Savage B.Mag 17 Winchester Super Mag Teardown

[Nimrodmar10]

Got the replacement stock in from Boyd's today. It's the Featherweight Thumbhole in pepper laminate. Nice looking stock. Unfortunately this is not a drop in fit stock. It took 3-4 hours of hand fitting to get the stock working. The magazine well was too small and had to be expanded in length and width by approximately 30-50 thousandths. There's not much wood to spare in this area so care has to be taken. Don't forget to use the steel escutheons from the old stock to reenforce the screw holes on the new stock. I also had to relieve the area around the safety lever and magazine release area. I'll take it to the range tomorrow and see if it shoots any better than the flimsy factory stock. Here are some fast photos.

 

[gsperaz]

Good looking stock, looking forward to hear how it shoots. How did you remove the steel escutheons.
Are they just pressed in ?
Others have had to do a bit of fitting work as well, yours required more then others from what I have read.

 

[Nimrodmar10]

How did you remove the steel escutheons.
Are they just pressed in ?

The escutcheons are threaded, as screw retainers, and the screws have a non-threaded reduced diameter shank above the threads. I just started the screws from the inside of the stock and tapped them partially out the bottom, then removed the screw. They are just friction fit into the holes in the stock. The front one almost fell out but the rear one was fairly snug in the hole. These escutcheons are needed, even in the plastic stock, because they act as pillars for metal-to-metal-to-metal contact for receiver bedding purposes.

 

[robertwolf86]

Have not got to the range but i can shot 50yards a my house. First 10 shot out of the bmag off hand with a mono pod. 1st shot to dial in at 50 yards. Then 3groups of 3. 1st group was 3.5 inches, 2nd group was 1.75 inches, and 3ed group was 1.5 inches. That is standing with a bad mono pod. Temp of 23 degrees, 8-10mph cross wind, and 20 grain bullet. I shot these groups without the barrel truly free floating to. Im impressed with that out of the box with the weather conditions. I cant wait to see what it can do at 50, and 100 yards at a benchrest at the range.

I tried to post some picks but can not upload from my tablet. If anyone wants to see the target i can email the pics and you could see them and try and post them.

 

[gsperaz]

Thanks, Nimrodmar.

 

[Nimrodmar10]

Well, unfortunately, a good looking gun isn't necessarily a good shooting gun. After installing the Boyds stock, I took the rifle to the range yesterday to see if it would improve how the gun shoots. The new stock didn't help the grouping at all. The gun still shoots 2 to 3 inch groups at 100 yards with both the 20 grain and 25 grain loads. I haven't given up yet though. The next time I go to the range I'll try changing the tension on the receiver bolts to see if that will help. I also want to give the barrel a good cleaning. Some 17 caliber guns are real particular about the cleanliness of the bore. I'll let you know if either one seems to help.

 

[gsperaz]

Don't for get to try the O-ring trick if all else fails to improve your accuracy.

 

[Ricky177]

This message is for Nimrodmar10 and HntWhtTail. How long did it take Boyd's to send those stocks? There both beautiful! also, do they make the thumbhole stocks left handed? There site says that there out of stock on all the B-Mag stocks. Does anyone else make stocks for the B-Mag?

 

[gsperaz]

This message is for Nimrodmar10 and HntWhtTail. How long did it take Boyd's to send those stocks? There both beautiful! also, do they make the thumbhole stocks left handed? There site says that there out of stock on all the B-Mag stocks. Does anyone else make stocks for the B-Mag?

Sorry for jumping in, Boyd's website has said out of stock since day one. I called and they told me to place my order and would receive it about 2 weeks.

 

[HntWhtTail]

It took 2 weeks from order to installed. A little more about the fittment issue at first I thought it was the sides touching but withe the action out of the stock I figured out it was the mag catch applying too much pressure on the mag itself. The stock is milled with a round bit and the corners were pressing on the catch piece I removed maybe a 64rh from each side this allowed the mag to be inserted fully. It is still a little tight. I am going to leave it for now while I work on accuracy. As noted above accuracy was not magically improved as hoped. With a stable platform and fully floated barrel I am still getting inconsistent groups from 1" to 3" I am leaning twoards the thin barrel I am going to shim the front and try again maybe today if I feel like freezing to death at the range.

 

[Ricky177]

Thanks guys! Im gonna put my order in as soon as a figure out what one i like the most. there both beautiful pieces! Good luck on the site in and stay warm.

 

[HntWhtTail]

So back to the range today and I am about ready to give up.. initial test with pressure bedding the barrel at tip of the fore end gave me some hope. I created a pad at the tip with some up pressure and bedded the area around front action screw recoil lug like piece. went out today and grouping is around 3 inches at 100 yards. In the picture you can see that there is almost no consistency. this is 3 magazines 24 shots I fired 1 mag from cold bore with no wait between shots, let the barrel cool and repeat it was about 20 degrees with about a 10 15 mph tail wind. not ideal shooting conditions with not so ideal results.

 

[gsperaz]

HNTWHT, Not the best for sure but is it better the when you started ?
Second, try moving the pressure pad back a bit. The other suggestion is to shoot 3 shot groups and record each shots POI. This may help you determine if you are dealing with ammo inconsistency or rifle accuracy. I have done the same mods as you and still struggle with consistent groups at 100yds, 50 yds stay under 1/2" but the longer ranges open up quite a bit for me as well. My last outing at 100yds was odd first 3 shots= 1'' group, the second group was 2" high but grouped at a 1/2", the third group was 1-1/2" on target. This was with weighed ammo (67.4gr) 25 grain stuff.
Now if I had just pulled ammo at random from a new box you would expect to see groups like you are experiencing.
So......, it may not be just our rifles. My 2 cents anyway. Mine is much better then it was out of the box. My new stock should be here Friday will see it that helps any.

 

[hammer111]

guys? can we expect tight groups with factory rimfire ? this the first year for the cartridge.

maybe with time ammo manufacturers can get better consistency powder loads and better powder. Plus bullet weights.

I'll bet you could dial in if you, we had better the ability to adjust these.