Bent recoil lug?

[mrjashu]

A buddy was having accuracy issues with his Savage 110 chambered in 270win and asked me to take a look. My first clue that something wrong was that the front action screw would not come out. I had to dremel a notch in the head to get it out with a big flathead screwdriver. When I got it apart I noticed that the recoil lug area had all most of the material removed. Instead of a nice flat face for the recoil lug it was rounded over.
Then I noticed the recoil lug itself. What the.....? Am I seeing this right? Is it actually bent? Is this possible? Have any of you ever seen this before? I'm thinking that the recoil force is also what bound up the front action screw, what do you think?

 

[MagnumManiac]

Yep, seen it on Rem 700 RUM's mostly.
Don't have much to do with Savage rifles.

Cheers.

 

[Frog4aday]

It certainly looks bent in your pics...

 

[FEENIX]

The problem might be a combination of action screws, recoil lug, or other culprits. A have .300 WM that is a lot worst that than that but still shoots out to 300 yards with some old loads but it is due for a re-barrel when I get around it. Just replace it with a thicker aftermarket recoil lug, they are very reasonably priced. Good luck!

 

[sedancowboy]

Almost all Factory Savage's recoil lugs that I have taken apart are bent. I replace them with a Northlands Shooters Supply precision ground recoil lug and nut and the problem is solved for the life of the rifle. If you measure the thickness of the standard Savage recoil lug you will find from .003-.005 difference not good for a good fit to the action.

 

[David Emerson]

I tell everybody a savage is like a fat girl. OK if nobody sees you. lol. Yes the lug is bent. Very poor action to stock fit. When I barrel a savage I throw the nut and do a shoulder fit with a remington 250 tapered lug.

 

[Deputy819]

When I got it apart I noticed that the recoil lug area had all most of the material removed. Instead of a nice flat face for the recoil lug it was rounded over.

Factory wood stock?

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

Just replace it with a thicker aftermarket recoil lug, they are very reasonably priced. Good luck!

Those factory jobs are stamped not same thickness overall and thin, get the thicker machined aftermarket ones and tell him to skim bed around the pillars and against lug. Northland shooters supply sells the good recoil lug for about $28 and a trued up barrel nut for about the same. Easy to swap out and well worth it Like everything it benefits the finished product.

I tell everybody a savage is like a fat girl. OK if nobody sees you. lol.

Well I got a whole bevy of them fat girls that I don't care who see's em You can spend a lot more getting razor edge accuracy from some of them skinny girls. Targets are what most accuracy addict's want to see.......One of mine will only shoot 1/2" or so...... seems to be a finicky barrel but on a savage that's really only a 30-40 min. swap in the reloading room, just haven't got to it yet. The other four are all mid ones to mid threes, nothing fat about them groups

 

[FEENIX]

Those factory jobs are stamped not same thickness overall and thin, get the thicker machined aftermarket ones and tell him to skim bed around the pillars and against lug. Northland shooters supply sells the good recoil lug for about $28 and a trued up barrel nut for about the same. Easy to swap out and well worth it Like everything it benefits the finished product.


Well I got a whole bevy of them fat girls that I don't care who see's em You can spend a lot more getting razor edge accuracy from some of them skinny girls. Targets are what most accuracy addict's want to see.......One of mine will only shoot 1/2" or so...... seems to be a finicky barrel but on a savage that's really only a 30-40 min. swap in the reloading room, just haven't got to it yet. The other four are all mid ones to mid threes, nothing fat about them groups

Agreed! I don't care what the peanut gallery says about my fat girls, they simply shoots.

 

[shinbone]

Never seen a Savage recoil lug before, but I am surprised how thin it is.

 

[BrentM]

I've built a pile of savages and never had a bent lug. A smith buddy says he's dealt with it on on Remington and savage with high recoiling rifles.
I use a CNC nut and lug when I build. The lug is .25" thick.
I'm with others in the fat girl gig. I've never had a savage that didn't shoot. They are not the smoothest action, not the prettiest, but the target has no clue where the bullet came from.

 

[sedancowboy]

No one has had a problem with after market lugs that are .250. The problem is the lug that leaves the factory on Savage rifles. It is .188 IIRC stamped steel and not very consistent in thickness. They tend to bend easily, I have a drawer full of them.

 

[Hugnot]

Does Savage make these lug by some stamping process? If so, my guess is the lug was deformed when it was stamped out and installed instead of being tossed.

Edit: Inadequate data to make assumption that recoil forces causes lug deformation. A photo of stock showing lug recess might indicate deformation of upper back edge if recoil force caused lug deformation. Lug deformation begins just below middle of lock nut where lug projection is at minimum and barrel lock nut would normally secure lug against barrel.

Experience with Rem 700 recoil lugs shows that they can handle .416 Rem.

I ( "I" message vs. "you" message) avoid making snap assumptions because they are usually incorrect and may damage reputations and cause personal animosity - just me talking..

 

[dieseldoc]

Results of using sled. Have seen many lugs and stocks damage from sled shooting.