Accuracy went down the drain

bshrestha01 · Post by **bshrestha01** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:12 pm

The last time I shot with my Savage, I had a 0.5 inch groups from 100 yards. Then I had this issue of very light trigger and had to remove the barrel from the stock to tighten the spring.

I then took the rifle back to shoot and from 300 metres I shot 5-6 inches (if not larger) groups without changing anything. Out of the 10 shots I fired, I got 2 where it was supposed to be.

What are the things I should be looking at? Could it be that I did something wrong when putting the stock back? Is there a specific order in which the bolts are supposed to go back into the stock?

Right now I am looking for possible explanations. I won't be able to try out until next Sunday when I get the time to shoot the rifle again.

bruce moulds · Post by **bruce moulds** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:48 pm

apart from bedding and other issues, there is a difference between 100 and 300, and it can get worse the further you go out.
a load not on a node can show great promise at 100, but problems begin to manifest at 300.
a true 0.5 moa rifle at all ranges at all times is truly a treasure.
we are assuming that the group was not just bigger in moa horizontally.
welcome to long range shooting.
keep safe,
bruce.

bshrestha01 · Post by **bshrestha01** » Sat Mar 29, 2014 10:40 pm

I have had this rifle for more than 4 months and have a semi-developed load. I have shot 0.5 moa from 300 and from 500 metres. All I wanted to do was to tighten up the spring to give myself a heavier trigger and that is when the problem started.

I used to have issues when one in 10-15 shots was a flyer, for no apparent reason and I thought it was my reloads, but one shot at 3 on the bottom (ICFRA) and nect 4 on top left and the next 4 on the right without touching my scope does not make much sense to me.

Do I blame it on the rifle or do I blame it on the scope or both? I know it is not me as I immediately shot a Target Rifle (yeah I do that as well) and shot much better than with my F-Class.

jasmay · Post by **jasmay** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:08 am

If you think it could be the scope just grab someone else's and pop it on your gun and see how you go.

Considering you removed the action though it does sound like bedding.

I have had a play with a few standard savages (without aluminium bedding) and I have found they can wander quite a bit in the stock when reassembling, make sure your barrel is not touching your stock anywhere, and ensure your not over tightening your bedding screws.

They also have 3 screws which I have seen give issue to different rifles, why on earth in a timber stock would you use 3 points to tension in something you want consistent and flat I have not worked out.

So, be mindful if the middle screw also.

Hope you get it sorted, keep us posted on what solves it.

BATattack · Post by **BATattack** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:12 am

I'd say bedding.

It shot good before you took it out the stock and now it won't hold a group? Why would the scope go bad in that process?

If it isn't bedded correctly it will be much more critical of the position the action sits in the stock and the tension of all 3 of those screws. . . . . .finding the same combination you had before might be impossible if it hasn't been correctly bedded.

bshrestha01 · Post by **bshrestha01** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:25 am

The savage is still a factory rifle with nothing changed.

A bit of reading and searching around tells me that first I should tighten up the front screw and gradually tighten the middle and then the last screw near the action.

I will have to do a check and see how it shoots after the adjustments. If nothing works, its off to the gunsmith.

Post by **AlanF** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 10:04 am

BATattack wrote:I'd say bedding.

It shot good before you took it out the stock and now it won't hold a group? Why would the scope go bad in that process?

If it isn't bedded correctly it will be much more critical of the position the action sits in the stock and the tension of all 3 of those screws. . . . . .finding the same combination you had before might be impossible if it hasn't been correctly bedded.

I'd agree with this Adam. Mr Shrestha, try changing the torque settings on the bedding screws. I remember seeing some instructions on the correct procedure from one of the Savage Rifle Team on this about a year or two ago. Does anyone have a link?

DaveMc · Post by **DaveMc** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 10:08 am

I have had a few savages.

I glass bedded my actions and run on two screws (either front two or front and rear have worked)

but the standard recommendation is to tighten the front two to around 40-45 inch lbs and then the back one try at around 25 and 35 inch lbs (shoot a 5 shot group at each).

If your rilfe loses accuracy at different settings this says the action is not matched to the three pillars properly (highly likely as they are assembled separately in the factory) and worth getting a bedding job done

bshrestha01 · Post by **bshrestha01** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:49 pm

DaveMc wrote:I have had a few savages.

I glass bedded my actions and run on two screws (either front two or front and rear have worked)

but the standard recommendation is to tighten the front two to around 40-45 inch lbs and then the back one try at around 25 and 35 inch lbs (shoot a 5 shot group at each).

If your rilfe loses accuracy at different settings this says the action is not matched to the three pillars properly (highly likely as they are assembled separately in the factory) and worth getting a bedding job done

Do I need to start developing my load all over again?

And for some reason, I can't wait for the weekend

ned kelly · Post by **ned kelly** » Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:50 pm

G'day all,
just a wild card suggestion...........heavier trigger could be the culprit?
Regards Ned

DenisA · Post by **DenisA** » Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:33 pm

I shoot Savages. I have a few model 12's and a model 10 2 screw.

I swap them all in and out of 1 factory F-class stock that I've Devcon bedded on the factory pillars, using its original action.

I went through the same situation as you did and also noticed a change when I bedded the action.

I've learnt that consistency is key when dismantling and assembling these guys. I chose to torque all barrelled action screws to 50 inch/lbs before I started load developing any of the cartridges. Keeps it simple.

Make sure that when you torque up your action screws, as you say, start at the one closer to the barrel. Run them all up finger tight first, sit the rifle on its butt and apply downward force on the barrel while your torqueing all the screws to ensure that the recoil lug is firm against its land.

Savage also recommends to torque up the action with the bolt locked.

You shouldn't have to re-develop the load but most likely tweak it. You might find its moved either side of the previous load by up to approx. .4g.

Also make certain that the rear tang is floating. It makes a significant difference. Most are from factory, at least that's the intention, I've seen a few that touch on one side. This can be exaggerated once an actions been loosened and re-tightened.

That's been my experience .

bshrestha01 · Post by **bshrestha01** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:31 pm

I finally got the chance to get to the range and shoot at 200 yards, armed with my micrometer torque wrench and I think I have found the right torque to re-start developing my load.

The front 2 screws are at 40 inch-pounds and the rear screw is at 25 inch-pounds.

bshrestha01 · Post by **bshrestha01** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:33 pm

And there was a time when my Omark was outshooting the Savage. Actually, it still is. I managed to shoot 2 sub 1 inch groups with the omark at 200 yards.

DannyS · Post by **DannyS** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:31 pm

How many shots in the group? Are you talking 3, 5 or 10?

bshrestha01 · Post by **bshrestha01** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:13 am

DannyS wrote:How many shots in the group? Are you talking 3, 5 or 10?

Sorry, should have mentioned, 5 shot groups.

But then again, they were all untested loads, 44gr of 2206H. My tested load is 44.5gr of 2208, for both rifles.