Trying to Resolve Accuracy Issues

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  • calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I have a Savage 10 in 308 Win. Accuracy has never been very good. I have done the following:

    1. Got a limb saver recoil pad, which is very comfortable.
    2. Glass bedded the action.
    3. Cleaned the barrel very carefully and thoroughly.
    4. Put on a different scope.

    When I shoot it at 25 yards to sight in, the rounds are on top of each other and practically in the same hole.

    HOWEVER; at 100 yards, the pattern opens up greatly. I cannot get a 5 or even 3 round group under 2". All my other bolt actions will be 1 to less than 2 at 100, but not this one.

    Suggestions??
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    Easiest to check first, did you torque the action bolts down? 45 inch pounds and do the front bolt first should be in the general range.

    Could be a number of things. But likely not the recoil pad LOL

    Is the glass bedding done right? Recoil lug sitting flush? Plastic stock or wood stock? Bedding block in the stock?

    It sounds like an issue in the bedding honestly.

    Do you use a bore guide for cleaning(if not you should). Most people do more damage cleaning their guns than anything else.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    I have a 308 savage 10 that does the same thing after a couple of trigger pulls.
    Was great for a couple of years but after having the wood stock soaked to death a couple of times it does the same thing after it warms up.
    It has sporter weight barrel and birch or beech stock wood.
    What type of stock does your rifle have?
     

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I have a 308 savage 10 that does the same thing after a couple of trigger pulls.
    Was great for a couple of years but after having the wood stock soaked to death a couple of times it does the same thing after it warms up.
    It has sporter weight barrel and birch or beech stock wood.
    What type of stock does your rifle have?

    Yes - light profile barrel and it looks like beech wood with a walnut stain.
     

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Easiest to check first, did you torque the action bolts down? 45 inch pounds and do the front bolt first should be in the general range.

    Could be a number of things. But likely not the recoil pad LOL

    Is the glass bedding done right? Recoil lug sitting flush? Plastic stock or wood stock? Bedding block in the stock?

    It sounds like an issue in the bedding honestly.

    Do you use a bore guide for cleaning(if not you should). Most people do more damage cleaning their guns than anything else.

    The recoil pad is for my tendency to flinch :)

    Birch wood stock.

    Recoil lug fixed to the receiver.

    Looks exactly like this stock photo

    Shot no better or worse when it was not bedded.
     

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    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    Does it shoot bad @ 100 yards when cold bore?

    I had a BC stock on an R700 and it shot well. Not sure if its the barrel or stock though. I'd lean more toward the barrel since it's now bedded. Bore scope it and see if there is anything that looks funky.

    I had a savage TR in 308 that had a slight bulge in the barrel from the factory, can happen.
     

    justiw

    Active Member
    Jan 26, 2012
    302
    I had a Savage 308 medium profile barrel that shot that way. Try some different ammo in different projectile weights. After that, call Savage. They replaced my original for free and the new one is sub moa.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    What ammo are you using?

    Lots of possibilities, and lots to drive you nuts. But try some Federal Gold Medal Match as a way to try to eliminate ammo issues as a possibility. If that rifle won't shoot Federal GMM, then time to start looking at the rifle.
     

    4g64loser

    Bad influence
    Jan 18, 2007
    6,382
    maryland
    Before replacing the stock or any other drastic measures, start with the small stuff. I have set up bell and carlson stocks on several rifles and even have one I finish inletted on a rifle of my own. Several posters above have hit many of the highlights about torque and the proper way to bed with glass.

    I am not a big fan of testing rifles with optics at less than 100yd as most quality optics do not have the ability to remove parallax fully under 50yd. What scope are you using? Have you tested one of your other scopes on this rifle to eliminate optical issues? What ammunition are you using? If a handload, what specs?
     

    calicojack

    American Sporting Rifle
    MDS Supporter
    May 29, 2018
    5,348
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Have you tested one of your other scopes on this rifle to eliminate optical issues? What ammunition are you using? If a handload, what specs?

    I was using a Nikon Prostaff (the one it shipped with) and swapped it for a Bushnell. When I sighted it in I was very excited when they all landed in the same hole at 25 yards; but at 100 yards it really opened up.

    I will try match grade ammo next. I was using Fiochi ammo.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    What ammo are you using?

    Lots of possibilities, and lots to drive you nuts. But try some Federal Gold Medal Match as a way to try to eliminate ammo issues as a possibility. If that rifle won't shoot Federal GMM, then time to start looking at the rifle.

    This is what I did for my hunting guns before I even start on reloading custom hunting loads. Clean bore shot every time after long barrel cool down so I emulate how I'll hunt with it. For my Savage 110 as well as my Ruger american, I shot one shot every 30 minutes in a range session cleaning it after each shot. take up the rest of the time shooting something else.
     

    4g64loser

    Bad influence
    Jan 18, 2007
    6,382
    maryland
    Fiocchi stuff works in some guns, other not so much. My 91 LOVES the 150gr fmj fiocchi for some reason. Years ago when I shot a savage (10fp) before I handloaded I had my best results with ABM (no longer a thing). The closest relatives to that today are berger match (lapua brass instead of norma, which was what ABM used) and Nosler match grade.

    On the optics front, are yours of adjustable parallax type? We're all torque values confirmed with a torque wrench?
     

    pre64hunter

    Active Member
    Mar 19, 2010
    643
    Harford County
    check the bedding and try different ammo

    Put your thumb on the tang where it meets the stock and alternately loosen and tighten the stock's action screws, do the same at the barrel fore arm junction. See if you can feel the action move in the stock when you tighten or loosen the screws, it shouldn't move.
    Try putting a card or match book type carboard between the forend and barrel to put a little pressure on the barrel. If it changes or improves accuracy then it's the bedding. Does it stay sighted in? If not it's the bed.
    Are you trying different ammo? I have a Remington 700 and a Winchester 70 both .223 that wouldn't keep most factory ammo on a paper plate @100 but will shoot tiny one hole groups with handloads and Winchester bulk white box.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Conclusion that I came to in my case, problem is compounded by the stock,(warped twisted punky section compromised by water on more than one occasion).
    Or, It's the thin stamped recoil lug and how it interfaces with the barrel nut system/lightweight barrel and combination thereof.
    Otherwise its pretty decent until it gets warmed up.

    When it was new and had not seen much field use, it was fine until it was toted around the bush and exposed to the elements.
    I bedded the action and reinforce, floated the barrel then began to bed stock nose ( I seem to remember been a awhile) adding tension maybe? but never completely solved the problem to my satisfaction last time I had it out.
    It's zeroed at 200 yds with factory ammo, left handed action single stack blind magazine.

    The other conclusion I came to last time fiddling with it is all the bedding in the world isn't going to fix a warped/damaged-abused stock.
    I was actually thinking about getting around to ironing it out a few days ago.
    Otherwise its a decent hunting rifle and in good shape overall less some minor stock dings and scratches.
     

    Rocinante

    Active Member
    Jul 19, 2018
    182
    Eastern Shore
    Grab a lead sled and use that at 100yd, or find someone who has access to one. You said you have a tendency to flinch- eliminate shooter error first before chasing down rifle problems.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Something else that just occurred to me is that rifle like more than likely has a plastic trigger guard, like mine in 308 and depending on the magazine a small sheet steel spacer to index the mag.
    If the trigger guard rear screw has been over tightened in a way (cracked-distended) that affects the trigger bow bearing that could be a source of troubles.
    My go to hunting rifle for nearly thirty years is a LA 110 package gun that I bedded and replaced the trigger bow with a steel one from a T/C New Englander years and years ago and it made a world of difference.
    It likes 150 spitzers in .270 cal very well, never shot 130's very much better.
     

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