Savage Shadow 300 WM trouble

[Dolch]

Would love to know what torque your running. I dropped to 35 in/lbs and might even go lower to eliminate the bolt bind in the rails. That just can't be good.

This is what I had referenced.

1. Ensure that the recoil lug "wedge" screw is backed out to the point where the wedge has sufficient vertical movement to allow the recoil lug to seat against the bottom of the aluminum rail.

2. With the action inserted into the stock, justify the action toward the rear of the stock to allow the recoil lug on the action to be seated against the boss on the aluminum rail.

3. Tighten the forward most screw to 10 in.-lbs. to seat the action against the aluminum rail boss, then back out one-half turn.

4. Tighten the middle action screw to 10 in.-lbs.

5. Tighten the rear action screw to 10 in.-lbs.

6. Tighten the forward action screw to 10 in.-lbs

Repeat steps four through six and increase torque value in increments up to a final torque value of 30-35 in.-lbs.

With the 300WM I would probably try 35 since that's not a lot, but if your action still feels like it's binding I would back off to 30.
Maybe check it after a few shots.

Another thing I remember was that I cleaned mine while it was apart as there was some light debris inside my stock from the factory.

Good luck

let us know what works when you get it right.
Dolch

 

[xsn10s]

And if you read that article over on Shooters forum, you'll see that the rifle was previously pillar AND epoxy bedded. It was also a custom barrel chambered in 6BR Norma. It wasn't a bone stock out of the box 300 WM rifle......just saying. I just gave my professional opinion...sorry if you don't like it.

And if you read the rest of the thread there are factory rifles of various makes that had improved groups from tuning the action screws. The procedure to install the stock and torque the action screws is pretty much how I learned to do it at the Remington's Armorer's Course for the 700. It's not new stuff. I also learned it for tuning my 98 Mauser's action screws from a gunsmith buddy of mine. And I've found that for anything from working on rifles, on cars/ trucks, or working on lathes and such your better off ruling out the simple fixes before moving on to more evasive methods.

 

[Rflshootr]

And if you read the rest of the thread there are factory rifles of various makes that had improved groups from tuning the action screws. The procedure to install the stock and torque the action screws is pretty much how I learned to do it at the Remington's Armorer's Course for the 700. It's not new stuff. I also learned it for tuning my 98 Mauser's action screws from a gunsmith buddy of mine. And I've found that for anything from working on rifles, on cars/ trucks, or working on lathes and such your better off ruling out the simple fixes before moving on to more evasive methods.

Your simple fix won't cure the problem and the rifle will never shoot to it's full potential. Period.

 

[xsn10s]

Hard to believe that aluminum rail is twisting that action...until you realize the squeeze from the hog saddle prevents cycling the bolt. (This is with the rifle set in the saddle at the balance point - eg, where the mag is. Slide saddle forward by the recoil lug, no binding.

A detachable mag or regular floorplate mag?

 

[HuntingBronco]

Have you tried just going back to off the shelf loads, say like federal premium? Just to make sure it's not a part of your reloading tools?

That will be part of the ritual over the next few days. Good news is when I have had this problem, this has never solved the problem.

 

[HuntingBronco]

This is what I had referenced.

1. Ensure that the recoil lug "wedge" screw is backed out to the point where the wedge has sufficient vertical movement to allow the recoil lug to seat against the bottom of the aluminum rail.

2. With the action inserted into the stock, justify the action toward the rear of the stock to allow the recoil lug on the action to be seated against the boss on the aluminum rail.

3. Tighten the forward most screw to 10 in.-lbs. to seat the action against the aluminum rail boss, then back out one-half turn.

4. Tighten the middle action screw to 10 in.-lbs.

5. Tighten the rear action screw to 10 in.-lbs.

6. Tighten the forward action screw to 10 in.-lbs

Repeat steps four through six and increase torque value in increments up to a final torque value of 30-35 in.-lbs.

With the 300WM I would probably try 35 since that's not a lot, but if your action still feels like it's binding I would back off to 30.
Maybe check it after a few shots.

Another thing I remember was that I cleaned mine while it was apart as there was some light debris inside my stock from the factory.

Good luck

let us know what works when you get it right.
Dolch

Thanks Dolch!

 

[HuntingBronco]

Thanks everyone - the comments are all really helpful to provide different POV. I'd like a rifle that always shot .25", no matter the ammo, weather, altitude, clean bore, cold bore, fouled bore, etc. Truth is, the game we love involves understanding variables and mastering the ones we choose to play with to achieve our objectives. There's lots of them and some guns have idiosyncrasies - I think that's part of what I love about this hobby (I am not a pro) - it's my Soduko. And I love that we can fire up a great conversation about these puzzles. Some people solve the puzzle in three steps, some more... Some buy their way to a simpler puzzle, some refuse to believe there is such a thing as a "Bad" gun, and with enough tweaking, they can make anything shoot. We've all been humbled. At the same session, I was shooting another project gun - flood recovered 7x57, which I thought would sure require a new barrel due to bore corrosion. Instead, first load out of the gate was clover leafing. 130SMKs over mild charge (40.5) of IMR 4064 - in brass made from 30-06 brass using COW method - with tips/help from LRH members. Go figure. Have a great day. I'll do my part, change one variable at a time and let folks know how it goes with the Savage Storm puzzle.

 

[HuntingBronco]

Range Report - I changed torque on stock screws - major POI shift. 1st and 3rd shot fell 1" apart, second shot dropped low by 6". This action is super flexy. Even with just 30 in/# on front and 20 in/# on rear, the bolt is starting to bind in the rail. As you tighten the rear screw from 20-25-30, everything is moving. So much for it being a chassis. They have removed a lot of metal from the bottom of the receiver to make room for the double stack magazine. It's nearly to the point where all is left on the receiver is vertical walls. I've bedded lots of rifles, no chassis rifles yet, but I sure won't have much material in the area of the box. Has anyone bedded one of these Savage 110 with the Accustock and double stack mags? I will shoot some factory stuff and some different bullets just to make sure it's not a basic incompatibility...pretty sure that's not the case.

 

[D-mon]

I have bedded a few savages, and own one with an accublock that seems to work fine. If I was doing it , i would do a skim bedding with some devcon or marine tex or something similar just behind the recoil lug, under the front cylindrical part of the receiver and in the area surrounding the rear action screw. ( you will have to clear out the excess of bedding material on the rear half of the rear pillar hole any way as it is a space for the trigger group). I would do it with out the trigger group in place, but with the two action screws in place just to locate and center the action and with no tension whatsoever ( almost loose). Regarding the screw and the wedge on the front, I would remove them during the bedding process and re install them once you have finished and you are ready to put the rifle back together. Don't forget the plasticine in all the cavities where you do not want resin to flow into and you can roll som electrical tape around the barrel near the end of the foreend to center it in place and act as a support.Good luck.

 

[HuntingBronco]

I have bedded a few savages, and own one with an accublock that seems to work fine. If I was doing it , i would do a skim bedding with some devcon or marine tex or something similar just behind the recoil lug, under the front cylindrical part of the receiver and in the area surrounding the rear action screw. ( you will have to clear out the excess of bedding material on the rear half of the rear pillar hole any way as it is a space for the trigger group). I would do it with out the trigger group in place, but with the two action screws in place just to locate and center the action and with no tension whatsoever ( almost loose). Regarding the screw and the wedge on the front, I would remove them during the bedding process and re install them once you have finished and you are ready to put the rifle back together. Don't forget the plasticine in all the cavities where you do not want resin to flow into and you can roll som electrical tape around the barrel near the end of the foreend to center it in place and act as a support.Good luck.

Thanks. This rifle doesn't have a wedge, but it does have a bushing/floating pillar for the rear screw.

 

[xsn10s]

They have removed a lot of metal from the bottom of the receiver to make room for the double stack magazine.

Who did the metal work?

 

[xsn10s]

IMO if you are using factory torque specs and am getting that kind of flex in the action it's time to make a call to Savage.

 

[HuntingBronco]

Who did the metal work?

Savage.

 

[HuntingBronco]

IMO if you are using factory torque specs and am getting that kind of flex in the action it's time to make a call to Savage.

Interesting...they have always been super helpful. I'll see what wisdom they have to share...