Savage 111 born again

S

stagpanther

New member
My 6.5 x 284 norma 111 seems to have finally burned out, it actually had a pretty good haul considering it was a lightweight sporter barrel.

Originally I wasn't going to work on this until a couple of other projects in front of it were finished--but UPS has apparently lost track of a couple of packages with crucial parts that were due last week, so I've bumped this one back in the que for the meantime.

The package from Northland Shooter's Supply is the only one that has made it so far from last week's batch, but it contained the essentials to start work on rebuilding my 111--which I decided to rebarrel with a 280 Ackley Improved match barrel made by Criterion. I also ordered NSS's action wrench--essential for getting a savage barrel off that uses a smooth barrel nut.

I also used Manson headspace gauges for the first time, love them and will use them as my first choice from here on.

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Bit of an adventure getting the barrel nut off--never done a smooth barrel nut before, especially without putting the barrel itself in a vise as criterion recommends. ;)
 
I've never used Criterion barrels, heard a lot of good things though. Should be a shooter, the only thing I hate about most of NSS barrels is the contours. I don't like the truck axles most seem to come standard in. Let us know how it shoots.
 
Should be a shooter, the only thing I hate about most of NSS barrels is the contours. I don't like the truck axles most seem to come standard in. Let us know how it shoots.
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Hey--they're "match" contours! aka "you're going to be doing time grinding foreends." :D

I made the somewhat dubious choice of putting this on a savage 111 action with bottom bolt release--between that and the smooth barrel nut the most "annoying" savage I've worked on so far. The only stock choice I have on hand is the old hogue overmolded stock I used on the 6.5 x 284; but I did at least get a steel trigger guard. Last task is to survey the safe queens to see which one is going to give up it's scope.

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If it was a short action I have a spare Accustock for a truck axle contour. I don't like the bottom bolt release rifles very much either. I currently am not scope poor, I have far more than I have rifles. I'm just not sure I have the right optics for my 6mm Creedmoor barrel I just ordered to put on my last Stevens 200.
 
If it was a short action I have a spare Accustock for a truck axle contour.
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LOL--Thanks for the kind offer--I have stacks of Tupperware stocks though the accustocks are pretty nice--I have one on my 110 LRH 338 Lapua Mag that is pillared and aluminum bedded and it's the only Tupperware stock I haven't seen a need to replace. It's a drill-press shooter so I'm leaving well-enough alone.;)
 
Unfortunately when I ordered my Redding bushing dies I dinged out and forgot about ordering the bushings--and of course a good range of bushings for the brass I'm using are unavailable. So I had to do a "mix and match using rcbs bushings--as a rule I don't do that but I figured I might as well try, from the "wisdom of the net" I've read it seems they are cross-compatible.

Decided to try again with the Burris scope; too expensive to lie around out of service.

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Very interesting cartridge--sorta reminds me of a "Weatherby unimproved." ;) Also interesting the chamber safely accepts conventional 280 rem and fireforms it upon use.

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stagpanther said:
Bit of an adventure getting the barrel nut off--never done a smooth barrel nut before, especially without putting the barrel itself in a vise as criterion recommends. ;)
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I've always just used a cut off wheel on a grinder to remove the "smooth" nuts. Nobody ever re-uses them,so why waste money on a tool I don't need?
 
I've always just used a cut off wheel on a grinder to remove the "smooth" nuts. Nobody ever re-uses them,so why waste money on a tool I don't need?
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I've started simply leaving the barrel nut in place and use an action wrench to remove the action instead.
 
Again with the white tipped bullets? ;)
Been my experience that either your gun likes them, or not at all.
I quit wasting my time (and money) with them.
The 150gr ABLR would be a good choice for that cartridge. Work great with my (2) 280 Rem, and my Savage 111 in 7mm Rem Mag.
Peterson Cartridge just released their 280AI brass. Primo stuff from them!

I just get my Choate Ultimate Varminter stock for my wife's 110. Heavy at 4 lbs, but seems well made! Putting it on today.
Picked it up from Midway for $212, with free shipping. :eek:

Let us know how the new barrel shoots!
 
@7mag: most of the accubonds I have have been lying around for years--they're not my first choice either--except for things like "break-in fodder."

The AB's did not shoot well--I think the twist is a bit fast at 1:8 so I'm moving up to 162 eld's. In the particular case of this set-up--it's on me to figure out how to shoot it well, and so far it has demanded very precisely repeated technique or else the groups spread out fast. I thought the overmolded stock was solid design, but I'm not getting a completely movement-free mating of the action to the stock for some reason. Here's a group I shot this morning in strong windy conditions; not very remarkable except that two bullets went through the same hole in the 4 shot group. I can tell it's a great-shooting cartridge and barrel; the work is more on me learning the right way to shoot it.

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stagpanther said:
@7mag: most of the accubonds I have have been lying around for years--they're not my first choice either--except for things like "break-in fodder."

The AB's did not shoot well--I think the twist is a bit fast at 1:8 so I'm moving up to 162 eld's. In the particular case of this set-up--it's on me to figure out how to shoot it well, and so far it has demanded very precisely repeated technique or else the groups spread out fast. I thought the overmolded stock was solid design, but I'm not getting a completely movement-free mating of the action to the stock for some reason. Here's a group I shot this morning in strong windy conditions; not very remarkable except that two bullets went through the same hole in the 4 shot group. I can tell it's a great-shooting cartridge and barrel; the work is more on me learning the right way to shoot it.

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Accubonds are expensive break in fodder.
 
Expensive indeed!
Would be cheaper shooting Bergers.

And 1 inch, 3 shot group isn't bad.
At 400 yards... ;)

You need to check the other fence posts for that last shot.
Just say'n. :D
 
I'm just getting rid of them. In fact, I've had some AB's for so long the tips have turned yellowish. (not talking about the actual yellow ones they made).
 
I'm just not sure I have the right optics for my 6mm Creedmoor barrel I just ordered to put on my last Stevens 200.
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I like the 6mm creedmoor a bunch too, have 2 AR builds in them though--though I just discovered and became infatuated with the 6mm BR Norma.:)
 
stagpanther said:
I like the 6mm creedmoor a bunch too, have 2 AR builds in them though--though I just discovered and became infatuated with the 6mm BR Norma.
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What I like about the 6mm Creedmoor is factory ammunition. Unfortunately I have more money than time and my hand loading is on a hiatus for now. If I was still hand loading I'd have probably just stuck with a fast twist .243 Win as I have a lot of reloading stuff for it.

I have a brand new 2-10X42 VX5 I could throw on it, or a couple of 4-12X40 scopes. I'm really looking for a scope with a top end a little higher than either of my current options.
 
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