Calling all savage tinkerers.

crapshoot

crapshoot

Well-known member
I have a savage BA stealth 6.5cm. I haven't been real pleased with accuracy and am looking into getting a prefit and am contemplating swapping the barrel out myself.

For those who have done this themselves, what tools do I HAVE TO buy and what's the difficulty for someone who has never attempted such a task?

Of course I'll take a crash course on YouTube university before actually attempting anything.
 
Northland Shooters Supply should have everything you need. There used to be a place you could rent the barrel nut wrench & guages from. It’s been over a decade since I’ve done one but that’s what I did.
I’d recommend getting a new recoil lug and a squared nut.
 
what kind of stock is it in ? simply switching to a MDT chassis usually greatly improves accuracy. just a thought.
 
Could also just take the barrel off, clean the threads, put back on properly headspaced, and make sure stock is torqued to spec. Might be surprised by the results
 
NSS and Harbor Freight has everything you need.

To get the factory barrel off:
$69.50 NSS action wrench
$12.00 18" pipe wrench Harbor Freight

The factory nut will likely be a bear to get off and there's probably bluing rust and media in the threads you'll need to clean out. I use a big pipe wrench and a little heat, you'll probably have to wreck the nut getting it off, but new nuts are better anyways. After that the new nuts spin on/off easily.

For the new barrel:
$300.00 plus... NSS prefit barrel
$30.00 NSS Savage barrel nut
$18.00 NSS barrel nut wrench
$29.00 NSS Savage recoil lug
$30.00 Forster headspace guage

If you don't have a torque wrench, Harbor Freight has a good one for $22. Criterion has a simple video showing how to install barrels and set headspace.

NSS works with a gunsmith down the road, most work is completed the next day. Cutting to length, threading, and re-crowning, etc. A chop/crown is $70 if I recall.

I've built 2 Savages with NSS Criterion prefits and they shoot fantastic. I highly recommend a Rifle Basix trigger as well, much better than the AccuTrigger.
 
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bohunr said:
what kind of stock is it in ? simply switching to a MDT chassis usually greatly improves accuracy. just a thought.
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The BA Stealth is their chassis rifle with their "premium" barrel. I had traded for the rifle so I don't know it's history or care of.

I already replaced the trigger and it is set in the OZ's with no creep.
 
I built a barrel/action vise and bought a nut wrench from NSS 20+ years ago. I just use a GO gauge and add a piece.of.tape to make it into a NO-GO gauge. I bought some GO gauges with a cut out for the plunger ejector so I don't have to strip the bolt. Otherwise I strip the bolt to headspace. I also do Remage barrels and have an action wrench for the initial barrel removal.
 
If you have the new style barrel nut the old style wrench won't work. If you talk to Northland he will probably tell you to use a pipe wrench on the new style nut. When you get it off, throw the POS in the trash. Replace it with a new precision old style nut!!

Just curious, what have you tried shooting in your rifle?
 
147gr eldm, 143gr eldx, 140gr nosler custom comp. Mainly h4350
And some factory 140gr hornady american gunner and 143gr eldx .
 
greengt88 said:
Barrel Nut Wrench, Vise and Go/No Go Guages. That should be about it. I’ve done it without a vise. Plenty of YouTube tutorial videos to walk you through it.
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Before swapping barrels you might want to do a bit of tinkering first. I like to shorten the action screws a turn or so and also shorten the front scope base screws. Both have been know to cause accuracy issues by bottoming out before the base or stock are snug.

Savages don't require a no go gage since it headspaces off the go gage. When the nut is tightened the barrel then has the right amoount of headspace.

I use a barrel nut wrench and an action vise rather than a barrel vise.
 
lhitchcox said:
Savages don't require a no go gage since it headspaces off the go gage. When the nut is tightened the barrel then has the right amoount of headspace.
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Not to sure I agree with this. It never hurts to have both gauges just to be sure. Even if you use a layer of tape on the go gauge is better than nothing. Not saying you do or don't need it but with it you avoid mistakes.
 
William Suter said:
If you have the new style barrel nut the old style wrench won't work. If you talk to Northland he will probably tell you to use a pipe wrench on the new style nut. When you get it off, throw the POS in the trash. Replace it with a new precision old style nut!!
Click to expand...
1000004589.jpg

New or old style?
 
Either way, it's probably a lot easier to just use a large pipe wrench to remove the factory nut. Just plan on buying and using a NSS nut.
 
That"s the old style nut. The new style is round and takes a special spanner wrench to remove it. If your lucky. A good pipe wrench is better. Just replace the nut with a new one.
 
If you feel unsure of the headspace, a layer or two of scotch tape on the case head will let you know where you are. And it is cheap. I learned that trick from my old gunsmith.
 


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