Model 16 in 260 rem ITH xp help

[rotorwash75]

I just picked up a model 16 international trophy hunter package in 260 rem with the hopes of shooting hornady 140 gr amaxs or hpbt matchs. my dies still haven't come in so I picked up a box of federal vital shocks in 140 with the sierra gameking bullets and took a drive to the range. My best group was 6.5" . I've owned a number of savages and up to this date my worst shooting one was still under 1 moa.
I figured something must be wrong so I went home and pulled the stock to see if something was touching the barrel or loose and couldnt find anything wrong.

Has anyone had issues with federal 140's in their 11's or 16's ? I wish my dies were in or there was another type of factory ammo for me to try. this was the only box in town.

Thanks

[243LPR]

What's the twist on the barrel?

[rotorwash75]

On the website it says it's a 1:8 and it's a new rifle. Although they don't list the international trophy hunter in 260. The regular trophy hunter in 260 lists as 1:8

[mike21]

Can't help with the factory ammo, but here's a few of things I would check considering it's a package deal.

---clean the barrel and chamber thoroughly
---retorque anything that is torqueable....mount, rings & action screws
---ensure barrel and tang are free floated
---closely evaluate whatever scope came with the package
---order up some different ammo until you can roll your own

With your experience with Savage rifles, you know something ain't right.

Good luck

[LongRange]

On the website it says it's a 1:8 and it's a new rifle. Although they don't list the international trophy hunter in 260. The regular trophy hunter in 260 lists as 1:8

I looked too and seen a few 9.25s as well.

[justinp61]

My Model 16 Trophy Hunter XP in 260 is 1-8. Savage told me these guns were built to shoot 120gr bullets. I need to get off my butt and shoot the 123gr SSTs I have loaded for it and load some of the Berger 130 grain Hunting VLD to test before deer season.

[rotorwash75]

Thanks mike
I pulled the stock and sanded down the tang area and gave the barrel a good scrub.
I had pulled the scope and mounting and put a 20 Moa rail and vortex diamondback on it in. I gave everything a retorque.. I'll go back to the range tomorrow and bring the weaver it came with, maybe the vortex is screwy.

Justin how do you find yours groups with the 120s?

[justinp61]

It'll shoot 1" groups at 100 yards, better if I do my part. These are Federal factory loads with Nosler 120gr Partition bullets.

[243LPR]

9.25 sounds like a .243/6mm twist.

[rotorwash75]

So I made it back to the range and ran another box through it. The groups went from 4" to 2" then my last group was only 2 shots and went through the same hole and that's when I ran out of bullets again. I wish I had some more to find out if it's shooting better as I put rounds through it or if it's just coincidence.

[rotorwash75]

Hey guys, I got a conclusion to this thread. Turns out it was a faulty scope. I picked up a better scope and sent the vortex in for warranty. I got some load work ups started, they're all from 2" to .6" so I think this gun is going to be accurate as hell once I get them fine tuned.

[justinp61]

Good deal. Let us know when you get the loads worked out. I finally shot some of my loads a couple weeks ago. All loads were 4350 and 123gr Hornady SST bullets, the best was 45.0 gr, .8" at 100 yards. The spread was all horizontal. Now I need to sit down and load some 100 and 120 Nosler Ballistic tips, also have some Berger 130gr Hunting VLDs.

[rotorwash75]

I'm using H4350 and 140 gr berger hybrid target. I picked up a couple boxes of those 123 sst and made some trial loads up to 44.3 I haven't shot them yet tho.

I had a tough time for data with the ssts and h4350. I could only find up to 44.3 for a 125 nosler. For the 140 bergers my load will be somewhere in the area of 41.0 gr. And loaded really far out. I'll have to double check but 0.010" off the lands for that bullet in my gun is 2.950" coal

I had almost entirely vertical stringing on that load. I was using federal brass and didn't deburr the flash holes. Since then I bought a f h deburrer and the next set loaded will be. I picked up s box of new hornady brass as well that I'll load up an identical load with and try

[bflee]

I have a Predator hunter in the 260. It loves the 120's much better than the 140's. Dont know that all are like this but this one definitely is!