New Savage 11 - poor start...

K

kayaker1

CGN frequent flyer
GunNutz
Rating - 100%
65   0   0
Location
EDM
Hi all,
Took my new Savage 11 .308 out for its first shots today. Its the non-accutrigger package rifle. I have replaced the rings with Burris Zee's and mounted a Bushnell legend 2-7x that I had already. Bases are on with 15in/lbs of torque and blue locktite, rings to bases 45in/lbs and ring halves on with just under 20in/lbs. Rings were lapped.

I also lightened the trigger by replacing the spring and reducing the tension, but staying safe - probably could go lower; trigger is 4 lbs.

I used Win PP 150gr and mil-surp fmj's.

Shot 2, cleaned, repeated 3 times, then cleaned after every 3 shot group using Gunslick 'Copper Klenz'.

Results - terrible! Best 3 shot 100yard group was about 1.2", which I was happy with with. The rest were poor, between 3-6" :eek: and I burned 30 rnds. My Lee Enfield could better this with ease.

Now it could well be me, I am no sharpshooter, but typically do better than that (perhaps I have developed a flinch??)!

Scope?? The scope is less than a year old and has 120 rounds from a .303 under its belt, thats it. I have noticed that it can be slow to react to adjustments..?

Ammo? I bought this Savagae as I am on a budget but heard nothing but good reports on savage accuracy. I'll try some Federals next or a different weight. Perhaps the barrel needs further break-in?

Crown? I did the Q-tip test and there appears to be no burrs.

Any savage shooters or any of you with similar experiences or advice?
 
The only thing I have found with any savage I have owned is that one in particular would not shoot hornady factory shells. Changing shells solved the problem. Worth a try, good luck
 
First step is to make sure all bolts in the stock and optics are tight but not overly so (your numbers sound good to me, but I'm no expert). If it is a synthetic-stocked rifle the budget Savages are notorious for flexing forends which can be vexing in some rifles (one of mine is fine, the other is getting some bedding to stiffen it up).

3 inches with ball isn't too bad either although 6 is certainly pushing it.
 
Pile of things could be going on. My guess is something is loose. Did you install the screws holding the stock to the action as instructed in the manual. Tightening them down in the wrong order could result in the action moving in the stock.

I would remount the stock and try again. If the gun is on paper you won't need to fire a pile of ammo ( 3-5 shot max) to see if it works.

BTW shoot from a good solid bench with sandbags and support on both the forearm and butt of the gun. Wiggling around makes for crappy groups.
 
Thanks,

Stock/action screws are 'firm' but not very tight (if that helps!)

Rifle was rested on a sand bag (inner tube packed with sand), butt was on a sand bag too.

Ammo change will be my first step.

The foreend is free floated but one side is closer to the stock than the other. I dd notice some stringing in certain groups (others were patterns) but perhaps I need to relieve some plastic from that side of the barrel channel?
 
yeah, 3-6" groups with a modern rifle?
id be looking at scope mounts, scope, ammunition - probably in that order. i highly doubt its the rifle.

as someone said earlier the stock forend is flexible (an easy fix later on), so try and keep your hand from pushing/flexing on it when shooting just to eliminate that as a variable while troubleshooting whats wrong.
 
Quote"Shot 2, cleaned, repeated 3 times, then cleaned after every 3 shot group using Gunslick 'Copper Klenz'."


You can't count those shoot 3 shots, clean, shoot 3 shots as anything on paper. The constant cleaning after every 3 shots is probably destroying the accuracy of those first 3 shots.

Quit cleaning, start shooting again. Record the group size. Don't clean the bore again until the group size increases.
 
The stock should not be touching the barrel. That will make a big difference. I couldn't get consistant groupings with my rem 700. I ended up taking alot off the stock and it cut my 3" groups down to 1.5". Also some guns are very picky about ammo and different wieghts. Try a variaty of ammo. My 30-06 hates federal ammo but likes most others
 
Grizzlypeg said:
Quit cleaning, start shooting again. Record the group size. Don't clean the bore again until the group size increases.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Clean, shoot three shots (who cares where they go), then shoot three more for group. Most rifles will change POI as the barrel is fouled, and it usually takes 2-3 shots to settle down and get consistent.

Get back to us once you stop cleaning it every 3 shots, then maybe someone can suggest a good course of action after that (if the issue still exists).
 
My Savage 111 FCXP3 30.06 shot a 1" group after just a few shots out of the box with the crappy Simmons scope and the really crummy rings Savage uses on these package guns. This was with Rem 150 gr. Core Lokt's. It did not care for the Federal Power Shok ammo though, those groups were more like 1.5".

I was thinking of putting Zee rings on it and replacing the scope with a Bushnell 3200 I have, but I think it wil stay "as is" for now
 
When I got my Model 14 Savage 308 I had some inconsistencies with accuracy out of the box and I found that the stock screws were loosing off as I shot causing the barrel to move around as I shot. All I did was took it apart and put back together making sure the screws were tight and I have not had that problem since
 
All good suggestions,

I aggree with the comments about fouling shots and have had rifles that prefered a fouled bore for sure...however these were not just poor groups they were buckshot patterns, so i think there is a deeper issue.

I have a concern with the scope, so I might take it off and send it for repair/checkup...bit of a PITA though!
 
just had a guy in the shop, said he could not group anything with his gun, scope must be buggered. Unscrewing the rings the entire scope moved. Base screws, all 4 were loose by a turn or more. Explains why he could not hit much. Alas his was a 300 win mag and the scope a simmons whitetail. Set up the mounts properly and installed a new Vortex for him. Should be problem solved. Don't know for sure if the simmons is toast or not but why take the chance when elk season started yesterday.
 
Kayaker, those action screws need to be properly tightened as well. You mention something ambiguous about them being firm but not tight. Sounds like you have an inch lb torque driver, look up the specs (edit: likely around 45 inch-lbs) and tighten them up to that level.
 
Last edited:
kayaker1 said:
All good suggestions,

I aggree with the comments about fouling shots and have had rifles that prefered a fouled bore for sure...however these were not just poor groups they were buckshot patterns, so i think there is a deeper issue.

I have a concern with the scope, so I might take it off and send it for repair/checkup...bit of a PITA though!
Click to expand...


I thought for sure my 12BVSS had serious problems the first time I shot it. I was using Win Super-X 180 gr ammo which was resulting in about an 18" group at 300m! (I think this would qualify as a buckshot pattern, lol). I figured for sure either my barrel or scope was pooched, I didn't think there was any way factory ammo could shoot that horribly.

I got my paws on some Norma 168 gr match ammo and can now get cloverleafs at 100 regularly. Nothing wrong with the rifle/scope after all, it was just bad ammo.

So, as others have said, try some different ammo. I hope you get it straightened out!
 
Thanks for all the advice,
Grizzlypeg,
I have been looking for the torque values for that stock. The manual simply says tighten the front screw first, both of them 'firm but not too tight'. I went on the Savage forum and most guys said 'hand tight', which of course means little depending on your strength and percpetion of tight!
One guy posted that he toured the Savage factory and saw the workers just tightening all stocks by hand on the assembly line, no torque drivers.

It may be a few weeks until I get to the range, so in the mean time I'll send the scope in to make sure and relieve some plastic from the barrel channel. Next session will involve a couple different ammo brands and weights.

FWIW that Savage is a hell of a nice rifle to shoot...comfortable and stock is not bad for my 6'4" frame.
 
MY Stevens needed the stock screws crazy tight to shoot well. Doing that alone took it form 2-3" groups down to 0.3-1" groups. every gun is going to be different especially if they are not bedded. When you install the action make sure to push it back against the recoil lug when tighening the screws.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom