Savage 110, a sad day and a good day.

[mastiffhound]

So today (Memorial Day) we had the family get together and at the end my Grandmother said she had something special for us. She handed out these little cards with numbers while we were all outside and told us to come in. She then opened up my Grandfathers gun cabinet and asked for #1 to come forward and pick out a long gun. My Grandfather died a few years ago (2008) and it was sad watching people pick through his firearms. I lost 2 of my brothers in 2010 and 2011 with my Grandmother on my Mom's side losing her battle with cancer in December last year. I've lost too many loved ones recently

Anyways, when my turn came I looked and his Savage 110 LA in .30-06 was still available so it became mine. I was the only grandchild he had ever let shoot with him over the years. If you had known him it was a badge of honor. I miss him a lot, he taught me how to shoot and encouraged my love for firearms. Back to the Savage, it has a trigger job, 3 pound pull. 20" sporter barrel. Sadly the old 60's or early 70's Bushnell 4 power scope is done. The crosshair is torn on the bottom and left attachment points, a pity because the glass is as clear as some $500 scopes I've looked through.

I need some input as what and where to get some things I would like.

1. I'm looking for a heavy barrel(bull or varmint) in .30-06 or .308 if it's possible to switch calibers.
2. A comfortable stock either tactical or varmint style, just try to keep it in the $150 to $500 range. It is a staggered feed blind magazine if that helps.
3. Do they make a detachable box magazine conversion for this Savage?

We had talked about upgrading his old Savage before he got sick, we just never got the chance to make it happen. I'm thinking of getting a tribute engraved on the receiver also but I've got that covered. I know it's probably not worth much but it's special to me. Sorry for the long post guys. As always thank you for all the help in advance!

 

[yotehunter1983]

What did everyone else get?

 

[WardenWolf]

Why rebarrel it? Savages are some of the most accurate firearms there are, out of the box. It'll be hard to match its accuracy with a new barrel.

 

[CheckFire]

Condolences for your lost loved ones-- always tough when family passes.

I think you done good on the Savage 110 LA! Yes you can switch calibers by switching barrels within the same long action family. For instance, your .30-06 long action can be rebarreled to a .25-06, or .280 Rem or .35-06(Whelen) and others, but you must reset the headspace. Easy for you if you invest in an action vise and barrel nut wrench and a go/nogo headspace gauge set, or a competent gunsmith.

Check this site out for a stock---reputable and great folk: http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/product.htm?pid=9460&cat=1221
Peruse their inventory, it is vast. I provide this example only, options in stock colors, barrel channels and configurations abound. If you change the barrel contour or want a detachable magazine, you've a lot of homework to do and need to decide everything you want, including $$ spent, before you start ordering anything.

IMHO, you inherited a fine firearm with much attached sentiment-- careful that you don't 'upgrade' it into something that you don't remember..

FWIW-- I also inherited a Savage 110 in .30-06--- I wanted to 'upgrade' it..
considered the Whelen for elk, the .25-06 for lotsa stuff.. but realized after 6 months of thinking it through that it was a heckuva shooter as is, and I just upgraded the stock only, from Boyd's. No regrets.

If you want to explore, the folks on savageshooters.com can help immensely.

Good luck!

 

[mastiffhound]

Shotguns and .22LR bolt actions is what everyone else picked, I don't think they looked at the Savage. As far as the rebarrel, it's an old gun and the barrel has the same thickness as my 1950's Stevens .22LR bolt action. The first few shots were 1 inch or less moa but it started to wander around after that. It really is a thin barrel. I was thinking of more of a competition rifle with a heavier barrel and better stock. I would like at least 5 rounds before it started to really open up to 2 or 3 moa, hence the heavy barrel.

 

[adelbridge]

I get my savage barrels from EABCO.com

you can pay to have that scope repaired if it has sentimental value

 

[Kachok]

My dad got grandpa's Savage 110 30-06 when he passed back in 96, three generations have hunted with that rifle, hopefully four soon.

 

[Ash]

Man, I'd leave that one alone and get another Savage were it my grandfather's. When my grandfather died, my aunt took all his firearms for her own, which included a military Remington Model 11, a Winchester lever action, my grandmother's .22lr, and his S&W Model 10. I'd sure like to have had at least one of them.

It's just a mechanical device, but replacing parts means converting it little-by-little into an arm that your grandfather never knew. I'm reminded of the little saying I read once: "This is my great grandfather's rifle. My grandfather changed out the barrel for something nicer, my dad replaced the stock with synthetic, I replaced the trigger with something more precise. This is my great grandfather's rifle."

 

[StrawHat]

It has been a while since I used a Savage 110 but the ones I used were pretty good. Would a better bedding job help your rifle?

 

[thump_rrr]

IMHO it should be left unmolested.
That rifle has value because it was your grandfathers.
Change the stock, barrel, and scope and all you have left is an action and trigger.

You can buy another Savage if you want to screw with it.

You can tell which gun in the pic below was my fathers.
I wouldn't trade it or modify it for anything.

 

[shaggy430]

I would leave it alone.

 

[StrawHat]

(double tap)

 

[StrawHat]

I just reread the OP.

...We had talked about upgrading his old Savage before he got sick, we just never got the chance to make it happen. I'm thinking of getting a tribute engraved on the receiver also but I've got that covered. I know it's probably not worth much but it's special to me. Sorry for the long post guys. As always thank you for all the help in advance!

So, you two had talked about reworking the rifle. Okay, do it, use some of his ideas and some of yours. In the end, you will have something to remember him and use.

 

[SSN Vet]

Sorry for your loss...

Cherish the relationship you had with him and the time you spent together.

If it was me, I'd bed the barrel and put new glass on it. Regardless of the conversations you had with him. The more you change it, the less it will remind you of him.

If you want to get a 110 to build into a target rifle, they aren't exactly rare or expensive.

 

[docsleepy]

When I pass on I'm going to leave to my kids some of the most modified, customized, uniquely crafted firearms on the planet. Done by my hands, my tools, my experience. A homemade benchrest rifle, a water pipe sleeved Mosin-Nagant hunting rifle, a re-barreled savage hunting rifle. A bunch of presses.
Notebooks and recipes.

Each one of them already has what they call a modern sporting rifle today, courtesy of me.

 

[colonelhogan44]

This thread is bringing tears to my eyes. My grandfather recently had major stroke and is now wheelchair bound. He went from shooting and tinkering every time I came to visit his Oregon home to stuck inside, literally overnight. He had slowly given his grandchildren rifles over the years so I know the memories that can be wrapped up in those guns.

In 2002, he gave me his Winchester 1906 made in 1919. We Re-blued it and cut a new crown (it had been cut down a few inches to a 20 inch barrel back in the 1940s and had no crown).

The barrel is nearly shot out and there are several slight rings in the bore, but I wouldn't dream of re-barreling it or screwing with it at all. I have nice modern Marlin .22 rifles for hard use, this one is trotted out occasionally for the sentimental value. It still holds minute of squirrel at 40-50 yards, so I'm more than happy with that, and I usually take one every year with it for Grandpa.

 

[mastiffhound]

Well after a discussion with my Dad we decided that we would upgrade it together. I forgot to mention the Savage .22LR/20 Gauge over under I picked out that day. It is unmolested in original brand new shape made in 1953. Not a scratch or fingerprint. He bought it new, fired 2 or 3 rounds and put it away. He said it didn't really do anything that other guns he had couldn't do. The receiver is engraved on both sides with ducks and squirrels. This one will not be touched!!

My dad said we would split the cost on the 110 as long as I do the same as my Grandfather, pass it on to someone in our family when I go. It will go to my niece as she is the next firearm enthusiast in line. She is already in my will to get all my firearms. I've told her for years that my collection will go to her. She is responsible and always helped clean the guns when the shooting fun ended. She was always fascinated with how they worked and wanted to learn everything she could. Have you ever seen a 10 year old girl read a reloading manual cover to cover?

I've lost my Grandfather, Grandmother, and two brothers in the last 5 years. The fondest memories I have are of us going to the range, my Grandfather's house or my Grandmother's(other side of the family) house and target shooting together. I really miss them.

Even though you tell someone you love them if they are taken from you, you never feel like you said enough. Maybe that's why I'm going to do this project with Dad, parents don't live forever so making memories with them is very meaningful. I hope my Grandfather knew how much he meant to me. He started me on guns and taught me to clean his firearms I had the privilege of shooting. Thanks for the help and input guys, you helped me reach a decision that will get me some much needed time with Dad.