What accuracy can I expect from a Savage Target action.

[Mark W]

I use a homemade barrel vise made of oak that fits into a regular old bench vise. I’ve also used the whack it tight with a rubber mallet method on 4-5 savage barrel swaps without any issues.

 

[Peebles24]

For me changing barrels on a savage is easy. However setting the headspacing the same is near impossible. My next savage barrel i will probably send my action out and have a barrel custom cut and measurements taken so i can just call and say spin me up a barrel please. Cost a tad more but headspacing will always be the same. No more nuts

 

[Mark W]

For me changing barrels on a savage is easy. However setting the headspacing the same is near impossible. My next savage barrel i will probably send my action out and have a barrel custom cut and measurements taken so i can just call and say spin me up a barrel please. Cost a tad more but headspacing will always be the same. No more nuts

I’m not about to swear off the barrel nuts due to the shear simplicity but the one I am planning now will be shouldered for the same reasons that you mentioned.

 

[varmintshooter]

I had a Savage Bench rest model in 6mmbr that would only shoot MOA at best. I called Savage and was told that MOA was good and I should be happy. All of my other ( and cheaper ) Savages would shoot better groups than my target Savage. I sold it and in the end the buyer had a smith go over it and got it to shoot better than MOA. I still shoot Savages but not the target action model.

 

[JFrank]

To the original question, from the original poster.
I have witnessed Midrange (600 yard) 1/4 Moa LG accuracy achieved by way of a Savage 12 repeater action.

 

[memilanuk]

For me changing barrels on a savage is easy. However setting the headspacing the same is near impossible.

I was going to ask 'what is so hard about setting headspace?' I easily get mine set the same from one barrel to the next.

Then I remembered... I have a Forster National Match headspace gauge set, which has gauges for every 0.001" between GO and FIELD. Very easy to set the headspace so that a stripped bolt will just close on a 1.631" gauge and not close on a 1.632" gauge.

Sadly, they only make those in a couple calibers - .308 Win, and maybe .223 Rem?

So, yeah, I can see the potential frustration. TBH, it never bothered me that much even before I got the NM gauge set, as I kept a set of cases dedicated to one barrel, and when that barrel went off to be a tomato stake, resizing the cases to fit the new barrel was never a big deal. Having to hit them with a small base die, or a ring die (if you can find one) to allow for the slight variation in the chambering tolerances at the case web was a bigger PITA than the headspace.

 

[DennisH]

Savage switch barrel's here. 6BR, 6.5BR, and 2 in 30BR. One SAVAGE PTA action. The ability to swap barrels to me is huge. Meaning I purchase the barrels and do the swap myself. Barrel vise, nut wrench and ONE set of go...no/go gauges. So far I am way below the price of a lathe. And I rely on no one's turnaround time but my own.
Accuracy? I am a short range shooter and any of those 4 barrels in that action can shoot better than I can and they replaced a 222 benchrest rifle I've shot since the early 70's and is quite good. Bottom line (for me) is 3 tools and I have 4 barrels going on one action. That's a lot of diversity for an acceptable investment. Additionally I enjoy doing it. (except for those extractor balls)

Probably the best way! I might even try the switch barrel deal. No sense having 12 complete Savage Rifles!