new rifle

[pat86004]

I bought a new rifle today, a used savage 110 in 7mm rem mag. It's the wood stocked variety and seemed like a really nice rifle. I mounted a cheap scope I had laying around. (Won't tell you what brand, it's embarrassing) and went out shooting. After I got it zeroed, I started shooting for a group. My best three shot group was just at or a little under an inch. I would have exact measurements except I didn't have my calipers when I was out, and the target flew out of the back of my truck on the way home, due to me not zipping up the duffel bag I take when I shoot. The only problem I had (and I think likely the reason the rifle was a bargain) was that someone had kinda wrenched on the accu trigger to make it lighter and sometimes closing the bolt would trip the trigger. I backed it off 1/8 of a turn and now I can't make it malfunction, and I can't tell the difference in pull weight. One of these days I'll put a real scope on it, until then it should tackle most anything I need it to. The only thing I'd like to change right away is the plastic butt plate, any suggestions on a brand of recoil pad? Overall, I'm a pretty happy camper.

 

[Engineering101]

pat86004

You can buy a prefit Limbsaver for a Savage (I've got three of them). Unscrew the old one and screw on the new one and you are done. It will take the bite out of that Rem Mag.

 

[pat86004]

In all honesty.....the recoil while a bit excessive, bothered me less then the length of pull. I think a recoil pad would fix that right up. Anything else I should do to improve on the rifle? I was thinking about bedding the recoil lug and maybe getting a pillar bedding kit.

 

[Engineering101]

I usually float the barrel if it isn't, add pillars and bed the recoil lug. I recently put together a 26 Nosler based on a Sako L61R that was a 7mm Rem Mag. On that one I'm trying a new trick where you also put a couple of inches of bedding under the barrel. See how it groups with the load you want to use and then if the bullet holes are not touching, cut the bedding back 1/4 inch. Repeat until it groups. My nephew did this and hit pay dirt after the 2nd cut back. He has done this on two rifles. Mine is all set to go to the range tomorrow morning. This makes the most sense when you know what bullet you want to use and won't be changing it. In this case I'll be running 127 grain LRXs at 3,450 fps and I'm making the gun like that ammo instead of finding ammo that the gun likes.

 

[mountainman56]

I'm betting you can turn that into a tack driver with a good bedding job and floating the barrel. This is standard procedure for me with every rifle I purchase.

 

[pat86004]

The barrel floats already. I've never bedded an action before, and for some reason it intimidates me. I am paranoid that I'll permanently epoxy the action into the stock.

 

[Demon061]

Don't be embarrassed. I have my first scope (a tasco pronghorn) mounted on my 93R17 for squirrel duty

 

[ohiohunter]

I wouldn't trust that trigger after it's been tampered with as you've said. I would look into a SSS replacement trigger (or other). Bedding is almost always a positive thing, but I've found it isn't always necessary. I have a bone stock 7mm-08 youth model that I re-crowned, carved out the barrel channel and the rear tang for clearance and put up a 0.6" group. Its topped w/ talley one piece rings and a sightron s1.

My 300wm in an unbedded mcmillan w/ factory barrel is shooting about 0.5" and my 280 in the same stock will shoot about 0.25".

 

[pat86004]

The trigger wasn't tampered with really, someone just really cranked on it trying to make it lighter then it should have been. Even if it were to malfunction the worst it would do is click into the safe position. I figure bedding the rifle certainly wouldn't make it shoot worse.

 

[ohiohunter]

The trigger wasn't tampered with really, someone just really cranked on it trying to make it lighter then it should have been. Even if it were to malfunction the worst it would do is click into the safe position. I figure bedding the rifle certainly wouldn't make it shoot worse.

Ok, thats a better outcome than I would get from my savages. When I set the pull too low they will fire when the bolt is slammed shut, not safe nor a settling feeling.

 

[pat86004]

After I fixed it, you could kick the bolt shut and it wont do anything anyway. I now have 2 savages that need to be bedded and tinkered with. I might just have to bite the bullet and try it. Anyone got a link to a good step by step?

 

[mountainman56]

After I fixed it, you could kick the bolt shut and it wont do anything anyway. I now have 2 savages that need to be bedded and tinkered with. I might just have to bite the bullet and try it. Anyone got a link to a good step by step?

I have passed this link on frequently. It is as good as I have found.

Stress-Free Pillar Bedding