM

Very nice. Wish you had chime in before machining the bolt head. You would have been better off getting the Small diameter firing pin & new Cross Pin. Or machining them both parts as I did. Your Factory Large Diam. Firing Pin set up is much more likely to fail, due to the Cross Pin cracking. (Because the center home is too wide.) The Small Diameter Firing Pin uses the much stronger Cross Pin. I have a picture of the failure somewhere.

**Mr65** · 10-07-2023, 10:23 PM

I am not to worried, if the pin ever fails I will make one out of something stronger. I do appreciate the info though, might need it in the future if I do another.

**Dave Hoback** · 10-07-2023, 10:42 PM

Yeah, I don’t think you need to worry. LOL! Am I correct in saying it seems you also enjoy making your own custom parts for your firearms? I honestly enjoy making/modding/fabricating parts & building my firearms as much as I enjoy enjoy shooting. Probably more!

Here’s the one pic just so you can see.

Here, the S7 Firing Pin & Bolt Retaining Pin I made. I did the opposite of bushing the Bolt Head. I sized the Firing Pin perfectly to Bolt Head. The section through the Retaining Pin is actually slightly thicker as well. So I have like a “Medium” Firing Pin. But I’m not worried about the Cross pin because I made it from 6AL4V Titanium. It ain’t gonna break!

And the complete FP assembly after turning the tip down to perfectly match the Bolt Head hole. This is when I was experimenting with Chrome-Silicon Flat wire springs. But I’ve since gone back to a modified factory spring.

**Mr65** · 10-07-2023, 10:51 PM

That is nice work! Yes building is as much fun as shooting or more like you said! I do not seem to have the time I would like these days to be in my shop, so many things going on. Hopefully time will free up soon.

**Mr65** · 10-09-2023, 07:11 PM

I needed some brass for the 26 Nosler and found it was cheaper to buy loaded ammo than brass so I picked up 60 rounds of Nosler 140gr Factory partitions. I started pulling them down to reload today and found something really surprising, I measured each powder charge as I pulled the bullets and the charges ranged from 86.0gr to 87.2gr and everything in between! Is this normal for factory ammo? No wonder factory loads shoot like crap. Looks like Nosler is using LRT powder for the 140gr rounds, that is good as it is what I use but my charges will be consistent pushing the Barnes 127gr LRX. Loaded up a ladder from 86.5gr in .5 increments to 90.0gr OAL 3.350 hopefully I will shoot it tomorrow. Very difficult to find load date a fo\r 26 Nosler.

**Dave Hoback** · 10-09-2023, 10:11 PM

Never checked myself, but I’ve heard of some variance from a friend. Factory loaded ammunition will never be as consistent as a reloader. Yes, unfortunately it’s a big reason I wouldn’t look at the 26 Nosler cartridge. Brass being roughly the same cost as loaded ammunition. And NO Lapua, NO Atlas & NO ADG brass. 28 & 30 Nosler, little better & at least ADG brass is available. But we don’t know what’s to know until we know it.

**Mr65** · 10-10-2023, 08:59 PM

Got out to the range today for a little while with the new 26 Nosler. That is one smooth rifle with amazingly low recoil! Worked a load ladder with Ramshot LRT and Barnes 127 LRX bullets. Found pressure at 88.5gr and backed off to 88gr, that will be the max load for that bullet. The barrel got to hot to work accuracy nodes, so the next range day I will dial it in now that I have min and max load data for Barnes with the 26 nosler (Hard to find anywhere) 86.5gr Min 88.0gr Max for anyone who might care. Hopefully there is a great accuracy node in there somewhere!