Savages with match pre-fit barrels

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blueoval56

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I know there are probably a few here that feel match and pre-fit should not at all be in the same sentence, but I would like to hear from those here that run Savage actions with Match grade pre-fit barrels from Shilen, Mcgowen, etc.

Is the performance capability there? More specifically, can you achieve better that 0.5 MOA?

What has your experience been with the barrels that you have?

I ask because I have a Savage model 12 FTR 308w with a 30" 12 twist that will shoot pretty good. I haven't tested very many loads but I have found 2 that produce pretty consistent 0.5-0.7 moa groups. One with 175smk and one with 155.5 Bergers.
I have always pondered ordering a different barrel or 2 to experiment with some different calibers.

My main question is should I use this single shot action and go the switch barrel route for my target shooting needs or sould I sell it and put the money towards something different?
I don't hate the Savage and it's actually pretty smooth considering its a Savage, but once I bought a Tikka the Savage seems clunky and rough so to speak.

BUT, I can look past clunky and rough if the Savage target action and a good barrel might be a better way to go.

What do you think?
 
I installed a Shilen pre-fit barrel (from Mystic Precision) on a Model 12 VLP in .204 Ruger.

Was very happy with the result. Mine just had the SAAMI spec chamber and was one of the "Regular Match" and not the "Select Match" barrels but was an honest 3/8" MOA shooter. (On a good day groups in the .2's was common, on a bad day when I couldn't keep it under .5 I just went home. So I think it fair to call it an honest 3/8 MOA rig)


My rig was for use in the gopher patch and not a benchrest gun but I learned a lot from the dedicated target guys. If you want to go all out then I doubt the Savage can compare with a true custom action but as far as factory actions go it is seemingly as good as any, but you don't need a smith to swap your barrel(s).
 
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Thanks for the reply.

That sounds fairly promising. I'm torn because I don't compete but I may want to one day. For now I just shoot on a private patch of land out to 1400 yards and compete against myself. I'm a perfectionist and the game of precision has a death grip on me 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time I just grab my 458 win mag and drill half inch holes through stuff for fun ;)
 
Jerry has a tech article on his website at MysticPrecision, he threaded on a shilen prefit in 223 I think. Then built/ modified a pretty cheap stock for it and I believe it shot in the .2's or .3's
 
blueoval56 said:
Thanks for the reply.

That sounds fairly promising. I'm torn because I don't compete but I may want to one day. For now I just shoot on a private patch of land out to 1400 yards and compete against myself. I'm a perfectionist and the game of precision has a death grip on me 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time I just grab my 458 win mag and drill half inch holes through stuff for fun ;)
Click to expand...

Have you gotten deep into case prep yet?? That might be your next step.

Annealing, flash hole deburring, primer pocket truing, sorting by weight and neck turning. Because I just had a SAAMI spec chamber I did more of a neck "truing" than turning, only removed material from high spots on the neck but it ended up being 20-30% of the surface that was effected. Did this for 1000 brass cases.

The result of a mildly obsessive personality and a long Canadian winter. :)
 
Shoot a 6xc. Pretty much OCD.

I'm glad this came up as I recently got a savage 308 and would also like to rebarrel for coyote when not in big game season.

As well interested in responses from prefit owners.
 
I just installed a Benchmark Savage pre-fit on my model 12 BR.
It's a 32" no taper, SS, .308, tight match chamber for 155s, match crown, etc.

It came from Gary Eakin at Big Horn Sales, not cheap but the fit and finish is immaculate.

It was broken-in a few weeks ago with excellent results as far as grouping, but I did
experiance some horizontal stringing. (there is a premature thread on that, Jerry from
Mystic Precision came up with some logical answers).

I will post further results when I get a chance to take it out again, this time with fire sized brass.
 
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When precision bug bit me first I ordered two barrels, one showed up after 6+ months later. Cost savings is going to be maximum of $100. So unless you are setup to swap barrel yourself it's negligible in my opinion. It came with SAAMI chamber so it's no good for long VLD bullets I wanna use, now I have to get it throated long and there goes any savings. If I were to do it all over again(which I'm in the process of doing with two other rifles) I would get a barrel blank and find a good smith to do the work. That way you get to pick the barrel, chamber dimensions, better barrel to action fit and you don't have to use barrel nut anymore, just set it up like Remington. You can switch barrels easily once setup, just take one off and torque next one on, double check headspace and you are good to go.
This is my experience of course YMMV. Also if you have barrel nut wrench, barrel vise, go-no go gauges and action wrench or substitute already then it may be cheaper for you to go prefit route. For me, NEVER AGAIN!!

One last thing, assume you got prefit barrel and it won't shoot less then 0.75 MOA, then what would you blame(of course unless you take it to qualified smith for detailed inspection and measurement and of course more $$$), bad barrel? Lousy clambering job? Too much play between barrel and action threads/barrel nut? crooked recoil lug? Or just bad luck?
So at least for mental satisfaction I will always get barrel blank and get my smith to spin it on.
Again JMHO, so don't burn me
 
If you're convinced you have tried enough loads, done all the case prep, and your technique is good, action trued, and it won't shoot better, then I would rebarrel. Do the inexpensive things first. Cant comment on the pre-fit, but if its an unsolvable puzzle, do it.
I don't have a lot of experience, but the 308's i have played with all liked one of the following loads:

Lapua brass, prepped to 13thou neck thickness (brass prep and concentricity (used a good seater die) shrunk my groups almost 1/4-3/8")
Fed GMM primer
41-43ish gr 4064, 168/175smk
42-45ish gr Varget, 168/175smk
42ish gr R15 168/175smk
COL 2.80-2.81"
Your gun will tell you the exact "ish" load.
If it doesn't shoot one of those under 1/2", bye bye.
 
I appreciate all the responses and opinions.

I currently debur and uniform flash holes and primer pockets, trim as precisely as possible and use a VLD neck chamfer.
I have not gotten into neck turning yet as I am having a tough time finding material to learn about the subject.
I use Lapua Palma brass and federal 205M primers. I didn't weight sort the brass because it was all very close.

I will admit that I need a better set of dies. I have been getting the results I have thus far with a regular set of RCBS full length dies and simply resizing to the minimum.

I am slowly attempting to upgrade and advance my reloading process, but this was more a question of how the experience has been with the barrels as I would like to try out some different calibers and it would be a lot cheaper to buy a new barrel than a whole new rifle.
The switch barrel idea intrigues me but I worry that in time it may seem like too much hassle for not much reward.
 
Have used many of them for years. Competed with them too with excellent results. Several of the trophies on the shelf were won with prefits.

If you want to do a bunch of barrel swaps, these prefits are the most economical way to play. There is no difference with a proper Savage action, between shouldered and nut headspace install. yes, I tested it... with the same barrel.

Cost will be much lower vs a shouldered headspaced barrel

Time to delivery of the prefit is not far off just getting the blank THEN you need to find a gunsmith and have the blank installed. We are booked 3 months out. Many quality gunsmiths are too AND then there is a time in the shop before the rifle is returned. This time is typically a couple of months.

So you can wait for say 6 months for a prefit but you can use it right away (some prefits order last fall are now shipping so sometimes the turnaround is much faster.. sometimes slower). A blank can take several months to get then you wait several more months for the install.

As a rule of thumb, Savage prefits are "HALF" the overall costs vs a shouldered headspaced barrel. There simply isn't a more economical way to get a match barrel on a receiver.

If you do the swaps yourself, then the choice to change as barrels arrive is very short.

Of course, with prefits, the chambers are going to lean towards standard SAAMI and common set ups. Small adjustments in throat or other chamber specs are not easily done in the prefit manf BUT the vast majority of shooters will never need anything beyond what the standard chambers provide.

And if something like lengthening a throat is required, it can easily be done by a gunsmith or by your self.

Good, bad... really neither. Pros and cons to everything and quality machining is still a huge part of the result you see (either nut or shouldered headspace).

If you decide to go the prefit route, stay with a quality barrel manf with a history of good machining. There are some "bulk" manf whose quality is far from match grade.

Quality costs in both time and money...

Jerry
 
Call Gary at big horn sales or email him. theresmerguy@yahoo.ca he can get you into a benchmark prefit in way less than 6 months, barrel turn around with benchmark is very good and their barrels shoot as good or better than all the big name makers. His prices are very good and he is a top notch guy.
 
You can have a look at how mine shoots, it's in the 300m challenge up top. I've had that rifle out to a couple matches...have a second place finish in ftr with it. Also have a benchmark prefit in 7wsm that I'm finally getting tuned...shot a couple five round groups under an inch at 300 last time out. Recently went the sporter route to see how they would shoot, first is a 22-250 that holds sub half minute but will not sustain accuracy though match volume shooting as expected. Lastly, I've ordered a 7 rem in a sporter weight, hopefully continue with getting good results. Overall I'm really happy with the prefits and don't plan on getting away from the barrel nut system anytime soon. I have had the itch to build a big seven recently...something like a 1.25" no taper, would go with one of the Remington footprint customs for that though.
 
cdn shooter said:
You can have a look at how mine shoots, it's in the 300m challenge up top. I've had that rifle out to a couple matches...have a second place finish in ftr with it. Also have a benchmark prefit in 7wsm that I'm finally getting tuned...shot a couple five round groups under an inch at 300 last time out. Recently went the sporter route to see how they would shoot, first is a 22-250 that holds sub half minute but will not sustain accuracy though match volume shooting as expected. Lastly, I've ordered a 7 rem in a sporter weight, hopefully continue with getting good results. Overall I'm really happy with the prefits and don't plan on getting away from the barrel nut system anytime soon. I have had the itch to build a big seven recently...something like a 1.25" no taper, would go with one of the Remington footprint customs for that though.
Click to expand...

Pretty impressive shooting from a couple Savages and their owners in that thread. Maybe if I find a better load i'll give it a try. I would love to buy a few Barnard's and call it a day but funds simply don't allow.

Also glad to hear that the sporter weight barrels are also shooting good as I had a thought for that as well.
 
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