Terrible accuracy w/ Savage 17 HMR?

[TRECustom]

I just shot my Savage Stainless thumbhole Mod 93R17 for the first time yesterday. The only ammo I have is the Hornady Varmint Express 17gr vmax. Even doing barrel break-in, I "chased the spotter" all over the place. At 100 yds, it scattered hits over approx 6" horizontal, and 2" vertical. It was so bad I burned the target. The trigger squeaks like a screen door just before the sear starts to creep back to release. Accutrigger?

When I got home, I pulled the rifle out of the stock to check things out. Nothing obvious except the front action screw had caved in the thin unsupported floor metal in front of the mag well. I put the rifle back in the stock and found that it was sitting off to the right and the barrel was too close to the edge of the barrel channel, maybe touching it when the forend was on the rest. The first 1" or so of the barrel was hard in contact with the stock. I got out the dowels and sandpaper and cleared the channel all the way back to the front of the receiver.

The scope is a new Burris 3 x 9 x 40 and the mounts and rings are tight.

I don't think any ammo is that bad. I suspect the rifle itself. I hope the free-float will fix it, but am not optimistic. That front action screw only supported by the thin sheetmetal bottom plate is a crappy setup, and looks like the big empty space above it would be tricky to bed properly.

I'm open to any suggestions on the rifle or ammo or both. I liked the rifle when I got it and had read a lot of good things about them. I had a Marlin that could only shoot 1 moa at 100 yds and expected better out of this one.

Got my fingers crossed. I would like to save it.

Thanks, Tom

 

[RonAKA]

Ammo has a huge effect on rimfire accuracy, and I have zero knowledge about the 0.17 caliber, except that you have limited choices. In the .22LR, which I suspect is identical except for the chamber and bore, I do have some experience. Here is how I bedded the BTVS and set up the accutrigger.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227014

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223949

My BTVS had the barrel retaining pin contacting the stock. I cleared that by grinding the pin and the stock. It was forcing the barrel/action sideways in the stock. The BTVS is very weak in the area of the rear action screw. If I was to bed one again, I would epoxy a vertical partition of fiberglass to strengthen it in that area. My cylindrical recoil lug was also loose as it came out of the box. Tighten it, and make sure your gun is vertical and forcing the lug back when you tighten the action screws.

This is a very simple gun, and I would expect if you correct the issues it should shoot well.

 

[TRECustom]

Ron, I checked out the links and added them to my bookmarks. Looks like you've done all the hard work. All I have to do is follow instructions.

There is one issue I'll have to work on though. Where your rifle has wood under the front recoil lug, mine is open, unsupported, allowing the sheetmetal floor plate to be coned inward by the front action screw. It's going to have to be dealt with though, or I'll never know if the rifle can be accurate. If I could post pictures, I would.

I agree about ammo quality and sensitivity, but can't imagine any ammo being that bad.

Thanks for the reply. You must have spent hours on the procedure preparation and posting.

Tom

 

[sdneil]

TRE--You will get it figured out , Most of these 17s and 22s are extremely accurate. I have several ,they are excellent!-Do not over tighten the screws. Front screw, just snug, rear screw a small amount more. I know exactly what you mean about weak stock in front screw area, it is a joke! These stocks are kind of universal,generic.. 17 Hornady v-max shoots best in mine. Keep us posted. Neil

 

[RonAKA]

Tom I am having trouble understanding what you mean about the front action screw area. Can you describe more?

 

[TRECustom]

Ron, looking at the inside of your rifle, I see a layer of wood that apparently the end of the cylindrical recoil lug/front action screw anchor can abut. Apparently, the thin sheetmetal floorplate is inletted into the bottom of the stock and sandwiches the wood and recoil lug for firmer support. The sheetmetal floorplate on mine is unsupported except for a narrow ledge all around the edge of the floorplate. If you look down into my stock, all you see is the inside surface of the thin floorplate. The recoil lug is nowhere near reaching down that far. Also what I've been calling the recoil lug in fact has no wood at all around most of its circumference.. What happens when I tighten the front action screw is that the unsupported floorplate caves inward under very light torque. Sdneil posted just before you and has seen the same thing on his rifles. I'll come up with something to stabilize that area. If you would like, I can email pictures, but am too dumb to post them. This project will be postponed though while I get some other stuff done. Should be able to get back on it in a few weeks. I've saved all the info. Sd, I'm a long way from giving up on this rifle. (It's the only 17 HMR I have now).

Thanks very much to both of you. Tom

 

[jonbearman]

I too had my savage 17hmr favor one side of the stock.What I did was readjust the recoil post(has set screw inside of it.) .I moved it till I had neutral tension on the barrel and reciever.My initial groups were about 4 inche's at 50 yds.I was really mad because my pre accutrigger savage cheapy would shoot a one hole group.I played with the post and now I get a ragged hole at 50 yds.Modifying the stock was the last thing I wanted to do.This is a common problem and I think that whoever assemble's them at the factory is the one who is causing all this trouble.

 

[TRECustom]

Jon, I'll look closer, but I don't think it'll be anywhere near long enough to bottom out on the floorplate and support it. Hope I'm wrong.
About 4" is what I'm getting too. looking for < moa at 100 yds. Haven't been able to work on it yet. Too much going on.

Thanks for the info. Tom

 

[jonbearman]

It wont help with the bottoming out part but it made the darn thing shoot a hole at 50 yards.I am thinking about making an aluminum insert and epoxy it in to the stock and screw through it into the round lug.I will get to it in a week or so.

 

[TRECustom]

Interesting! I've got a chunk of laminated stock wood that I was thinking of fitting, pinning and epoxying into the empty space, and then drilling it for the spud and action screw. You'll definitely get to it before I do. Let me know how you do it and if it shoots any better.

Thanks, Tom

 

[DOGCAPPER]

Fill the empty space with a bedding block and epoxy..
Hornady usually shoots better and has more punch...At least on my water bottle test...
LT

 

[TRECustom]

Thanks Patti, that's the plan now. Just need to get to it. Got 2 other rifles that need bedding. Probably will do them together. I make a big mess, and might as well just clean up once!

Thanks again to all, Tom

 

[Wirelessguy2005]

My 93r17 was a tack driver. The hornady 17 grain vmax ammo is pretty much the benchmark of accuracy for the 17HMR. If you continue to have problems i would call and talk to Joe Degrandy at Savage before you make any changes to the rifle. He is in charge of the service dept. and he is excellent at getting problems resolved. I had some trouble with a Savage 12FCV not long ago and Joe went out of his way to make it right for me. You just don't find that type of customer service any more.

 

[TRECustom]

Wireless, hadn't thought of calling Savage. It's the only Savage I have and it just didn't occur to me. I did correct an off-center (and in contact) factory barrel float job, so I don't know if that would disqualify the rifle from Savage service. Can't hurt to call them though. Thanks for the name of a contact.

It is the consensus so far that the Hornady 17gr vmax ammo is the best in these rifles. I stopped questioning the ammo after reading the boards, and the replies to this thread. You could say that I was disappointed by the way this rifle and ammo shot, but it was closer to disbelief.

As stated, I'm not giving up. Too many of these rifles are fine shooters.

Thanks for the suggestion, Tom

 

[Wirelessguy2005]

Glad that i was able to help out. Let me know how it works out for you.

 

[bozo699]

Tom,
I have both the savage you have and a marlin and they both shoot about 1.5" @ 100yds I have shot under 1" but its not the norm. I havn't done anything to mine except adjust the trigger and torqued action screws. All .17hmr ammo sold is made @ cci I heard winchester is going to have there's made elsewhere? anyway I am sure its not the ammo. I am not sure the sequence but there is a right and wrong way to tighten down the action screws. I used to have it but now when you might need it I can't find it. You should be able to find it online.
Wayne.

 

[pgg]

I have been very happy with my Savage bsev .17hmr but still need some time to work with it to find out what it can really do. Did a quick site in of the scope (Kales CL 3-10x50) and started shooting pdogs all in 20-25 minutes. I need to take it to the range on a good day and see what it is actually shooting. In the short time I have spent using it I have been very happy this thread makes me want to really get to work with it. Thanks for the great info. PG

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I had a 17 HMR for many years. Sold it just a few months ago. I bought one when they first came out. I do know this: some rifles prefer certain ammo.. You may have to test a few different brands and bullet weights.

 

[tiny68]

I friend has the same rifle. His shoots the 17 gr terrible but loves the 20 gr bullets. Consistent with every brand of ammo he tried. Luck, Tim

 

[Viperdoc]

I have a Ruger 77/17 that shot no better than 1.5 inches off of a rest and bag, regardless of ammo. Added a Shilen barrel, which with the Hornady 17's shoots at around an inch. I then bought a Volquartsen custom, and out of the box I was able to shoot 0.5-0.75 pretty routinely.

So, the barrel as well as he ammo can make a big difference, at least in my limited experience.