Are Savage factory synthetic stocks 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.

[Val]

I changed the stocks on my two Savages with Bell and Carlson synthetic stocks. They are much stiffer and better looking and the accuracy on both rifles actually increased with the new stocks.

[Catfish]

It really depends on what you use the gun for. If it`s a truck gun that will get beat around alot use the factory stock. If it`s for hunting where shot will be under 300 yrds. the factory stock will work. If your wanting the best accuracy you can get out of it restock it.

[bigjeepman]

I put a B&C stock on my 10FP in .223 and looks and accuracy both improved.

bjm

[3006bluffhunter]

I have a 110 in wood that I carried through the woods this hunting season that thing gets heavy! Wished I had a synthetic stock at the end of the day! I would stay with some synthetic stock to keep the weight down! My 2 cents! Dale

[beemanbeme]

If I made my living selling after market stocks (or what have you) for Savages (or what have you), I wouldf spend a lot of time trashing out what comes from the factory.
 First off, how does the rifle shoot? 
Secondly, you don't want the forearm touching the barrel in a random manner so you want to relieve a bit of material where it is touching. Now then, how much trouble would it be to inlet a groove in the barrel channel and epoxy a straightening/stiffening rod in the forearm?  The stock has no resale value so if you screw it up, you have not lost anything and have gained, perhaps, some valuable experience in stock work. 
If you buy a $200 pony and put a $1000 saddle on him, he's still a $200 pony.  Why buy an ntry level rifle (I'm not familar with Savages) and then spend enough on after market to have bought a better grade of rifle to begin with?   I'm not trashing your rifle at all, I'm just trying to put things in perspective.

[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.

[280shooter]

I bought a Savage 7-08 for my son and after a slight modification, it shoots lights out. We originally planned on restocking it, but ended up not having to.  We used a Dremel tool to cut a channel inthe little fins that are in the barrel channel. Just enough to epoxy approx 10" piece of 1/2" X 3/8" alum. keystock. We then drilled and tapped the keystock to secure the front swivel stud.
       It greatly increased the stiffness of the forearm and also gives a stronger front swivel mount. After the mod and a load work-up, it shoots sub 1/2" @100 yds.

[riddleofsteel]

I took the barreled action out of the stock today to check everything out. I smoked the recoil lug and reinstalled the stock. When i took it down the entire rear of the lug was wiped clean with the front and bottom still smoked. Good sign. I opened the barrel channel slightly with a rasp. When I did the final reassembly I centered the action and tightened down the screws. Now the rear tang is clear all the way around, the barrel allows two dollar bills, with the weight of the rifle on the fore end, to slide easy from front to back. When my metal trigger guard comes in I will install it and torque down the screws. I plan on shooting it like it is now to see how it does. If I see any irregular grouping or POI's I will bed the recoil lug and skim coat the pillars.

My next step is to pick up a decent scope and some light Weaver rings and wait on my trigger guard.

Thanks for all your comments and advice.

[beemanbeme]

Sounds like this ain't your first rodeo. 

[woodchukhntr]

I have a 11 in .223 that shoots well with the factory stock.  I say use the factory stock if the gun shoots well, it's not a thing of beauty, but it performs it's function very well.  At $200 you got a great deal!  Appreciate it for what it is.  You won't get too bent out of shape if it get a little beat up or scratched.

[mountainview]

I've got 2 w/ synthetic stocks and both function fine. I have thought about upgrading the stocks but gave that up as the synthetic stocks work well enough for my purposes and they are perfect for my teen aged son who is my woods partner. I've increasingly come to prefer the synthetic stocked rifles over my wood stock rifles for hunting due to their functionality and light weight. I have even grown to like the aesthetics (such as they are), particularly when carrying them in the woods.

[lilabner]

It depends on the rifle. Use the dollar bill test to see if the stock is bearing against the barrel. If it isn't. chances are the rifle will shoot well. I tested my synthetic stock using the dollar bill test with a hard rest, a soft rest, a tight sling and no sling tension. No matter what I did, the barrel floated cleanly and the rifle shoots very well. The stock is no beauty but is functional.

[demented]

 My model 16 never shot worth a hoot until I tried another factory synthetic stock a buddy had taken off his rifle. It went from 2" horizontal three shot groups, down to about an inch. Apparently my stock has something not quite right with it.  Oh, yeah, my buddy ain't gettin his stock back! Actually he gave it to me, so I could stay honest!

[bluebayou]

I used mine on a 223, but I did epoxy bed it.  I read all about using carbon arrows and all-thread or welding rods to strengthen the forearm. 

Heresy alert>>>>>
What I did was to shim behind the recoil lug and under the chamber.  The barrelled action then set into the stock at an upward angle.  I might have had to relieve some plastic for the action screws, but I don't remember.  With the epoxy in place the action is firm and consistent.  It shoots less then MOA.  My friends think that it is kind of goofy, but it works well.  The forearm still flexes but not enough to touch.

Will post a picture later.

[teddy12b]

I don't think the factory stocks are that bad.  I used to have a 12FV in 223 with a synthetic stock and it shot very well and I never changed anything on it.  The only reason I would upgrade is because of the recoil pad.  Regular Savage factory recoil pads aren't much softer that plastic and for the cost of an aftermarket recoil pad you might as well get a new stock that comes with one. 

I just order a Bell and Carlson Duramax for a savage.  Not because I didn't like the factory stock, but because I would be putting a new recoil pad on it for about $70 when it's all said and done.  The Bell and Carlson Duramax was about $110 at my door.  If you take $70 off the price of a new stock it gets fairly reasonable quickly.