Building a rifle

[BaseballStud20]

Alright im in the mood to build something. I was thinking about building an air rifle but cant find much information on it. I would rather just build my own rifle but figured I should start out small and work my way up. I am really not sure where to get started. If anyone has ever built their own gun before and had it turn out well let me know.

Thanks

[Lowedog]

Savage bolt action rifles are very easy to re-barrel.  After my brother gave me his old Savage 110 in 30-06 I found an article on the web called "The Poor Man's Custom Rifle" and decide to put something together. 

Check out savageshooters.com.  It's a pay membership forum for only $12.00 a year.  It kind of makes it so only serious people sign up though.  I bought a stainless varmint barrel off the classifieds there chambered in 25-06, got a set of headspace gages from Modway USA and bought a take off synthetic stock off ebay.  My total investment was under $200 bucks and I have a sweet shooting longrange rifle.  Of course I got the original rifle for free but a guy can find those old Savage rifles for pretty cheap a lot of times.  The trigger isn't awful either, I was able to get mine set at 3lbs and it is fairly crisp.   

Be careful though because once you start it's hard to stop!  You start reading through the forums on that site and see hom many rifles a lot of those guys put together and it''s amazing!

-Lowedog

[Lowedog]

Here's the only pic I could find of the rifle with my dink antelope from WY last year. 

I bought a Simmons White Tail classic from Midway for like $100 or so.  I guess I should say I have less than $300 into the whole thing.



-Lowedog

[high country]

pac nor is pretty quick, there are a bunch of smiths that are very good, but expect a good 6 month wait. most will want to build on a 700 rem action. pick your caliber and options and go from there. expext a minimum of $700 above  and beyond the rifle cost....and more if you want to put it in a mc stock which is reccomended for a light weight gun.

[BaseballStud20]

I was thinking about something like a .300 mag, I want something thats a real flat shooter for long distance shots. How exactly do you re-barrel a rifle?

[Lowedog]

How exactly do you re-barrel a rifle?

That's the nice thing about the Savage bolt actions.  Savage uses a lock/jam nut on their barrels that lock against the action to hold the barrel in place after setting head space.  Other manufacturers like Remington and Winchester have barrels that seat on the inside of the action and either the action or barrel will require machining to set the head space.

-Lowedog

[Slenk]

Lowedog is right on about the Savage rifles and switching barrel . It is addictive. And cheap to do.
Slenk

[ICEMAN]

Don't the new barrels looks strange on the old actions though...? I have though of rebarreling my ol' .270, but won't I have to reblue the whole magilla when put together?

[Bofire]

Hope my wife dont see this, "new barrel on an old action" !! If you are going to a totally custom rifle and are a good enough shot and demanding enough to need a custom rifle, go for it. I am not. I have done it and spent a ton of money, Elk dont know!!!!??  deer dont know!!
It is a fun idea but in reality factory guns in the USA are super, very accurate and very dependable, all of them. I personally dont like many american factory guns but they are all good guns.
Carl

[BaseballStud20]

Ok so let me get this straight. Your saying that I can simply find an old savage arms action and put a different barrel on it? I'm just a little confused...it does not matter what caliber I use for the action...it does not have to match the barrel? I just simply pick a stock and a barrel and can match it to any action?

Thanks

[270Shooter]

It depends on the action you get. If its a 30-06 action you can put a .270, .280, 25-06, or 30-06 brrel on it. Or if its a magnum action like a .300 win mag, you could put a 7mm rem mag, 300 win mag, or a .338 win mag barrel on it. You will have to find a stock made for the savage action and you will have to bed it.

This is just my understanding, i have never done any rebarreling but this is what I have read.

[12Gauge]

Savage bolt action rifles are very easy to re-barrel.  After my brother gave me his old Savage 110 in 30-06 I found an article on the web called "The Poor Man's Custom Rifle" and decide to put something together. 

Check out savageshooters.com.  It's a pay membership forum for only $12.00 a year.  It kind of makes it so only serious people sign up though.  I bought a stainless varmint barrel off the classifieds there chambered in 25-06, got a set of headspace gages from Modway USA and bought a take off synthetic stock off ebay.  My total investment was under $200 bucks and I have a sweet shooting longrange rifle.  Of course I got the original rifle for free but a guy can find those old Savage rifles for pretty cheap a lot of times.  The trigger isn't awful either, I was able to get mine set at 3lbs and it is fairly crisp.   

Be careful though because once you start it's hard to stop!  You start reading through the forums on that site and see hom many rifles a lot of those guys put together and it''s amazing!

-Lowedog

+ 1 Savage 110 is the easiest to re-barrel no machining required.  I think with the newer Savage 110 the bolt face is replaceable. 

[BaseballStud20]

Ok that makes sense. Are the savage actions pretty reliable? Is there a certain model or year that I should be looking for? I'm definitely not trying to spend a ton of money but want something that is going to be quality and shoot nice.

[270Shooter]

Yes savage actions are very good actions.

[Slenk]

Ok that makes sense. Are the savage actions pretty reliable? Is there a certain model or year that I should be looking for? I'm definitely not trying to spend a ton of money but want something that is going to be quality and shoot nice.

I have one Savage rifle that was made in the mid 70s it is my go to rifle.
never had a problem with it . I got it used and have had it for over 30 years. The only rifle that you need to watch are the older one that have a bulge where the rear sight is dovetailed into. The barrels and bolts are different on these and not interchangeable with the later rifles. Bolts are recessed into the barrel on them.
Other than that the part are pretty much interchangeable, long action to long action 110 - 116: short action to short action 10 -16:
Some of the 110 series long action were chambered for short action  cartridges. These have a extended front baffle and the magazine cut out is shorter. You would have to have someone machine out these if you where to go to a long action cartridge. there is also a J series that has a different action bolt spacing.Also the newer center feeds rifles are hard to buy replacement stocks for at this time , but that will change. There are 1 or 2 places making them but they are pricey.
Stevens Rifles are the same thing as a Savage and you can buy them for under $300 their what I use for my builds, when I can't find a used Savage in the action length that I want.
 Send me a PM if you need more info.
Slenk

[Lowedog]

Here's some info,

http://www.switchbarrel.com/Savage%20FAQ.htm

Also, if you are going to do a Savage build I suggest joining savageshooters.com.  Well worth the $12 membership fee.  Watch the classifieds there and you will find the barrel you need for a great price.  Actions are a little differant story though and you would probably be able to find a rifle locally for a donar action for cheap.  There is a site sponser over at savageshooters called Northland Shooters Supply that has new barrels and actions for sale all the time.

-Lowedog

[BaseballStud20]

Alright cool. Thanks a lot...ill check out that website and do some more research. If I have any more questions ill be sure to contact you guys.

[Slenk]

Tools you need will be action wrench and barrel nut wrench. And maybe a deadblow hammer.If you'r a reloader 2 pieces of new sized brass. If not a reloader you will need a Go-gauge and a No-Go-gauge.
Do Not use an internal actoin wrench on a rifle that has not had the barrel removed before. You can warp the action with them.
Slenk

[BaseballStud20]

I have no idea what any of those things are but im sure that I will figure it out eventually.

[Slenk]

They can all be found at Midway USA.
Barrels also.
Slenk

[dbllunger]

As far as screwing a barrel on an existing action the Savage is the way to go.  Pre-threaded barrels are great as long as you don't need to adjust your Head Space too much.  If you are going to start with a raw barrel, square the action, blah...blah...blah you will need a lathe and a mill.  Personally.... I had a custom built, and I will just stick with a stocker from hear on out.     

[Slenk]

You can adjust the head space all you need to on a Savage Rifle.
Slenk

[FrankDown]

sounds easy enough.  I thought I was nervous when I shot my first reloads lol.  Id have a heck of a long string on that trigger lol...  Might end up with that squiddly looking gun on that other post.  Overall it makes sense and seems like its been done enough to be safe.