Factory Savage,How much is too much to expect?

[kdvarmint]

It can't hurt to bed it. For loads I would be tempted to stay with the Varget, but try a Berger 155 match with BR-2 primers. Where are you at for jump or jam? They may shoot best jammed 0.010-0.015 into the lands.

I've never had anything bedded before(only been in the long range game for 2 or 3 years) I assume you only bed around the action, still want the barrel to free float?

 

[RonAKA]

This is how I bedded my Savage LRPV (single shot). I did not bed any of the barrel. It would be kind of messy on a Savage due to the barrel nut. Some do not bed the tang, but I did.

 

[kdvarmint]

Tried some 155smk yesterday, might have something here.
loaded varget46.0,46.5,47.0,47.0
46 and 46.5 look like this.

Will load more and see if it repeats.
Got 175s in the 5s. It's coming around!

 

[remo101]

Try Benchmark with 130 gr.Sir. bullets.You`ll like it

 

[Laurie]

kdvarmint,

I fear you may be wasting time and money replacing the OEM H-S Precision stock and doing bedding work. As Steve (Sleepygator), a guy who's obviously been around the block a few times in this game, said way back in mid January

My factory 6BR barrel will get down to .3-.4" five-shot groups at 100. My factory 6.5-284 barrel could be used as an example in a borescope lesson. It will not shoot worth a damn. If your assessment of the present barrel is that it will not perform as you want, you could acquire one of the aftermarket drop-in Savage barrels. Drop-ins from reliable barrel makers generally perform well.

This is by far the most likely cause with a factory rifle. I too have two factory Savage 12 Precision / Target models, a .204 LRPV that is the most accurate factory rifle I've ever owned by a large margin, and just like Steve, a 6.5-284 12 F Class that struggled to get below 0.75" no matter what loads I tried. It wouldn't produce the MVs other people got from the 'standard' combinations in the cartridge either, running 75-100fps down.

Various well intentioned people suggested playing with bedding torque settings, rear screw torque, doing a DIY epoxy glue bedding job, recrowning, etc etc. A gunsmith friend said rebarrell, forget the rest. This was disappointing as other examples of this model dominated British 600 and 1,000yd bench rest competition 'Factory Sporter' class for some time, some examples regularly achieving sub 0.5-MOA or even smaller 600yd groups and 0.5-1-MOA 1,000yd groups, and if you've ever shot at Diggle a nearly always windy upland range in the North of England, you would know that is no mean achievement for any rifle.

It now wears a Heavy Palma profile Bartlein chambered for 6.5X55mm and shoots consistent quarter inch 5-shot 100yd groups. Nothing else has been changed from factory spec. - sorted! Savage and any other factory cannot mass produce barrels that see every one capable of half-MOA or better, not at a final rifle price we could afford, anyway. The amazing thing about Savage is how many really good ones they produce alongside the the fair percentage that are mediocre and a small percentage that are 'dogs'. The problem with this is that we expect them all to perform akin to the best. This is compounded by buyers who aren't satisfied quietly selling them on while those who get the 'star rifles' hang onto them and everybody in the local club sees how well they'll shoot.

A final thought. 0.75-MOA is still a respectable figure for a factory rifle out of the box, even for a varmint heavy-barrel model. Not that many years ago, any lucky buyer getting a rifle that did that would have been in seventh heaven.

So, you have two choices. rebarrel, ...... or, play around with different bullet weights, makes and loads until you find a combination the barrel likes. Most factory barrels are much more partial to one make and weight than the rest and if you light on that, can shave a few tenths off the groups and/or get rid of fliers.

Laurie,
York, England

 

[DennisH]

All I have done is bed the stock and tweak the trigger. I have two Savages that are the most accurate guns I have owned, one the 308 shown in the pictures, and a VLP 243.

 

[pabloaa]

You did not say what your groups look like, vertical, horizontal round with flyer(s)? You may be experiencing ignition problems, Under no circumstance lighten or shorten spring. Is the firing pin striking center? If not the pin can be bushed to recenter and or smaller?
Is it cratering? There should .050"/.055"thou of firing pin protrusion from face of bolt.

“But I’m Much Better Now”

 

[kdvarmint]

kdvarmint,

I fear you may be wasting time and money replacing the OEM H-S Precision stock and doing bedding work. As Steve (Sleepygator), a guy who's obviously been around the block a few times in this game, said way back in mid January

My factory 6BR barrel will get down to .3-.4" five-shot groups at 100. My factory 6.5-284 barrel could be used as an example in a borescope lesson. It will not shoot worth a damn. If your assessment of the present barrel is that it will not perform as you want, you could acquire one of the aftermarket drop-in Savage barrels. Drop-ins from reliable barrel makers generally perform well.

This is by far the most likely cause with a factory rifle. I too have two factory Savage 12 Precision / Target models, a .204 LRPV that is the most accurate factory rifle I've ever owned by a large margin, and just like Steve, a 6.5-284 12 F Class that struggled to get below 0.75" no matter what loads I tried. It wouldn't produce the MVs other people got from the 'standard' combinations in the cartridge either, running 75-100fps down.

Various well intentioned people suggested playing with bedding torque settings, rear screw torque, doing a DIY epoxy glue bedding job, recrowning, etc etc. A gunsmith friend said rebarrell, forget the rest. This was disappointing as other examples of this model dominated British 600 and 1,000yd bench rest competition 'Factory Sporter' class for some time, some examples regularly achieving sub 0.5-MOA or even smaller 600yd groups and 0.5-1-MOA 1,000yd groups, and if you've ever shot at Diggle a nearly always windy upland range in the North of England, you would know that is no mean achievement for any rifle.

It now wears a Heavy Palma profile Bartlein chambered for 6.5X55mm and shoots consistent quarter inch 5-shot 100yd groups. Nothing else has been changed from factory spec. - sorted! Savage and any other factory cannot mass produce barrels that see every one capable of half-MOA or better, not at a final rifle price we could afford, anyway. The amazing thing about Savage is how many really good ones they produce alongside the the fair percentage that are mediocre and a small percentage that are 'dogs'. The problem with this is that we expect them all to perform akin to the best. This is compounded by buyers who aren't satisfied quietly selling them on while those who get the 'star rifles' hang onto them and everybody in the local club sees how well they'll shoot.

A final thought. 0.75-MOA is still a respectable figure for a factory rifle out of the box, even for a varmint heavy-barrel model. Not that many years ago, any lucky buyer getting a rifle that did that would have been in seventh heaven.

So, you have two choices. rebarrel, ...... or, play around with different bullet weights, makes and loads until you find a combination the barrel likes. Most factory barrels are much more partial to one make and weight than the rest and if you light on that, can shave a few tenths off the groups and/or get rid of fliers.

Laurie,
York, England

Sorry to respond so long after you posted your remarks. My rifle did not have a HS Precision stock. It had the cheap factory stock. I replaced that with a Bell and Carlson. Must be a little mix up in all the posts. Got it Down to almost 1/2 inch, and am satsified with the rifle. Thank's for your thoughts.
kd.