Savage 10 Accuracy Trouble

So I was shooting a couple days ago and it seemed like I was just nailing targets left and right. At 700 yards, I had less than 2 inches of vertical spread for test loads of 42.7 and 43.1 grains of IMR 4064. I loaded up .1 increments between 42.7 and 43.1 grains +25 fouler/sighter rounds with 42.7 gr.

The next day, I shot the first group at 900 yards and somehow managed to get a 4 inch group with 42.7 grains on the sighter rounds. However, the last (4th) shot flew off to the side which I just figured was wind. The next two groups opened up to 8-12 inches which I thought at the time was simply me rushing to get done before dark and maybe a change in conditions. Took the same loads back out today at 100 yards and Im shooting over an inch group. 4 days ago, the exact same setup in the same place with similar conditions was producing clover leaf groups if not almost in the same hole.

Im not sure about the 900 yard groups...I think the first one was probably luck and its probably very unlikely to happen again. But it seems like I was consistently getting good groupings at 700 yards. Then the 100 yard deal I dont understand either. I went from bullet holes touching to not even MOA. Im shooting off bags, making sure the scope is level, good form, correct breathing, slow heartbeat, and slow slow trigger pull. Just danced around the X and was consistent in group size, but just not a precise as it was. Its possible that the 900 yard groups were simply, as I mentioned, a factor of luck plus rushing the shots on the last 2 which made them open way up. But I cleaned the gun yesterday and also did some work on the bolt so I fear I may have messed up something somewhere. Only thing I really did on the bolt was put some sticky grease on the lugs and contact points to improve bolt lift. As far as the shots being off after cleaning, I shot 25 rounds today and nothing changed in those 25. Consistently stayed over an inch. Probably close to 1.25 or so but I didn't bother measuring. I just knew it was too big is all.

Cleaned it same as always: Hoppes #9 on a patch from the chamber end. I take care to put my finger on the muzzle so I dont go past the crown with the rod and pull back through. I usually repeat until I get a light gray and it doesn't get much lighter. Just cant see for the life of me what happened. Im thinking I might take the rifle apart tonight and retorque everything. Might also load up some rounds with the balance scale instead of the electronic just to take that variable out.

Heres what the equipment looks like...

Savage 10, 26 inch shilen #17 varmint with 11 degree crown, McM A5 stock w/ devcon bedding, ARC M10 rings, Viper PST FFP 6-24 scope w/ vortex level. Action torqued to 55 in-lbs and hasn't been messed with since I put it together a few weeks ago. All scope screws torqued to 65 in-lbs as per directions. TPS base torqued to 20 in-lbs.

Really not much to go wrong that I can think of, or at least not that rapidly.

There's a chance your barrel likes to be fouled more but not usually the case with match barrels. Savages take over 20 rounds just to settle back in sometimes.

I'd shoot another day and see the results. We all have off days as well. To much coffee etc

1st check the basics, scope screws etc

I'm assuming these rounds were all loaded at the same time with the same powder/bullets?

ARC rings should be 55"lbs not 65...do a tracking check on the scope to rule that out first...id also stop cleaning the barrel.

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Originally Posted by LongRange

ARC rings should be 55"lbs not 65...do a tracking check on the scope to rule that out first...id also stop cleaning the barrel.

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Maybe it was. I dont remember. I just know I followed the exact specs that came with the rings on a card from american rifle company. I only cleaned my barrel because I hadn't done so in 70-80 rounds. Maybe I still shouldn't...

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Originally Posted by hafejd30

There's a chance your barrel likes to be fouled more but not usually the case with match barrels. Savages take over 20 rounds just to settle back in sometimes.

I'd shoot another day and see the results. We all have off days as well. To much coffee etc

1st check the basics, scope screws etc

I'm assuming these rounds were all loaded at the same time with the same powder/bullets?

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Yes. All done exactly the same. I dropped charges and trickled up to 42.7 grains. Wont be able to shoot until Thursday considering the short days. Deer season is saturday and I was really hoping to set up and be able to do a little deer management out to 500 or so. Doubt Ill go past 2-300 the way things are right now. I like clean kills (headshots) on my meat trophies. Bullets really like to tear up and ruin the front shoulders of anything small.

Oh and this is a .308. I was planning on loading up some HPBT for deer as Ive heard they are explosive when they meet flesh, but I need to get these SMK figured out for now.

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Originally Posted by lrshooting

Maybe it was. I dont remember. I just know I followed the exact specs that came with the rings on a card from american rifle company. I only cleaned my barrel because I hadn't done so in 70-80 rounds. Maybe I still shouldn't...

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My last shilen liked being dirty...it only got cleaned at the time of break in and every 4 to 500 rounds after that...my current shilen dont like being so dirty it gets cleaned every 250 rounds...when i clean a barrel i remove all the carbon/soot first and then copper...when the patches are a LIGHT blue i stop...remember your shooting a hand lapped barrel so its not going to foul like a factory barrel.
Try not cleaning it for 100 rounds and see if your groups come back...if they do dont clean it until they start going bad again and keep close records on round count and that will tell you when to clean.

If your barrel prefers to shoot fouled you could try applying Smooth Kote to the bore. This helped a factory 308 barrel I had. My match (CBI) barrels don't need this but never used a Shilen so not sure on their finish

I used to clean excessively, until I started looking at my records, then I found that my accuracy numbers were best between 200 and 6-700 rounds. I'm Almost ashamed to say it, but the 'cleaning' that worked best was basically just moist patches, followed by 5-6 dry patches. I really didn't clean and de-copper until just over 1500 rounds... Then it was back to the 200 rounds of what I called "poor groups".
Factory barrels shot better after 2-300 rounds, or after they'd been lapped...
I just learned to read my logs..

I quit using my cleaning meathod on my 308 carbine barrel. Now I put some oil on the front part of a 308 bore snake and run that through. That gun is for hunting however and generally shoots 1/2 to 3/4 moa

Interesting. I'll definitely give it a try. Hopefully I can get enough shots in to get back where I was before deer season