Is the Savage factory synthetic stock worth using?

[riddleofsteel]

I picked up a Savage Model 11 in .308 today. It has the black plastic looking stock, plastic trigger guard and the package rifle cheap rings and Simmons scope. I just ordered a metal trigger guard from Savage and the rings and scope are history as soon as I can get different ones.

That brings me to the stock. Is it worth trying to use? The forend seems very limber. It moves with the slightest pressure and the barrel is lightly touching one side of it. Who has experience with these stocks? I have a Stockade on my 110 and I am not opposed to switching over. However if the original stock will work it is light.

Any thoughts or comments.

 

[Regolith]

A lot of people end up ditching the stocks on their Savages. I don't think they effect accuracy that much, though a better stock certainly won't hurt.

 

[Grunt]

IMHO, the only use for the Savage synthetic stocks is for Savage to get it out the door as a complete rifle rather than a barreled action! The wife's 10fp right now has the factory stock on it and as soon as I accomplish a few other projects and we transfer to another area with better long range shooting oppertunities I plan to update it with either a Bell and Carlson Medalist (still researching that stock) or a McMillian A5.

 

[Ash]

I had a Savage 110FP in 308 with synthetic stock and my best 5 shot group was 13/32's inch. It was very accurate all around and so I never felt the need to discard that stock for something else.

Ash

 

[KMM696]

The Savage tupperware stock can be made to work better than the factory left it. If you glass bed the action around the recoil lug and both action screws, with a couple layers of tape wrapped around the barrel to center it in the barrel channel in the stock while drying, that might take care of the contact with the barrel. If not, at least the action will be stabilized for when you sand out the channel a little further. You also should make sure that the stock isn't touching around the tang at all, and sand back anything that is.

None of this helps the flexibility at all. As long as you're not shooting with a sling, or bipod, or don't grab the front too hard it shouldn't affect it much. I did go so far as to epoxy a piece of square aluminum rod down the length of the forend, and then poured a thin layer of epoxy onto the bottom of the different compartments of the stock. It did take care of some of the lateral movement, but took a lot of time. I've since replaced it with a Bell & Carlson Duramax stock, which is much stiffer. Still needed bedding, but that was pretty much it other than converting it to left hand.

Neither of these options beats a Stockade, though. They're just cheaper!

Kevin

 

[atblis]

Sure

Work for what? If you just want minute of deer accuracy out to a couple hundred yards, should serve you just fine.

 

[Ian Sean]

Model 11 in .243 here, no problem with it myself...I did ditch the Simmons scope though.

 

[skinewmexico]

I epoxied an aluminum bar into the forend, really helped. Some people use pushrods. Depends on what you're going to do with it, you can make it into a perfectly acceptable, sub to MOA stock for hunting.

 

[nwilliams]

Their stocks are junk

You're getting a great rifle in a crappy stock, that's where you save $$$.

B&C makes some great reasonably priced Savage stocks, but really there's no shortage of better stocks available for other makers as well.

 

[redneckrepairs]

The one on my pre accutrigger scout rifle makes a ramline look like a mcmillon . However in its defense its lightweight . I plan on inletting and epoxying a bar of keystock into the forearm to stiffen it up when i get around to it .

 

[mustanger98]

I got around the perceived stock problem with my Model 11GL by not getting the WalMart package gun... mine has the Savage factory wood stock and as such it's plenty stiff. The barrel is totally free-floating with space to slide a cleaning patch (as opposed to a dollar bill) down the barrel channel all the way back to the action. As for the scope, mine has sights on the barrel and, as much as I like apertures, the cheap-o notch rear works just fine.

 

[Bendutro]

Savage stocks are nothing more than $11 or $12 worth of injection molded polypropylene. From a business perspective, it gets the job done and doesn't impede the function. There are much nicer options though.

 

[tasco 74]

are the rimfire rifle stocks and the centerfire rifle stocks much the same? i bought one of the special buy .17hm2 mkII last spring and i've wondered this since... thanks

JJB

 

[mgregg85]

My savage 111 in .30-06 works just fine with the factory stock. Of course here in michigan you really don't get many long distance shots on deer(what I use the rifle for) so it isn't too big of a deal.

 

[BruceB]

Whatever folks may think about the flimsiness, cheapness, or whatever concerning the Savage stock, I have to say that PERFORMANCE should count.

I have a new, bone-stock Model 116 stainless .338 in the "issue" stock.

The FIRST handload I ran through it was the 225 Barnes TSX ahead of Reloader 19 powder. Those three rounds formed a group of 0.70" at 100 yards. The next load used one more grain of powder, and grouped at 0.55". The next group used yet one more additional grain of powder, and landed three in 0.45"..... and at that point, I decided that 0.45" with 225s at 2890 fps was PLENTY good enough for any big-game shot I would ever attempt, and quit right there. Easiest "load development" I ever did, in over forty years of handloading.

It's surely not a pretty rifle, but good grief, it is a SHOOTER 'par excellence'! Don't sell the rifle OR the stock short before giving it a good try. I see these Savages as one of the very best possible options for inexpensive accuracy.....and this comes from a walnut-and-blue-steel ol' fart.

 

[swan hunter]

My 110 Tactical .223

Shoots FANTASTIC in crappy factory stock but, can't put a bi-pod on it. Shoots crazy when forend springs against the barrel with the support mounted on that special stud

 

[riddleofsteel]

When I picked up this neat little rifle my first impression was "WOW how light and easy handling this thing is after my .270 110 with a Stockade Hunter stock and a 50mm Leupold scope, steel mounts and rings!"

I bought this rifle at a pawn shop for a two bills and change. It appears to be in "as new" condition. I have been wanting a lightweight rifle for some time now to hunt deer in the deep woods on our property. Distances are usually 50 to 125 yards. I really don't need a .270 with a 3.5 x 10 50mm Leupold in a heavy fiberglass stock for that. We also hunt hogs in the dense river bottom swamps in S.C. several times a year. It will be nice to be able to select a heavier .30 bullet for that work. Once again a big heavy rifle is a burden rather than an asset in that environment.

I learned a long time ago to try a rifle before I begin screwing with it. The only thing I will do before hitting the range will be to free the barrel channel from hitting the barrel. As long as the rifle shoots I doubt I will do anything to it but replace the plastic trigger guard. I ordered a metal one from Savage this afternoon. My purpose in this post was to see what the general consensus was as to the overall usability of the factory "tupperware" stock.

As long as the barrel is free floated and the recoil lug/tang combo is free floated I do not see why it would not shoot. The one thing I do not want to do is start adding needless weight to the setup. When I get around to losing the Simmons scope and Savage rings I will proably go with lightweight Weaver rings on the original bases and the best 32 mm scope I can afford in something around 2x7.

Thanks for the input.