Finally admitting I need help

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06-02-2015, 12:14 PM
malachi_s

Finally admitting I need help

Hello shooters, I bought a Savage 10 FP SR about four years ago and when I first shot it with the plastic stock and factory ammo, I was not too distressed that it shot horribly. I say horribly meaning 1.5 to 2 MOA at 100 yds was the common. I knew right away I would need a better stock and better ammunition, so that is exactly what I did. I rested the rifle in a B&C Varmint/Tactical and started the process of trying to find the right combination of case, powder, bullet and primer.

After about a year into it I had thought I had found my load, Lapua case, Varget, CCI BR and Hornady 168 gr HPBT Match. I could hold my own out to 400 yards with other better more expensive rifles, not evenly I'll admit but I wasn't ever a a quarter moa away from the pack. Well, 2 and half years ago, that same recipe, rifle and shooter can not maintain a 1 moa group at 100 yds no matter how many times I try, good weather, damp weather, hot, cold, nothing matters.

Now I would be foolish not to take into consideration my own abilities but I would also not be truthful if I accepted I was the culprit. All I can safely say is that something has gone awry. I have changed recipes with different ingredients trying to find some happiness to no avail. The only think I have not endeavored to consider is the harmonics. I am the one who mounted the rifle in the new stock and though I am confident I had the torque right, as far as what was suggested, and using a Wheeler torque driver wrench anyway. I am to a point where I am thinking of taking it off the stock and remounting it. But before I do this, and I think that would not be a lot of trouble if I did, I would like other opinions as to what may be causing my issues.

I know this the door open for the wise guys to tell me it is all me and all the what knots of those superior shooters than myself but I don't care. If there is advise someone is willing to lend, I am listening. I really do need someone else's thought on this, so thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
06-02-2015, 12:47 PM
deertroy1

I guess there is a couple of things you can try to rule out all of the wise guy's. You could see if you can maintain 1 MOA or better groups with another rifle that has been proven to do so or you could have another shooter that has been proven to try shooting your rifle and see if he can maintain 1 MOA or better. That would at least eliminate that variable...............and the wise guy's!
06-02-2015, 12:55 PM
malachi_s

Finding another guy to shoot my rifle is an option I want to do, it is just getting someone at the club I know can shoot at the same time as I am there, thank you. That is a good idea. Perhaps I should not have used the term wise guys, what I meant is the people that no matter what they take their chance to flame someone for no reason. So excuse that term is anyone is offended
06-02-2015, 01:16 PM
Robinhood

copper fouling
06-02-2015, 01:44 PM
malachi_s

Thanks but I removed that possibilty, huh, almost a pun and not intended
06-02-2015, 01:45 PM
malachi_s

I am thinking harmonics, take my wrench out to the club and try different torque levels on the bedding and see what happens
06-02-2015, 01:45 PM
stomp442

Yep. Clean it use a good copper solvent and then re-foul the barrel before trying your pet load again. Also double check your seating depth it may be that you need to chase the throat a touch to maintain the same jump that you had when you started. Check the tang as well to ensure that it is floated along with the barrel.
06-02-2015, 09:20 PM
deertroy1

I understand what you meant by wise guy's. The web is full of them. I just ignore them!
06-02-2015, 10:23 PM
zdiddy0313

Sometime you also get bad barrels, I have experienced this myself. A new barrel solved my problems. This was not with a savage rifle though. I did do all the cleaning and torqueing before I took back to a smith. Manufacturer was nice enough to trade out.
06-02-2015, 10:51 PM
eddiesindian

Was the stock you took off an accustock? ....if so? There 3 point aluminum bedding block is really a good stock.
06-02-2015, 11:33 PM
pepper savage 111

Was the tang floated in the old stock vs new stock? I put my savage .308 in a Hogue stock and I could hit the broad side of a barn from the inside until i bedded it to float the tang. Harmonics are very sensitive.
06-03-2015, 12:20 AM
bc160

Dont forget to take a look at your optics and the possibility of loose rings or mounts.
06-03-2015, 01:05 PM
mousemotors

Info on harmonics. I have a .25moa shooter. I switched from a two piece scope to a one piece rail. It went from a .25 moa to 1.5 moa. Changed the mount back to a two piece and it went back to a .25 moa gun. After that I did change back to a one piece base but had to redo my load work up for it to come back to a .25 moa shooter.
06-03-2015, 02:17 PM
handirifle

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousemotors

Info on harmonics. I have a .25moa shooter. I switched from a two piece scope to a one piece rail. It went from a .25 moa to 1.5 moa. Changed the mount back to a two piece and it went back to a .25 moa gun. After that I did change back to a one piece base but had to redo my load work up for it to come back to a .25 moa shooter.

More info on that rifle, caliber, action etc. Interesting stuff. NEVER would have even considered that on a gun.
06-05-2015, 02:32 PM
1.618

What's your round count? Have you ever checked for, or tried to remove, any carbon ring that might have built up in the throat?

Quote:

Originally Posted by handirifle

More info on that rifle, caliber, action etc. Interesting stuff. NEVER would have even considered that on a gun.

Me, neither. I always heard that one-piece mounts were preferred because they were stiffer and more stable.