Looking into upgrading my Savage 11VT rifle. The factory synthetic stock is actually very comfortable, but not much to look at and I'd like a vertical grip instead of the old school rifle grip. I'd also like to flute the barrel and bolt and make some other cosmetic upgrades. It's a good shooter, so I don't really see any need for blueprinting or a barrel upgrade or anything like that.

I'm talking with Derrick @ Horizon about upgrading it, but I'm not sure what kind of budget the warden (wife) is going to let me have yet. If it's insufficient to do what I really want, I might end up going with a Boyds stock and no fluting, muzzle threading, etc. that I would have Derrick do.

Question 1: if I go to the Boyds, would I have to buy new bottom metal? If so, who makes the most popular one and how much is it? My 11VT has a detachable mag, but it's a plastic mag and the receptacle appears to be molded into the stock. Also, has anyone here got the high-grade walnut from Boyds? If so, can you post a picture?

Question 2: how hard is it to inlet the barrel channel for a varmint/heavy barrel? (not quite a 100% bull barrel I don't think) I don't know anything about bedding/pillaring and don't particularly have any desire to learn about it. Should I just have a gunsmith do all of this including inletting the barrel channel or is the bedding/pillaring even necessary?

CDI Precision is a popular bottom metal. And Jeff, over there will inlet your stock for free. His bottom metal accepts the very popular Accuracy International mags. Choose between 5 or 10 round mags.

You can open up your barrel channel with a bipod, some emory cloth between barrel and stock, and some patience. It ends with perfectly parrallel lines between barrel and barrel channel, as well as a free-floated barrel.

Thanks Jason! Exactly what I was wanting to know.

why not get the stock for a heavy barrel and you wont have to do anything, i put a boyds stock channeled for heavy barrel on my gun that has a sporter barrel, just in case later i put a custom heavy barrel on it. id get the stock and bolt it up and see how it shoots first before doing any bedding.
i mounted mine on a 22-250 and its a 1/2 moa gun like it is no bedding.

i have another gun i got pillar bedded and didnt even see a gain in accuracy

I didn't realize you could get the stock already cut for a heavy barrel? What model Savage do you have? I didn't see that option available for a model 11 (which is what I have).

How do you like your Boyds stock? Which model did you get? What finish?

sorry i have a weatherby but i assumed they all come in heavy channel.
mines a green laminate thumbhole