curious about todays groups

I was out shooting today with my new savage 12 fv in 223, put about 30 rounds thru it last week and broke the barrel in. so today i start out shooting with a front rest and a rear bag, no thrilled with the groups, so i switch to my bulls bag where the mass of the center of the gun is in the long sided bag, looks to be 10 inched of side contact, all of a sudden the groups come together, i do have other savages like the model 12 BVSS that shoots excellent off of a separate front rest and rear bag, why wont this model 12 fv shoot off the front rest and rear rest, the only thing i can see is it might be the so called tupperware stock, but yet on the next bench is my buddy with the same gun in 308 drilling so small groups with the separate front and rear rest

Chet

Sounds to me like your stock may be touching when you are on the gun and putting a little pressure on it. Those cheap plastic stocks don't take much to make flex and contact the barrel. By sliding the bag closer to the center of the rifle you are reducing the amount of stress on the forend so that it no longer touches. Thats my guess. I would inlet it until you can at least slide a business card down the barrel without touching. The better fix would be to upgrade the stock completely.

Before you go chopping up your stock check to be sure the barrel is free floated all the way to the nut. If it is your all set, if not sand where it is tight until it is free floated.
Next bring your rest closer to the action, just in front of the mag. well, adjust for elevation and see how it shoots.

PS 30 rounds will not smooth out a factory barrel, usually closer to 60-80 in my experience.
^ break in ^

you mentioned upgrade, any good examples that may come to mind mainly for bench shooting, my buddy ordered a new boyds pro varmint today, i sort of like the style of it.

Chet

The sling studs can catch on the bags & rest throwing the shot off. Try it without studs.

Shot my 12FV in 223 when new off rests and with bi-pod and it performed well. Did not seem to flex enough to effect groups. Later put a thumbhole laminate stock under it and it does shoot better. Currently using 53 grain Sierra HP and 8208XBR, and 53 grain V-Max with 3031.

If you haven't already, check the action screw torques. Mine was loose from the factory.