111 LRH zero issues

Hello all. I am new to the forum, and honestly new to owning my own hunting rifle. I have used my dad's rifles for years, and am also an active duty Marine, so I have plenty of experience shooting. I purchased a 111 Long Range Hunter in .300WM about 6 months ago and mounted a vortex diamondback HP scope on it. I have been shooting it quite a bit in preparation for this year's hunting season. I have probably put 2 or 3 hundred rounds through it. The problem is that I am still not very confident in the rifle... I know that is a bit vague... I did quite a bit of research on the various models available before i bought the rifle and I know it has a good reputation as accurate. I zeroed it at 200 yards and the best group I can get out of it is about 6 to 8 inches off a bipod in the prone. I can shoot a smaller group than that with an AR kneeling from the same distance. When I increase the distance the problem obviously compounds, and with hunting season getting close I am worried. I have been shooting 180 grain remington core lokt ammo, which isn't the best stuff available but I don't think it should make THAT much of a difference. or am I wrong on that? Are there any issues with these rifles I might need to address to tighten the groups up a bit? I have noticed that the compensator that came on it always comes loose after a few rounds, does anyone have issues with those? Any help you can offer would be much appreciated.

Check to see what ammo Savage used at the factory, should be listed in your owners manual towards the back. I'm sure you checked the Action screws, scope base screws, scope ring screws, barrel floated, tang floated.
I'm no help in regard to your compensator issue, sorry.

Try a different ammo in the rifle. Rifles can be finicky so experiment. The twist rate is 1 in 10 for your rifle so you could go up to a 220gr bullet and down to about 125gr I believe. I bought the 111 LRH in .338 Lapua and I'm having some barrel issues. It's been sent back once already and I'm not so sure they fixed the issue....

That is really bad (and I was hoping zero issues mean none, not zeroing on the target!)

As noted, you can to go through all the screws, base, scope and action. New and old all mine had one loose action screw.

While rare, scope can be an issue, I have enough around I can cross compare and rule that out.

Any problems cleaning the barrel with roughness felt on the patches?

I know a Marine is going to clean, some of the newer cleaners like Carbon Killer 2000 and Bortech work wonders over the old solvents.

With that kind of spread its going to be significant problem (though barrels are proved only by elimination of all else)

Very worst you should be getting is 1.5 MOA.

Issues with new Savage 111 300WM

My 111 LRH doesn't like Fusion or core loct ammo - always bad groups - it REALLY likes the expensive stuff - which I hunt with too - I use Barnes VOR-TX TTSX 165g in .300 win... Elk drop in their tracks - last trip I had two tags - first one - 250 yds - Dropped on contact - second one 1 min later at 500 yds - never took another step - just back from range today - first 4 holes - 1/4 to 1/2 MOA at 200 yds - stock 111 LRH with Vortex PA 6.5-20 x 50 BDC SFP.

Here is my group at 200 yds - I clean and de-copper after 5-6 rounds...I'd say check the scope mount / rings for not tight enough or too tight... my kids rifle (same LRH 111 in 300WM has your same diamondback scope - I can get 2" groups at 200 yds- mainly because I can't see as far with the lower power as I can w my 20x scope - http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...34d533fee8.jpg


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Your rifle may not like the core lokt ammo. If you have everything else squared away on the rifle, then I would look at shooting different ammo. If someone is reloading, I would get with them. They may have a variety of 30 caliber bullets that they might could try and feed through your rifle. Once you find a bullet that will shoot, I would look at either having him load ammo for you and you pay him for the expense, or find the same bullet being loaded commercially.

Howdy jwilliams82!
I am in agreement with the others that have posted answers and thoughts. I would like to add that I use SWEET'S 7.62 Copper remover. Does an excellent job!

I've talked to a few people who had problems with Vortex scopes not holding their zero. Once they replaced them all was heavenly.
Vortex warranty is very good.

First you should mount a known good scope on the rifle to verify it's really the scope at fault.

I will have to check, but I think my brother had that problem with a Vortex. He shoots better than I do and that gun was doing odd groups, then the mechanism fell out of it, pretty well explained things.

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Originally Posted by jwilliams82

Hello all. I am new to the forum, and honestly new to owning my own hunting rifle. I have used my dad's rifles for years, and am also an active duty Marine, so I have plenty of experience shooting. I purchased a 111 Long Range Hunter in .300WM about 6 months ago and mounted a vortex diamondback HP scope on it. I have been shooting it quite a bit in preparation for this year's hunting season. I have probably put 2 or 3 hundred rounds through it. The problem is that I am still not very confident in the rifle... I know that is a bit vague... I did quite a bit of research on the various models available before i bought the rifle and I know it has a good reputation as accurate. I zeroed it at 200 yards and the best group I can get out of it is about 6 to 8 inches off a bipod in the prone. I can shoot a smaller group than that with an AR kneeling from the same distance. When I increase the distance the problem obviously compounds, and with hunting season getting close I am worried. I have been shooting 180 grain remington core lokt ammo, which isn't the best stuff available but I don't think it should make THAT much of a difference. or am I wrong on that? Are there any issues with these rifles I might need to address to tighten the groups up a bit? I have noticed that the compensator that came on it always comes loose after a few rounds, does anyone have issues with those? Any help you can offer would be much appreciated.

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Two to three hundred rounds of the same ammo with the same results should have answered your own question.

I'm just throwing this out there as I have never owned a Savage but one is on the way. I have read a lot lately(no expert by any means) about the Accustock being less than desirable and shooting fine cold but when it heats up it start flinging rounds. Also read about the forend only being a flimsy thing, with ribbed reinforcement. Similar things have been said about the Remington composite stocks, to much flex.

Others on here know WAY more than me but like I said, just throwing this information out there. I am very interested to see what it is though, always something to learn.

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Originally Posted by WeldNFool

I'm just throwing this out there as I have never owned a Savage but one is on the way. I have read a lot lately(no expert by any means) about the Accustock being less than desirable and shooting fine cold but when it heats up it start flinging rounds. Also read about the forend only being a flimsy thing, with ribbed reinforcement. Similar things have been said about the Remington composite stocks, to much flex.

Others on here know WAY more than me but like I said, just throwing this information out there. I am very interested to see what it is though, always something to learn.

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I've had no issues with accustocks changing point of impact after the rifle heats up.

The flimsy forends on Savage stocks are the non-accustock and I've had no issued with them either. In fact I remember when I had a 243win Mod 11, I shot several sub 1/4 moa 5 shot groups with factory remington 80gr corelokts and 80gr Federal blue box. Shot off a bipod with that flimsy forend.

I'm not saying you're wrong, and there is truth to what you are saying. Just that I have not experienced it.

No problem Zero. I'm a very mechanical type of person and have been in mechanical/welding/fabrication all my life so problem solving questions get the gears turning and stuff just runs around up there, lol! Glad to hear the accustocks are better. Like I said I've been doing a lot of reading and saw that mentioned in some areas, "flimsy stocks". They didn't specify what stocks but they were dealing with Savages and some mentioned Remingtons so I figured I'd throw it out there. Again, no expert but willing to learn even though I'm an old dog, lol! Still curious to see what it ends up being.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WeldNFool

No problem Zero. I'm a very mechanical type of person and have been in mechanical/welding/fabrication all my life so problem solving questions get the gears turning and stuff just runs around up there, lol! Glad to hear the accustocks are better. Like I said I've been doing a lot of reading and saw that mentioned in some areas, "flimsy stocks". They didn't specify what stocks but they were dealing with Savages and some mentioned Remingtons so I figured I'd throw it out there. Again, no expert but willing to learn even though I'm an old dog, lol! Still curious to see what it ends up being.

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i have been going through similar issues w/ my 11 308 TH, at first I thought scope so I upgraded millet trs to swfa 10x42, mounted it and couldn't get it to hold zero. Then i too read about the stock, which felt a little loose on forearm. Upgraded to choate tactical and that solved 90 percent of issues. Also realized the rings i had on scope were shit so bought weaver tactical rings and final two shots were touching at 100 yds. To make it even better, a doe walked out at 80 yds after I had reached my zero and she paid for that stupidity.