Gunsmithing Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

TresMon

TresMon

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 3, 2007
1,241
140
NW USA
#1
I have a old long action Savage Tactical 300wm. It was a .25-.3moa rifle but the barrel is now on the decline. (Stock upgrade, Benchrest level handloads) The round count is pretty high now.

I want to rebarrel it to get all I can out of the cartridge pushing 210 vlds. Looking at a 32" SS premium 10 or 10.5 twist. Can the action support it or would sag be ridiculous? I'm using it as a 1000yd f-classer.

Thanks,
T
 
#2
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

Tres

I have an older 110 single shot action i am hanging a 32" barrel with the nut on with. My accuracy was around 3/4 moa at 200. Nothing to write home about but i beleive it was more a stock issue. I just bedded it and bedded the first 1 1/2" - 2" in front of the lug. I am gonna get out first of the week to see how it shoots now. I can always take the barrel pad out.

I just got a 32" 1.25 to 1" barrel put on a savage short action. Just have to get the stock done for it.

On my 110 action with just the action(no trigger, no base and scope the balance point was close to the end of the stock but with everything back on the balance point shifted to right in front. I don't know if it means anything but i would think that if the balance point moved back it will be good to go.
 
#3
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?


Thanks matt. Let me know how it works out.

Not that it's good news (or bad either) but balance point has nothing to do with the fact that the action might be flexing from all that barrel hanging off the nose of it.
But the chamber pad should help or alleviate it.

I'm pulling for your project! Write back and let us know how it works!!

(give me a nudge on PM when you get back so I'll remember to read your findings.)
 
#5
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

I have a 32" fluted #7 contour on mine. I holds it just fine.

S8001327.jpg
 
#7
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?


GearG,

That looks like a left hand two screw action. Is this correct? Can't tell from the photo but is it nutless?
 
#8
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

Not to speak for Gear but if he is the same guy off of the savage forum it is a 338 Edge and it has the nut if i remember correctly.
 
#10
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

Yes but those are on the target actions, which are about as twice as beefy, have one in front of me matter of fact...
 
#13
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

The rem 700 suppots a barrle that size so a Savage should have less trouble seeing how the actual action walls are thicker due to more TPI and a smaller ID.

If your setting it up with a barrel nut then the barrel wil actualy be a good bit lighter than if it were setup with a shoulder
 
#15
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

I did a Pac Nor 30" barrel straight 1.1" bull and worked fine.(gained 100fps over the stock savage 300 win mag barrel)

I bedded about 2.5 inches of the barrel for support. Stock is a Choate Ultimate varmint stock.

My action was the plain jane 110.
 
#16
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

Tres

I don't know if you saw my post in the beding section but i got a chance the other day to shoot my 260 that i just bedded with part of the barrel bedded or not but i don't see it hurting anything. Groups before really had no defined pattern to them. Even though original groups were at 200 or 230 yards(don't remember the yardage but 200 for sure) useing the same load with it bedded 7 shots into 3/4"(outside to outside) at 180 yards. Nice triangle with all shots inside it. I need to work more on my technique and it could easily be 1/2" or less.I had to get to work but would like to see how it does when i shoot 20 shots like i do for f-class.
tangtarget.jpg
 
#17
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: chris19210</div><div class="ubbcode-body">what cartridge to you have there geargrinder?</div></div>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Matt28</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not to speak for Gear but if he is the same guy off of the savage forum it is a 338 Edge and it has the nut if i remember correctly.</div></div>

Thanks Matt, you're correct 338Edge with the nut.
 
#18
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TresMon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
GearG,

That looks like a left hand two screw action. Is this correct? Can't tell from the photo but is it nutless? </div></div>

It is a two screw left hand. It is a long action but has the short action mag opening in the bottom. It started out as a 308win.

It has the nut, but with a #7 contour the shank had to be taken down in front of the nut. Then it steps back up. It isn't a perfect solution, but it works well.

S8001329.jpg
 
#19
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

Gear

That is pretty wild. I am pretty curious as to the long term analysis on that. Meaning over time do you see an accuracy differance.

Now i am not that worried about my 1.2" to 1" 32" barrel hanging off my action for the 7wsm. I went without the nut on this one compared to my 260 with the nut.
 
#20
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Matt28</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Gear

That is pretty wild. I am pretty curious as to the long term analysis on that. Meaning over time do you see an accuracy differance.

Now i am not that worried about my 1.2" to 1" 32" barrel hanging off my action for the 7wsm. I went without the nut on this one compared to my 260 with the nut.</div></div>

I figured, if it didn't shoot great I'd bed a portion of the barrel in front of the step. But I didn't need to. It shoots great as is.
 
#21
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?


SandB: Post us up a pic. When I have my new barrel mine will look just like yours. plain jane 110 w/ a Ultimate varmint.

Thanks Gear G, looks great! Was a Savage long action with a short action opening a factory? Surely not...?

Looking good MATT, keep at it!
 
#22
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TresMon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Thanks Gear G, looks great! Was a Savage long action with a short action opening a factory? Surely not...?
</div></div>

Yes, it's factory.

It is a regular long action. The top opening is regular size. The magazine opening in the bottom is short action size. It's pretty common on older savages. Especially LH ones.
 
#26
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?


AGG,

yeah I have heard of that. It was explained to me like this: if you have a camera with a huge monster zoom lens, do you hold/support the camera body or hold/support the lens? yep the latter.

Same with support the barrel & float the action. I have no personal experience with it though.
 
#27
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TresMon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
AGG,

yeah I have heard of that. It was explained to me like this: if you have a camera with a huge monster zoom lens, do you hold/support the camera body or hold/support the lens? yep the latter.

Same with support the barrel & float the action. I have no personal experience with it though. </div></div>

That is also the reason that you see alot of BR guns with barrel blocks , the barrel is clamped into the block free floating the action and end of the barrel , this is also said to make realy long barrels "think" that they are shorter , 36" barrel with a 6" barrel block only has 30" of un supported barrel so the vibrations should only effect the exposed 30" , ar at least thats how it was explained to me
 
#29
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

Have a 30" Rock Creek barrel, nutless, on a Savage long action single shot (standard 110 action, but not a repeater)....chambered in 6.5x55 AI.

Built a 338 RUM with a 32" Rock Creek barrel, nutless, on a Savage target action with the wide/flat forearm benchrest stock. I bedded the barrel and the action...full length. Longest deer to date, 1862 and 1868 yards.
 
#30
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?


So you have a fully bedded barrel and a floated barrel yes? What are your findings in & of/between these extremes?
 
#31
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TresMon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
So you have a fully bedded barrel and a floated barrel yes? What are your findings in & of/between these extremes? </div></div>

In my opinion, I did not think any brand of action would support the amount of barrel weight and recoil of the RUM. 5500 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle, every time you pull the trigger...

Figured it would be better to try to make stock, action, and barrel as "one" than try to fight all of the dynamics at once.

Had I to do over again, would try a barrel block and let the action float. Not like you are going to tote a 26 lb rifle very far.
 
#32
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?


Well having the work done: how it really shoots is the final answer.

But I think a barrel block would have been a fine way to go.

A RUM is rated for a max pressure of 65,000 psi. Thats not a whole lot more than the 300WM's 62,000.

It's not the recoil really so long as the recoil lug has sufficient surface area and strength and at the muzzle is where the pressure us relieved from the system.

It's like a man holding a 2"x4"x8'. No problem to hold it in the middle with both hands shoulder width apart. But when you try to hold it out horizontal with a coke can grip, it's WAY too heavy. You hang a barrel off the nose of an action and they sag, speaking in thousandth's of inch.

A barrel block takes (basically) all the stress off the action and accordingly you get no sag at the action and less barrel/bore sag because the barrel has less length hanging off the last support point.

A poor boy solution may have been a "glue-in" set up- that is to bed it full length but skip the whole release compound part. My primary fear in a fully bedded barrel would be wondering if the use of a sling or bipod would alter POImpact from bench & bags. Glued in would help. Hmm...conjecture on my part.

Hmm all things to ponder when I go to rebarrel. I need to study up more on barrel blocks. I may just have to machine me one. Thanks for bringing the idea to mind.

Give us more info on how the fully bedded barrel shoots & thanks again.
 
#33
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

I agree completely. Once forces and moment arms reach extremes, different engineering is called for. In this case, I like the idea of a barrel block.

Greg
 
#34
Re: Savage Long action: can support 32" barrel?

Initial load development. One of the slow burning Hodgdon powders ended up being THE powder for this rifle. 3 shots at 700 yards breaking in the barrel, firing some brass, getting some trigger time, and waiting for the muzzle brake. I shot fifteen rounds through this 26+ pound rifle without a brake...NEVER again.

I must have pulled one shot, as there are two on the left and another about 3" to the right.
338700yard002.jpg


1868 yards in the late season 2009 doe hunt.
1868338RUM01142010.jpg


We don't know how far this round can be stretched, but imagine 2500 is possible...with a real, one shot kill on a deer sized animal. 300 gr SMK's really thump when they hit a deer.

Before the naysayers jump in, unless you have really pulled the trigger on something accurate AND has enough womp behind it...

338RUMSc.jpg
 
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