Savage recoil lug??

[kennyg]

Hi,

I am pretty new here and new to gunsmithing. I am putting together my first savage, and have enjoyed the wealth of information I have found on this site. I was wondering why it is that everyone replaces the recoil lugs on their rifles. I realize that the factory ones may not be perfectly flat, but if the rear of the lug is bedded anyway, why would that matter? I have no problem buying a new lug, but am just wondering if there is any improvement in accuracy over the factory lug? I am sorry if this is a dumb question and thanks for the help!

[treeman59]

kenny. if the lug is not flat it throws (pulls) the barrel out of alingment with the action when the barrel nut is tightened. that is why most accuracy minded shooters replace the factory lug.

Darrell

[Kevin Cram]

I replace all recoil lugs, Savage or Remington with a Holland recoil lug. The only downside you may have with the Holland lug and a Savage action is the pin in the lug is alot smaller than the slot milled in the Savage for lug alignment. I've made my own adapter pins to fit the lug and the Savage action but typically I have a Kleindorst tool that aligns the lug based off of the front guard screw hole. Kevin Rayhill from Stockade Gun Stocks has recoil lugs specifically for the Savage that are very good as well.

[J E Custom]

I do much like Kevin does. I replace all recoil lugs because they are all uneven and there is no
reason to squair and true an action and then place a uneven recoil lug between the shoulder/
barrel nut and the reciever.

Most if not all recoil lugs are punched out, and the after market ones are laser cut and then
surface ground so they are true.

I don't use the barrel nut so I don't pin the recoil lug And my tooling aligns the lug without a
pin even if the lug has the pin hole drilled in it.

When replacing the recoil lug The proper thickness is important if you dont want to have to
open up the stock or mill some of the aluminum bedding block away for clearance.

Most factory lugs are around .187 thousandths I like to use the .200 or the .228 thickness
lugs because of strength and ease of installation.

J E CUSTOM

[kennyg]

So if I do NOT have the front of the action squared up, then would there be any benefit to the precision lug?

[FEENIX]

Originally Posted by Kevin Cram

I replace all recoil lugs, Savage or Remington with a Holland recoil lug. The only downside you may have with the Holland lug and a Savage action is the pin in the lug is alot smaller than the slot milled in the Savage for lug alignment. I've made my own adapter pins to fit the lug and the Savage action but typically I have a Kleindorst tool that aligns the lug based off of the front guard screw hole. Kevin Rayhill from Stockade Gun Stocks has recoil lugs specifically for the Savage that are very good as well.

Kevin,

Thanks for the info. I just got off the phone with Kevin Rayhill and placed an order for a couple of small shank recoil lugs. He sounds like a very nice guy. He asked how I heard about them and I told them about this post and mentioned your name. I hope you don't mind.

Thanks again.

Ed

[bigngreen]

I just got some of Rayhill's lugs and really like them!! Also really like the stock my buddy got, I think I'm going to get a couple on order just cause I might need one