Need Help- Poor Accuracy with Savage 11/111 XP Hunter in 30-06

Howdy,

My first post here. My cousin and I are attending the Bang Steel class in VA this weekend and I've been trying to work up a load recently. Having a heck of a time trying to get the thing to shoot accurately, any help would be greatly appreciated. I need to have 200 rounds ready to go by Thursday so all help is desperately needed!

My rifle is a Savage 11/111 XP Hunter in 30-06 with around 150 rounds through it. Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 scope in steel warne rings on the stock base with a Harris Bipod. All screws double checked and no visible damage to the rifle (including crown).

I'm using IMR-4350 powder, Hornady Match once-fired brass (full-length resized and trimmed), CCI #200 primers and a 175 Grain Sierra Match King HPBT bullet. I shot five 5 round groups last weekend out of lead sled (5 each in 1 grain increments) between 55.1 and 55.6 and the groups all looked similar with the smallest being around 2.5 inches. I was expecting at least half that for a hand-loaded round with decent components.

I talked with the instructor of Bang Steel and he recommended two more loads to try (56.2 and 54.7 grains) and Federal Fusion on the commercial side. He also recommended I check the action screws for tightness (anyone have photos of these screws?).

As an aside, I can shoot our Garand with iron sights and surplus ball ammo in a group half the size of my savage. I know I'm not the world's best shooter, but I can consistently shoot better than my Savage currently can.

Anyone have other ideas, loads, or commercial ammo recommendations? Any and all help is appreciated.

I would try the hornady 168 grain match bullets.I have never had good acceptable results shooting that particular bullet. I would rely on h4831 with either the 168's or 175's if you have to use them.To reiterate I have never been able to get the 175 to fly right but the 168 is supreme and the hornady 165 spire point is a close second.The 30-06 was standerized with a 150 grain bullet,I wonder why.You don't need super heavy bullets out of a pencil thin sporter tube in the first place anyways. If you have any 150's go with imr 4064 as the propellelant of choice.That is all for now except the bedding screws,they go from the bottom of the stock into the receiver and the front screw should be 40 inch pounds and I run the rear at 30 inch pounds in a factory plastic,unbedded stock.Your problem could all be bedding and my next suggestion is to replace the stock with a laminate from boyds or stockys.

Jonbearman,

Thank you very much for the reply! I plan to pick up 165-168 grain match bullets when I can find them next around here, and also try other powders. I will be stopping by BassPro tonight and will see if they have any in stock.

With what I have on hand, any suggestions on commercial ammo or another load with the SMK 175 gr and IMR-4350? Reloading components are not too plentiful around here and I need to get ready to go in 48 hours.

If anyone is still interested in this thread....

Tried my handloads, still >2MOA. I tried some 180 GR federal fusion and my group was <1MOA. I'm shocked such "cheap" ammo could be so much better than my handloads with match brass and bullets.

I don't think your loads are the problem. It a problem with the rifle itself. Here is what I did to a savage 110 in 270 that worked for me. The first is to test adding front barrel support. Cut a piece of shim stock and insert under the barrel at the front end of the stock. Don't want a hard lift, just touch so that it dampens the barrel when fired. My rifle took about a 10 mil piece of plastic. a piece of business card or some such thing is all that is needed. Your load data seemed fine to me. if those loads wont shoot it is not the load. .

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Originally Posted by strut64

I don't think your loads are the problem. It a problem with the rifle itself. Here is what I did to a savage 110 in 270 that worked for me. The first is to test adding front barrel support. Cut a piece of shim stock and insert under the barrel at the front end of the stock. Don't want a hard lift, just touch so that it dampens the barrel when fired. My rifle took about a 10 mil piece of plastic. a piece of business card or some such thing is all that is needed. Your load data seemed fine to me. if those loads wont shoot it is not the load. .

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So removing the free-floating of the barrel improved accuracy? Interesting...

Yep.
Free float first. Then add a shim in a particular spot, as stated. Try different shims in different places. In a sense you are tuning the barrel to the bullet. Sometimes it takes both. That is not the same as not floating the barrel at all. It is be intentionally applying a specific amount of pressure at a point with a purpose.