Savage 64F Range Report/Review. Pics & Video

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wheeler

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Lost In the Bush...
Today I took newly acquired Savage 64F ( from Coolguy435 ) to the range to see what it could do. I know the 64 gets a bad rap from the mags, to jams, ect.... I have solved this issue. I field stripped the rifle, polished/de-burred the bolt, feed ramp, extractor, firing pin, & took the dremel to the magazines. I also installed a Mcarbo spring kit. As you will see from the video/pictures it's very accurate ( in my opinion ) for open sights and cycles perfect with three different magazines & various ammo. I shot roughly 150rds today without 1 ISSUE! No ftf, fte NOTHING! I absolutely love this rifle! All factory targets were shot from the bottom right corner working left then up and repeat....

This is going to make a great lil hunting rig for chickens & rabbits!

The videos, are just to show that the Savage 64 can cycle perfect without all the dreaded issues....

I give the rifle a 10/10 after today! I'd recommend the gun to anyone. ( But would do the same as I have to help with feeding issues & cycling. )



Field strip/de-burr & polish...






The gun & rest used....






Down Range....






Rem Ammo






CCI Ammo






Homemade Targets... No colour & hard to see...... Win Ammo









Aimed tad high on bottom three targets.....








Here is the first video, with target results after.... Fed Ammo











Here is the second video again showing reliability, with target results after. Aguila Ammo








 
Yep, overall these are great little rifles. As your pic shows, very simple to strip down and clean. I've found that filing the feed ramps on the magazines often solves all ammo feed problems. Some mags work well as is and no filing needed.

Been shooting one for over two decades. I find the charging handle alittle small and abrasive, especially in the cold if your shooting a brick (500rds) of ammo or two. Best addition I made to this rifle is an extended, smooth, finger friendly bolt handle I picked up last year from CGN'r 'Johnnyc14' :
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...597-and-CZ512-semi-auto-s?highlight=cooey+64b
Damn it, I needed this handle 25yrs ago!!... when I went shooting every weekend, summer and winter. But really, it has made the rifle much more enjoyable now.

Thanks for sharing your happy report on these fine little rifles.:)
 
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I had to file down the feed ramps on my magazines also. Dont use it enough to worry any about the small charging handle. I have mine sighted in for 35 yards for plunkin the odd golpher when I go to the old homestead in Manitoba every summer.
 
Thanks for this review. I just managed to pick one of these rifles up today (which is why I was looking for reviews on it) from a friend, he gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. A brick of Federal ammo, the gun and a scope for $200. The gun and scope are both brand new, I had to remove the stickers from the gun and everything. Wood stock. I can't wait to get it out to the range tomorrow and see how it does!
 
Very nice review. I have a buddy who has a Cooey 64B and there the same rifle . he loves his . if you keep it clean and feed it decent ammo it will serve you just fine. I noticed you are using Yellow jackets .I shot a lot of stuff with them years ago . they work great. are you using a buffing paste or the stones with the dremel tool ? I saw a 64 B made for Sears a few shows back . it had a little surface rust other wise it was mint. he wanted over $200 for it . I passed it up .
 
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Steiner said:
Yep, overall these are great little rifles. As your pic shows, very simple to strip down and clean. I've found that filing the feed ramps on the magazines often solves all ammo feed problems. Some mags work well as is and no filing needed.

Been shooting one for over two decades. I find the charging handle alittle small and abrasive, especially in the cold if your shooting a brick (500rds) of ammo or two. Best addition I made to this rifle is an extended, smooth, finger friendly bolt handle I picked up last year from CGN'r 'Johnnyc14' :
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...597-and-CZ512-semi-auto-s?highlight=cooey+64b
Damn it, I needed this handle 25yrs ago!!... when I went shooting every weekend, summer and winter. But really, it has made the rifle much more enjoyable now.

Thanks for sharing your happy report on these fine little rifles.:)
Click to expand...

Not to hijack the thread but link dosen't work for me. Does Johnnyc14 make these charging handles regularly. Bought my first 64 in 1972 cost $70 shot many chickens and bottle caps
 
Some Prussian blue on the ejector (part 82 on Numrich) and some careful polishing plus very careful alignment of the tip of the extractor with the geometry of the barrel made a couple of mine perform flawlessly - even with lower energy ammo.

The slightest bit of drag on the bolt travel seems to cause a whole number of issues so I've found that working top to bottom (bolt, then feed ramp / chamber and magazine) gets them running well in the shortest time.

Shouldn't have to do this kinds stuff but it's a great learning experience and satisfying once you've nailed it.
 
It's been 3 years since I posted this review. I am happy to say this 64F is still working flawlessly. I keep it clean, really clean & have done nothing else to it since the review. For the one question, yes I took the dremel to the bolt to debur & polish. My ONLY complaint is loading & unloading mags. I have sliced my thumb many times. It has some sharpe edges.
 
wheeler, Thanks for the info and pics. Really good groups for open sights. :) I've had a 64 for a couple years and went thru the mag problems. I've measured a 'good' mag and 'rebuilt' a couple others to match and they now are OK. Savage CS sent me 3 new ones this Fall when I complained about them wearing down from use. I use a very fine file to break the sharp edges for loading and if you load with the bullet vertical then flip it into the mag you can avoid the sharp edge too. I threaded the inside of the charging handle and screwed a 1/4" bolt into it, then filed the hex head sorta smooth. That's worked the past summer, several hundred rounds. And I drilled the mag release and stuck a bit of hanger wire (less than 1") into it with JB for 'glue' and 'shaping'. Sorta bubba, but saved over $50 for mfg parts.:cool: Now best groups are around 1/2 " @ 25y. w/ 4x airgun scope:p. BTW those are 10 shot groups.
My range is under 2 ft of snow now so hurry-up March !
Sav-64-25yds.jpg
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image hosting upload
 
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Buck1950 said:
wheeler, Thanks for the info and pics. Really good groups for open sights. :) I've had a 64 for a couple years and went thru the mag problems. I've measured a 'good' mag and 'rebuilt' a couple others to match and they now are OK. Savage CS sent me 3 new ones this Fall when I complained about them wearing down from use. I use a very fine file to break the sharp edges for loading and if you load with the bullet vertical then flip it into the mag you can avoid the sharp edge too. I threaded the inside of the charging handle and screwed a 1/4" bolt into it, then filed the hex head sorta smooth. That's worked the past summer, several hundred rounds. And I drilled the mag release and stuck a bit of hanger wire (less than 1") into it with JB for 'glue' and 'shaping'. Sorta bubba, but saved over $50 for mfg parts.:cool: Now best groups are around 1/2 " @ 25y. w/ 4x airgun scope:p. BTW those are 10 shot groups.
My range is under 2 ft of snow now so hurry-up March !
Sav-64-25yds.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
image hosting upload
Click to expand...




I must say those are AWESOME groups for a 64! I've never tried a scope on mine as I wanted it for open sights.
 
Just an update, & to help anyone out searching for info on the 64...

To this day my rifle is still running any ammo without issues... This really is a great lil .22 when it's been gone over & issues all fixe up.
 
Hi Wheeler - I'm still running my 64 too ! I'm running a Vortex 4-12x scope now and if I'm careful I can do 1/2 - 3/4" groups @ 50-yds. Even a few under 1/2". I put a MCarbo sear spring in due to the 'clothes-pin' spring and replaced the trigger-return spring with a bit of a clik-pen - only about 1/2 of one. The trigger is now under 3#. Recently I got a replacement firing pin from Savage-Canada (CS was very helpful, but the pin didn't help me) and modified the 'old' one to move the striking point away from the rim toward the centre. I was having 'bad strikes' every 2-3 shots, but now it's firing all the time, over 500 rounds later. Also, I polished everything inside the action on 1000g wet/dry paper, even the pivot pin and it's hole! Just be careful of the 'sear face' - don't change the angles! Trigger is very smooth.
 
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You've probably found these but in case anyone hasn't, there are Savage forums on rimfirecentral and Savageshoters. SS has the topics indicated by colour and you can do 'advanced search' on either forum for just the 64s. Easier than 'weeding out' things you aren't interested in.
 
I have a 64, it is my first rifle, I'll always have it. I bought it from Eatons and it has a Bushnell 4x RF scope on it.

I shot it and shot it and shot it for years before I moved onto other RF's.

But I'll always have it.
 
My 64 usually has the odd FTF after a few mags. I'll get one every 10-20 shots it seems. I'll reload that round and it fires fine. The only thing I can think of is after a few mags, the action is getting dirty some...? You guys run these really dry for lubrication on the bolt and in the action?
 
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