Bought an Ashbury chassis 308 savage.....accuracy issues....

Hey all,

I recently picked up a like new 308 24" fluted savage in the Ashbury precision chassis. I added an XLR stock and I started with a Nikon m tactical 3-12 but decided to get nice glass and got a Zeiss conquest 4-16, on vortex PRO rings. It's all setup nicely but the groups are not so great. I have another similar savage in 6.5, jb skim bedded into a choate with a 3-12 m tactical on it and it does 1/2" at 100 all day. 3/4" is a bad day for this been out to 1035yds many times with ease.

The Ashbury model has a different receiver style, and I read they are blueprinted for Ashbury. That chassis is no longer offered, and I am not sure the adjusting procedure is for the screws.

I worked up 168gr ELDM and some 150gr fmj loads from what I have....

42.5gr varget
45gr BLC2.

COAL is 2.790, about .020-.025 off jam.

I tried a bunch but I'm not seeing better than .750". Rounds aren't tight. They are like a bad group with the 6.5. I feel good shooting it but the groups are NOT what I wanna see for long range chassis rifle money and precision use. I'm considering pulling my parts off and offloading it at the gun show next week, but I also wonder.....did I get someone else's meh barrel headache? I don't wanna buy 175/180/190 and do all that. So far I'm seeing either a picky barrel or a not that great barrel. For $1100+ base I thought it would offer more accuracy than a Tupperware savage does. Is it just me, can I not shoot 308?

I'm looking for advice.

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There is a procedure for torquing down the savage action screws. I can look on the website and get back to you, but if the three screws, only two torque the action if I remember correctly, the other is bottom metal related??

You don’t need the tang/rear of action to be smashed down onto the stock/chassis. I’ll get back once I confirm some info.

-Isaac


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by isacpotatoes

There is a procedure for torquing down the savage action screws. I can look on the website and get back to you, but if the three screws, only two torque the action if I remember correctly, the other is bottom metal related??

You don’t need the tang/rear of action to be smashed down onto the stock/chassis. I’ll get back once I confirm some info.

-Isaac


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Yes I did that whole procedure with the bed job at the range with my TQ wrench on the 6.5 until the groups were tight again, but I wasn't sure with this chassis what I was to do.......first chassis rifle for me.

This doesn’t distinguish chassis specs, but it’s aluminum just like the accustocks. So maybe try the 40 inch pounds on those action screws, and a little less on the tang portion so it doesn’t ride the chassis?

I remember being told not to go crazy with that 3rd screw.

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Sounds good! Yep I just found the 2 and I did the snug, tap it into position, then 20/25/30 on both. There is no rear tang screw on this that I can see, oddly enough. . I'll go up to 40 and tune it from. There. The front was very tight and the middle one wasn't as much so maybe it was wonky.

I will shoot more and see what happens. Thx sir!

My .308 model 12 was, and still is, picky about load and conditions. It likes to be very clean and warm, but, not hot. The 'hold' on the rifle needs to be very consistent. From a bipod I learned it had to be 'leaned into' the bipod a lot. Mine does not like 168gn bullets. Does well with 175SMK's and 155Bergers. The Bergers need to be jam fit in the lands, the SMK needs a small jump.

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Originally Posted by charlie b

My .308 model 12 was, and still is, picky about load and conditions. It likes to be very clean and warm, but, not hot. The 'hold' on the rifle needs to be very consistent. From a bipod I learned it had to be 'leaned into' the bipod a lot. Mine does not like 168gn bullets. Does well with 175SMK's and 155Bergers. The Bergers need to be jam fit in the lands, the SMK needs a small jump.

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If this one persists in that manner, I will call savage or sell it. I have had some poor shooters and they don't last long in my collection. After a few hundred rnds of trying, they get the boot! Luckily my 6.5 has shot amazing since day 1.

I have some factory ammo here, and I have handloads loaded up. I'll range report after.

Playing with Action screw torque is for stocks which exhibit creep; that is, hardwood, Laminate & polymer. Aluminum Chassis no not creep. However, Aluminun chassis sometimes have material flashing where the bedding was machined: take a file against the edges to verify no burrs are present. And relieve material under the tang if it is making contact. Torque screws to 50-65in.lbs. From there it’s time to continue working on your reloads. Lastly, you can not compare two rifles in the same cartridge, let alone completely different calibers/cartridges/rifles.

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Originally Posted by Dave Hoback

Playing with Action screw torque is for stocks which exhibit creep; that is, hardwood, Laminate & polymer. Aluminum Chassis no not creep. However, Aluminun chassis sometimes have material flashing where the bedding was machined: take a file against the edges to verify no burrs are present. And relieve material under the tang if it is making contact. Torque screws to 50-65in.lbs. From there it’s time to continue working on your reloads. Lastly, you can not compare two rifles in the same cartridge, let alone completely different calibers/cartridges/rifles.

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Yep, and they were about 80/20 tq when I first checked em. I went to 35/35. Same exact groups. Very consistent 1moa shooter with ELDM. not what I want tho. I want 1/2moa for what I have invested, and for what they advertise. I don't want a picky shooter either. It's 2+" for 150gr ball.

I don't have good luck with barrels, so it's expected. Prolly why it was on consignment and cheap. I'll be kicking this on down the line. Savage will say 1moa is good enough so I'm not gonna waste time and money on that. I don't really do second chances either. The last savage I got was an fv-sr and it shot 12" @50yds. I sent it back and they confirmed it was a bad barrel. Then I sold it after the rebarrel


Thanks for the help all, but this tube ain't for me. I will put the $1100 Zeiss on the 6.5 :)

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Interesting take on it. Did the advertising say anything about accuracy numbers? Just curious as I read a few reviews of the rifle and most reported that they were getting 1" groups. I've not seen anything from Savage claiming better than MOA on any of their rifles. Many folks get barrels that will do better. My cheap Axis in .223 was a 1/2MOA shooter, cold, hot, dirty, or clean. As above, my .308 was not that great until I found the right combination.

FWIW, you might just not have the right load for it. Tweak it a bit and it could be a 1/2MOA rifle. I am glad I didn't give up on mine.

Reloading for accuracy is simple but requires the right powder and primer. Good brass, the right and consistent powder throw, low bullet run out and the right seating depth. Get you ES down in single digits and play with seating depth.

Buy a Brux , a Bartlien or another good barrel and make your job easier

I have put the rifle back to OEM config and will be selling it hopefully this weekend. 1moa with a heavier, blueprinted action is just not my cup of tea. Hopefully someone else has better luck than I!

Thx for the suggestions along the way.

Lol! Looking for a factory Rig to what, Clover Leaf from out the box!? And not willing with put any effort into getting it there? :applause: Good Grief are you asking a lot, LOL! Well, good luck. At least you have one Savage doing what you want it to do. That’s good :tea:

I’m just wondering something, don’t take it the wrong way because I genuinely am curious. By any chance have you sent more than a couple new firearms back to the manufacturer for warranty on something were weren’t happy with, witching the first weeks or even days after purchase?

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Originally Posted by Dave Hoback

Lol! Looking for a factory Rig to what, Clover Leaf from out the box!? And not willing with put any effort into getting it there? :applause: Good Grief are you asking a lot, LOL! Well, good luck. At least you have one Savage doing what you want it to do. That’s good :tea:

I’m just wondering something, don’t take it the wrong way because I genuinely am curious. By any chance have you sent more than a couple new firearms back to the manufacturer for warranty on something were weren’t happy with, witching the first weeks or even days after purchase?

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Hmm, how to reply without getting a warning....hmmm.

Love your sig line...how ironic lol.


Um, welp, let's see........I've shot about 100-150rnds out of it, with a few different bullets, different seating depths, different powders, known good loads as well as some different ones. With my experience, time as a reloader (2015-now), Small-Arms work, and time on earth, I have determined that this barrel ain't gonna choot well for me.

Now, if you would like me to spend another 300+rnds and months developing some kind of load that shoots under an inch, while the full moon is out, but only when it's 76°, on Sundays, I will send you my PayPal for the funding. I have determined she ain't worth my time. The other savage IS and has shown great, quick, always accurate groups. Hell, I blew up a clay at 1035yds cold bore with that thing.

Am I the best shot? No. Am I demanding sub moa with a $1700 retail chassis rifle and known good optics, out of the box? YES. yes I am. And that is pretty low standards IMHO. my SPR ARs shoot sub moa with $150-300 barrels. Usually .75" 3-shot groups. The least this blueprinted savage should do is match that. If that's absurd to ask for, so be it. Bolt rifles that wanna be that picky will be sold. I should note that BOTH my savages needed the ejector/extractor upgrades to not fail to eject cases anymore. Again...me having to fix issues that the factory could do is just a way of life for me it seems.

Sorry, I got the Veteran mouth. Is what it is. My words are for this specific rifle, not all savages. Also, only maybe 3 guns have gone back. A buck mark that would t run subs (it was threaded and could t shoot it suppressed), an aes-10b that was crooked and didn't function, and an FV-SR that shot 12" @50yds and savage agreed and swapped the barrel on that. All the others I fixed myself (with my small arms repair and machinist backgrounds).

No need to be sorry. Didn’t offend me any. :tea:

Ah, I hear you. If you’re not happy with it, it’s bye-bye. C’est la vie. I get it.

And now I have a better understanding of your background. So, good stuff. Boat drinks partner!

By the by: Glad you liked the Signature. But, why did you think it ironic?

Torque the action screws to 65 in. lbs.
If you didn't take the scope rail off of the action, clean the oil out from under it, reinstall with blue Loctite on the screws and torque them to 25 in. lbs....I would definitely recommend it!

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Originally Posted by S. Blair

Torque the action screws to 65 in. lbs.
If you didn't take the scope rail off of the action, clean the oil out from under it, reinstall with blue Loctite on the screws and torque them to 25 in. lbs....I would definitely recommend it!

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I put the rifle back to stock, and it will go on consignment at a LGS.

I machined a new slot on the front ring base of my 6.5 Savage for the Zeiss to fit nicely, and took it to the range. It works like a savage should. Quick zero, did 2 groups, went back the next day to check zero, cold bore +2 and here's what I got. Like I said, it'll do half moa all day.


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