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Sorting a Savage Part 1 By Laurie Holland


Three-Screw


My 223 Savage uses the company’s single-shot PTA (Precision-Target Action) which shares many components with the standard Model 10, 11 and 12 versions used in sporters and tactical models and is derived from the same design and manufacturing philosophy. It is only seen in the company’s Precision- Target rifle range comprising its Benchrest, F Class, F/TR and Palma models and the single-shot Long Range Precision Varmint (LRPV) series rifles. It’s also available as an action only kit including the recoil lug and barrel locking nut for custom builds, which is how mine started life.


Changes from the ‘cooking’ version of the action include a modified AccuTrigger assembly that can be set to a much lighter pull, a larger diameter and heavier gauge receiver with a small loading port on the side – and of course being single-shot, a solid floor. Finally, while standard Model 12s have two action- bolts, the PTA employs three and the front pair’s spacing is different too. This provides a much stiffer component than standard magazine versions and it has acquired an excellent competition provenance with US Team Savage F/TR shooters performing very well in world class events, including making up half of the victorious US F/TR squad in the last F Class World Championships’ team matches at Bisley in 2009. I’m not sure why Savage Arms added the third (rear) bedding screw, but I do know that the torque it’s tightened to has a significant effect on group sizes. Tuning this setting and sorting the ammunition will be covered next month in the concluding part of the article.


Not all modern single-shot Savage rifles have the PTA. Stuart Anselm (foreground) uses a Model 12BVSS varmint job rebuilt as a .308 Win F/TR rifle in a 2008 Blair Atholl league round. The competitor behind Stuart has a factory Savage 12 F/TR model with the PT action.


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