Rebarrel or rechamber?

Okay so I've completely rebuilt, revamped, and basically paid for this gun twice over to rectify its reputation for being an *******. Hence its name, ******* gun. Was originally a savage model 11/111 lightweight hunter in 6 5 creedmoor. Couldn't get it to shoot any better than 7 shots inside a silver dollar. Which, with the first group and ammo choice was 9" out of the box with tall fliers that would make it an 11 inch" group if i counted them in.

I have cut & recrowned the barrel, cleaned it to perfection, checked and reset the factory headspace that was sloppy, converted the action assembly to still be a bottom bolt release gun in a top bolt release accustock which should've solved the bedding issue, added weight, and got rid of the tupperware stock and also have me a 10 rd mag with DTM. For 200, the accustock/mag combo was a good purchase considering everything it helped rectify plus a bigger mag. I've also machined a one-off accustock recoil lug, swapped the trigger spring to a target spring and polished trigger assembly components. I drilled and retapped the scope bases since 3 of the 4 factory base screws were stripped from the factory and swapped in a one piece base. Found THAT gem out when giving the gun a "once over" to figure out why this gun was "messing around" instead of at least giving me 1 MOA at 100. Tightened the action screws via the alternating increments savage suggested. Mounted vortex glass and warne rings to replace the package deal stuff it came with. Added 2" to my accustock to get my length of pull right on....


And the #&!!!#@??$@..'ER put 10 shots (8 broke clean straight back and 2 I wasn't behind right) in a 1 and 1/4" group after ALL THAT!! TWICE! WITH 2 MINUTES between the first 5 shots and 3 minutes cool down time between the next 5!

I'm at my wit's end and so is my wallet and for **** sure my patience! The only thing I can think of is it's the barrel! What else could I i be over looking? I want to keep the 6.5mm pill and, due to the case angle, rechamber the barrel to another 6.5 mm cartridge? Is that even possible and still be functional in a short action and 308 mag/bolt head? Or just rebarrel it completely for even more money I didn't want to spend.


I was raised working on guns and built many bolt and only bolt guns until I found other interests and hobbie. 15 years later, I've bought my first factory gun out of a store based on savages reputation I learned of long ago and its a dud?! I didn't want to build another custom gun simply due to the time, money, and lack of tools/machines within 2 hours drive at my disposal yet, here I am, having done exactly what i didn't want to do and spent enough to have built a custom gun trying to save this one. I've been shooting Hornady match 140-143 grain ELD-X rounds after trying everything between them down to 120grain pokes. Still not even 1 MOA.

Thanks guys....im all out of answers. Any and all input would be appreciated.

Well...this is one reason Savage take off barrels can be bought off eBay for $20.

My purpose for buying Savage rifles has always been to aquire the action, and build up from there. That's just Me.

I would not waist time or money rechambering a barrel like that. Let's face it. You have probably already waisted more money on ammo than it would have cost for a suitable barrel.

Oh, 9 to 11 inches out of the box deserved an immediate call to Savage. Something definitely wrong from the get go :-((

Have you tried any handloads to try and tighten things up? I have never been happy with factory rounds regardless of quality or price. They just never shoot as good as ammunition tuned exactly for the rifle. That being said another $300 for a quality barrel may fix your issues and the great thing about a savage is you can have a custom rifle in about 10 minutes with the barrel nut set up. No need for machines and hours of work and way cheaper than the alternative.

10 into 1.25 with a lightweight factory contour sounds good to me. My sense is it that you might get 10 into 1" occasionally with a custom barrel of the same weight but doubtful it would happen every time. Sure no excuse for the 11" to start with though.

What are your expectations?

Stomp442 brings out a good point. My model 11 shot 1-1/2 to 2" groups at 100 yds with Remington factory ammo. With reloads, the same rifle with no modifications now shoots 2" at 200 yds.

My first ever try at a series of reloads gave me better results than any factory ammo...

I tried a bunch of factory ammo in a gun, and one was terrible, throw away the gun terrible... but, other ammo was moa. Go figure. Even custom barrels are like that.

And, sometimes you get a dog that won't hunt...

Not to be disrespectful, but what kind of groups are you capable of? Has anyone else gotten different results with it?

what part of Texas?

Dfw area

Well I'll put it this way, last time I was behind the 6ppc and 22250. The ppc put 3 shots in a dime and the 22250 put 3 in a nickle. Both guns did this at 300.

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Originally Posted by txsavageshtr

Well I'll put it this way, last time I was behind the 6ppc and 22250. The ppc put 3 shots in a dime and the 22250 put 3 in a nickle. Both guns did this at 300.

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Well, rebarrel is the only answer, given your ability to shoot. Get a bartlein, and if it doesn't shoot, there is another problem. (I put the odds very low that you were shooting on a factory barrel for those shots.)

Hahaha hell no...i was shooting one shilen and 1 Adams and Bennett

I refuse to hand load this gun. The whole idea was to buy a gun that could toss great factory round accuracy so reloading wouldn't be a necessity. I could buy a couple boxes, hunt, shoot, etc. And enjoy a highly accurate, good round for all purposes hunting, and peach off the bench. Everything said 6.5mm creedmoor which if i remember right, was the reason behind its design. That and a comfy shooting long range cartridge. If reloading was in the blueprint, I would be just built a wild cat. But, that being said, I'll rebarrel the gun with a solid barrel around the same price as buying up a new press and all the gear for it.

I'm not looking for 1 hole or records. I'm just wanting to get 7 inside a quarter at 100.

Bottom line is go over to Shilen and get a 6.5 in a heavy hunter contour and then go shoot it.


I will do a bullet point assessment:

Its a light weight barrel, when it gets hot its going to wander. One shot is hot.

Very regimented cooling off of 3 to 5 minutes between each shots would be required and it may still wander.

Your inside a quarter is only doable with a very good barrel that is cooled off of that profile.

Savage obviously is decent, its going amazingly well for what you are asking for it, but its not a great barrel, its a hunting barrel.

This barrel is intended for no more than 3 accurate shots and then a complete cool down. Maybe two.

My challenge this year is to see if I can get a pencil 270 barrel to shoot.

It will be hand loads.

A couple years back my brother had 6 different factory loads for a Finnbear Sako 270 (they did not come any better in the day) and he was getting 2.5 inches with it (and its not a pencil barrel)

Hand loads got him down to 1 1/4 and that is probably the best ic an do. Maybe with more work 1 inch.

And regardless, if it does that then we are more than good, its a hunting rifle not a target rifle.

I hunted with a gun that was 1.5 inch at 100. Never missed anything but once (the one bad one was my fault not the guns)

You got the nail on the head bud. The moment i read it in your comment, my brain hooked right up to it. The gun this last box I used to do the work up the gun to see how things turned out would slam 3 shots together with a few sit minutes between each. Then the gun would open on up. I'm going to take a temp prob with me today and monitor cool down times and rate of increase both in temp and time.

Then I'm calling shilen lol

Update. Decided to go up in action screw torque settings beyond my previous ones and well beyone savage's factory recommended 45lbs. Groups continued tightening up to 60in/lbs and stopped there.

Final 2-3 shot groups after confirming scope was on it ...both covered by a done with factory ammo. So, im getting happier.


I wonder what it would do with a better barrel. I won't hand load yet simply because this gun was bought from the get go to shoot off the shelf cartridges. For the cost of a well set up press, I could have the same results as handloads could produce with a better barrel purchase. I'd think anyway.

Savaage Varmint g contour (which is a very barrel) or bull pre fit would do as good but for 5 or 10 shots better.

note: Savage has their own terminology for barrels, what I would call a heavy barrel, they call a contour. They also have a heavy hunter that is between a Varmint and a Pencil. The bull is same as others, straight barrel no taper,.
The Pre Fits list them as does Savage (mostly)

Er Shaw is generally about the Same as Savage (which will not sell you a barrel)

CB, Shilen, XC are pretty common button rifled types that do good, CB is particularly aggressive about taking back or asking back (on this forum when they see a reported problem). That would be my go to except the 7.5 Swiss is not offered, ergo Lother Walther who does, I can get that way. Heaviest they offer without a lot of add ons is a Varmint contour. I am getting a 24 inch so it will be a stiff one.

They are an option though not a lot written , heir prices are pretty good for a non special order.

They also offer a lot of special options at a price that can get steep but interesting they are setup for a lot of custom options.

A lot of other good ones out there out there, those are the ones I remember and are sort of tops on the larger producers list.

I do like to deal with a one stop shot, pre fit, chamber, length and the crown.

I can do everything cept cut the barrel threads. I'd love to find a good price on a 1.25" diameter 6.5mm blank with savage threads only. Reaming the chamber and crowning I not only can do but also enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by txsavageshtr

I can do everything cept cut the barrel threads. I'd love to find a good price on a 1.25" diameter 6.5mm blank with savage threads only. Reaming the chamber and crowning I not only can do but also enjoy it.

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I have got fully chambered barrels from Ragged Hole Barrels, and I think he sells Savage pre fit so you can finish them. You can probably have someone like Apache sell you a threaded blank too.

John is a pretty good guy from Ragged Hole barrels, and this is the 7 millimeter Remington Magnum Wilson barrel that he sold me shooting Berger 162 grain hand-loads at 200 yards.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6a66b17d63.jpg

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Originally Posted by hereinaz

I have got fully chambered barrels from Ragged Hole Barrels, and I think he sells Savage pre fit so you can finish them. You can probably have someone like Apache sell you a threaded blank too.

John is a pretty good guy from Ragged Hole barrels, and this is the 7 millimeter Remington Magnum Wilson barrel that he sold me shooting Berger 162 grain hand-loads at 200 yards.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6a66b17d63.jpg

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very impressive shootin!!!!!!