12 F/TR quality PIC ADDED

[Wes_VB]

I just received a new 12 F/TR chambered in 308.
I was horrified when I looked down the barrel.
It is rings for as far as I can see down the barrel. I don't know if it is tool chatter or leftover from the drilling operation. The lands look very very shallow and it measures about .302 on my muzzle gauge.
What the heck...over? I expected so much after hearing so many good reports and what I received enforces every bad thing I ever heard about Savage QC.
I have not fired the rifle and it will be headed back to Savage shortly for either a new barrel or an exchange rifle.
I'm confident that they will make it right but EXTREMELY dissapointed that something like this could even get out the door.

I know 1st post and all. I will take some pics before I box the rifle back :oup.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Addivb/targets/WES_4256.jpg

[McKinneyMike]

Agree that it should not happen, but it is not the norm. I have had great luck with them so far.

[memilanuk]

I&#39;ll agree they look &#39;questionable&#39; - even the barrels we (Team Savage) get sometimes do. It&#39;s a production gun <shrug> There isn&#39;t anything materially different between the barrel you&#39;re looking at and the ones that have taken medals at national/international events and set various records...

I&#39;d strongly suggest you shoot it first, and judge it afterwards.

[Wes_VB]

I&#39;ll agree they look &#39;questionable&#39; - even the barrels we (Team Savage) get sometimes do. It&#39;s a production gun <shrug> There isn&#39;t anything materially different between the barrel you&#39;re looking at and the ones that have taken medals at national/international events and set various records...

I&#39;d strongly suggest you shoot it first, and judge it afterwards.

OK. I&#39;ll give it a shot. Knowing your background with the rifles I will definitely shoot it first.
It is very suspect looking. I can&#39;t imagine this thing not collecting massive amounts of copper. The top of the lands look like a file.
And with a .302 bore isn&#39;t it already halfway done?

[rjtfroggy]

I have to agree try it first. I have 9 different ones as of right now. One had what looked like a chip or burr at the crown but it is the most accurate of the bunch so far(3 still in load development), I am already looking at the next 2-3 builds and will not be looking at different brands.
SAVAGE only from now on.

[steveinwv]

My FCP-K .223 has the same rings all the way down and it lays down the law of accuracy. My wifes VLP .22-250 is the same story. Shoot it first. They&#39;ll still fix it later if you&#39;re not happy.

[LG]

Both my .308 model 10 and .223 model 12 have bores that look like railroad tracks. Still both are good shooters.

[acasto]

My 308 barrel looked just as bad, and did foul some after10-12 shots. Accuracy was acceptable for a factory rifle.
Ran a series of Tubbs Final Finish down it, and it is without a doubt, the most accurate rifle I have ever owned.
Of course, I also worked up the load for it.

I would try it also. Nothing to lose.

[memilanuk]

The barrel I won the 1200yd F/TR trophy @ Lodi in 2008 with had *very* little rifling in it. It had gotten a full Final Finish treatment early on to knock off the high spots ::) and reduce the fouling to an acceptable level.

Sometimes I wonder if the shallow rifling *not* digging big grooves in the bullet as it goes by is why so many of these barrels shoot as well as they do... they certainly seem to &#39;defy&#39; the conventional thinking about what an accurate barrel should look like.

[lucy123]

I bought a new model 16 in Feb. It has the smoothest looking bore i have seen in my 55 years. I have&#39;nt got to shoot it yet.

[Wes_VB]

OK Tell me or reassure me that this is normal for GOOD shooting savage barrels.
Looking at this it almost has to be the button chattering as it is pulled through the barrel.
Maybe it will shoot well but this barrel looks like it was cut in the worst backyard chinese sweatshop ever imagined.
On second thought it looks like it was made in a prison cell with a dull bedspring!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Addivb/targets/WES_4256.jpg

[dcloco]

Ummmm....send that one back.

[lucy123]

I have to agree that looks awful .Send it back.

[drybean]

must agree send it back i have a junk lathe an cut better threads than that

[LG]

I can see circular marks in the bores of some of my factory barrels. But they are not as bad as yours.

[jo191145]

I would go half way. Send that pic to Savage. Let them know your concerned/disappointed and ready to send it back but willing to try it.
At least it will be documented before firing. Does&#39;nt really matter. Savage will replace it either way.
Have to admit the two most accurate Savage 204R barrels I ever had were the two that copper fouled like crazy when new.
They were rough like sandpaper inside but no railroad tracks. Felt to me like the reamer had been run backwards.

I have two "old" 308 barrels that look worse. They are tomato stakes.

[sharpshooter]

Never judge a barrel by what it looks like inside! It doesn&#39;t have to be purty to shoot well. I&#39;ve borescoped enough Savage barrels to tell you that looks "normal".
One of last F T/R .308 barrels I checked measured .303". The customer has been shooting varmint for score matches and after I cut it to 26", he shot his first 50-5X. He been doing so well, that his other shooting buddies have had their barrels cut to 26" also. They&#39;ve been ruling in factory class.
Give it a good scrubbing and shoot it first, that&#39;s what Savage will do.

[Wes_VB]

The general consensus seems to be, "shoot it and see".
On this and the long range forum 3 members of Team Savage have weighed in and believe it to be fairly normal for a production barrel so away we go.
I guess I am going to have to ditch the preconceptions I had about what makes a precision rifle barrel. ;D

Thanks

[Live Oak]

OK. I&#39;ll give it a shot. Knowing your background with the rifles I will definitely shoot it first.
It is very suspect looking. I can&#39;t imagine this thing not collecting massive amounts of copper. The top of the lands look like a file.
And with a .302 bore isn&#39;t it already halfway done?
[/quote]

My Model 12 VLP BDM 22-250 did not look real pretty when I first got it. A friend who shoots bench rest emailed me a procedure using JB Bore Cleaning Paste and JB Bore Polish using round felt pellets mounted on a special jag. It was a very light cleaning and polish but a LOT of crud and micro metalic chips came out of the barrel. This process polished the barrel and throat up real nice and the rifle shoots extremely well in my unexperienced opinion. If you like, I can PM or email you what I did along with the part #&#39;s for the jags, rod stops, felt pellets, and bore cleaner.

[Wes_VB]

My Model 12 VLP BDM 22-250 did not look real pretty when I first got it. A friend who shoots bench rest emailed me a procedure using JB Bore Cleaning Paste and JB Bore Polish using round felt pellets mounted on a special jag. It was a very light cleaning and polish but a LOT of crud and micro metalic chips came out of the barrel. This process polished the barrel and throat up real nice and the rifle shoots extremely well in my unexperienced opinion. If you like, I can PM or email you what I did along with the part #&#39;s for the jags, rod stops, felt pellets, and bore cleaner.

I would be interested. I&#39;m little apprehensive about fire lapping. It just seems a bit drastic.
I guess either because I&#39;m new or not a paying member I cannot send PMs or see anyones profile.
dvb[at]falconbroadband.net