You can buy a beam style torque wrench for less than $20 so that in the future you can torque away confident that you're not grossly exceeding or undershooting the correct torque value: https://www.amazon.com/Tooluxe-03703L-Torque-Wrench-Hardened/dp/B0019VMI0Y/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_469_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8SE6HAEEYYSXHDKN6EJS

You can get a beam style torque wrench for about ten bucks. You don't need one for this project, but it's a fair excuse to get one. I'm sure you'll use it in the future.

Most shops have a little blurb on the work order telling you to stop back by in 100 miles to have the torque checked. No one ever does but this is the reason it exists. In my personal experience the basic ugly steel wheels are usually fine but the fancy bling rims need to be retorqued quite often.

Stop back by next week and ask them to check the torque on all of them. Better yet go get yourself a torque wrench so you can do this yourself for the rest of your life. This one is cheap and will work fine. The beam type are pretty much good forever. (fixed link to one that will actually work)

> I absolutely understand torque wrenches and their importance, but, not sure I want to make the investment for the infrequency I would use one at this point in my life.

Really???

Just two examples: https://amzn.com/B0019VMI0Y and https://www.hfqpdb.com/coupons/3364_ITEM_CLICK-TYPE_TORQUE_WRENCHES_1562189647.3117.png

Those are much cheaper than brake rotors. The beam type will last forever. It's a good idea to have the calibration checked on the click types because the springs stretch on them. I have a couple of the Harbor Freight cheap ones, and some "tool truck" ones I paid $100+ for, and if anything, the HF ones stay closer to proper calibration longer than the expensive ones.

If storage space is a problem, I also like this solution: https://amzn.com/B009GLISI0 which also doesn't require periodic calibration (and can actually be used to check calibration on other torque wrenches).

For pads, I agree Akebono are the best. Those go on my wife's Mercedes S class, and on her VW Beetle daily driver. My pickup truck, a 1997 Chevy S10 2WD with the 4.3L V6 (which is also my autocross "sports car") is running Wagner ThermoQuiet Cermic pads now. They are inexpensive but very effective. Most modern ceramics (even the parts store "house brands") are more than adequate for today's cars and today's tires.

If you are concerned about getting it to the right specs, this is what I use and it works just fine.

I did a DIY rebarrel (.308 -> .308) on my Savage 10 Hog Hunter, AMA

> I'd like to convert my Savage in a .223

What caliber do you want to change to? If you stay within the cartridge family you do NOT need a new bolt face: https://www.stockysstocks.com/blog/suggested-bolt-action-cartridge-conversions-with-a-new-barrel/

You will need to do some research

> I will need a new bolt face (maybe), a barrel nut that isn't smooth (yes) and a pre-fit barrel (yes)

You need to know what shank size your Savage Action is.

You will also need:

• Vise
  
• Wheeler Action Wrench #2 (Remington 700/Savage 11/110)
  
• Wheeler Savage barrel wrench
  
• Pipe wrench (easiest way to take off the smooth barrel nut, but you will mar it. Savage smooth barrel wrench does not work.)
  
• Torque wrench in ft-lbs This snaps into Wheeler Savage Barrel Wrench
  
• GO GAUGE for new caliber (NO GO Gauge is optional, you can put a piece of scotch tape on the end of GO Gauge to act like a NO GO Gauge)
  
  > pre-fit barrel (if possible, something that isn't 800$+)
  
  Mystic Precision carries Shilen barrels for $~600, or you can wait for Savage take off barrels on CGN EE (know your shank size)
  
  > Is there anywhere in Canada that sells those parts?
  
  You will have to look around and probably piece it together slowly, no one-stop shop place here for rebarreling
  
  > P.S. Will I be able to swap barrels at will and keep (more or less) my zero?
  
  No. You will also need to take off your scope, so your scope zero is gone anyways.
  
  

  Instructions
  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPlFtskCwng
  
  
  

  My Advice
  

  If you want to change to .308 or 6.5 CM, I would just buy another rifle and keep the .223 as a training rifle while you slowly piece together equipment. When you want a match barrel, you will be ready for a rebarrel

Any click style one is going to eventually go out of spec, and cheaper ones are going to do it sooner.

My suggestion is to get this:

http://www.amazon.com/Neiko-Classic-Needle-Style-8-Inch-2-Inch/dp/B0019VMI0Y/ref=sr_1_5?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1425254703&sr=1-5&keywords=torque+wrench

Its cheaper, and its essentially a calibrated metal beam, so as long as you don't what it or put cuts in it or let it rust, it will stay calibrated for quite some time. Its cheap as hell too.

This is the one i bought:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019VMI0Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HkDMAb19JSFD3

And here’s a similar one from Autozone:

https://m.autozone.com/wrenches-pliers-and-cutters/torque-socket-wrench/duralast-1-2-in-drive-torque-wrench/914019_0_0?location=

Agreed, a beam style torque wrench is very low cost, its better than nothing.

Example:

Tooluxe 03703L 3/8" and ½" Dual Drive Beam Style Torque Wrench, Hardened Steel | 0-150 Ft. Lbs. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019VMI0Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.qFOAb5TD8J52

$15 disagree.

For gxp a beam wrench is actually better than a clicky one imo because the torque required is pretty high.

That sucks. Sorry :-(

Personally, I've always preferred this style of torque wrench, it's significantly cheaper aswell: http://www.amazon.com/Neiko-Classic-Needle-Style-8-Inch-2-Inch/dp/B0019VMI0Y [note that that's just the first link that came up when I googled "torque wrench needle"; it's definitely not a product recommendation]

I also recommend getting a bit more of an intuition for the numbers; 19 ft lbs really ain't much torque. That's like... "I gave it a good twist". It's good if you have the mental check in place that "I know I had to go to 19, but this feels pretty hard".

If you need to get an intuition about this stuff, think about the units; you know what twenty pounds feels like, and you know how long a foot is. Imagine putting about 20 pounds of force on a foot-long wrench... that's 20 foot-pounds.