Savage Elite Precision .308

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HondaVTEC

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Just thought I'd share a small discovery . New Elite Precision .308 . Struggled since day one to get consistent 5 shot groups . My load development is done at 200M but I shoot ( for fun ) at 710 yards . Tried a couple of different powders and bullets . Not much improvement in consistency . This rifle has a "factory blueprinted" action . Last night I watched a video on improving the Ruger RPR and decided for the heck of it to check my own rifle . Well , one lug was making about 30% contact and the other was about 10% . Huh ?? So, lapped the lugs for a full 100% contact and took it out this morning for fun . Totally different rifle . Untuned loads were shooting at 1/2 MOA consistently off a sandbag at 200M . 175SMK and 4064 shot about as good as my sandbag would allow . Shooting a 1 MOA plate at 710 yards was a breeze . Now that's more like it ! My take away lesson ? Don't assume , check .
Those misfitted lugs must have caused a barrel harmonic that I just couldn't tune out with ammo . Live and learn .
 
I just assumed that being a "blueprinted" action and a floating bolt head , it would be perfect . My LRPV certainly was . But , it wasn't . Not even close actually . The good news is that it was an easy , 30 minute fix . Not sure if the mis aligned lugs caused a weird barrel harmonic , as the rifle really did not shoot very well and nothing ammo related helped . But , after the fix , it shot noticeably better . The next range trip will tell the tale .
 
Very weird fix for this problem, but if it worked all the better for you!
Now you are aware that your headspace may be at 1.632-1.633'' now?
Nothing a barrel vise, headspace gauge, and savage barrel nut wrench can't fix...
 
Yep in that case you’ll be good.
The case will make a 5 thou stretch on it’s first firing after bolt lapping, then you can reset the die to the new 2 thou bump or whatever you use.

I am curious though, would you have headspace dimensions after lapping?
 
I didn't measure headspace after lapping . I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the rifle shot so much better afterwards . Lapping the lugs did not remove very much material . The only thing that I can figure is that the wonky lugs produced a vibration . No matter what I did with reloading , it really never solved the issue to my satisfaction . The rifle only shot .... ok . Not what I would have expected as you very well know . After lapping , it seemed much better . It was consistently at 1/2 moa at 200M with untuned ammo . So , the real test will be the next time out . Will it shoot as it should ? I'll know soon enough . I was all set to re barrel . Now I'm not so sure .
 
Can you detail the process? Did you do exactly like Gavin said, with a sharpie marker on bolt lug rear surfaces; pull back on bolt handle firmly while working the bolt handle open/closed (assume you left trigger and striker installed), and then used 400 grit lapping compound to modify?
 
Pretty much . I used 600 grit valve lapping compound so the end result was very smooth . Then further polished the lugs with a polishing compound . It took probably 6 or 7 applications and checking between every step until I had full contact . Total time was about an hour start to finish . For the heck of it , I checked my other rifle , Savage LRPV .223 . Again , a "factory blueprinted" action . It's always been super smooth ( single shot 12 series target action ) and the rifle has been ultra accurate . 100% lug contact . No surprise I guess . I was surprised how little lug contact the Elite had out of the box . It's all good now so back to developing ammo to see if I can make this thing shoot respectably .
 
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