I'd say time to turf the barrel.You've done everything you can reasonably do, don't waste anymore time and effort on it. I had a new Ruger M77 7mag. that wouldn't group under 4" at 100yds. Had it rebarreled and it shot great, under 1 moa easily.
No consistency
- Thread starter Grizzlypeg
- Start date
Grizz, the last three Savages I've owned. wouldn't shoot well or consistantly. All of the hype about the accutrigger,IMHO, is just that and not much else. All three were in 300wsm.
Two of the rifles were brand new and one used. The used rifle was my own fault for not looking closely enough. The two new ones were just not good shooters.
Both had laminated stocks, accutriggers and were well bedded, twice, just to make sure I didn't screw up, actually a second skim coat was applied each time. I've screwed up in glass mixing before and ended up with relatively soft bedding that came back to haunt me. So grubbed it out and started over.
Checked and rechecked as well as remounted the scopes from the receiver up, same results.
In the case of the new rifles, Savage was less than helpful. They were polite but not overly motivated.
That was 3 years ago, I won't be buying another Savage bolt action rifle again. I lost quite a bit of precious time and money on all three rifles and good faith.
Now after the above statement, I've had problems with accuracy with other makers as well. The difference being is that Remington and Winchester were all concerned to the point of "please return the rifle, so that we can assess and fix the problem, at our cost"
bearhunter
Two of the rifles were brand new and one used. The used rifle was my own fault for not looking closely enough. The two new ones were just not good shooters.
Both had laminated stocks, accutriggers and were well bedded, twice, just to make sure I didn't screw up, actually a second skim coat was applied each time. I've screwed up in glass mixing before and ended up with relatively soft bedding that came back to haunt me. So grubbed it out and started over.
Checked and rechecked as well as remounted the scopes from the receiver up, same results.
In the case of the new rifles, Savage was less than helpful. They were polite but not overly motivated.
That was 3 years ago, I won't be buying another Savage bolt action rifle again. I lost quite a bit of precious time and money on all three rifles and good faith.
Now after the above statement, I've had problems with accuracy with other makers as well. The difference being is that Remington and Winchester were all concerned to the point of "please return the rifle, so that we can assess and fix the problem, at our cost"
bearhunter
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300 win mag
I have a 7mm model 110 savage that is dead on for the last 28 years . I up graded 2 years ago to the same model 110 but in the 300 win mag same thing start to dial it in get 2 or 3 in a good group then get one 4 to 5''
high and to the right 3 or 4 ''. its nothing special wever mounts bushnell scope. is it the 300 win mag that has this problem or my scope set up . after reading your dilemma I would like to know how you are making out be for i start on this one.
I have a 7mm model 110 savage that is dead on for the last 28 years . I up graded 2 years ago to the same model 110 but in the 300 win mag same thing start to dial it in get 2 or 3 in a good group then get one 4 to 5''
high and to the right 3 or 4 ''. its nothing special wever mounts bushnell scope. is it the 300 win mag that has this problem or my scope set up . after reading your dilemma I would like to know how you are making out be for i start on this one.
I have pulled the scope off this rifle and now have it on my Tikka 308. Hunting season is rapidly approaching and this gun isn't even on the back burner, its in cold storage. I'll get back at it when I'm looking for a project. I might even just pull the gun apart and sell it for parts.
I've had Dennis Sorenson rechamber a heavy 308 bbl to 300WM and install it on the receiver. As soon as it dries up at the range, I'll be testing it and hopefully reporting back the accuracy. Its still very wet around here.
Yes, at some time or other, you will acquire a rifle that just refuses to shoot. Usually ends up frustrating the h*** out of you. I have had a few over the years. A couple I had rebarrelled, a couple more I just got rid of. I recollect one I fought with over a fair bit of time, and then discovered it favored a load using powder in a way different burning rate than I was sure it should favor! There is no maker immune from this "bad barrel" syndrome. A buddy bought a HB Sako in 308, thinking this rifle should be a dream to develop a load for and shoot itty, bitty groups with......wrong!! About a year later, he dumped the thing. It never shot under 1¾moa in it's life with any bullet or load. I had another friend with a 338 Win Mag barrel in a Blaser that was a lemon. But then there are the others, the barrels that shoot everything well, and a couple of loads exceptionally well. Gotta love these! When I get one of them, I will wear them out before I sell them. Regards, Eagleye.
Eagleye has it right, and when you get one of those hummers you'd better hang on to it.
I have a Stevens 200 in 300 win Mag that has never, not one time, shot a group larger than an inch and three quarters with any ammo shot in it. Handloads are almost always under an inch, and best of all, the barrel just does not foul. Have never used any copper removing cleaner, just straight Kroil and nothing else.
Bought it new from SIR, three years ago, for $299. Go figure!
Ted
I have a Stevens 200 in 300 win Mag that has never, not one time, shot a group larger than an inch and three quarters with any ammo shot in it. Handloads are almost always under an inch, and best of all, the barrel just does not foul. Have never used any copper removing cleaner, just straight Kroil and nothing else.
Bought it new from SIR, three years ago, for $299. Go figure!
Ted
Its a 1 in 10" twist barrel, which should be the same as the old one. Its a heavy barrel i bought on the equipment exchange, and it came off a Savage 308. Dennis cut the chamber to fit 300WM and swapped out the barrels. I didn't bother him with any issues of a post-mortem on the old barrel. I have it here. Rifling looks fine, no dings on the crown, but its sure a pencil thin barrel. Very susceptible to heat? I really intended this gun to be my long range deer or elk hunting rifle, and the results at 200 yards were pathetic. I could not count on this gun hitting where I aimed, let alone taking a long shot with it. Meanwhile, in reality, all my deer have been taken at less than 100 yards.
The ammo and cartridge head space should not be your problem. If you determine it is not the scope, not something you do (such as varying the location of your forend on the sandbag), and the vertical stringing pattern is repeatable from group to group (cold barrel to hot barrel) then I'd suggest that differential barrel heating is warping the barrel during the time you shoot the groups: either the bore is not concentric with the outside of the barrel (unlikely) or the bottom of the barrel inside the forend gets/stays hotter than the top because of less airflow around the bottom of the barrel where protected by the stock. Increase the "float" to allow more airflow between the stock and barrel before writing the barrel off as being defective. To test this theory, try shooting a 5 shot group over a period of an hour so the barrel is "cold" for each shot.
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Thanks O'l Flinder, but I'm done with repairs. The barrel has been replaced and its shooting like a champ now. Any misses I have to take sole responsibility for. The gun is shooting 3/4" 3 shot groups, with me behind the trigger. Who knows what a good shot could do with the gun?
Glad you got the rifle sorted out. I had a Rem 700 Varminter in 223 that I couldn't get under 1.5 " with any loads or tricks. Had it rechambered, recrowned and had the bolt face squared to the bore and the lugs polished to bear evenly. Now it will shoot about 1/2" any time I'm up to it. Out of the box it was just garbage....
Somewhere around the 3/4" at 100 mark I think approaches my limits for accuracy. Beyond that, I wouldn't know if a gun shot tighter than 0.5" at 100 as I doubt I can consistently hold it that steady to know if its me or the gun. I've been trying to shoot extremely tight 50 yard 5 shot groups with my 22, and I swear any little thing I do different will kill my attempt at shooting 5 shot 0.5moa.
