I have a savage 110 pre accutrigger .243 that I have questions about rebarreling with a heavier contoured .284 barrel chambered in 7-08. My end goal is an exceptionally accurate and somewhat heavy rifle for targets and stand hunting. I know several of you on here have made some impressive long range rigs out of savage actions, so I was looking for guidance. How involved and expensive roughly, does a rebarreling job run? I used to see in the classifieds group buys on Shaw barrels, but haven't in quite a while. What would be some good, yet moderately proved barrels to choose from?

I've heard good and bad about shaw barrels. I think they are the most affordable and the only one I ever owned was very accurate.

I would go with shilen for a few dollars more.

Savage is great because it's a DIY rifle. If you get the prefit barrel all you need is the go and no go gauges and the barrel wrench. Which are of course reuseable. The wrench fits all savages and the gauges fit the .308 family.

It took me a torch and a big hammer to get the nut off. Scary as heck. Very rewarding though.

I've seen some Shaw barrels recently with some ugly machining marks (internally). Check out McGowen, they've really stepped it up in terms of Savage pre-fit chamberings, contours, etc. I'd start there. Shilen of course makes a great barrel. No issue there.

I'd also go out to the savageshooters forum and look at the vendor section. Jim Briggs (Northland Shooters Supply) is a vendor there, and usually has a list of the Savage barrels that he has ready to go.

Otherwise, if you can turn a wrench, you can pretty much install a Savage barrel.

Thanks for the info, I am interested in seeing what I can turn it into. Not trying to be too cheap, but if I can save money and still make reasonable upgrades to barrel and trigger and eventually the stock, I will be pleased.

Find a pre-fit barrel of good quality, and it should do you fine. I wouldn't go lighter than a #4 contour. Shaw barrels are ok, I have 1 of them on an AR in 223. But for the minor amount extra for a Shilen (or other top brand), I'd go that route. If you get a go gauge, you can add 2 layers of masking tape on the case head, for .007" which will give you a no-go gauge. It's a simple way to increase the head space.

I have what you're describing in a 308 in a HS stock. Although I've only shot about 80rds at 100yds, so far it seems very promising. I got a shilen pre-fit and it was easy. My smith only charged me $50 to replace the barrel and deal with an extractor problem I had. Super easy and a great way to change up your rifle.

How light are you wanting the trigger to be? I polished and set my factory trigger myself and it is excellent. Better than on the Tikka's. The only draw back was about #3 was as low as it would go safely. They say some will go to #2 but I could beat mine into the floor hard enough at 2 to make it fire. Just fine for my 338-06 walk around hunting rifle but a bit heavy for target. Savageshootersforum has all the info on the trigger job. It's free, gives you a sense of accomplishment, and if you don't like it you can then buy an aftermarket trigger.

I have a 116 action and thinking of rebarreling it next year. Prolly be going with a shilen pre chambered barrel. just dont know what caliber yet..

Get hold of Gunshack.They are a great source of Mcgowan and Shaw barrels.They are in Texas and carry everything you need to change your rifle to whatever you want.Give them a call and they can set you up right,good prices and consumer support.

I built my precision rifle off a savage action and used a Criterion barrel. I bought it from Jim at Northern Shooters supply. I would hit him up and see what he has in a prefit for your savage. I bought the action wrench and barrel nut wrench from him so I could do all my own work on it. Its nice to have the tools but next time I would probably look into renting them as Ive only needed them one time when I built the gun and wont need them until I shoot this barrel out. Also you can rent Headspace gauges as well which you will only need to get your headspacing right before you lock the barrel down.

If you talk to him about the barrel he can explain how to headspace the rifle using only a Go gauge so you dont have to rent both. It will give you good tight headspacing and save a lot of stretching on your brass as well in case you reload.

Thanks again for the info, what rate twist would be good for mid weight 7-08 projectiles?

1:10" twist would be a good one.

On a second thought, I am trying to decide if I should do this project with the savage or the tikka action, I assume working with a tikka will be more expensive and less available parts?

And you will not be able to do the work yourself unless you have extensive metal working tools.

Mine is built off a savage. If I had the choice between a savage and a tikka would have gone with the tikka. The savage leaves a lot to be desired in the bolt throw. The smoothness of the tikka action alone would be my selling point. I'd talk to Chad about the gunsmithing he had a guy building some really accurate rifles off tikka actions.

IMO, Tikka all the way. Tikka has many after market options, and growing. The Tikka action is so much smoother, even more than most custom actions. When you look at a Tikka action, it has all the accuracy enhancements built into the action that some high end actions have. It has a flat/angled bottom, larger recoil lug, longer threads for the barrel and action to mate up, and a solid rail going across the top of the action. All these are important when accuracy is considered. The Tikka's we've built have been hammers. I know Savage can make a good rifle, but at the end of the day, you still have a Savage. I think Tikka has more features to get to a better end product.

I would agree and I shoot a savage!

Sent you a PM

Where can you rent the action wrench/go-no-go gauges?

We've rented gauges from these guys in past. No complaints: http://www.reamerrentals.com/

Well currently I have streamlined and sold off all other scoped bolt rifles except my main three "deer rifles" : a savage 110 .243, a tikka 7-08, and a Remington 700 ADL .270. All of them are good, to great, shooters albeit rather plain. I am wanting to consolidate even further and just have 2 7mm-08 for my wife and I. The tikka is by far the best handling, and shooting. So I am trying to decide between selling the other two to buy a tikka and then have some work done to it, or just sell the Remington 700 and use the savage as the base for the new project. Culling and choosing hasn't been easy thus far.