savagefiend
Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2013
- Messages
- 19
I am new here but not new to guns. I live in Idaho and have been shooting since I was 5. Guns are one of my favorite things and I have had many. This is my most recent project first real undertaking on a gun accurizing and refishing.
So a few months ago I picked up a Stevens 325a in 30-30 for $140 it was in decent shape but not great stock was a little beat up bluing was a little thin in some spots but for the most part it was a decent gun.
Well after shotting a few boxes of shells thru it I decided it needed some trigger work. A buddy of mine at work took it on for me. After replacing the firing pin and main spring and stoning the sear and trigger he was able to get it around 6 lbs or so with nearly no creep couldn't ask for much better as I was building a hunting rifle.
pics when I brought it home
As many of you know these guns have have a barrel band and one screw holding it in the stock at the recoil lug and they leave something to be desired in the accuracy department. Well after doing some research on the internet I decided it was time for a change.
the first thing I did was add my simmons 3-9x40 scope on a Bsquare mount which since my rifle was a 325a required some stock clearancing and holes to be drilled and tapped. My only complaint with the mount is the screws that come with the mount have small heads and they strip out really easily. well a trip to tacoma screw fixed that problem. picked up some 8-32 3/4" screws and ground the heads down so they fit in the mount.
pic after the scope mount was installed
Next item on the list was to get rid of the barrel band and bed the action and float the barrel. I found on leeroysramblings.com that a nut could be welded to the trigger housing and the rear trigger guard screw that just went into the stock could be replaced by one that went all the way up to the nut in the trigger guard. I welded on a 1/4-20 nut on my trigger housing and drilled up thru the stock and used a 1/4-20 socket head screw that I also ground down using my make shift lathe(my drill and my pnuematic grinder) to fit the trigger guard.
While I was at it went ahead and bedded the recoil lug using some jb stick, and installed some pillars made from brake line under the recoil lug and new rear screw. I also moved the action and barrel in the stock so that it was a little more centered up.
at some point someone had installed a sling stud in the front of the stock which was a hole when I got it. I also drilled one behind the barrel band screw and installed a stud. But after I sanded down the stock and decided to get rid of the barrel band these additional holes weren't needed so I filled them with a little jb weld.
sanded stock
holes filled
I figured the jb would be fine since I wanted to do a black cap on the end of the stock.
well after painting the end cap I slapped on some red oak stain and minwax gloss clear. I sanded it with 0000 steel wool between coats of clear ended up with 6 coats of clear. i think it turned out pretty good.
next is to reblue or duracoat the action and barrel and add a better recoil pad and scope. the few shots I have fired thru it feel much better and a lot more accurate and consistant than before range test to come soon.
let me know what y'all think.
So a few months ago I picked up a Stevens 325a in 30-30 for $140 it was in decent shape but not great stock was a little beat up bluing was a little thin in some spots but for the most part it was a decent gun.
Well after shotting a few boxes of shells thru it I decided it needed some trigger work. A buddy of mine at work took it on for me. After replacing the firing pin and main spring and stoning the sear and trigger he was able to get it around 6 lbs or so with nearly no creep couldn't ask for much better as I was building a hunting rifle.
pics when I brought it home
As many of you know these guns have have a barrel band and one screw holding it in the stock at the recoil lug and they leave something to be desired in the accuracy department. Well after doing some research on the internet I decided it was time for a change.
the first thing I did was add my simmons 3-9x40 scope on a Bsquare mount which since my rifle was a 325a required some stock clearancing and holes to be drilled and tapped. My only complaint with the mount is the screws that come with the mount have small heads and they strip out really easily. well a trip to tacoma screw fixed that problem. picked up some 8-32 3/4" screws and ground the heads down so they fit in the mount.
pic after the scope mount was installed
Next item on the list was to get rid of the barrel band and bed the action and float the barrel. I found on leeroysramblings.com that a nut could be welded to the trigger housing and the rear trigger guard screw that just went into the stock could be replaced by one that went all the way up to the nut in the trigger guard. I welded on a 1/4-20 nut on my trigger housing and drilled up thru the stock and used a 1/4-20 socket head screw that I also ground down using my make shift lathe(my drill and my pnuematic grinder) to fit the trigger guard.
While I was at it went ahead and bedded the recoil lug using some jb stick, and installed some pillars made from brake line under the recoil lug and new rear screw. I also moved the action and barrel in the stock so that it was a little more centered up.
at some point someone had installed a sling stud in the front of the stock which was a hole when I got it. I also drilled one behind the barrel band screw and installed a stud. But after I sanded down the stock and decided to get rid of the barrel band these additional holes weren't needed so I filled them with a little jb weld.
sanded stock
holes filled
I figured the jb would be fine since I wanted to do a black cap on the end of the stock.
well after painting the end cap I slapped on some red oak stain and minwax gloss clear. I sanded it with 0000 steel wool between coats of clear ended up with 6 coats of clear. i think it turned out pretty good.
next is to reblue or duracoat the action and barrel and add a better recoil pad and scope. the few shots I have fired thru it feel much better and a lot more accurate and consistant than before range test to come soon.
let me know what y'all think.
