I restocked my savage with a Boyds stock. They do not make one for the 11FC. So what they sent didn't fit. My neighbor and I had to re-inlet the magazine well and cut the opening for the magazine. We had to use a milling machine as a router or saw would have been uncontrollable. I used a Pachmayr Decelerator and sanded it to fit. The finish is Minwax Gunstock with 5 coats of satin lacquer. I drilled out and centered the bolt holes because they were way off center. I using 4500 psi epoxy for pillars. The action was fiberglass bedded and the barrel floated. The added weight of the stock made the recoil less then before. This made it much nicer to shoot. It also made for a really balanced rifle.

I have to say I wasn't expecting this kind of accuracy from a stock change. This was a tamed down elk load consisting of a 165 grain Barnes XFB, 42 grains of Varget, Winchester LR Magnum primers, neck sized pre-fired Remington brass. I set the bullet out as far as I could. It is only .010 inches shorter then the magazine. I used a Lee factory crimp to keep the bullets seated during recoil.

I fired 12 shots total. 3 were for windage and elevation adjustments. The first 3 shot group was a clean 1/2". The second group started out great 2 bullets touching. The third shot I flinched when the guy next to me shot his 30/30. I decided to shoot 2 more to see if I could repeat the first group. They shot into the fist two holes making for a 7/16" ragged hole. This rifle has never shot to 1/2" of less groups in a row. I have shot 2 other groups before the stock change that are a little tighter using H335 and 150 grain Sierra Game Kings, but nothing this consistent. I always considered them to be exceptions not the rule. Normally this is a true 3/4" to 1" rifle. I would have loved to shot a few more groups but I ran out of time after getting my sons NEF 243 sighted in for this years youth hunt.

I am not surprised. I've been trying to tell people for years now how well the savages shoot. Sounds like you replaced the only "fault" with their guns. Their laminates are excellent, the wood ones tolerable, but the synthetics are the most sorry excuse for a stock I have ever seen (except the Choate and McMillans they use on select models).

I understand wanting to offer a good rifle to the public at a very reasonable price. Savage has done this for years. I have found that the blind box models shoot very well out of the box. Most under 1" @ 100 yards! I was very disappointed when I bought my detachable box magazine model 11 rifle 10 years ago. It shot factory ammo at about 1 1/2" @ 100 yards. I was able to tighten up the groups by custom loading my own ammo. I stiffened up the forend to guard against forend to barrel contact. I also reworked the trigger to 2 lbs. As I had stated before it became as good as my wife's stock model 11 blind box model shooting just under an 1" @ 100 yards. Good enough for a sporter weight hunting rifle. I have never liked the feel of plastic. However, I do liked the consistency a good synthetic stock provides.

I decided to find a stock for the Savage model 11FC. After scouring the internet and local gun shows, I couldn't find anyone who offered a replacement stock to fit the 11FC. I decided to change the rifle to a blind box model so I ordered an unfinished laminated RS model stock from boyds. After a 6 month wait my new Boyds stock arrived. Once I got to looking at the savage, I couldn't see any way to remove the magazine guide box from the action. So I would have to cut the box opening into the bottom of the stock. The stock was in fair condition anyway so I figured what the hell. They used a random orbit sander on the stock that left deep squiggly marks in the wood. I had to sand and sand and sand to remove them. They also didn't get the action screws drilled in the center of the stock. I ended up using a step bit to cut cove shaped holes that I filled in with 4500 psi epoxy. If I didn't have access to a milling machine, it wouldn't have turned out so nice. After about 20 hours of inletting work and another 10 hours of finish work, it really looks and works great. Getting 1/2" groups at 100 yards far exceeded my expectations. I am one very happy camper... If I could figure out how to post some pics, and the target I would. Not to brag, as this was a joint effort.