Help me finish my Franken-Savage?

GDKinCO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
250
Location
Arvada, CO
This is my first Savage build using the box of parts method and learning all the combinations of "that won't work for what you have" so now I'm close to finished, and ended up with more parts than I started with! But the intent of the build was education first and functional rifle second.

Started with buying a take-off action - 110 SA 4.4" spacing, Bottom Bolt Release, small shank thread
then started buying parts ... many necessitated by ignorantly purchasing the first one I found and not knowing the parts combination secrets
Purchased:
- machined/trued recoil lug and barrel nut
- small shank heavy barrel of "unknown mfg' that didn't seem to want to go into the action more than a turn or so, also didn't want to accept the barrel nut
- new Shaw heavy barrel from EGW that threads in correctly
- used take-off accustock with bottom metal (DBM) but top bolt release trigger guard
- accustock shaped recoil lug
- bottom bolt release trigger guard - then I discovered the FAQ on SavageShooters on the differences between top and bottom bolt release bottom metals. Wish I would have found that first!

So, down to the final question or 3 ...
remaining choices:
- mill down the rear lug of the savage magazine frame to fit the bottom bolt release trigger guard, and
- find and buy an expensive savage magazine?
Or
- buy a bottom bolt release magazine frame and still buy a savage magazine
Or
- buy the AICS pattern magazine frame and AICS pattern magazine?

Opps - almost forgot - the AccuStock recoil lug I bought does not have the protrusion to fit into the notch on the receiver. Is there a trick to setting headspace and tightening the barrel nut to ensure the lug and action are clocked correctly so when I drop it in the stock, the trigger is square in the stock?

Thanks!
Greg

Oh by the way, in the middle of all this, Cabela's offered their 12FV on sale one last (?) time, and one of our local stores claimed to actually have one. After an hour wait at their gun counter (not sure if their online check in queue management made things better or worse) the guy at the counter tells me "we don't have that gun and haven't since last year's sale" ... but another clerk walking past overheard him and said "I think there's one and ONLY one in the back". So they go rooting around and finally drag one out that looks like it's been rung through the wringer. He says "probably the last 12FV in Colorado." The tupperware stock is beat up, and it's a heavy barrel .223. They knock off $100 for condition, another $25 for Veteran status (glad I wore my USN hat!) and I walk out the door with almost as good a deal as my buddy did 2 years ago when Cabela's put their 12FV on sale with a corresponding Savage Corp rebate.

I just picked up a 6.5 CM new takeoff barrel and that one will get swapped out from .223 to 6.5 CM ... taking bets on which one gets shot first? :)
 
Whose action wrench are you using?
Most have the recess to capture the lug.
Otherwise get a lug fixture, has a hole for a.screw that locks it into the front action screw hole. Several types depending on lug taper, so make sure you match correctly for factory lug and not aftermarket.
 
Whose action wrench are you using?
Most have the recess to capture the lug.
Otherwise get a lug fixture, has a hole for a.screw that locks it into the front action screw hole. Several types depending on lug taper, so make sure you match correctly for factory lug and not aftermarket.
I got the action wrench from Northland Shooting Supply, but hadn't used it yet (still gathering and fitting parts). I just looked at it and read the instructions. Yep, just as you said, there's a recess to capture the lug.
Thanks!
Greg
 
Greg,
You could have saved yourself some and trouble by consulting with the gentleman from NSS,he's on top of all things Savage including Shilen and Criterion barrels that are available in numerous chamberings.

I'm in no way sponsored or supported by NSS, just had good result in dealing with them.
 
Greg,
You could have saved yourself some and trouble by consulting with the gentleman from NSS,he's on top of all things Savage including Shilen and Criterion barrels that are available in numerous chamberings.

I'm in no way sponsored or supported by NSS, just had good result in dealing with them.
Yep! You're spot on! I did chat a bit with him (Jim? James?) at NSS and when I bought the action wrench, lug and barrel nut, but at the time, I didn't know what I didn't know. :) ... my grandpa always shook his head at my bull in the china shop approach to all things mechanical!

All I had at the time was a big box of .22-250 components from a garage sale and a newly acquired 110 action. I didn't even know I needed a .22-250 until then! :)
 
I just recently reconfigured my first Savage. Started life as a .308 Hog Hunter and now its a 6.5x47 Lapua in an MDT XRS chassis. If you can swing it I would highly recommend that chassis to replace the acccustock. The chassis accepts both top and bottom bolt release and AICS style mags without having to make any modifications. I'm surprised to hear your recoil lug doesn't have the nipple to time it on the receiver?
 
I just recently reconfigured my first Savage. Started life as a .308 Hog Hunter and now its a 6.5x47 Lapua in an MDT XRS chassis. If you can swing it I would highly recommend that chassis to replace the acccustock. The chassis accepts both top and bottom bolt release and AICS style mags without having to make any modifications. I'm surprised to hear your recoil lug doesn't have the nipple to time it on the receiver?
I've got a Thompson Center LRR in a chassis in 6.5 CM now, but the end goal of this build (besides having a .22-250 varmint gun) was to apply lessons learned towards the next build, which is to convert the 12FV to 6.5CM for antelope and deer, so I really don't want to go to a chassis just to keep it reasonably light and carryable for a field gun.

I found the Accustock recoil lug from Midway
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1778238465?pid=819939
and was also kind of surprised that it didn't have the nipple.
 

I just swapped my 110 bottom bolt release into a top bolt release accufit accustock and got the bottom plastic "metal" there. 20 bucks.
 
I guess I got lucky on my Savage Striker... all I wanted was to change the bbl./chambering, so I bought the bbl. vise, nut wrench, headspace gauge, etc. and was rocking an hour later... I re-used the stock, etc.. I was even given the other bbl. (went from 22-250 to 7-08)..
 
I went through a similar process with a Savage 110. It too had a bottom bolt release. Ended up buying a Criterion barrel and MPA lightweight chassis set up with AICS magazines. Did a little work beefing up the ejector/extractor a bit. Turned out to be quite a good shooter/LR hunter.
B3230D06-DE85-464D-BBAB-9212372FE1AA.jpeg95ADDF4F-055D-42F0-A0E3-41B5EAD47154.jpeg47EE008A-D58C-4B57-9ED2-82D386B341FE.jpeg
 
Top