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savvlp
12-05-2014, 10:52 PM
Guy's,

Just wanted to share this one in case anyone runs into the same problem and can't figure it out. Anyway I purchased a Savage model 12 VLP several years ago and could never get it to shoot consistantly. It would put 2 bullets in the same hole and then I would get a flier. I went so far as to glass bed the action which helped but still didn't fix the issue. The barrel fouled badly when I first got the rifle, so I chalked it up to a so-so barrel. Recently I was reading a forum that said that the front scope base can cause accuracy issues if it contacts the recoil lug. Didn't I feel stupid. I'm 49 years old and have been shooting/reloading for a long time but never thought to check this, even when I bedded the rifle. Well you can see where this is going. I checked the weaver style front base and it was sitting right on top of the recoil lug! It was probably hanging over the recoil lug about a 1/16 of an inch but never noticed it. Too make a long story even longer, I filed down the front of the base and presto I went to consistent one hole groups! This load previously would put two bullets touching and a third one a half an inch away or more. The load in case anyone is curious is listed below. Next I'll go back to my 87 grain V maxes and see how they do. I'm glad I stuck with it. I was about to rebarrel this dam thing. I'll post some pics when I get a chance. Thanks and good shooting!!!

Win brass
70 grain Nosler BT
46.5 grains IMR 4350
CCI BR2
COL - 2.773 (Just touching lands)

limige
12-05-2014, 11:01 PM
Fantastic! I had issues like that in the past I couldn't nail down

savvlp
12-05-2014, 11:48 PM
Fantastic! I had issues like that in the past I couldn't nail down

Yeah it doesn't help that Savage puts the front base screw right next to the recoil lug. Not the greatest design in the world but hey it shoots like gangbusters now! Oh and don't forget to make sure the front base screw doesn't contact the barrel threads. Mine didn't.

savvlp
12-06-2014, 02:05 PM
Here's a before 3 shot group, with 2 in the same hole. It would do this pretty regularly.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o49/jims91notch/IMAG0245_zpse324f05f.jpg (http://s117.photobucket.com/user/jims91notch/media/IMAG0245_zpse324f05f.jpg.html)

Here's what it does now. That's a 4 shot .373 center to center group (.616 OTO). By the way this was on a day that had 10-15 MPH winds and sunny conditions. It repeated several times on different days.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o49/jims91notch/IMAG0243_zps330802e0.jpg (http://s117.photobucket.com/user/jims91notch/media/IMAG0243_zps330802e0.jpg.html)

GaCop
12-07-2014, 08:04 AM
Glad you got it sorted out.