How can I get better accuracy?

Hello,

I have a Savage 16 FHSS 'Weather Warrior' in .250 Savage that I bought in 2010 that I'm just getting out and really shooting now. The problem I'm having is that the gun isn't as accurate as I expected it would be. I've tried a bunch of different handloads, and the best I seem to get is 3 shot groups of 1.25 inches at 100 yards (and many loads are much worse). I know this isn't bad for a sporter, but I can do better with my Remington 700 ADL in 30-06 or my Contender carbine in .222. I really had visions of the Savage being the most accurate gun in my arsenal.

I've got a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 scope on the rifle, I've checked and re-checked all of the mounting screws. I also bought a torque screwdriver and torqued the Accu-stock per the instructions on this site. The gun seems to prefer lighter bullets, which is fine.

Any recommendations for me? Or is my next step an aftermarket barrel? Or am I just expecting too much?

Thanks,
Tom

...My poor eye's would have to have more X on the scope...lol.. Then lighten the trigger.. Alot of variables on grouping that would take to long to talk about...

Take the action out of the stock........look at the pillar areas. Are there any distinct contact marks?

bedding would be my first thought

Does this model have the plastic trigger guard on it? I swapped out the plastic one on my Savages with metal ones I purchased on MidwayUSA. I never understood torquing down an action screw against a pillar that was setting on a plastic trigger guard.
Have you only shot hand loads? How did they chronograph?

Not to be insulting, but go back and check your marksmanship fundamentals as well.

Position, LOP, grip, breathing, trigger squeeze, follow through.... Just like a pro golfer, even the best of us can fall into bad habits when we aren't shooting regular.

And it is a new rifle to boot, allow for break in.

In this order if it was I

If you had access to a vise/sled system you could possibly eliminate if its shooter error

check the headspace , I had a really deep remington once that was out so far that it would not fit in the rifle to feed the round if I set the oal to touch the lands , bullet was almost out of the case

lighten the trigger

those are the free things to check ......

bed the stock

?????

How many rounds have gone through the barrel? My 111 .270 Win was shaping up to be a dog until I had about 300 rounds fired. All of a sudden she found the target in a BIG way. More often than not, she's shooting an inch or less with loads that previously would do no better than 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Perhaps she just needs alittle use before you'll get best results.

Also the cleaning regimen can have a lot to do with it. Are you cleaning the barrel often, or not at all? Does it group better before or after cleaning? Is there a copper buildup in the barrel?

You have tried a bit of different "handloads" but how many different bullets and how many different powders/primers, etc.? Not to sould insulting, but just because it's a handload, does NOT make it more accurate than factory loads. Some factory loads are darn hard to beat.

I don't have much experience with the 25 caliber or the availability of bullet weights but sometimes a twist rate has a bullet Weight/"Length/Design that hits the sweet spot.I like the lighter trigger, cleaner barrel, more secure action, shooting fundamentals and good scope ideas. Also get a small bore mic and check the minor bore diameter to see if it meets specs. I have a 24 inch factory paperweight that the minor bore on a 308 was .3045. Never did group better than 1.5 moa.

Thanks for all the good advice everyone, I will start working through it.

Relative to some of the points in the posts:

-The gun has a metal trigger guard

-I'm not the world's best shooter, so I've considered that it could be me. With that in mind, I can switch to another rifle and do fine. And I've also let a friend who is a good shooter, shoot it with results similar to mine.

-I've got about 120 rounds through the rifle

-I clean the gun in between outings using a bore guide, a coated road, and always from the breech. I use a copper solvent as well.

-The gun seems to shoot better when clean (after an initial fouling shot)

-The trigger is as light as it will go

-I have not tried different primers - up until now I've mixed powder and bullets, but not primers or cases.

Thanks,

Tom

After everything mentioned is properly checked out, I would probably take that load that gave you 1.25 inches and start at the lands and work backwards in 5 thousands increments shooting for a group each time. Just doing this, you might turn that 1.25 into .5 in no time.

I had a 16FHSS , that barrel heats up fast and the stock flexes, when shooting on rest rest it further back from forarm area, where the stock is a little wider.

Check out my thread here... Lots of pics.

http://savageshooters.com/SavageForu...?topic=45415.0
FCP-K bedding question

Quote:

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Originally Posted by teebirdhyzer

After everything mentioned is properly checked out, I would probably take that load that gave you 1.25 inches and start at the lands and work backwards in 5 thousands increments shooting for a group each time. Just doing this, you might turn that 1.25 into .5 in no time.

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This is the direction in which I'd go... this and glass bedding the action into the stock.

Great rifle... better cartridge!

Somebody may have suggested it allready, but check the crown.

[quote=Luckus ]
Somebody may have suggested it allready, but check the crown.
[/quote

There r a few threads that demonstrated that crown contributes a big zero to accuracy.

Liquid Crown will not help acuracy. It will however help to exaggerate accuracy.

Where are you placing your rest when shooting, and is the stock touching the barrel at any point on the stand? If your stock is touching the barrel when rested, it can be mussing with the flex of the thinner barrel during firing.

If you can easily squeeze the stock to the barrel, I would try shooting while resting on the mag bottom, or in a different stock all together.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by teebirdhyzer

After everything mentioned is properly checked out, I would probably take that load that gave you 1.25 inches and start at the lands and work backwards in 5 thousands increments shooting for a group each time. Just doing this, you might turn that 1.25 into .5 in no time.

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Not to get sidetracked, but how much effect have you all seen seating depth change group size? I'll admit that I am a fairly novice reloader and havent played with this parameter much. Does it really have the potential to cause a giant change in group size?

YES, finding the sweet spot in that barrel is a big step, finding right powder big affect, it all works together alot of people do not want to spend time and money to get the best they can from their rifle.

I can shoot one hole 5 shot groups with every Savage i own so its not the gun!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Texasshooter36

I can shoot one hole 5 shot groups with every Savage i own so its not the gun!

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Tx, are you holding the paper target so it is touching the end of the barrel when you are shooting? ::)

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm teaching Hunter Education all weekend, so I won't get to do any shooting this week, but hopefully I'll get back out next weekend.

In the meantime I'll do some reloading and I'll be ready to give it another go. A Caldwell Steady Rest was just delivered by the UPS man yesterday, so perhaps that will aid me in my quest.

Thanks,
Tom

Also, make sure the rear tang is not touching the stock.

Dry fire in your rest. If the crosshair moves on the target modify your hold, rest etc. 'til the crosshair stays glued to the target..... move your head in a small circle while peering through the scope. Does the crosshair move off target? ............ adjust paralax. Not adjustable? upgrade scope. You can't shoot teeny groups w/o adjustable paralax. O.K. for hunting but not target shooting or load developement unless your scopes fixed focus happens to be the same distance as load developement.