Steven or Savage Build Help

[Deleted member 48126]

My brother is in AFG and I am trying to get him into the LRS/LRH scene. He is into pistols, ARs, and M14/M1A platforms. My brother is left handed. I want to build him a SA deer/hog/varmint/target rifle for the woods of Georgia. Weight is not an issue for him since he is an endurance/strength athlete. I want to personally build the rifle as a gift to him. Price is a factor, this will be my first build, I am a remington guy so I dont know the ins and outs of savages, I will be doing this in my garage . My questions are as follows.

1. Stevens or Savage action?
2. Do stevens come in Left Hand?
3. What Barrel manufactuerer? I want it to be around 20 inches in length/ Varmint contour at the minimum
4. What Caliber? (SA thinking anywhere between 243 win up to 308 win and everything in between)
5. What Barrel nut? (whats the difference between large shank and small shank?)
6. What Stock? What bedding material? Any tips to bed?
7. Any gunsmith insight for headspace and timing? What do I need to do?
8. What trigger? Rifle Basix? Savage Accutrigger?

Any other advice is greatly appreciated. I am also a looks guy for a rifle so any parts or paint or anything to clean/doll it up is a plus. Thanks for your help, and I apologize if this has been asked before. I hope my questions are specific enough for a seperate thread.

 

[woodbnek]

1. Stevens or Savage action? Nicer/bigger slide safety on the Savage.
2. Do stevens come in Left Hand? Good Q. I use Savage 16/116 for my LH builds because I like Stainless
3. What Barrel manufactuerer? I want it to be around 20 inches in length/ Varmint contour at the minimum. Recommend Apache Gun Works.
4. What Caliber? (SA thinking anywhere between 243 win up to 308 win and everything in between) I like the .260 Rem if you reload. 308 win ammo is every where.
5. What Barrel nut? (whats the difference between large shank and small shank?)Jim at Northlandshooterssupply.com has what you need. Talk to Jim
6. What Stock? What bedding material? Any tips to bed? How much you want to Spend? Top end= Manners and McMillan, Hogue, Choat, BC = Less $
7. Any gunsmith insight for headspace and timing? What do I need to do? Again, Talk to Jim at NSS. Bedding = Devcon 10110 "Plastic Steel® Putty"
8. What trigger? Rifle Basix? Savage Accutrigger? Accutrigger is Nice, Get a 1.5# trigger from Jim at NSS

Good Luck and feel free to ask more questions.

 

[lightflight]

1. Stevens or Savage action?

If you want accutriger then your answer is Savage. You can find 200 models cheap on GB and other places. I think they are being discontinued though and replaced with axis.

2. Do stevens come in Left Hand?

No

3. What Barrel manufactuerer? I want it to be around 20 inches in length/ Varmint contour at the minimum

I've used Mcgowen and Criterion...both will be a 18 week wait right now probably.
Try Apache...he cuts off orders when they get 2 months behind. I think he uses ERShaw blanks???

4. What Caliber? (SA thinking anywhere between 243 win up to 308 win and everything in between)

I would say 260 but I am bias

5. What Barrel nut? (whats the difference between large shank and small shank?)

Lrg/small depends on the rifle you pick up. I say use the standard one or get one from JIm.

6. What Stock? What bedding material? Any tips to bed?

Boyds on the cheap although sometimes it might be hard to get what you want with a bull barrel channel. I've used JB weld and devcon for beading compound and shoe polish as the release agent.

7. Any gunsmith insight for headspace and timing? What do I need to do?

You could get the go/no guages and do it yourself. you would also need barrel nut wrench and action wrench.

8. What trigger? Rifle Basix? Savage Accutrigger?

I have a Sav-2 Rifle basics trigger on my 260rem and it is set at 14oz. It is set up perfectly safe I like it a lot for LR shooting but I think its a bit too light for hunting.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Thanks gents. So a savage action, accutrigger, and I'm going to use bc for a stock. I need to find a left hand savage action on the cheap. Im going to do a little research on the barrels. i am more confident that i can do this without to much smith help. Anymore advice or personal experience is greatly appreciated.

 

[Dgd6mm]

1. Stevens or Savage action? Nicer/bigger slide safety on the Savage.
2. Do stevens come in Left Hand? Good Q. I use Savage 16/116 for my LH builds because I like Stainless
3. What Barrel manufactuerer? I want it to be around 20 inches in length/ Varmint contour at the minimum. Recommend Apache Gun Works.
4. What Caliber? (SA thinking anywhere between 243 win up to 308 win and everything in between) I like the .260 Rem if you reload. 308 win ammo is every where.
5. What Barrel nut? (whats the difference between large shank and small shank?)Jim at Northlandshooterssupply.com has what you need. Talk to Jim
6. What Stock? What bedding material? Any tips to bed? How much you want to Spend? Top end= Manners and McMillan, Hogue, Choat, BC = Less $
7. Any gunsmith insight for headspace and timing? What do I need to do? Again, Talk to Jim at NSS. Bedding = Devcon 10110 "Plastic Steel® Putty"
8. What trigger? Rifle Basix? Savage Accutrigger? Accutrigger is Nice, Get a 1.5# trigger from Jim at NSS

Good Luck and feel free to ask more questions.

This is all good info. I would post WTB threads for new and used parts. The action may be your hardest item to find, but one is sitting somewhere ready to be sold. You can always buy a new takeoff varmint barrel and have it cut down. Plenty of options out there for you, let us know how it starts coming together for you.