Savage 12 Bench Rest and F/TR differences

[warbird2006]

Gentlemen, I bought Savage 12 Bench Rest rifle in 308 Win. It has 29" barrel. I took the stock off and want to get a stock for F/TR. Is the bench rest 12 action the same and 12 FTR? or are there any differences?
Thank you.

 

[M-61]

Measure the distance between the action screws. I have seen 4.4 and 3.25
There is no way serial number sequence is reliable indicator at all. There is also a 4.27 but I have not personally seen it. (this might be an older generation size)
One thing I do know for sure is I would not get a stock for a Savage without that action screw measurement.

(PTA)

 

[snakepit]

You might consider taking your Savage 12 Benchrest rifle and buying a Anshutz rail mount and mounting it on the bottom of the benchrest stock. I took a router and cut a grove for the Anshutz rail and mounted it flush with the bottom of the stock. Then you can mount your FTR bipod and even adjust it fore and aft. You can buy the Anshutz rail from Savage as the part from the Savage 12 FTR or go on line and find one from some other vendors. With it mounted flush on the 3 inch stock bottom you can use it for FTR or Benchrest.

 

[warbird2006]

Measure the distance between the action screws. I have seen 4.4 and 3.25
There is no way serial number sequence is reliable indicator at all. There is also a 4.27 but I have not personally seen it. (this might be an older generation size)
One thing I do know for sure is I would not get a stock for a Savage without that action screw measurement.

(PTA)

Yes, he action is 3.25". It is dual port action. Is that a limitation?

 

[Dgd6mm]

I do not know if Savage makes a 3.25" spacing FTR stock. You may need to call them or you could start another thread asking if they make the FTR in 3.25" spacing. One last thought is you could ask if there is an FTR 3.25" stock out there for sale. I would think that Savage would put that action in a FTR stock, but they have been know to throw us a curve every now and again.

 

[snakepit]

My Savage FTR .308 has three action screws. The distance between the front and rear action screws is about 4.4 inches and between the front and the second/middle screws is about 2.25 inches. I do have a tactical stock that I sometimes use on the FTR action and it only uses the front and rear screws.

 

[M-61]

Snakepit...yours is a 4.4
Dgd6mm...this is one of those curves you spoke of.
Warbird...it's not a limitation it being 3.25 .....it is the newest of Savage's action screw spacing.....the number of stocks currently available would be less than the 4.4........the important thing is you know what you have and the stock action spacing holes that are needed.
I have tried to figure a rhyme or reason for what Savage is doing. The best I could come up with is thisand I have no clue if this completely correct). Buy a complete rifle from Savage and you get the 3.25.........buy an action only and it's 4.4.
I have both. The serial numbers tell nothing. 4.4 has a higher number than a 3.25.
Warbird...at least you measured it...man it's a costly mistake when you don't.
Maybe a call to Effie Sullivan (the high priestess of Savage) would help.....but for me a ruler is the only sure thing I have found.

 

[Laurie]

....buy an action only and it's 4.4.

That may have changed now. Stuart Anselm (Osprey Rifles, the UK's custom Savage specialist) has just got a batch of actions in and he tells me the screw spacing has changed from all previous examples he's used. He didn't say to what, but on the basis of your post, I'm assuming they're 3.25" !!!

 

[M-61]

....buy an action only and it's 4.4.

That may have changed now. Stuart Anselm (Osprey Rifles, the UK's custom Savage specialist) has just got a batch of actions in and he tells me the screw spacing has changed from all previous examples he's used. He didn't say to what, but on the basis of your post, I'm assuming they're 3.25" !!!

All of my info (including me) is a bit dated. My thoughts are Savage has a stack of actions to be sold as 'actions'. They are (were) the 4.4
Eventually they will be all sold. Then (as I think your contact alluded to) the 3.25 show up in everything. (complete rifles AND actions only)
I don't want to tread on the OP's post (sorry) but I have read a number of posts regarding Savages 'NEW ROUND JAM NUT'. Back aways they were round, meaning smooth. Do you ( or anyone) know if this is what they are doing again?

 

[snakepit]

I just checked the paper work that came with my Choate Varmint Stock for a Savage short action and it shows the spacing between the front and rear action screw is 4.275. When I measure the action with a small machinist ruler I come out with 4.375 but I cannot guarantee my measurements. This Choate stock fits my Savage .308 FTR rifle with no problems and works great. Over the telephone they had told me which stock to order. Like I said before my Savage .308 FTR has a three screw action but this Choate stock only uses the front and rear action screws.

 

[M-61]

I just checked the paper work that came with my Choate Varmint Stock for a Savage short action and it shows the spacing between the front and rear action screw is 4.275. When I measure it with a small machinist ruler I come out with 4.375 but I cannot guarantee my measurements. This Choate stock fits my Savage .308 FTR rifle with no problems and works great. Over the telephone they had told me which stock to order. Like I said before my Savage .308 FTR has a three screw action but this Choate stock only uses the front and rear action screws.

Sure....I have not personally seen one but I know they exist. (meaning the 4.275) In short actions you can have: 4.522 (early). 4.275, 4.40, and then 3.25...that list is possibly in chronological order. I think my point was to absolutely measure what you have before a stock is ordered. I have NO other reliable way as the serial numbers are a nightmare. Interesting they were able to determine what you have over the phone. I had a 4.4 stock altered to 3.25 by "The Rifler"....(site member). Great job that saved me the cost of a stock. Unfortunately it is much more work than merely drilling one hole..but it came out fine. This does not come out (as one might think) to a stock that can work with either spacing. The 4.4 became a dedicated 3.25 (I had no intention of having a "switch stock") set up. LOL

 

[snakepit]

Just for information my Savage .308 FTR was delivered from Buds Guns on 10-3-2011 and it had been on backorder so it must have been built not too long before that.

Just curious, which Savage actions have 3 screw actions. I know both my .308 FTR and my 6BR F-Class have them but they are not the same spacing.

 

[M-61]

Just for information my Savage .308 FTR was delivered from Buds Guns on 10-3-2011 and it had been on backorder so it must have been built not too long before that.

Just curious, which Savage actions have 3 screw actions. I know both my .308 FTR and my 6BR F-Class have them but they are not the same spacing.

Don't know if you saw this but quite important:
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/savage-action-screw-torque-tuning/

Along with the two you mention the 12LRPV, 12BR, for sure, and I believe all the 12 series are 3. I say that because I do not own nor have seen EVERY 12 series offered or ever sold and Savage has that curve ball they throw on occasion so I am leery to make a statement as being factual unless I have seen it.
And any 3 screw Savage stock has 4 holes in it. the last (closest to the butt) merely secures the rear of the trigger guard and is either a true wood screw in the stock or a bolt which screws into a captive nut IN the stock. I'm sure you know that but I have seen folks giving measurements that include that and thus come up with a wild measurement.
These new (to me) round jam nut statements are driving me NUTS. I hope someone with more knowledge than me in this area decides to chime in. Also I would hope they are interchangeable. ( can't see why they would not be but........)

 

[snakepit]

M-61 thanks for the link to the article.

My measurements did not include the trigger guard screw. Also, the trigger guard on the Cholate stock is molded into the stock so it does not have a screw.

I found out my 6 BR F-Class 3 screw action was different spacing from my .308 FTR 3 screw action when I tried to mount that Choate stock on the 6 BR.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I have a model 12 Varmint singleshot that has an Accutrigger that is 4.27" spacing 2 hole. This action came just before the PTA's came out. Your 3 screw actions will be either 4.40" or 3.25". Savage mixes things up, such as the smooth nut, that you can always change out.

 

[jonbearman]

My f-class is a three screw. The middle screw means nothing to me as it shoots better with it just beyond finger tight. Just call northland shooters supply at 1-763-682-4296 and talk to jim ,he will answer your questions and probably get the stock you want.

 

[Laurie]

M-61, here's what Stuart of Osprey Rifles replied when I asked him about the barrel nut:

Yes I have the new actions with the different screw spacings… They also come with a new trigger guard which is actually a model 25 trigger guard that the new screw spacings fit. They come with the old castellated nut fortunately, not that I use it though.

http://www.ospreyrifles.com/

 

[M-61]

Thanks Laurie, for looking into that for me (and others).

 

[warbird2006]

OK, I just found out the Savage 12 BR and TR actions are the same with 3.4" spacing.

 

[snakepit]

OK, I just found out the Savage 12 BR and TR actions are the same with 3.4" spacing.

What is your source where you "found out"? My Savage 12 FTR .308 is not 3.4" spacing. I am not saying the one you are looking at is not 3.4" spacing but your post makes it sound like all are 3.4" spacing.