Anyone know what Savages service codes mean?

I sent a brand new rifle in to Savage because it would not hold a group smaller than 1.5in at 100yds. I scoped it with a bore scope and found tool chatter marks throughout the rifling and some pitting in the muzzle end of the barrel. I called 3 wks after sending it to find the status and was told it was on the big brown truck headed my way. I asked what they did and the guy could not tell me. i am wondering what "repair" means? I am going to scope it again Tuesday to see if they changed the barrel. I got it today and the paperwork looks like this:

SER001 REPAIR

SER092C HEADSPACE-GOOD

SER211C FUNCTION FIRE_PASSED

SER213C TARGET_PASSED 100YDS

Could be anything. Wouldn't be surprised if they did replace the barrel. When you rescope the bore, don't be surprised if you find chatter marks again. The pitting would be bad, but the chatter marks are par for the course with Savage but they are still normally shooters.

Something to try before sending it back again is get the barrel good and dirty. Just shoot it without any break in cleaning. Almost every factory Savage barrel I have had shoots best when its full of copper and fouling. On my hunting barrels I only clean them after that hunting season is over just to preserve them for next year. Then just before the next year's season I go to the range and dirty them up again and recheck zero and don't touch them again til after the season. Too much cleaning can be your accuracy enemy with a factory Savage barrel. Just something to think about.

This is my 4th Savage and the rest are shooters. This is the only one I have had problems with. I cannot believe a company would let a barrel leave the factory like that.

It seems that a few have gotten out lately with issues that should have been caught at the factory. Only thought I have is perhaps due to the high demand right now, that perhaps the QC department is feeling a bit rushed?

Either way sounds like it still should have been caught and handled. Sounds like they are taking care of you, and anyone can make a mistake once in a while. It's how they handle it that counts.

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Originally Posted by mnhntr

This is my 4th Savage and the rest are shooters. This is the only one I have had problems with. I cannot believe a company would let a barrel leave the factory like that.

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wow...youve got 4 Savages?......wish I did.
I hear your concerns, I agree with your statment.
I too (as Mr. Mcquire) mentioned have admitted to myself that I may infact be over cleaning my barrel. I would often only clean the powder fouling but i got into removing copper from the rifling and my accuarcy and consistancy went south in hurry. Ive stopped being so annal about cleaning and the consistancy is comming back.

I clean all the same way. After every range trip or hunting trip I clean them, so maybe I will try not cleaning this one the way I do the others and see what happens.

Got home from the gunsmith shop and the results are less than impressive. The same junk barrel is still on the rifle. I guess Savage will get a phone call after they re-open from the holiday and get one more chance to right this wrong.
They did send me a target from a 100yd 3 rd grouping they shot at the factory. They used Federal 120gr Nosler BT and got .8in, which is ok. The problem is the barrel will never shoot right and will never be able to be cleaned as the chatter will hold build up.

Hopefully they will take care of you after you express your specific concerns. Now that you have gotten it back, how does it shoot for you?

I have not had a chance to shoot it. I am really disappointed in Savage. All they had to do is look down the tube to see it is junk. Instead they focus on how it shoots with bullets I would not even be interested in shooting. The point of having a 1-8 twist on a 6.5mm is to shoot heavy bullets, not 120gr. Also the way it shoots is irrelevant to the condition of the barrel.

mnhntr, what rifle do you have, what chambering? Thanks :). Jim

The one I am having the issue with is a model 10 predator in .260rem

I have a 12 LRP in .260rem ,and a Stevens 200 in .223 that shoot wicked tight groups. The fact that a $275 Stevens has a nicer barrel than this $700 rifle has me mad as heck.

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Originally Posted by mnhntr

I have not had a chance to shoot it. I am really disappointed in Savage. All they had to do is look down the tube to see it is junk. Instead they focus on how it shoots with bullets I would not even be interested in shooting. The point of having a 1-8 twist on a 6.5mm is to shoot heavy bullets, not 120gr. Also the way it shoots is irrelevant to the condition of the barrel.

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I understand, really I do. You put out your hard earned money to buy what you want and you expect it to be perfect, we all do. But I don't believe Savage has ever claimed to offer mirror smooth barrels, they just boast good out of box accuracy. If a rough barrel shoots well, I am betting they will respond similarly to how they returned it this time. With a target showing it shoots.

I hope you can get it resolved and that they will replace your barrel for you. Good luck and keep us up to speed.

Thanks

Looking at the order of things, I would venture to guess the SER001 REPAIR code is the code for received firearm for repair. The codes following indicate what checks were done to verify the performance of said firearm.

Obviously, the g-smith has a bore scope to have a magnified close up. Is there anyway the smith can give you a snap shot so you can have it as refrence. Maybe useful when dealing with the folks at Savage.
We use Snap On HD bore scopes at a Ford Dealership I work at and it can be plugg,d into a PC/Lap top for recording as a video or as snap shots which can be printed in HD.Ive used it on some of my problem child rifles as well.
In the 35yrs of being a Cert. Ford Tech. The high end bore scope has proven to be worth its weight in Gold. Course good ole fashion ball-ping hammer is up there as well...ololololol
Good Luck......keep us posted

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Originally Posted by eddiesindian

Obviously, the g-smith has a bore scope to have a magnified close up. Is there anyway the smith can give you a snap shot so you can have it as refrence. Maybe useful when dealing with the folks at Savage.
We use Snap On HD bore scopes at a Ford Dealership I work at and it can be plugg,d into a PC/Lap top for recording as a video or as snap shots which can be printed in HD.Ive used it on some of my problem child rifles as well.
In the 35yrs of being a Cert. Ford Tech. The high end bore scope has proven to be worth its weight in Gold. Course good ole fashion ball-ping hammer is up there as well...ololololol
Good Luck......keep us posted

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No he does not have the attatchment to take pics unfortunately

Most don't as Hawkeye thinks the adapter is made of gold.

What a barrel looks like inside is no indication on how it will shoot.

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Originally Posted by sharpshooter

What a barrel looks like inside is no indication on how it will shoot.

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While that MAY be true to a degree, it is very indicative of how it will build up copper and fouling, which WILL effect how it shoots.

Everyone of my 8 Savage bbls are chattered end to end and they all shoot sub moa from 100-700 yards.
Bummed to hear yours was pitted though, none of mine were.
I thought at 1st when I got a Savage w/that chatter it was junk, but that's why it shoot so good I think.
Everyone of my aftermarket bbl are smooth as a babys rear and shoot even better & don't foul unlike the Savage stock bbls until they are shoot enough to smooth them out.
I have a Hawkeye bore scope, but no picture unit as like you said its gold plated & over priced.
Savage will say that 1.5" is within factory specs also....been there w/ them on that.