I am new here. Been reading a bunch but not posting much. A little about me - I have been hunting for about 30 years, since 8 years old. Started with my dad. Have been a handloader since about 20, 18 years give or take. Have been an LEO armorer since 97/98 and have been a gun tinkerer for longer than that. I work on mostly Glock pistols and AR15 platform rifles. This is my first try at any type of bolt gun work other than repairing/replacing extractors and ejectors.

I have owned 3 Savage rifles. An older 110, a 12 FLV and the one I have now. It started life as a model 116. Left hand long action factory chambered in .223. I bought it used around 2000 and shot many coyotes and PDs with it. I bought my son an NEF Handi in .243 and he has done well with it. I also bought a .243 barrel for my TC and I enjoy it as well. I got it mostly for my wife when she chooses to go with. Well after lots of internal debate I decided to rebarrel the Savage in .243.

It was pretty simple and straight forward. Getting the barrel nut to break loose was a (insert your word of choice). Other than that switching magazine box, follower and bolt head was no biggie.

Today I took the newly rebuilt 116 to the range. Suffice to say I am very happy with the outcome. This rifle was very accurate in its factory form and I had reservations of how it would do after surgery. I shot handloads I had loaded for the other rifles. After initial sight in i was able to get a 100 yard group of.625 and a 200 yard group of 1.26. These are 3 shot groups. It is a sporter barrel and I shoot slow and avoid heat as much as possible.

I would like to thank both Northland and Sharpshooters. They supplied the new Stevens take off barrel, the new recoil lug, the new bolt head and some barrel blocks. Midway provided the wrench and the mag box and follower. I had also installed a SSS trigger years ago.

You can see the full size pics here - http://www.hunt101.com/showgallery.p...r/1689/cat/500