Another Savage in 6.5 Creedmoor....

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LoonWulf

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So there was this, (insert random gun here) in one of the local gun shops on consignment....

Thats the way most of my money pit...i mean projects, start.

This time It was a .243 Savage model 10 from the mid 2ks. The rifle looked to be in perfect condition, there wasnt even any marks on the magazine follower. Best part, they were only asking 250!
Down side? I have no interest in another .243, My wife has hers thats enough lol. In fact my last .243 savage became a .250AI.
So I was good for the better part of a month, perhaps more, but week before last I was in there for something else and walked out with the rifle.

Having no use for the .243 barrel I immediately went home and pulled it off to toss on ebay.
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Then i started cruising around looking for a more interesting barrel. Not being willing to spend a whole lot I was only looking for factory take offs, or possibly getting lucky on a custom.

I REALLY wanted a 7-08, but the only one i could find looked pretty beat up. Then i ran across a stainless 6.5Creedmoor barrel never fired off an Axis.
Ive found that it seems people look down on the Axis barrels as being inferior to the higher end options. Which I dont believe is true at all, im fairly sure that all the barrels savage uses are exactly the same besides the model number stamped on the side. Either way, every Axis ive ever shot has been a shooter, ugly and clunky, but a shooter. So I went ahead and ordered the 6.5 Barrel

It showed up yesterday, after bouncing around Calis usps centers for the better part of a week.
It looked exactly as advertised and seemed to be pretty good, as most savage tubes are.

I didnt like the stainless on blue color. So i primed, painted, and baked the receiver and rear bolt parts using VHT ceramic header primer and paint.
I didnt do any surface prep besides degreasing really well, as this savage has some of the nicest bluing ive seen on any savage to date. Hopefully if i decide to switch to a blued barrel in the future i can simply strip the paint and the finish will still be in good shape underneath.
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Now the silver receiver didnt match the barrel...again...so the barrel got the same treatment, tho i did blast the barrel to help with adhesion.

I got it all reassembled yesterday afternoon.
I could have set it with the lettering in the correct place and still not been able to close on the nogo, but I prefer to be tight on a go gauge as long as a sized case from my dies will close with no issues. Thus the lettering is just under the stock line. If i ever sell the rifle ill reset it so the lettering is visible.
I topped it off with a newer Japan made Weaver v9 I got off ebay.
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Made some preliminary loads last night using 140gr midway blems, which im positive are ELD-Ms.
Many of these look perfect, but the majority have crooked tips. I picked one of the good one, checked my max OAL with a split case, and went .01 under that to start with. This got me at a oal of 2.860, set with the same bullet i measure the lands with.
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I used the lower end of the pressure ladder i worked up for my old 6.5 using Superformance. This is a few grains over Hornadys book max, but proved very safe and functional in my Howa.

I wasnt really concerned with accuracy today, mostly just doing chrono work/Quickloads correlation, and checking for pressure signs. so I didnt both to sort good tips from bad, im not likely to do that for the most part anyway lol.

I shot 3 rounds of my base charge of 45gr to zero the rifle after doing a bore sight. they are labeled 1, 2, 3.
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I then attached my Magnetospeed and shot my pressure ladder sitting, mostly just to practice. I had no pressure signs all, and my max was 1.5gr under where i stopped with my Howa. Velocity is tracking pretty closely to what my Howa did with 143 eldxs.
Interestingly enough it also correlates well to what RL-19 does in quickloads velocity wise.
This dosent mean pressure is the same, or even similar, and only seems to be consistent in 2 cartridges ive tried both powders in, so i certainly wouldnt use it as a standard, mostly just interesting.

I had 10rnds of my max load and fired 5 of them for groups after removing the magneto speed....as you can see I had a little bit of an issue getting a 5 round group. Turns out when i weighed the second 5 rounds i made (I had only originally intended to make 5 not 10) before I left this morning. I forgot to dump the last pan into the case. When i got home it was still sitting there on my scale. Not a great idea to decided to make extra ammo last min.
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Anyway, im pretty happy with how this whole thing came out, and it hasnt turned into a TOTAL money pit.....yet.
 
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Im looking for a savage in 243. My dad beat me to the last one he got unfired flat back for 310 otd. I think it be good fir the 6mm dasher id like to do one day. I did a tour of the savage factory right when they came out with the edge now the axis. The barrels cam of the same line as the normal barrels. They stamped them some time beween the first and 2nd thime they did the barrel stratening. The gun looks good and should be fun.
 
Shoot, if I'd known I'd have offered you this one.

It should be a useful gun, it's the lightest hunting rifle I own now @ 7lbs 4oz, next up is the .375 at 8lbs 3oz i THINK...CRS kicking in hard today.

Ive had...4 or 5 savages now, and they all have been good shooters. I THINK my .250AI is a true 1/4-1/2MOA rifle, unfortunately im not a 1/4-1/2 MOA shooter. Ive managed to fire a few groups that felt really good, and all of them were basically stacked. The rest of the time they usually end up around .75-1, which is about as good as i can consistently do, with anything.

If i can ever get a consistent follow thru (not shooting of rice filled socks might help), this rifle, and the RAM i was shooting from its pod and a rice sock, might be able to give my other savage a run for its money.
 
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Shoot, if I'd known I'd have offered you this one.

It should be a useful gun, it's the lightest hunting rifle I own now @ 7lbs 4oz, next up is the .375 at 8lbs 3oz i THINK...CRS kicking in hard today.

Ive had...4 or 5 savages now, and they all have been good shooters. I THINK my .250AI is a true 1/4-1/2MOA rifle, unfortunately im not a 1/4-1/2 MOA shooter. Ive managed to fire a few groups that felt really good, and all of them were basically stacked. The rest of the time they usually end up around .75-1, which is about as good as i can consistently do, with anything.

If i can ever get a consistent follow thru (not shooting of rice filled socks might help), this rifle, and the RAM i was shooting from its pod and a rice sock, might be able to give my other savage a run for its money.
Yup savages just shot good . I havr seen them falling in qc the last few years. The stock holders are trying to sell the company. It has not been the the real savage co for some years now. This must be why the guns have gotton cheaper parts. A freind of mine got a savage 10 cant remember the name its the accustock model with heavy barrel and come with the AI mags. They stoped makeing it with the ma. And went to a crap plastic one. I looked at it and tje factory instaled base evrey screw was cross threaded and lopsided.
 
Nice project! I love that silver on black look. Only thing I'd do next is shoot that stock with some textured paint to give it some grip.

Savage barrel swaps can be addicting. Now that I've done a few, I'll never overlook another old Savage rifle in a used rack again. (as if I need another rifle...)

I'll be pulling the 7.62x39 barrel from my model 10 soon and dropping in a .308 barrel for an upcoming elk hunt. I expect the whole thing to take me about 15 minutes tops, plus a trip to the range. I've already worked up .308 loads for that barrel, so it will be interesting for me to see how they perform after that barrel has been removed and then replaced again.
 
Nice project! I love that silver on black look. Only thing I'd do next is shoot that stock with some textured paint to give it some grip.

Savage barrel swaps can be addicting. Now that I've done a few, I'll never overlook another old Savage rifle in a used rack again. (as if I need another rifle...)

I'll be pulling the 7.62x39 barrel from my model 10 soon and dropping in a .308 barrel for an upcoming elk hunt. I expect the whole thing to take me about 15 minutes tops, plus a trip to the range. I've already worked up .308 loads for that barrel, so it will be interesting for me to see how they perform after that barrel has been removed and then replaced again.
id be interested in buying that 7.62x39 barrel when u take it of.
 
Nice project! I love that silver on black look. Only thing I'd do next is shoot that stock with some textured paint to give it some grip.

Savage barrel swaps can be addicting. Now that I've done a few, I'll never overlook another old Savage rifle in a used rack again. (as if I need another rifle...)

I'll be pulling the 7.62x39 barrel from my model 10 soon and dropping in a .308 barrel for an upcoming elk hunt. I expect the whole thing to take me about 15 minutes tops, plus a trip to the range. I've already worked up .308 loads for that barrel, so it will be interesting for me to see how they perform after that barrel has been removed and then replaced again.

I mentioned to my wife that I wanted to do something more outrageous colorwise with a gun, and since this one was sitting on the kitchen table (yes I play with my guns in the house), she suggested I do a Pink Tiger Shark camo......she has alot more faith in my artistic ability than I do, but I'm gonna try it.
I will be doing a textured paint underneath I think.
 
my friend that does the powder coating has these socks with different patterns. he slips it over after a base coat then does different colors. they work with paint to they are silicone and stretch over things. i have seen tiger stripped ones. i used one of the barrel covers u get on barrels to keep from damage in shipping. looks cool on ss barrels. u could find tiger patterns online and print them off and use a glue stick to glue them on top your base coat and pull it off before u bake the paint. just cut out and lay on the gun. white-tiger-stripe-pattern-vector.jpg
 
I've never actually used a pattern before, that looks like it might work with some creative spraying.
it dont take to long to do just lay them on the gun as u see it on the print out. like i said a little stick glue on the paper to stick to the gun. spray the paint and pull them of after about 10 min. wrap around the gun to keep it looking natural. if i can do it anyone can lol.
 
LOL. You have good taste but that 7.62x39 barrel ain't going anywhere. :D Even if you offered to buy me a Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39, I still wouldn't trade away that barrel after seeing the groups it's shot over the past couple of years. ;)
lol i need to just get a cz or howa. i have not handled a rar in 7.62x39 yet to see if i like it. im not the biggest fan off using the same action for every thing.
 
lol i need to just get a cz or howa. i have not handled a rar in 7.62x39 yet to see if i like it. im not the biggest fan off using the same action for every thing.
The RAR at least is a short action, tho its still too long for the cartridge unless you wanna try load long pointys out...honestly id be more interested in a RAR in 6.5G. The larger lugs and longer mag might make the 140s a viable option, if theres enough freebore for them. Run those suckers a 2.5" and push to 60Kpsi and your looking at 2500+ from a 20" barrel, and 2700 with a 123.
 
i like the cz 527 with the mannlicher stock but the seam to not make it in 6,5 yet i like to have the sights the howa is nice for the 400$ range but have to spend 150 or 200 for an ok scope so the to will be about the same to fire the first shot.im not the biggest 6.5 fan but the Grendel is the one like the most id o a ar15 grendel but ny is pushing hard on the semi autos. if the rar had sights id be all over it.
 
Buddy came by yesterday and borrowed the CM to go pig hunting.
I still haven't finalized the load for this gun. I have some 143 eldxs I had planned on using for hunting, but these 140s seem to do a pretty good job.

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Buddy came by yesterday and borrowed the CM to go pig hunting.
I still haven't finalized the load for this gun. I have some 143 eldxs I had planned on using for hunting, but these 140s seem to do a pretty good job.

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mmm bacon. it works a little to good. thats a nights diner missing lol. but rather loose some met the the hole animal.
 
mmm bacon. it works a little to good. thats a nights diner missing lol. but rather loose some met the the hole animal.
I can't honestly tell you if that's the front leg or the back, I wasn't there, and it was my buddy Brian doing the shooting.
Generally the idea is to NOT shoot the eaty bits with those types of bullets lol.
 
As far as the paint job, try using masking tape cut with a razor into stripes you desire. Can even lay the tape on a wall or work bench then cut.

PREP THE PLASTIC! I use harsh degreaser and rough up the plastic a bit, apply base, apply texture, then apply several coats of your base color. If it harders properly and you pick the right colors you can get away with large nicks and it will still look good.

Great work however. I will likely do a similar project after I sell a few pistols that i dont shoot much. Thinking a poor man’s mountain rifle with light barrel in a fast caliber.
 
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