SAVAGE SAFETY WARING!

On my last hunt i had an issue with the safety on my rifle (Savage Model14 American classic .308), i tried to release it and it was stuck tight, there was a round in the chamber and the bolt handle was locked down.

I took a minute to think about the problem, pointed the rifle in a safe direction and forced the safety forward, as it went it let the firing pin forward, no bang but a major concern all the same. I didn't tell the others and didn't put another round in the chamber for the rest of the trip.

Once home i removed the rifle from the stock and inspected the trigger mechanism. (I have previously removed the accutrigger and inspection showed this had no impact on the problem) It seems that over time the trigger has worn away slightly to the point where if the trigger is squeezed while the safety is engaged it will let the sear move back to a point that only the safety is holding it.

I called the NZ distributor as soon as they opened on Saturday morning and told them of the problem, they asked to see it so i took it in to show them (2hr round trip) They said it was odd and hadn't encountered it before, it wasn't a warranty issue and the replacement trigger would be at my cost (I am happy to pay for a safe reliable rifle).

The shop staff didn't seem to care but i don't want to see anyone accidentally discharge a round in any direction, so please if you have a savage firearm, check the safety! Close the bolt on an empty chamber, engage the safety, give the trigger a firm squeeze, take your finger away from the trigger and then release the safety.

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The shop staff never called me back and when i called them today, a trigger had come in but it was the wrong one, there are none in the country and next shipment is two months away. I suggested it would be quicker and easier for me to buy a replacement out of the USA to which he agreed .
I asked for a deal on another rifle the same, so i could swap out the trigger until a replacement arrived and was quoted shelf price with no room for negotiation.

I'm totally dissapointed and dissillusioned at the lack of care and customer service Today IS the last time i ever deal with the importer/distributor of Savage arms in New Zealand!

Keep Luke's Model 7?

Contact Savage directly and let them know everything.

Thanks for that Savage. I have a Savage Axis in 30-06 that I will check this weekend as that is the rifle I was planning to take on my roar trip this year.

Does sound unusual and worrying - as said above contact Savage directly, they make a big deal about safety so I expect they will be very interested, its not something I've heard of happening before.

When you say you removed the accutrigger, do you mean that you replaced it with an aftermarket trigger? Or removed and re-installed the same one?

How old is the rifle??? Sounds to me like it most definitly should have been a warranty issue!!! They could have atleast offered to swap out tge trigger

Stupid phone!!!

With one on the shelf themselves!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Rushy

Thanks for that Savage. I have a Savage Axis in 30-06 that I will check this weekend as that is the rifle I was planning to take on my roar trip this year.

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The axis is a completely different action and trigger, but I guess no matter what your rifle is it never hurts to check the safety from time to time.

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Originally Posted by GravelBen

Does sound unusual and worrying - as said above contact Savage directly, they make a big deal about safety so I expect they will be very interested, its not something I've heard of happening before.

When you say you removed the accutrigger, do you mean that you replaced it with an aftermarket trigger? Or removed and re-installed the same one?

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I removed the Accutrigger (metal pretrigger if you like) the first Savage rifle i had got a pice of twig in it preventing me firing a shot at a deer.

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Originally Posted by baldbob

How old is the rifle??? Sounds to me like it most definitly should have been a warranty issue!!! They could have atleast offered to swap out tge trigger

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I brought the rifle new in August 2011, probably been into the bush 50-80 times maybe fired 150 rounds?

"I brought the rifle new in August 2011, probably been into the bush 50-80 times maybe fired 150 rounds?"

There is such a thing as the CGA, an 18month old rifle hardly used (150 rounds) would I think fall under a free replacement/fix. They also have to repair it in a reasonable time, 2 months wouldn't be it for me. There should be a CAB about I'd suggest asking them for advice.

Oh and as others have said I'd email savage and comment.

regards

Yep i agree with steven.. such a major mechanical failure is acceptable!!! I have a savage 22mag done 2000 odd rounds and shes still goin strong and hope it continues to. .

Yeah This is bloody acceptable!!!!! :D

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Originally Posted by SAVAGE

I removed the Accutrigger (metal pretrigger if you like) the first Savage rifle i had got a pice of twig in it preventing me firing a shot at a deer.

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The blade is a pretty fundamental part of the accutrigger mechanism (IIRC it blocks the sear until depressed), did you consult a gunsmith about it before making a modification like that? Could well be you've caused the problem yourself.

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Originally Posted by GravelBen

The blade is a pretty fundamental part of the accutrigger mechanism (IIRC it blocks the sear until depressed), did you consult a gunsmith about it before making a modification like that? Could well be you've caused the problem yourself.

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That is what voids warranty. I have put it back in, and it only blocks the sear only if it passes the trigger, But jams up there instead.

I would imagine when you altered the trigger you also voided the warranty?

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Originally Posted by savage270

I would imagine when you altered the trigger you also voided the warranty?

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Exactly! As you would read in my inital post, i don't expect it to replaced under warranty.

Ah Tussock, this thread isn't about warrantys, parts or dealers, it's about safety and checking your rifle! While trying to upload a video of the suspected problem to photobucket, i found the problem, not a worn trigger but an adjustment screw between the trigger and safety has moved (perhaps oil or solvent has worked it's way in?)

This is what i thought the problem was, you can see the shiny piece on the trigger:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...psa593443b.jpg

This was the actual problem:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps298ca755.jpg

Even with the Accutrigger blade in place, a good hard pull on the trigger the rifle would fire. I will keep persevering with my video upload so you can see what i mean.

Interesting - might have to pull mine apart for a look, though I've put plenty of rounds through (thousands through the 22!) and never had any problems.

Be interested to hear if you find what loosened the screw - would you have adjusted it when you took the blade out of the accutrigger the first time?

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Originally Posted by GravelBen

Be interested to hear if you find what loosened the screw - would you have adjusted it when you took the blade out of the accutrigger the first time?

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The screw was wet, like oil or solvent, no smell though. There is no "screw head" as such, just a threaded piece of bar, i have never touched it before tonight to be able to loosen it, this is the 4th savage rifle i have owned that i've removed the Accutrigger blade and never had a problem before a week ago.

Here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzV1wDFeMqU

Vid is private

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

When it comes to triggers I'd only be letting the qualified guy look at it. They see hundreds of em and are more likely to spot undue wear.

I'd say the reason savage didnt seem too helpful is because you might have put them in a high risk situation. If they agree to help you and they fail to see any other 'mods' then they are still liable for anything that happens afterwards.

Trouble is - most of us like to tinker haha.

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Originally Posted by Dead is better

Trouble is - most of us like to tinker haha.

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Not me DIB. I buy a rifle and figure it to be good to go!

Hmmm interesting, ive got a Stevens 200, an offshoot (no pun intended) of the Savage company.... haven't played around, and dont intend too, good job you found the 'culprit' Savage....big peace of mind!!!!!!!

The Stevens is dead easy to tweak the trigger on Scouser, and well worth doing.

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Originally Posted by Tussock

Its not really a savage safety issue if you removed an integral safety feature of the trigger assembly.

Im not 100% sure what the issue is. You reckon its worn down over time, but its been fired 150 times since 2011?

The accutrigger is an integral part of the trigger. I think your problem is with your trigger mod. I have an original accutrigger, one of the first batch in my hand right now. Its been used and abused more than most rifles. Its functioning fine. Iv just done everything horrible I can think of to it and no malfunction.

What used to happen on the centerfires (that ones a rimfire) is that when you pulled the trigger without the accutrigger blade (by pressing obliquely on the trigger) the whole thing would lock up. My 6 ounce accutrigger could be given a firm thump on the but and it would lock up. Im not sure what would happen if you did this with the accutrigger removed, and the safety involved, but I doubt it would be pretty.

My guess is you had the safety on, gave it a whack or a bump that should have engaged the accutriggers mechanism, which I think is part of the safety, but it was not there to do its job, so then the safety was holding the firing pin back.

Either way, a whole lot of Savage bashing for a dodgy trigger, when you pulled out a very important part of that trigger. Getting a new trigger is really your issue, not the distributors. Even though I think the mark up on them is just a piss take, hes not really obliged to drop it for you if you broke your rifle messing round with it in the first place.

Title should read "Savage Safety Warning, Leave your accutrigger intact!"

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Your right about the mark up being a piss take, they are $750. CHEAP!!! Meant to be $885 USD.

Savage American Classic 7mm-08 | Trade Me

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Originally Posted by Wirehunt

The Stevens is dead easy to tweak the trigger on Scouser, and well worth doing.

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Yeah Wirehunt, ive downloaded the web page to do it, have been thinking of having a 'play'......

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Originally Posted by Dangerous Dan

Your right about the mark up being a piss take, they are $750. CHEAP!!! Meant to be $885 USD.

Savage American Classic 7mm-08 | Trade Me

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Thats by far the cheapest I've seen them to be fair (and the reason I got a Classic instead of a Lightweight ;) ), I'm guessing to clear out excess stock as its only very limited calibers available at that price. Usually they'd be a lot more expensive - that $885 USD would be over 1k NZ before you even think about importing costs, shipping, overheads etc.

Sorry to jump on this bandwagon so late, but the original post (what you thought was wrong in the first place) is pretty much exactly what happened with my rifle. Not enough 'meat' on the sear. Luckily I found out in the safety of an environment with no rounds (cleaning and doing functions test) :) I swapped out the whole trigger with a new one, thanks to the crazy Wellington yank gunsmith.

Do your safety precautions and functions test with each strip and assemble :)

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Originally Posted by Dougie

Sorry to jump on this bandwagon so late, but the original post (what you thought was wrong in the first place) is pretty much exactly what happened with my rifle. Not enough 'meat' on the sear. Luckily I found out in the safety of an environment with no rounds (cleaning and doing functions test) :) I swapped out the whole trigger with a new one, thanks to the crazy Wellington yank gunsmith.

Do your safety precautions and functions test with each strip and assemble :)

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You stripping that rifle down already Dougie? It has only just been put together.

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Originally Posted by Rushy

You stripping that rifle down already Dougie? It has only just been put together.

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Strip and assemble as in...just the bolt taken out. Not much else this soldier can do ;) I got the smith to sort out the rest.

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Originally Posted by Dougie

Strip and assemble as in...just the bolt taken out. Not much else this soldier can do ;) I got the smith to sort out the rest.

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Oh that is OK then. I had visions of the old days with blindfold on and an SLR stripped down to be reassembled. Mind you they were useful skills back then.

Okay ringing my bell here...

Fastest strip and assemble of the IW styer in the whole of Raffa Coy right here....yeahhhhyaaaaaa Hinton Platoon represent!!! I am the undefeated champion :D

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Originally Posted by Tussock

Just about my favorite scene from forest gump actually. "PRIVATE GUMP, WHY DID YOU DIS-ASSEMBLE YOUR WEAPON SO QUICKLY?", "BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME TO DRILL SERGEANT".

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I like the story behind the actor practising in his flat for the movie hot fuz, complete with blind fold. He said it was a noisy operation and with the light putting some interesting shadows on his curtains a neighbour phoned the police to complain. After doing a strip down and reassembly he put his hands in the air before lowering the blind fold to see a few members of the UK AOS pointing their firearms at him. With all the noise he hadn't heard them. They stated that if he'd picked up the weapon at the end of it rather than putting his hands in the air they would have shot him.

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Originally Posted by Tussock

I feel there must be something more to this, because even the 6 ounce model would not do that. It slam fired like nothing else, but it warned about that on the side of the action.

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Out of interest did it actually fire a round or did it just release the sear to click against the blocking part of the blade?

Ah yup. Looking at diagram of the trigger I would have thought no matter how light the main trigger the blade would still block the sear, maybe the target version had a few other changes not just weight. Or I'm just not understanding the mechanics of it well enough! :XD:

Did it do it with safety on as well?


ETA: I see the chuck hawks review of the F-class he had it drop the sear by closing the bolt hard but it didn't fire just hit the blade. The interweb tells me the target version has a different sear angle as well as lighter spring so maybe thats a factor.

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Originally Posted by Tussock

Hilarious but a little retarded. 6 armed men cant take a partially assembled rifle off a blindfolded fat guy in skimpy shorts,who doesn't know they are there?

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Agreed, and they would have seen that was empty too! Figured it was just to put the wind up him. They would have had an interesting time writing up the report.