Can this be done easily, will it work and what gunsmith would you recommend?

[charliebrown1999]

Pacific Tool and Gauge will sell me a Savage bolt head replacement diameter .422 but no extractor. they say my existing extractor will transfer. Northland Shooters supply will sell me a replacement Savage varmint barrel cal 22 for the 224 valkyrie but will not install the new bolt head, head space or true up the bolt lugs. I can buy a Savage DBM in 224 that hopefully will fit my Model 12 Savage but if it does not then what? I cannot do any of the work myself. My questions are: 1.Will these parts give me a workable rifle and 2. What gunsmith do you recommend to do the work ?

 

[hereinaz]

NSS can sell what you need to screw together. If you can wrench, you can do it. The DBM probably won't be a problem. I never had a problem mixing and matching Savage stuff.

Don't waste time or money truing a Savage.

Tons of how to on Savage rifles. I learned on them. Just do the extractor/ejector work with it inside a plastic bag so parts don't get lost.

Any competent gunsmith can screw the parts together. If they can't headspace a barrel nut they shouldn't be in business.

 

[Steel head]

My savage has a NSS Barrel and PTG bolt head.
That rifle shoots awesome.

Put it together and try it.
Don’t worry about trueing it.
A polished turd is still just a turd and it won’t do anything anyways.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I'm sure you can replace the extractor and ejector. There's lots of YouTube vids on it.

Follow what hereinaz says as the parts are easy to lose. Putting the whole assembly in a gallon ziploc when you disassemble and assemble the bolt is great advice.

As for the barrel install, it isn't difficult, and again, there's many youtube videos and threads on the internet about how to do it.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

And not to dissuade you from the hide, but there's a forum called Savage Shooters with more info then you'd know what to do with.

 

[hereinaz]

Steel is right, NSS prefits shoot .5 moa or better all the time. Also, Savages have the floating bolt head, so don't benefit accuracy wise from truing. Savage ain't pretty or slick to run, but they can shoot.

Mullisha is 100% bang on. I learned how from videos and from the Savage Shooters forum. I rarely sent anything to a gunsmith, cause prefits always shot better than me.

 

[fdkay]

Pacific Tool and Gauge will sell me a Savage bolt head replacement diameter .422 but no extractor. they say my existing extractor will transfer. Northland Shooters supply will sell me a replacement Savage varmint barrel cal 22 for the 224 valkyrie but will not install the new bolt head, head space or true up the bolt lugs. I can buy a Savage DBM in 224 that hopefully will fit my Model 12 Savage but if it does not then what? I cannot do any of the work myself. My questions are: 1.Will these parts give me a workable rifle and 2. What gunsmith do you recommend to do the work ?

In regards to the bolt head, it is held in place by a single pin. Drive the pin out, the bolt head comes off.
In regards to the extractor, press down and in towards the center of the bolt, it comes right out. CAUTION: there is a small ball bearing and spring inside. best to do this inside a jumbo ziploc bag. reverse the process to install it. Easiest to do if you remove the extractor before removing the bolt head, install the extractor after you've put the new bolt head on the bolt, it gives you something to hold onto.

 

[charliebrown1999]

In regards to the bolt head, it is held in place by a single pin. Drive the pin out, the bolt head comes off.
In regards to the extractor, press down and in towards the center of the bolt, it comes right out. CAUTION: there is a small ball bearing and spring inside. best to do this inside a jumbo ziploc bag. reverse the process to install it. Easiest to do if you remove the extractor before removing the bolt head, install the extractor after you've put the new bolt head on the bolt, it gives you something to hold onto.

GUNNY, Thank you for your step by step information. I really appreciate sharing your knowledge with me. I did not know how to replace or head space a barrel.

 

[308pirate]

GUNNY, Thank you for your step by step information. I really appreciate sharing your knowledge with me. I did not know how to replace or head space a barrel.

He didn't say anything about how to headspace a barrel. Did you look that up somewhere else, by any chance?

Have you used the internet to try to find information on how to do these things?

 

[Halfnutz]

Depending on the year your rifle was made, there have been firing pin diameter changes. Make sure your pin will fit the bolt head you buy. My own and only experience with this was a pre-accutrigger model long action.
To headspace correctly you should disassemble the bolt and have the extractor out.
You'll need Go/no go gages along with a barrel nut wrench. I have gotten good results with a go gage only and a piece of scotch tape (trimmed) on the base of a go gage for minimum headspace.

Again, Savage Shooters and you tube should get you there.

 

[hereinaz]

GUNNY, Thank you for your step by step information. I really appreciate sharing your knowledge with me. I did not know how to replace or head space a barrel.

If you do headspace your own barrel, don't put the ejector in the new bolt head till after you headspace it. Do put the extractor in though.

 

[308pirate]

Pacific Tool and Gauge will sell me a Savage bolt head replacement diameter .422 but no extractor. they say my existing extractor will transfer. Northland Shooters supply will sell me a replacement Savage varmint barrel cal 22 for the 224 valkyrie but will not install the new bolt head, head space or true up the bolt lugs. I can buy a Savage DBM in 224 that hopefully will fit my Model 12 Savage but if it does not then what? I cannot do any of the work myself. My questions are: 1.Will these parts give me a workable rifle and 2. What gunsmith do you recommend to do the work ?

Do you take you car to a mechanic to check tire pressures?