Savage target action accutrigger

[Rustystud]

Gentlemen there are no real great answers, the way Savages sear and trigger hangers are the triggers have a lot of mass. Without multiple leavers it is hard to control the weight and mass of Savage triggers with light springs. I have looked at many(most) of the aftermarket triggers and there are none that solve the issues allowing for light trigger pulls safer and better than the Savage Target Accutrigger. From a liability stand point I will not set Savage "aftermarket triggers" less than 10-12 oz. If one takes one of the "aforementioned aftermarket" triggers and lessens the pull weight lower than about 10 oz. and works the bolt several times quickly the gun will fire on the third closing or soon after. No one can afford an accidental discharge.

Savage Target Accutriggers can be tuned to about 6 oz. with soft closings, The Savage Varminter can be easly tuned to 1lb. But not be reliable for hard bolt closings under 1 pound. Savages Accutriggers must be pulled straight back, any side pressure and they become unreliable and or inconsistent.

Savage has put silicone bumpers under some of the Target action bolt handles. There have been issues of these pads coming off and allowing the bolts to close further than there designed battery position.

There also have been some aftermarket Savage bolt bodies made that don't allow for enough clearance when the bolt is in battery and come uncocked when the bolt body pushed the cocking piece pin off the cocking shelf before the sear engages. This is a timing issue.

Good Luck, I have prayed for a better Savage trigger and as you can tell my prayers have not been answered.

Nat Lambeth

 

[TroyMN]

Thanks for all the information I really appreciate it. I am glad I hear the negative side of the rifle basics trigger also I never knew there was a negative. My plan is to adjust the poundage on mine up over 16 oz and just be a little bit more careful when I'm shooting that race relay. Like you like you said practice dry firing it like in the match

 

[wolley]

Just spent a couple of hours working on the old Accutrigger last night. By slightly increasing the angle of the sear face I was able to get it to bite again without being weighted up above 1.5lbs. 8ozs and it would trip occasionally when closing the bolt. 10ozs and all is well.
I'm afraid now that I have broken through the hardening and it may not last long. For now it is exponentially better than the SAV2.
Does anyone know that if a new lever and sear are acquired from Savage whether they need stoning for final fit?

 

[sparky123321]

I have several SAV-2 triggers and have been very happy with them. You really need to understand and take your time with the adjustments though. I recommend replacing the Savage target sear with a standard sear if putting one on a rifle with the 6oz target trigger. The adjustments can be too sensitive if you stick with the 6oz sear.

By the way, I threw one of my spare target sears on an older non-accutrigger rifle and it turned out awesome. It made a night and day difference.

Someone mentioned filing and or polishing their sear and trigger. I caution against this unless you have lot's of experience working with hand files/stones and precision small parts. I can't tell you how many sears from various weapons I've seen ruined over the years from polishing, stoning or filing. Unless you have an appropriate jig you're almost certain to round(to some degree) what should be the sharp edges of the sear and trigger. You'll learn all about trigger creep and inconsistent and an unsafe triggers after you round those edges.

Like many others, I do wish there were a few more high-end Savage replacement trigger options to choose from. For now though the SAV-2's have worked very well for me.

 

[snakepit]

Savage has put silicone bumpers under some of the Target action bolt handles. There have been issues of these pads coming off and allowing the bolts to close further than there designed battery position.
Nat Lambeth

I talked to a Savage Technician a few weeks ago about getting a couple of these pads/bumpers for my 2 bolt handles since my old ones were worn out. He said they no longer install or stock those pads/bumpers as they felt they were not needed. So using a toothpick I put a small amount of Silicon Glue where the pads go and with my finger wet from a little saliva smoothed it out level to the top of the slot. The bolt seems to work the same with or without this pad but with it when I close the bolt I can feel the damping effect of the silicon. I also had the same concern that Rustystud mentioned of the bolts closing further than they were designed in the battery position. If the Silicon Glue wears out too soon I will use "Shoe Goo" next time which is much more durable but a little harder.

 

[C Valentine]

I talked to a Savage Technician a few weeks ago about getting a couple of these pads/bumpers for my 2 bolt handles since my old ones were worn out. He said they no longer install or stock those pads/bumpers as they felt they were not needed. So using a toothpick I put a small amount of Silicon Glue where the pads go and with my finger wet from a little saliva smoothed it out level to the top of the slot. The bolt seems to work the same with or without this pad but with it when I close the bolt I can feel the damping effect of the silicon. I also had the same concern that Rustystud mentioned of the bolts closing further than they were designed in the battery position. If the Silicon Glue wears out too soon I will use "Shoe Goo" next time which is much more durable but a little harder.

What effect would the bolt closing further than designed have? I have a friend who has a Savage .308 and that little bumper came off and was lost. Should it be replaced with something like the silicone? The rifle seems to shoot fine.

 

[snakepit]

I talked to a Savage Technician a few weeks ago about getting a couple of these pads/bumpers for my 2 bolt handles since my old ones were worn out. He said they no longer install or stock those pads/bumpers as they felt they were not needed. So using a toothpick I put a small amount of Silicon Glue where the pads go and with my finger wet from a little saliva smoothed it out level to the top of the slot. The bolt seems to work the same with or without this pad but with it when I close the bolt I can feel the damping effect of the silicon. I also had the same concern that Rustystud mentioned of the bolts closing further than they were designed in the battery position. If the Silicon Glue wears out too soon I will use "Shoe Goo" next time which is much more durable but a little harder.

What effect would the bolt closing further than designed have? I have a friend who has a Savage .308 and that little bumper came off and was lost. Should it be replaced with something like the silicone? The rifle seems to shoot fine.

Like I said it seems to work the same with or without the bumper and Savage no longer installs or stocks it and says you do not need it so your friend does not need to replace it. I guess I just like the damping feel of the cushion when I close the bolt. If you look closely at the bolt when it is closing you can see where the cushion/pad makes contact.

 

[jsthntn247]

I've got a Sav-2 trigger right now that's giving me problems. Slam fired and shot a 0 on the last shot of a state match last year where I was doing pretty good. I usually don't have a problem adjusting triggers but can't figure this one out.

 

[noload]

I have 2 Savage target actions, one I can dial down to 4-5 oz, the other which is relatively new could never be adjusted that light. The action that has a lighter pull has well over 10,000 rounds thru it. The other probably 4,000. I will take it apart to see whats up soon as I shoot my last winter match with it. I have never had the chance to try a SAV 2, after reading these posts I glad I didn't. I was offered 1 for $50 and passed it up. I am quite content with the accu -trig. It sure makes you pull straight back, which could be a good thing, that and no bolt slam they work just fine.
Pat Lundy

 

[sparky123321]

I've owned 10-15 Target Actions and Target Action Rifles over the years. In my experience the Savage 6oz target trigger and even the standard triggers(Accu and non-Accu) adjusted too a very light pull can "slam fire" just as often as any other trigger out there. Anytime the Accu-Trigger locks out it actually "slam fired". The sear has disengaged from the sear notch cut into the trigger. The only reason it didn't actually fire off a round is because the trigger safety blocked the sear from completing it's full travel.

I realize I'm defining "slam fire" as the point in which the sear disengages from the sear notch cut into the trigger and not when a round actually fires, but hopefully you get my point.

 

[wolley]

I've got a Sav-2 trigger right now that's giving me problems. Slam fired and shot a 0 on the last shot of a state match last year where I was doing pretty good. I usually don't have a problem adjusting triggers but can't figure this one out.

If yours is of the same vintage as mine you can't adjust it for consistent operation because the pins are smaller than the holes in the levers and the body is larger than the levers. This allows a tremendous amount of side to side slop and this changes the angles between the sear faces.
Like I said before. It is a good design that somewhere along the way manufacturing fell off and ruined a good product.
When I originally got mine I tried contacting Rifle Basix several times by phone and by Email and all I got was crickets.

 

[sparky123321]

Sounds like there's a lot of business out there just waiting for the first high-end trigger manufacture that decides to produce a high quality Savage trigger. I know I'd be willing to pay $300+ for a safe reliable precision manufactured Savage trigger and I'd be looking to purchase 5 or more. Guessing that liability issues will probably keep that from happening though. Until that time I'm good with the SAV-2 and the 6oz Accu-Trigger.

Honestly, I had never planned to purchase a SAV-2 trigger. I was fine with my 6oz target triggers for almost a decade, until I purchased a used Target Action with a SAV-2 trigger already installed and properly adjusted. The first Rifle Basix trigger I actually purchased was for a Rem 700 and it is far superior to the SAV-2 trigger in my opinion. For a rifle that's only going to be fired off the bench and always pointed at a safe target when loaded I have learned to prefer the SAV-2 over the Savage Target Trigger.

 

[memilanuk]

When I originally got mine I tried contacting Rifle Basix several times by phone and by Email and all I got was crickets.

That's marginally better than what I got... on mine the safety engagement screw kept coming loose - and engaging the safety late in a string (in addition to all the slop/creep). Blue loctite wasn't holding it. The person I got ahold of recommended taking out the very small screw and squishing it in a pair of vise-grips to 'booger up' the threads so they didn't turn so easily...

After that I pulled the POS off my gun, packaged it up and sold it cheap, with a note about the safety screw.