No consistency

Grizzlypeg

Grizzlypeg

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I'm getting frustrated with my Savage 300WM rifle. From day one I have not been able to get repeatable accuracy with it. There is a consistent problem with vertical stringing. Up to 4" at 100 yards. I thought it was a stock problem, I replaced the stock, bedded the action, floated the barrel. Still a problem. I thought it was the ammo, I've tried different makes and weights 165's and 180, still a problem. I thought it was a cleaning problem, I stopped cleaning after shooting sessions and the problem still occurs from round 1-20. I'll get two shots touching at 100 yards and then a third that is 4" higher. Or I'll shoot 3 in a row and each one may be at 1", 3" and 4" about the centre. Or 5 shots in a row and 2 groups vertically where the holes are 1/2" from each other. Scope mounts are tight, and the only suspect I have left aside from the barrel or the way its headspaced is the scope itself which is a Leupold VXII. Having shot 100 rounds through this rifle I simply can't trust it. Next step is to swap on a different scope.

Any ideas of what else it could be? How long does it take Leupold to test a scope?
 
I wouldn't send the scope away just yet, simply try a different scope preferably one that has shot small groups.

Possibly you have not the correct load... have you tried a box of factory ammo..? Vertical stringing can be a load problem...

If it isn't the scope and the work you have done is done correctly, the barrel is the next suspect.
 
I've tried Hornady 165's and 180 factory ammunition and Federal 180's. I'll think the problem is licked, then I return to the range and get another vertical string. Even the first 2 shots, while the barrel is still cold, I got 4" difference in elevation only at 100 yard!!. Next shot in line perfectly, but mid way between the two. It did this with the factory stock and its still doing it with the Boyds target varminter that is floated. Action is on steel pillars and epoxy bedding. I used two layers of tape on the front and bottom of the recoil lug. Didn't make it better or worse, just nicer to look at and hold.
 
If you are shooting handloads, try weighing your unprimed cases and sort into batches of plus or minus 2 grains. Also anneal all of your cases at one time so that you have a constant neck tension. Case weight is also a measure of internal volume and that effects burn rate of the powder
I had a .218 bee that was stringing vertically. After sorting cases by weight plus or minus 1 grain, the groups shrunk to roughly 1/2" diameter

cheers mooncoon
 
Thanks. I've only shot factory ammunition through this rifle. The page on vertical tips is very interesting, but I'm wondering if they are talking about problems of this magnitude. I've never seen a gun shoot 4 moa vertical strings. Call me arrogant, but I'm having trouble believing this is anything but some problem with the equipment and not the user.

I may try swapping a new scope onto the gun that was destined for another rifle. Hopefully that will give me some indication of where the problem lies or doesn't.

I wonder what the heck they do at the repair depot to test out a scope when you send it in? Do they have to disassemble it to test for problems with holding zero?
 
blargon said:
To ask the obvious, have you tried different ammo? Or let someone else shoot it?
Click to expand...

I've tried both Federal and Hornady factory ammo in both 165 in 180 grain.

No, I haven't had anyone else try out the gun to eliminate me from the equation. Good point though. I would want them to shoot several 3 shot groups as it seems like from time to time its shot a group, then lost it. Like today, two shots touching each other, then one way out. Or three that form a perfect vertical line, not even 1/2" from the vertical line on the target, yet spread out over 4" in height. I'm shooting from a nice setup, sturdy bench, front rest with a bag, rear bag. I should be able to hit a ping pong ball imo every time at only 100 yards.
 
Korth's turn around time is pretty quick, probably less than 10 days, but as Dennis said try another scope first, or perhaps try that scope or another rifle. You said your scope mounts are tight, but did you check the base mount screws?

If everything else checks out, I'll make a wild ass guess. It might be possible that the cup and lead core bullets that the factory has loaded are not up to the velocity of the .300 Winchester. Perhaps you saw unexplained black lead traces around the bullet holes on your target. You could try a 200 gr bullet, or you could use a premium bullet that is proven at high velocity.
 
The base is a Ken Farrel one piece. Nice torx screws. Just check them and they are still nice and tight. Rings are Burris Signature Zee's. I heard this was a good combination of all steel rings and base. I didn't like the factory Weaver stuff.
 
You seem to have covered alot of ground with it. I wonder if its possible that it just might not be a "shooter". Maybe its just a bad barrel. I've heard of people cutting an inch or two off their barrel and accuracy improved greatly, due to harmonics differences and a new crown...

Hopefully a different scope will tell the real story...
 
I've tried my best to put together a good solid hunting rifle, something I could use for Moose or Elk, following other people's Savage's with proven aftermarket parts, like Sharp Shooter Supply, Farrel, Burris and Leupold, but oddly enough I can't rely on it. Never had a rifle that shot so bad other than one with a worn out bore that put bullets thru the paper sideways. All these are nice clean holes, just not where I expect them. There's no way I'd take a shot at an animal with this rifle.
 
On the nice and tight base screws... make sure none of them have bottomed out... that makes for a tight screw but a loose base... I see that fairly often...
 
4" at 100 yards is a lot. I do not think it has anything to do with finesse of headspacing, loads or bullets. Shortening barrel sounds good, especially if yours is noodle thin mountain barrel. Personally, I think its a scope. Either parallax issue or lens is loose somewhere. I think more of lense, if you can get a group once in a while and then stringing - thats what happens lens may fall into the same position every time and then get stuck in other position. I had one like that. Cheapo so I took it apart and fixed myself. With Leopold I would just send it back to momma.
 
Some barrels shoot better free floated, others need a pressure point to make them shoot. Check the length of your bedding screws and make sure they are not bottomed out before the action is tight.
 
I feel for ya Grizz. Got the same thing going on with a Parker hale .270. I've been screwing around with it for a couple of years so far but am determined to figure it out. Every time I take it out it shoots different. I'm not a gunsmith but my uncle is so in his spare time he's been trying all sorts of thing's to eliminate the problem. Korth checked my rifleman scope and had it back in 3 weeks,I'm in Calgary so shipping was fast, said nothing was wrong. still wouldn't group. Tried my VX1, Groups got better. Scope went back with comparison targets. Rifleman came back in 1 month with VX1 innards installed, no charge. Tighter groups but still not good enough. Tried a few different rings and bases. Not any change. Tried putting pressure points on the floated barrel by putting shims between barrel and stock,got worse, nothing seems to be working. Noticed the stock seemed to be changing shape so we put it on the furnace for the winter to try to dry it out then resealed it in the spring. That did work, the stock was changing with the humidity. More consistent groups but still not what it should be. Gave it to a smithy friend and he noticed a slight bulge we missed [younger eyes]near the end of the barrel so off came 3/4 of an inch. It got worse. We think we cut it in the bulge so we are chopping another 1/2 off. If that doesn't work it gets a new barrel. In the mean time I bought a Stevens .243 that shoots .43 groups so the .270 is on the back burner for now. If I had to pay for the work I've had done and was able to sleep after screwing some poor sucker, I would have sold it a long time ago. Good luck.
 
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Another way to check scope/ mount integrity is to use a bore sighter. Take note of grid and cross hair position proir to, and then after firing. Ive seen this method work. Good luck.
 
"...Tried putting pressure points..." One, not several. Put the pressure point about an inch or so aft of the end of the forestock. Leave the rest of the channel alone.
"...the stock was changing with the humidity..." Unsealed wooden stocks will do that. Now that you're getting consistent groups, it's time to work on the load. Mind you, some rifles will only shoot so well.
"...off came 3/4 of an inch..." You shortened the stock? You should have sanded out the barrel channel.
 
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