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MartyZ

Savage 16 build-up

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Most of you probably saw my Savage 16 for sale on this forum last week and I guess nobody liked the price I was asking for it, I was trying to sell it to buy a RPR. But I figured screw it, i'm going to keep it and build it up. So I took it off the sale forum and just ordered a Shilen Select Match varmint barrel for it in stainless steel. I already have a good Choate stock but I need to remove the lug bedding because I also got an upgraded lug and barrel nut. Will also be looking at better optics.

 

I was thinking of getting full action bedding, is it worth it?

 

Also, should I have the barrel threaded for a brake? 

 

 

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Price wasn't bad, you just have to be patient. Someone such as myself won't buy something unless its an absolute steal or something i planned on buying anyways and figured i can save a few bucks.

I'd have purchased yours if i was in the market for something like that, but i've been actively searching for a Rem 700 in 308 without a removable mag, plus, i literally just purchased a Bushmaster varminter all decked out with 200 rds of hornady vmax and Nikon monarch with larue mount and stuff for an absolute steal (about what you wanted for your full rifle setup). Your rifle would have sold sooner or later. I've had my M1A and Savage 111 in 3006 up for like two months already.. The market right now sucks for some reason.
That said, i'm not all too familiar with the fancy stuff, but, if you have the $$ and the price is REASONABLE, i would definitely thread the barrel and put a brake on it. IMO the right brake can be a huge improvement on a rifle. You just have to do a lot of research and find the right one that does what you want it to do.

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What caliber is your Savage  16  ?

 

I have Rem 700 in .308 and I feel no  need for a brake.  The fact that I have no brake on the barrel gives me the opportunity to shoot F Class matches ( Rules ) which are fairly common in this area  versus tactical matches which are infrequent in our local. 

 

 

F- Class-  Prone position  with a bipod, scope   and no brake  -  300, 500,600 and 1,000 Yards   ( NJ, PA and Del )

 

PRS Style Matches- Multi Positions with a bipod, scope   ( Brakes are OK )   300-600 yard  (Pa and Md. )

 

In addition , if you are upgrading your barrel you should consider a better stock then Choate. Look for a stock that accommodates the profile  of your rifle  barrel  with aluminum V Block bedding.

 

Look at H.S. Precision , Bell & Carlson , McMillian  or Manners Stocks.

 

 

Good luck

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Its a 308. The Choate stock i have has aluminum vblocks and ample room to freefloat a larger barrel. The reason i originally bedded the lug was because the stock has an empty space in front of the lug.

If you want to switch the barrel yourself shoot me a PM.  I have the wrenches for the action and nut.  It's easy-peazey.  I may be able to grab a go gauge from a friend if you're keeping it as a .308.  

 

I'm up in Bergen County.  

 

Next round, you may want to consider a switch to a 6.5 cartridge.  A bit easier to shoot with less recoil.  And they reach plenty far.  

 

I did a 6.5x47 on my Savage and I went with a brake.  McRees chassis.  I can shoot all day with no soreness.  I love it.  

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If you want to switch the barrel yourself shoot me a PM. I have the wrenches for the action and nut. It's easy-peazey. I may be able to grab a go gauge from a friend if you're keeping it as a .308.

 

I'm up in Bergen County.

 

Next round, you may want to consider a switch to a 6.5 cartridge. A bit easier to shoot with less recoil. And they reach plenty far.

 

I did a 6.5x47 on my Savage and I went with a brake. McRees chassis. I can shoot all day with no soreness. I love it.

That would great, thanks for the offer, keeping it .308. I work in Paramus Mon, Wed, and Fri. The barrel won't be in until Monday so I won't need it till then at the earliest. I will PM you when I need it. Thanks again.

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Well the barrel came in on Monday and the wheeler wrench set and go gauge came in today, they were waiting for me when I came home so I went straight to the garage to swap the barrel.

 

Holy crap, 3 hours of trying to remove the original barrel but and it wouldn't budge, broke the screw on the smooth nut wrench in the process (It's a good thing I didn't borrow your wrench Chris), I finally gave up and took a dremel to the nut, 10 min later it was off, finally. put everything back together and now I need to find time to go to the range to test it make sure it functions before bedding it. It's definitely not a hunting rifle anymore, the freaking thing weighs 13.2 lbs now and is front heavy, maybe I won't need a MB after all, but I will see when I go to the range. The only thing I didn't consider is the color difference, the action is bead blasted SS and the barrel is brushed SS, oh well, you can't have everything I guess, maybe i'll polish the action in the future. Anyway, here are the before and after pics.

 

Before

20130818_164455_zps6fa8a4b0.jpg

 

After

20160923_214027_zpsvnyuj42g.jpg

20160923_214012_zps41rmjtkm.jpg

20160923_214051_zpsp7yyxqdt.jpg

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Well the barrel came in on Monday and the wheeler wrench set and go gauge came in today, they were waiting for me when I came home so I went straight to the garage to swap the barrel.

 

Holy crap, 3 hours of trying to remove the original barrel but and it wouldn't budge, broke the screw on the smooth nut wrench in the process (It's a good thing I didn't borrow your wrench Chris), I finally gave up and took a dremel to the nut, 10 min later it was off, finally. put everything back together and now I need to find time to go to the range to test it make sure it functions before bedding it. It's definitely not a hunting rifle anymore, the freaking thing weighs 13.2 lbs now and is front heavy, maybe I won't need a MB after all, but I will see when I go to the range. The only thing I didn't consider is the color difference, the action is bead blasted SS and the barrel is brushed SS, oh well, you can't have everything I guess, maybe i'll polish the action in the future. Anyway, here are the before and after pics.

 

Before

20130818_164455_zps6fa8a4b0.jpg

 

After

20160923_214027_zpsvnyuj42g.jpg

20160923_214012_zps41rmjtkm.jpg

20160923_214051_zpsp7yyxqdt.jpg

 

Marty - You have a fine rifle there now.  YES!!!  bed the whole action and torque the action screws.  With your hand loads this should be a tack driver.

Like Chris said lots of folks are going 6.5 or even 6mm.  But you stay with 308 and you'll have loads of fun.  Bed the action and you can always change barrels.  Don't worry about the barrel finish.  It doesn't put holes in the target.

 

And Chris...God only knows where the 308 head space gauges are right now.

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Marty - You have a fine rifle there now. YES!!! bed the whole action and torque the action screws. With your hand loads this should be a tack driver.

Like Chris said lots of folks are going 6.5 or even 6mm. But you stay with 308 and you'll have loads of fun. Bed the action and you can always change barrels. Don't worry about the barrel finish. It doesn't put holes in the target.

 

And Chris...God only knows where the 308 head space gauges are right now.

I actually like the barrel finish, i might polish the action to match, all it takes is 600 grit sandpaper and some elbow grease. I already tested it on the old recoil lug and it came out nice. I'm thinking about the CDI DBM now. The original plastic trigger guard is a POS.

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Ok, I think i'm all done at this point, now I just need to find time to get to the range. Since my last update I polished the action to match the barrel, bedded the entire action (except for the tang), replaced the POS cracked plastic trigger guard with a original savage metal trigger guard, added a cheek riser (yes, that's a magpul MOE riser screwed to the stock from the top), and added a small rail piece to the bottom of the stock just in case I decide to use a monopod. The only thing left to do at this point is to replace the bolt handle with an extended one, but i'm in no rush. Range report to follow soon, hopefully.

 

20161001_225852_zpsxu8tmao2.jpg

20161001_225710_zpsyusbftld.jpg20161001_225659_zps6cfdkv6v.jpg

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Well, I finally got to the range today. This is my first ever precision build so i'm not quite sure of what I noticed. I first used factory AE 150gr rounds to check functionality and get on paper at 100yds. I noticed that about half of the rounds went in a little tight, basically it took some effort to close the bolt, most likely bullet hitting the rifling, the other half were just fine. My first question, I never had this problem with the same ammo with the factory barrel, are the tolerance on match barrels so tight that the slightest deviation in AOL would cause this? And before you ask I did use a GO gauge. Anyway, after on got on paper at 100yds I switched over to Federal Gold Metal Match 175gr SMK to zero at 100 yds and continued with these for the rest of the time.

 

Now, I must preface by saying that my experience shooting long range, especially with a scope, is extremely limited and was shooting off a bipod and small sand bag under the stock. In other words I suck, but I am trying to get better. The groups I got don't make sense to me, I got better groups at 200 yds then I did at 100 yds respectfully. At 100 yds with a 8 round group I got 1.07 inches with some out-lyres and at 200 yds I got 1.43 inches with some out-lyres. How can this be explained, getting better groups at 200 then at 100?

 

Also, I found that there is no need for a MB, at least not at this time.

 

20161030_114817_zpsdp1an9xh.jpg

20161030_114905_zps8kon1l44.jpg

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Marty,

 

If I were to guess, I would say it's an ammo issue.  What twist rate are you using?  Barrel length?  Muzzle velocity?

 

To take a guess without more info, I would say the bullet is not being stabilized enough due to a slower barrel twist rate?

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Couple of things, your 100yards group is 0.7", groups are usually measured center to center so when measuring edge to edge you subtract one caliber worth. (I'm ignoring the 3 extra holes, just counting your circled shots and the measurement on the dial) http://www.ammoland.com/2014/04/measuring-group-size-brownells-shooting-tips/

 

Secondly, in my experience, barrel settle in after about 100rd or so, no so much break in, but mostly the action and the stock and the shooter  and the mounts and the scope sorta getting along with each other,

 

Lastly with higher power scopes I also sometimes get better groups at longer distances, in my case because at 100 yards I see too much and I end over controlling the rifle. Push the target further out, I see less, and chill the hell out and squeeze the trigger. This may or may not be applicable to your case but you can test it by cranking down the power on your scope.

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The barrel is a 26" 1:10 twist shillen select match. The ammo is factory federal gold medal match 175 gr SMK

The 1:10 twist is fast enough.  On another note, a 26" barrel is probably too long, for a 308.  You could cut off 2-6 inches, easily.  A 308 is done burning powder sooner, so the extra inches are just drag on the bullet.  with a 10 twist, I'd probably run a 20-22 inch barrel.  I'm thinking the extra barrel might be affecting your groups too, due to excessive drag on the bullet.

 

As far as your groups, the only thing I can think of is to mount your gun on a sled and try shooting again.  This way, you take out operator error, for the most part.

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Thanks guys, at this point operator error seams to be the most logical explanation, I will need to get a sled for my next range trip. I will also try dialing the scope back to see if that improves my groups. Not planning on cutting the barrel though, at least not yet.

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