Wow! I suck...

[riflewoman]

Well, you need to test ammo at each range. It’s not unusual for smallbore shooters to use different ammo at 50 and 100 yards. The next thing is none of the groups are centered and each target has a different group center. That indicates a change in position and how you’re influencing the rifle. Smallbore prone shooters can group inside the 10 ring on these targets using a sling and iron sights. All is not lost however, you do have more league events and you have some time to work on these skills, I truly believe it isn’t the rifle per se. Savage-Stevens made a model 416 which was accurate enough to group within the 10 ring of the 50 yard target.

 

[SBS]

While it's true that your rifle isn't all of the problem, viewers please note that the F class rimfire targets are much smaller than regular prone targets. In order to shoot 10's, the rifle and ammo needs to be much better than for conventional prone. We have F class shooters at our prone matches and even with very good custom rifles, high dollar rests and top notch ammo, no one has cleaned the course on F class targets since the NRA made this an official course of fire. I think the OP could do better with his Savage, but a high score in not in the cards.

 

[riflewoman]

These targets look like the ISU 50 meter smallbore target. The 10 ring in that is 10.4 mm. The world record for that is 600/600. In fact at world level you won’t get in the shootoff if you drop more than two points with a high number of inner Tens.

While I agree that the rifle may not be the best, it’s what he has and he can certainly use that this season to refine his technique. He might end up low person...but I bet not. In the meantime he can look for a better rifle.

 

[kzin]

While it's true that your rifle isn't all of the problem, viewers please note that the F class rimfire targets are much smaller than regular prone targets. In order to shoot 10's, the rifle and ammo needs to be much better than for conventional prone. We have F class shooters at our prone matches and even with very good custom rifles, high dollar rests and top notch ammo, no one has cleaned the course on F class targets since the NRA made this an official course of fire. I think the OP could do better with his Savage, but a high score in not in the cards.

You're generally correct but ...

OP shot less than 85%

When I replaced my savage mkII with an anschutz I was averaging about 94% on the metric/f-class targets in practice with the savage.
That was with ftr gear, not the f-open gear OP is using and I've improved as a shooter since.

He would need a new rifle to get to 98 or 99% but not to get to about 95% which it sounds like he'd be all right with as this is basically practice, not his main sport.

Unless the savage is a bad rifle for a savage.

 

[pirate ammo]

give to that kid of yours, he'll show you how to shoot,,

 

[Fotheringill]

For starters, I would strongly suggest you mount another scope with other rings and rail and see what happens with the same ammo OR take the entire optics set off this rifle and mount it on another rifle that is a known quantity and be able to eliminate that possible problem.

THEN we can go one step at a time with sussing out the problem.

BTW- what were the torque settings on your screws?

 

[Peebles24]

Well I'll try to cover most of the above comments. I am taking no offense, ideas is what i need and constructive critisism is not bad.

The torque was a hand guess over 20 inch pounds probably closer to 30 on both screws. Im a mechanic by trade, usually close at guessing.

The scope came off my f open rig and tracks great on it has never lost zero.

Thank you the bag riders are near identical to the ones i built on my f open rifle I'll post a pic.

I think my follow through on the shot is poor but in all my years shooting i have never shot that poor.

The target are A33 and A51 i think ill have to check.

The trigger is pretty close to my savage 12 target trigger, alittle heavier but smooth.

 

[riflewoman]

Follow through is hyper-important with smallbore. As is consistent position and gun handling. Lots to learn.

 

[Someoldguy]

Have you experience in stock bedding? If so, how are you checking to ensure you aren't inducing stress?

As in my previous post, I'm posing questions I think you should be asking yourself. Sorry if that wasn't clear earlier.

The key is consistency, shot after shot. Cartridges that head space off the rim pose additional challenges. That's why you see guys buying high-dollar ammo and doing things like measuring rim thickness and looking for lead engraving.

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious.

 

[Jim Hankins]

I would say ammo-just because it says Eley or SK or Lapua on the box doesn't make it perfect-all make lower grades of ammo.Get a few boxes of good Eley-Tenex or Match and wait for a good day to test.

 

[Peebles24]

This is only the second stock i have bedded. Other is my fopen rifle. So no i dont know that i didnt.

I tried a couple eley one was tenex.

 

[Someoldguy]

This is only the second stock i have bedded. Other is my fopen rifle. So no i dont know that i didnt.

I tried a couple eley one was tenex.

If you do a search, there are several threads on the forum concerning how to bed an action stress free and how to check for induduced stress with a dial indicator. Might be of help to you, or at least help identify potential problems.

 

[kzin]

Your 50 yd targets are poor and your 100yd targets are terrible and you say 25yds was good. With no wind they should be a lot closer to each other. I really wonder if the ammo doesn't have consistent velocity.

I think you should take everything as is back to a 25 yard retest first to see if something got worse(especially your bedding job) or things really are getting worse fast as range increases or some of each.

Yeah, those are definitely a51,a33 the NRA adaption of ISU targets. Tough for sling. Pretty good for f-class, if anything, a little too easy. Off-topic but it blows my mind that international quality shooters shoot good scores offhand on them!

btw - you know you're putting double the standard number of rounds in each target?
When you fix this problem you'll be shooting a big ragged, unscoreable hole in each target.

 

[dolek]

Do you have a pic of the bedding job ? I did a Savage recently,17 caliber rig . I remember gluing in some wood and then hogging it out for the bedding compound . I do remember it was super finicky when it came to torquing it down ...never did get it to shoot very well .

 

[Boyd L.]

Your 50 yd targets are poor and your 100yd targets are terrible and you say 25yds was good. With no wind they should be a lot closer to each other. I really wonder if the ammo doesn't have consistent velocity.

I think you should take everything as is back to a 25 yard retest first to see if something got worse(especially your bedding job) or things really are getting worse fast as range increases or some of each.

I agree with the above suggestion, in the interest of learning if the results repeat, get Lapua/Ely and try again.
If your results don’t repeat, and assuming your scope mounting is appropriate, I would replace the scope with a different one of known ability to hold zero. Start the test all over again with the change in ammo/scope.
@OP: I’m also wondering about how the rifle performed before bedding. You mentioned that it wasn’t good (or words to that effect), but how did it shoot? If the above doesn’t improve performance, bedding is where I’d go last. Failing that, I see a swap/purchase in your future.

 

[Peebles24]

Im going to rule out the scope cause this is the exact scope i shot 1k with, i pulled it off after last match. This target is one of my 1k match targets with this scope in 8-10 mph wind at atterbury.

I dont have a pic of the bedding handy be another couple days before i can.

 

[Rsadams]

If you want to play around with the torque setting , you need to use a wrench and not guess.... I honestly just torque to factory specs but make sure they stay torqued up for consistency.... Take your testing out to 50 yards....

 

[kzin]

I dug out my mk2 and set it up for f-tr again.

shot some A51s -> 94 97 95 98

You shouldn't need to upgrade from the savage rifle to improve a lot from where you were this match.

I had to pull the stock off to re-install the bipod stud. I hand tightened the bolts to whatever and it shoots fine.
I've had it back and forth between the savage stock and a boyds, never had a torque wrench on it and it has always shot.
Of course it's better to torque it to spec but I wouldn't bet on that being a major issue.

 

[kzin]

Im going to rule out the scope cause this is the exact scope i shot 1k with, i pulled it off after last match. This target is one of my 1k match targets with this scope in 8-10 mph wind at atterbury.
.

Lol, you and I are flip-flopped.
I'm doing great in smallbore and my last trip to 600 the wind totally made me it's b-tch.

 

[Peebles24]

Made some adjustments to the action screws 21 front 5 rear. Still didnt want to consistently group. Switched to cco standard velocity and it helped a ton. So going to have to ammo test again damnit.

Went ahead and shot william bucks 50 yard br match and scored a 165-2×.