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Gunsmithing Missouri savage gunsmiths?

Redandwhite_72

Redandwhite_72

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 3, 2014
96
1
Missouri
Anyone know of a good, reputable savage gunsmith in missouri or kansas? Trying not to have to ship my gun if I don't have to. Looking to get it trued and rebarreled. I know of GAP in KC but they seem high compared to others on the internet. I have talked to them a couple of times and they don't seem very friendly or willing to help either.
 
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Kevin Rayhill. He's in Nebraska (I think) but is a very good Savage smith.

That said, you don't need a gunsmith to rebarrel a Savage, you can do it yourself in 15 minutes.
 
Redandwhite_72 said:
True, you are correct. However, I'm going to do away with the barrel nut.
Click to expand...

Been thinking about doing the same thing with mine, I know it sort of defeats the purpose of a Savage, but I have access to all the machinery and tooling needed to rebarrel.

Ben
 
Boilerup, you kind have got me thinking. What do you guys on this forum recommend. Keep the nut or do away with it. Are the prefit/drop in barrels so good that one would never notice an accuracy difference?
 
IMO:

The biggest benefit of owning a Savage is the ability to DIY barrel swap via the barrel nut, saving time and expense. Go to a traditional shouldered barrel and you've totally negated that benefit; in that case, you might as well use a 700 action and take advantage of the benefits it provides (aftermarket, etc.).

As for accuracy of prefits...yeah, they're good. I'd never go so far as to say they'll shoot inside of the capability of a custom cut rifled barrel chambered and installed by a top gunsmith, but I would say there's probably few people that could actually shoot the difference. There's a story on AccurateShooter of a teenage girl that has won a couple competitions using a Savage with Criterion 6BR barrel, so...yeah.

There may be benefit in having a Savage action "trued and timed" (the timing helps improve the bolt lift via modification of the cocking mechanism ramps on the bolt body and a couple other things) but its improvement on sheer accuracy potential is probably slim to none for a tactical-style shooter.
 
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Crescent Customs, GAP, Rivers Bend Gun Company in alpha order.

I know that members get tired of me posting the same thing over and over again, but please consider using a local smith. You will find
that if you use your rifle as a working rifle (not a safe queen) and shoot it you will find that being able to call ahead, make an appointment
and have them help you with any issues it is worth every dollar you spend. If you are within driving distance of KC use one of these 3 and
you will not be disappointed with the finished product or the customer service!

Respectfully,

Chet
 
Thanks Chet. Im an hour from Kansas city. I sent crescent an email today, as they were referred by another member also. I appreciate everyone's input. I'm now torn on what I should do.

I had planned on a 280 AI with a lilja barrel. But the talk about the nut made me think I should just get a drop in barrel. It would save a lot of money, now anyway. I wouldn't have to wait to use the barrel til I could save up for the gunsmithing. Then I could just have the action blueprinted as I saved up for it. Or I could make over one of my remingtons next. Wow, decisions decisions.
 
You not find a better savage smith or nicer guy than cameron fairbairn in marshfield, mo.
 
Flint Hills Gun Works in Manhattan, KS. Good people to work with and good prices.
 
DIY
260 CBI barrel 28" 300.00
tools 160.00 can use over an over
then you can change to any barrel you have or want to have, no down time
An you can get this, first 30 rds shot

e7dp95.jpg
 
ok i'm just wondering why you would go that route with a savage. the bolt head "floats" so trueing isn't going to give ya much if anything. timing will help with operation but I don't think it will help with accuracy. getting rid of the barrel nut for a custom barrel might improve accuracy a bit. we put a shilen barrel on my son's savage and it was shooting under half a minute. took us a total of an hour to swap barrels as he wasn't sure about me and the torch to free up the locktite on the scope rail. or just wanting to do something different? that I get.
 
GAP threads all my stuff but that's all they do. Cameron gets the rest of my business.

Wow look at all the Missouri guys coming out of the woodwork. Until now I only knew of about 5 of us in Mo. :)
 
Does anyone have the contact for river bend gun company. I tried to talk to gap today. Called 3x and no body ever answered.
 
3DHUSKER said:
GAP threads all my stuff but that's all they do. Cameron gets the rest of my business.

Wow look at all the Missouri guys coming out of the woodwork. Until now I only knew of about 5 of us in Mo. :)
Click to expand...

With the machine shop, you don't have to send anything to GAP if you didn't need to. Cam will build an absolute hammer out of a Savage, you should of seen the 7 WSM he just built for a friend of mine. I'll put his work with anyone in the country. His character is even greater...
 
SFree said:
With the machine shop, you don't have to send anything to GAP if you didn't need to. Cam will build an absolute hammer out of a Savage, you should of seen the 7 WSM he just built for a friend of mine. I'll put his work with anyone in the country. His character is even greater...
Click to expand...

Yep I have known him for 20 years and he has done lots of stuff for ME, I have him on speed dial. Now for sending things to GAP... We will just leave it at....I send what I want, where I want. :)
 
SFree said:
With the machine shop, you don't have to send anything to GAP if you didn't need to. Cam will build an absolute hammer out of a Savage, you should of seen the 7 WSM he just built for a friend of mine. I'll put his work with anyone in the country. His character is even greater...
Click to expand...
And I have you to thank for the 7wsm he built for "us" which is on its second barrel!
 
3DHUSKER said:
Yep I have known him for 20 years and he has done lots of stuff for ME, I have him on speed dial. Now for sending things to GAP... We will just leave it at....I send what I want, where I want. :)
Click to expand...

Never said ya couldn't or shouldn't, just saying somethin ya didn't already know:)

19Scout77 said:
And I have you to thank for the 7wsm he built for "us" which is on its second barrel!
Click to expand...

Scout!
Yup, Cam kept it in the "family" and continues to do so! Hope the rifle still has the "mojo"! Cam built a Savage LA mag for a friend in Lebanon, MO, 7 WSM and throated for 180 Bergers that defies description, especially in that nut case's hands...:eek:
 
I want to thank all of you for your help. After all that, I decided to go with a prefit from sin arms. He has good prices and his wait time is suppose to be no more than it would be ordering a blank from Lilja. He said roughly 14 weeks. Hopefully it's that or less. And this way I'll keep the nut and be able to switch barrels myself still.
 
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