Savage 5100 sxs to cut down?

[Tactical Lever]

Hi guys, I just acquired a nifty Savage side by side in 12 gauge. Looked pretty decent from the pictures I received, but I did know that there was a little problem with a rebluing that it had.

It seems that the brazing on top did not take the bluing (and I guess it shouldn't), and there is silver solder on the bottom that is visible. The receiver is a nice plum colour, but the stock, despite being refinished is rather ho hum, with a few gouges and dents in some rough (amateur?) checkering.

The choke on one side is full, which precludes me from being able to use steel shot for waterfowl.

So, is this a good candidate to cut down to a cool little cowboy/truck gun?

Or should I get ready for a good horse whipping, and being drug down main street out of town?

On the other hand, it may make good trading fodder, and I could buy a cheap Liege with hammers to cut...

[vancelw]

I almost cried when I saw your title....but if the blueing is messed up and you don't want to try and correct it...sounds like a good candidate. Too bad it has extractors instead of ejectors.

[octagon]

I think someone posted here recently that you have no restrictions on barrel length, is that correct?
I would love to have a shorty S/S w 12" barrels in the truck. I mean all three trucks. Regardless, if you just WANT to horsewhipped, contact Mescalero, his rates are quite reasonable, he does house calls, and offers discounts to Canadians, but doesn't speak Canadian. Dragging is extra.

[Tactical Lever]

I almost cried when I saw your title....but if the blueing is messed up and you don't want to try and correct it...sounds like a good candidate. Too bad it has extractors instead of ejectors.

I figured a couple people might cry a little. I thought I wouldn't want to cut it, but after looking at it awhile... Well I'm still not sure, but at least it would be legal (capable) for jump shooting ducks, and kind of cool. Maybe I would "blacken" the barrels, or "brown" them.

Locks up nice, but the wood fit is a little crummy on the butt, and it looks like it may have had a 2nd bead drilled slightly off center at about the 16" mark.

[Tactical Lever]

I think someone posted here recently that you have no restrictions on barrel length, is that correct?
I would love to have a shorty S/S w 12" barrels in the truck. I mean all three trucks. Regardless, if you just WANT to horsewhipped, contact Mescalero, his rates are quite reasonable, he does house calls, and offers discounts to Canadians, but doesn't speak Canadian. Dragging is extra.

Well now! Mighty accommodating bunch here!

We don't have restrictions on "manufactured" barrel length; which means if a company has a manufacturing license they can turn out shotguns with 8" barrels, or 12", or what have you.

The general populace though can not trim a semi auto to less than 18.5", or any other manual action to less than 18" without turning it into a prohibited weapon. (Or maybe just "restricted"; I can't recall right now.) Don't try to make sense of it... Its Canadian law and doesn't have to make sense... That's just how we roll.

I think they are 28, or 26" right now. If I did it, I would take them to a hair over 18"; just cause I'm a little bit of a rebel. Most Canucks will take them back to 19" to avoid confusion and hard take downs from overzealous LE.

[crs]

"The choke on one side is full, which precludes me from being able to use steel shot for waterfowl."

Why is that? Would the plastic shot cup not protect the shot until it left the barrel?

[walks with gun]

I'd cut it, might as well get some use out of it. I've had pretty good luck lightly running a sandblaster over some beat-up guns then cold bluing them, Gives them that TATICAL look I get tired of hearing about. Don't let the lack of ejectors bother you, I don't like them on my doubles, I'm a big time grouse hunter and don't like seeing all those empties people just eject out on the ground, it's not much slower to drop them in a pocket. We'll be seeing pic's of this project won't we.

[86er]

That shotgun is regulated with a barrel wedge that is part of the rib assembly. Cutting it can make your patterns shoot - well - wherever. The full choke can easily be opened so using steel shot is not a problem. There are also options such as bismuth that are non-toxic and will work from full choke. There are a couple of ways to blacken the silver solder area that is showing if you really wanted to re-do it but a full blackening job would cost about as much as the gun is worth.

[Pete44ru]

.

I've never seen a Savage/Stevens double that had exposed brazing or silver solder (and I've examined at least a hundred), so IDK what's up with your gun - maybe an amateur repair ? (along with the checkering ? )

If the stocks are Walnut (look under the butplate), instead of Birch, I would give them a redux, removing the checkering (the 5100 wasn't checkered by the factory, AFAIK) in the process.

IIRC, the buttstock is held on by a through-bolt, so maybe it just needs re-tightening, ILO glas-bedding - for a better fit.

Also, ILO of cutting the 28" bbls (the 26" bbls were only IC/MOD), you could have the full choke relieved to IC or MOD via choke reaming - and shoot steel shot w/o qualms.

+2, on some pics of that puppy.


.

[Tactical Lever]

"The choke on one side is full, which precludes me from being able to use steel shot for waterfowl."

Why is that? Would the plastic shot cup not protect the shot until it left the barrel?

The new chokes are looser as steel does not have the natural lubricity (I think that's the main reason) that lead has. So when firing steel shot through an old tight choke made for lead the gun could be overpressured causing sticky extraction, and I've heard it could split a barrel.

Some well made, strong guns will handle it, but the continued use of steel will open the restriction, and possibly separate the barrels from where they are brazed or soldered together.

[Tactical Lever]

I'd cut it, might as well get some use out of it. I've had pretty good luck lightly running a sandblaster over some beat-up guns then cold bluing them, Gives them that TATICAL look I get tired of hearing about. Don't let the lack of ejectors bother you, I don't like them on my doubles, I'm a big time grouse hunter and don't like seeing all those empties people just eject out on the ground, it's not much slower to drop them in a pocket. We'll be seeing pic's of this project won't we.

The lack of ejectors does not bother me, and I agree all the hulls left all over looks like junk.

[Tactical Lever]

That shotgun is regulated with a barrel wedge that is part of the rib assembly. Cutting it can make your patterns shoot - well - wherever. The full choke can easily be opened so using steel shot is not a problem. There are also options such as bismuth that are non-toxic and will work from full choke. There are a couple of ways to blacken the silver solder area that is showing if you really wanted to re-do it but a full blackening job would cost about as much as the gun is worth.

I have heard this, and others say it does not make a difference??

Its mainly the top that is the somewhat ugly part. For some reason, it looks like the top was brazed, but the bottom has silver solder. The brazing makes it look like old dried bedding compound or glue is stuck to the rib.

[Tactical Lever]

.

I've never seen a Savage/Stevens double that had exposed brazing or silver solder (and I've examined at least a hundred), so IDK what's up with your gun - maybe an amateur repair ? (along with the checkering ? )

If the stocks are Walnut (look under the butplate), instead of Birch, I would give them a redux, removing the checkering (the 5100 wasn't checkered by the factory, AFAIK) in the process.

IIRC, the buttstock is held on by a through-bolt, so maybe it just needs re-tightening, ILO glas-bedding - for a better fit.

Also, ILO of cutting the 28" bbls (the 26" bbls were only IC/MOD), you could have the full choke relieved to IC or MOD via choke reaming - and shoot steel shot w/o qualms.

+2, on some pics of that puppy.

Just measured the barrels, and they are 30". Not sure what kind of wood it is, not bad looking, but plain for the day. The stock is tight, just the wood to metal fit make my Baikal look like a Holland & Holland. Also a little cracked behind the receiver.

Glass bedding might do a little for it, but it kind of looks chipped where it butts up against the metal.

I could ream the barrel out a for steel shot, and I would end up with 2 full steel chokes. Which may not do me any favours.

I really just think that a 12" shorter gun would be a lot handier, and cooler. I wouldn't mind jugging, or back boring it. Not sure how much that would tighten the open choke though.

I will try to post a picture or two.

[Mescalero]

One of my Stevens doubles exhibits the silver solder ugly spots, it might have been messed with before I got it.

[vancelw]

I'd cut it, might as well get some use out of it. I've had pretty good luck lightly running a sandblaster over some beat-up guns then cold bluing them, Gives them that TATICAL look I get tired of hearing about. Don't let the lack of ejectors bother you, I don't like them on my doubles, I'm a big time grouse hunter and don't like seeing all those empties people just eject out on the ground, it's not much slower to drop them in a pocket. We'll be seeing pic's of this project won't we.

The lack of ejectors does not bother me, and I agree all the hulls left all over looks like junk.

For a ply/plinking/hunting gun it wouldn't bother me, either. For self defense, I would want ejectors or a barrel that the empties would free fall out of.

[Pete44ru]

Just measured the barrels, and they are 30".

Savage/Stevens 30" bbls were always choked FULL/FULL; the 28" bbl's could be had either FULL/FULL or MOD/FULL.

AFAIK, all Savage/Stevens doubles (incl 30" bbls) were regulated & hard soldered before the upper/lower ribs were added (soldered on), so the barrels can be shortened w/o effecting the regulation, as the soldered-on ribs will hold them in position - but I would recommend a solid filler be added (epoxied, so as not to effect the soldered-on ribs) in the gap between the shortened bbls.

If you feel it's worth it, new/replacment buttstocks are readily available online.


.