Savage 110 with integral scope mount bases questionable performance?

Matthew Clark

Matthew Clark

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
200
Location
Sedalia, Mo.
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My oldest son traded for this gun a few years ago in absolute horrible condition.
He never could get it to shoot worth a hoot according to him. He did all the checks for loose screws and such but he is not the tinker with it type. I had loaded several different loads for him to try with unsatisfactory results. He doesn't reload at present, especially since dad will do it for him. So he gave up and brought it to me and wanted a different rifle. I traded him out of it for one that caught his eye and he is happy. As all my guns will one day be his anyway why not. Anyway, knowing his battle with the gun I did an inspection. Several issues were obvious right out of the gate and while addressing them I found that the scope bases were integral to the receiver. I never ran across this arrangement on a Savage. I did some research and found they did this for a while to save costs and gave up on it due to unreliable stabilization of the scope. Metallurgy and movement in expansion due to heat. IDK if I swallow that or not. I know metal expands when heated but it does that if bases are screwed down or integral anyway. I just don't see the difference really. I checked the true lines of the mounting bases and as far as I can tell they're perfect. The rings he had were junk and screw heads had to be drilled out and they were loose as I expected. The scope was crap as well. Some off brand with a big objective bell. Wouldn't track with a leash. I put good rings on it, mounted a Bushnell Elite 3200 3X9X40 on it, and adjusted the trigger to 3.5lbs and no over-travel. I also refinished the stock, it was in horrible condition but I was able to salvage it. Next, the barrel was not free floated. I took care of that. Mounted the action in the stock and torqued it down to specs from Savage. I loaded 3 different loads for it not previously tried. I like Hornady Spire Points performance on game but this gun really doesn't seem to like them. It seems to really like the Sierra 140gr HPBT Gamekings pushed with H414. No surprise there. If it won't group with Sierra bullets sell it! See the target pic.
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That's about .5MOA. I can work with that and hopefully get them to cloverleaf. I did test the heat theory by firing that 3 shot group last without a cool down from 3 other 3 shot groups. I just don't see the problem with integral bases as long as they are true.
I did forget to inform readers that while cleaning the barrel I probably pulled enough copper out of it to make pennies for a day at least. I taught that boy better than that! Oh well, he isn't going to get it back until I croak now. Haha!
Always wanted a 7mm-08 rem. Now I have one with respectable accuracy and it don't look to bad either if I do say so myself.
Anyone have any issues with Savage guns with integral bases?
Happy shooting!
Matthew
 
Txhillbilly said:
Savage only produced those actions a couple years. They were real bad about twisting when they were heat treated. Most Savage guy's won't touch them with a ten foot pole, as they are known to have issues.
Click to expand...
You don't happen to know if any of those issues have Merritt or are they fabricated by Savage haters? There has been a fair amount of that done over the years. It's hard to find a real flaw in a rifle that will shoot as good as a rifle costing twice as much so they make stuff up. If it can be proven with facts I'll give criticism Merritt.
I have not experienced any issues as of yet with the mounting system, I'd like to know what to expect if it's possible.
Matthew
 
Mathew Clark...
The problem with the integral mounts wasn't from the action heating from being fired, it was from the factory heat treatment causing some of the actions to distort. Most were caught by QC and never left the factory, some did make it to the consumer causing the issues you read about. If yours is true it's good to go. I'd be very surprised if you could get it hot enough to cause an issue by firing it, even in large volume. Enjoy your Savage, nice rifle in a great chambering!!
 
Matthew Clark said:
You don't happen to know if any of those issues have Merritt or are they fabricated by Savage haters? There has been a fair amount of that done over the years. It's hard to find a real flaw in a rifle that will shoot as good as a rifle costing twice as much so they make stuff up. If it can be proven with facts I'll give criticism Merritt.
I have not experienced any issues as of yet with the mounting system, I'd like to know what to expect if it's possible.
Matthew
Click to expand...

There has also been reported issues with more modern Savages... with untrue scope mount surfaces, so I don't think it's a hater thing. Even the rifles that come with the rail, like my model 10TAC, can have twisted rails, because of the uneven surfaces. I don't know if this is a milling issue, or if the receivers are milled first, then heat treated... I'm not sure of the process. I believe my 10TAC is true, but I steered a friend of mine into a used model 10 (or 110, I forget...) and we had some issues getting it to zero. I didn't mount the scope, he did... but we may wind up pulling it all off and checking the receiver.

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cornfused said:
Mathew Clark...
The problem with the integral mounts wasn't from the action heating from being fired, it was from the factory heat treatment causing some of the actions to distort. Most were caught by QC and never left the factory, some did make it to the consumer causing the issues you read about. If yours is true it's good to go. I'd be very surprised if you could get it hot enough to cause an issue by firing it, even in large volume. Enjoy your Savage, nice rifle in a great chambering!!
Click to expand...
Ok, now that makes sense!
I believe now that I'm thinking clearly, another person tried to convey that very situation and all I heard was heat.
My apologies @Txhillbilly, I didn't get what you were trying to tell me.
Thank you both for clearing that up.
I'm very glad to hear that if I haven't had an issue by now I'm not likely to experience any down the road because it appears it's going to be a real shooter when I get her fine tuned.
 
Matthew Clark said:
Ok, now that makes sense!
I believe now that I'm thinking clearly, another person tried to convey that very situation and all I heard was heat.
My apologies @Txhillbilly, I didn't get what you were trying to tell me.
Thank you both for clearing that up.
I'm very glad to hear that if I haven't had an issue by now I'm not likely to experience any down the road because it appears it's going to be a real shooter when I get her fine tuned.
Click to expand...
No offense taken. I have seen a couple of these in person where the integral scope bases were off far enough that you couldn't mount a scope in the rings without damaging the scope tube
 
I learned something today, didn't know savage ever made integral base receivers! I did know that savage 7mm-08 rifles can be amazingly accurate, the one I used to have was significantly under moa with federal fusion ammo. Hate myself for letting that one get away... Beautiful rifle OP, the work paid off!
 
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