Savage 110 BA

The Savage 110 BA is a bolt-action sniper/tactical rifle manufactured by the Savage Arms Company. The rifle is designated with an "LE" code; "Law Enforcement". All 110 BA series rifles are configured with AccuTrigger, matte-blued barreled action, fluted heavy free-floating, muzzle brake, oversized bolt handle, external box magazine (holding 5 - 6 rounds), magpul adjustable stock, adjustable pistol grip, and three swivel studs for sling and bipod mounting.

The Savage 110 BA is similar to the Savage Model 10 rifles (10 BAS-K and 10 BAT/S-K). Whereas the Model 10 rifles are short actions rifles the 110 BA uses a long action.

Stock/Grip
The 110 BA comes with a Magpul Industries PRS-G3 stock. The stock is considered a precision Rifle/Sniper stock. The stock includes an adjustable length of pull and an adjustable cheek rest for customization to the operator's requirements. The adjustments are achieved via rotating dials that incrementally move the butt plate and cheek rest respectively back and forth or up and down. The stock features a rubber recoil pad with an aluminum core for reduced fatigue and stainless steel adjustment shafts for corrosion resistance. Molded from nylon reinforced polymer. The stock includes an adapter for sling mounting.

The 110 BA also comes stock with a Heckler & Koch PSG1 style pistol grip. The grip is a target-type grip which contains an adjustable palm shelf. A hex bolt rather than a rotating dial tightens or loosens the palm shelf. Loosening the bolt allows for the palm rest to move up and down to accommodate the shooters hand size. Tightening the bolt locks the rest into a set position that is now customized to the shooters hand size.

Sights
The Savage 110 BA rifle is provided with pre-drilled holes for attachment of a Picatinny rail system; which the rifle comes with. The picatinny rail allows for a variety of add-ons. The rail is long enough to mount a scope towards the receiver end and can accommodate such devices as night vision in "front" of the scope. The rail system also has two side mounts for additional devices such as flashlights or laser sighting.

The lack of iron sights is because Savage expects users of this rifle to utilize telescopic sights as opposed to iron sights. Telescopic sights are not only more precise, but a "must" for the extreme long distances that this rifle is capable of achieving. A scope is not included because the choice of a particular scope can be a very personal selection that involves a shooters particular taste, comfort, and opinion which are all subjective. Factors that some shooters use to determine a particular scope are: weight, magnification, size, clarity, and many other features.

Trigger
The 110 BA comes with the Savage Arms developed "AccuTrigger". This trigger is intended to give a shooter the flexibility to set trigger pull to individual preference without having to pay a gunsmith to adjust it. The trigger can be adjusted from 6.5 to 26 N (1.5 to 6 lbf). Savage claims that even when adjusted to its lowest setting, the AccuTrigger is completely safe and cannot accidentally discharge during normal use from being jarred or dropped when maintained and adjusted as intended.

Inner workings
The AccuTrigger is designed with what Savage calls "an integrated AccuRelease" system that must be completely depressed or the rifle cannot fire. While pulling the trigger, the AccuRelease is intentionally depressed, which unblocks the sear and allows the rifle to discharge. This feature is claimed as a basis for improvement in accuracy hence the name "accutrigger" a variant of "accurate trigger".

Adjustment
Savage claims adjustment of the AccuTrigger is a simple process. Removal of the stock is necessary where rotation of an adjustment spring is required. This is accomplished utilizing the Savage supplied tool. The AccuTrigger has a single adjustment location and is designed so it cannot be adjusted below the minimum setting. This adjustment feature is yet another example of the built-in customization design of this rifle. Customization allows users to adjust the rifle to their own personal comforts and preferences which can equate to accuracy improvement.

Heavy barrel
The 110 BA includes a fluted heavy barrel that is free-floating which provides high accuracy. Thicker barrels are generally stiffer, and thus deflect less when a force is applied, such as when a forearm touches a barrel. A heavier barrel also tends to vibrate less when fired, thus sending bullets more consistently in the same direction. Their greater weight (within reason) makes it easier to hold the rifle steady. For all of these reasons, heavy barrels are generally more accurate than lighter barrels. The "flutes" are essentially grooves that are cut into the length of the barrel to help it dissipating heat. There are many arguments for and against fluted barrels; but whatever the take Savage decided that fluting this barrel on the 110 BA was a good idea.

Free-floating
A free-floating barrel means that the barrel does not touch the stock that is connected to it except at the very end near the receiver and bolt end; where it is attached. The advantage to this design is that there is less vibration resonance. This means that as bullets are fired down the barrel their energy is usually channeled down the edges of the barrel. If the barrel were touching the stock throughout its entire length the energy traveling down the barrel would be transferred to the stock. This transference of energy to the stock would thus cause resonance which results in prolongation of vibrations by reflection. The effect of this is that the entire rifle tends to vibrate which causes inaccuracy as accuracy is a product of stability and not movement. A barrel that is free-floating thus eliminates these problems.

Muzzle Brake
The 110 BA comes with a 3.5" inch Muzzle brake that is threaded to an industry standard 5/8x24 (5/8-24 UNEF-3A) thread pitch. Savage felt that a muzzle brake was essential in the rifle design as the .338 Lapua Magnum round generates recoil that most shooters find unpleasant.  The muzzle brakes bottom gills were filled forcing the expanding gases to channel up and out.  This feature would eliminate any "dust cloud" when firing from a prone position which would normally give away a shooters position in a tactical situation.  By channeling the expanding gases upward and backward muzzle flip and recoil is reduced by what Savage claims is 35 percent.  Project designer Steve Danneker claims the 110 BA has recoil comparable and similar to that of the .308 Winchester round.

Rate of twist
According to project designer Steve Danneker of Savage Arms, the rate of twist for the .338 Lapua Magnum was chosen to be 1 in 9".  Most rifles in this calibre use a 1 in 10" twist. A 1 in 9" twist allows a bullet to rotate along its center axis at a faster rate than a 1 in 10". Faster rotation helps stabilize longer bullets at their maximum range. This allows new bullet designs such as the all-copper and Very-low-drag bullet (VLD)-style projectile to remain stable through the very long travel distance. Most bullets are not designed for the extreme ranges provided the .338 design; thus a 1 in 10" twist is adequate.

The rifling rate of twist is:
 * 1 in 9" for all 110 BA .338 models
 * 1 in 10" for all 110 BA .300 models

Magazine
Savage utilized the Accuracy International detachable five-round, single stack box magazine for the 110 BA. This magazine box is utilized in their Accuracy International Arctic Warfare sniper rifle but not the same magazine used in the Accuracy International AWM (Arctic Warfare Magnum) model. Utilizing an already existing box magazine facilitates the availability of extra magazines for shooters of 110 BA.

An important note on the 110 BA magazine is that it adheres to the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges loaded to the C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives) maximum allowed overall length of 93.50 mm (3.681 in). It actually accepts up to a 3.760-inch overall length round, though most factory ammunition doesn’t exceed 3.600 inches. This is an important distinction because some rifles chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum such as the Accuracy International AWM does not adhere to CIP standard and thus does not function properly due to a lack of internal magazine length. The reason for this problem is that the AWSM bolt-action is not specifically designed for the fat and long .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge. Because of this, ammunition manufacturers produce .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges that are loaded short enough (≈ 91.44 mm / 3.600 in) to fit in the AWSM magazines. As long as .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges that will fit in the magazines are used, the AWSM rifles can be used as repeating rifles instead of single shot rifles.

Sniper/tactical characteristics
Common traits among sniper/tactical rifles of which are included with the design of this rifle are:


 * Adjustable Trigger
 * Adjustable butt plate
 * Adjustable cheek pad
 * Target-type pistol grip with adjustable palm shelf
 * Adjustable rail for bipod
 * Muzzle Brake for less recoil
 * Heavy fluted barrel for accuracy and increased heat dissipation
 * Free-floating barrel for accuracy

This rifle is considered a long range sniper rifle. This rifle shoots a sub-MOA out of the box using heavy match ammunition. As with most modern sniper rifles it includes tight building tolerances thus ensuring the rifles are not affected by such external forces, such as heat, moisture, and vibration which may reduce accuracy. The tolerances of this rifle are such that the receiver and bolt are specifically manufactured for each other. Both have the same serial numbers etched on them in order to match each other correctly. The bolt is NOT interchangeable with other rifles even within the same model. This information is printed on a plastic warning label that protects the disassembled bolt which is part of the shipping box from Savage.

The caliber of choice for most Sniping applications is the .338 Lapua Magnum. The ballistics of this round are superior at longer distances than the other caliber offered for this rifle, the .300 Winchester.