Savage Chambering Question

[M4Builder]

I'm building a rifle on the Savage PTA and I know savages use the barrel nut system to secure the barrel to the action. I'm going to be doing the chambering and threading on the barrel myself. Would it be beneficial to short chamber it or fully chamber before screwing the action on and if I should fully chamber, how would I know when I have cut deep enough?

 

[Erik Cortina]

I'm building a rifle on the Savage PTA and I know savages use the barrel nut system to secure the barrel to the action. I'm going to be doing the chambering and threading on the barrel myself. Would it be beneficial to short chamber it or fully chamber before screwing the action on and if I should fully chamber, how would I know when I have cut deep enough?

If you are chambering yourself, do away with the barrel nut and headspace it like a Remington.

You will need headspace gauges. If you don't know how to tell if you have cut deep enough, do more research before you start this project.

Viper6506 has some chambering videos on YouTube that will answer some of your questions.

 

[M4Builder]

I've been watching those. In formative but is there really any "bonus" to doing it that way? And if so, how would I find the measurement for the shank? If all else fails, my back up plan is to have Joe Collier for Collier Rifles do it since he is right down the road.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I've been watching those. In formative but is there really any "bonus" to doing it that way? And if so, how would I find the measurement for the shank? If all else fails, my back up plan is to have Joe Collier for Collier Rifles do it since he is right down the road.

If you have the action all the measurements are there.

By your questions, I can tell you don't have enough machining experience to do the job yourself. Just have a smith do it for you and ask him how much he would charge you to let you watch and ask questions as he does it.

 

[M4Builder]

I have machining experience, just never done a rifle before. I do not have the action yet. I just ordered it.

 

[BoydAllen]

A friend who does his own work, but infrequently, always makes a trial tenon or two before cutting barrel steel. You need think about the relation of the various parts. The bolt face is of a given depth, and there needs to be clearance (but not too much, between the nose of the bolt and the back of the barrel. If you want to see what clearance the factory uses, measure how far the back of a fired case (from that rifle) sticks out of the barrel, and subtract the depth of the bolt face. Do you have a way to measure thread pitch diameter, and understand that process, and the reason for it? It sounds like you may want to work with someone on this job, to keep you out of trouble. After you have been through a couple, hopefully you will be able to get the hang of the whys and wherefores of what needs to be done.

 

[jsthntn247]

I'm building a rifle on the Savage PTA and I know savages use the barrel nut system to secure the barrel to the action. I'm going to be doing the chambering and threading on the barrel myself. Would it be beneficial to short chamber it or fully chamber before screwing the action on and if I should fully chamber, how would I know when I have cut deep enough?

If you are chambering yourself, do away with the barrel nut and headspace it like a Remington.

You will need headspace gauges. If you don't know how to tell if you have cut deep enough, do more research before you start this project.

Viper6506 has some chambering videos on YouTube that will answer some of your questions.

What benefit is gained by doing away with the nut?

 

[Erik Cortina]

I'm building a rifle on the Savage PTA and I know savages use the barrel nut system to secure the barrel to the action. I'm going to be doing the chambering and threading on the barrel myself. Would it be beneficial to short chamber it or fully chamber before screwing the action on and if I should fully chamber, how would I know when I have cut deep enough?

If you are chambering yourself, do away with the barrel nut and headspace it like a Remington.

You will need headspace gauges. If you don't know how to tell if you have cut deep enough, do more research before you start this project.

Viper6506 has some chambering videos on YouTube that will answer some of your questions.

What benefit is gained by doing away with the nut?

Looks better, repeatable headspace if removing and re-installing, and no need to remove action from stock or remove scope.

 

[M4Builder]

Ok. I was planning on doing a test run since I have a nice long piece of A36 to work with. I do have the tools you are asking about from my machining days. I haven't done machining in a year or so. I am going to have this done by Collier rifles and see if they'll charge me extra and let me watch.

 

[chuckbuster243]

If you decide to keep the nut. Run the reamer until a Go gauge sticks out the back of the faced off barrel the depth of the bolt face +.005" for a target gun and .008" for a hunting rifle. That is if you keep your rifles clean. If you let them get a little more dirty I would go out to .010" but no more. I usually get close and then face to final measurement. I prefer the nut though... I do see reasons to not use the nut. Mainly for a heavier contour barrel. But to each their own. Just find something you like and go with it. Matt

 

[M4Builder]

Thanks chuckbuster. That was the info I was looking for. I'll be using either a 1.25" or 1" straight taper so I can see why doing away with the nut could provide advantages.

 

[jsthntn247]

What benefit is gained by doing away with the nut?
[/quote]

Looks better, repeatable headspace if removing and re-installing, and no need to remove action from stock or remove scope.
[/quote]

I was wondering if you thought there were any benefits to the barrel having a solid shoulder withougt the nut. Its seems to me a heavy barrel might benefit from this more than a lighter contour.

 

[rayjay]

Once you get the action you use a depth mic to measure from the front face of the action down to the two surfaces of the bolt. Then you can make a drawing of the action with all these dimensions. Then you make a drawing of the tenon that gives you the proper relationship between the bbl and action.

I also agree with eliminating the nut. That being said I do think there are instances where a nut is the best way to go. I use a Pacnor nut on all my Remington 40X rimfire actions.

 

[Rflshootr]

M4 it is pretty simple with a Savage. Just depth mic from the bolt nose to the bolt face & add .oo5. Then chamber your barrel until the headspace gauge sticks out that much. Install the barrel with the headspace gauge in place & tighten the nut making sure you have you have a light drag on the gauge.