Savage Target Head

uni82

March 29, 2011 05:21

Can the standard bolt face savage target action (for about $500) be refaced to accept the wsm cartridges? Dual port single shot bolt action with the accu-trigger? Thinking about making a 300 wsm. Thanks!


-Joe D.

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  Rocky Raab

  March 29, 2011 06:37

  Savage rifles have removable bolt heads. Just replace it with the right one (actually have your gunsmith do it while he headspaces the new barrel.)

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  uni82

  March 29, 2011 19:13

  So all I would have to do is purchase an action, call savage and order a new bolt face? Bring that to my gunsmith and he will put it on? Is it really that simple? ha
  
  -JD

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  nononsense

  March 29, 2011 19:24

  uni82,
  
  No, that's not all you have to do. Read this from Savage:
  
  "Barrel Shank Sizes
  
  The shank diameter on Savage's standard calibers is 1.055" The Savage rifles chambered in Remington Ultra Mag and Winchester Short Magnum have a larger shank diameter. These measure 1.120" The outside of the barrel nut is the same diameter on both the standard calibers and the Ultra Mag - WSM calibers. All barrels are threaded 20 threads per inch. Note: Some of the first Ultra Mag and WSM rifles were made with the smaller diameter shank. The larger diameter shank barrels will have a step in front of the barrel nut."
  
  "UltraMag and WSM Rifles
  
  Savage changed the bolt heads on these calibers to a controlled feed system. The bolt heads have been modified to allow the cartridge to slide under the extractor. The ejector in these models is in the reciever instead of the bolt face. These changes allow reliable feeding of these larger cartridges."
  
  I'm sure that the Target action is the small shank so attempting to put the WSM bolt head on that bolt and using the small shank barrel is a bad idea.
  
  Best.

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  uni82

  March 29, 2011 19:28

  Ok got it. So can this even be done making a standard head into a WSM? or am I just making it to much of a project?
  
  -JD

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  nononsense

  March 30, 2011 02:17

  uni82,
  
  You might run this by Savage but as far as their written material is concerned, you need to have the actions that use the bigger diameter thread tenon in order to use the WSM cartridges and therefore the corresponding bolt head.
  
  Best.

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  Rocky Raab

  March 30, 2011 11:33

  As long as you are buying an action anyway, just get one of their rifles in the chambering you want. Having one made up from parts will cost twice as much and you'll have no warranty.

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