new problem with my MkII - maybe

I was shooting my MkII yesterday mostly trying to get a target with examples of the keyholes I've been getting but I was surprised to see that I was shooting pretty well for me. I was shooting an ARA target from 50 yards and I put 10 of the first 17 shots in the bull. I had hit 4 bulls in a row when I felt a cartridge strain to be fed into the chamber. I've seen this happen before with this rifle. I believe the lack of a proper feed ramp causes this to happen. But something new happened or maybe it was just the first time I noticed it. After shooting 4 bulls in a row I missed the circles completely and almost got out of the square. I had even thought that I might get a flyer because of it feeding rough but I didn't expect to miss that badly. The next 2 shots were almost as bad. I completely missed the circles again but not as bad as the previous shot then I did manage to hit the 10 point circle. I was on my way to an 1800 score or better before this problem which would have been a personal best. The rifle kept shooting very low and slightly left so I adjusted the scope trying to get at least close. I did manage to shoot better but still not at all good.

What gets me is why did the rifle start shooting so far off from where it had been shooting? I could see the one round getting deformed and becoming a flyer but for all the rounds to miss the same way it would have had to deform the chamber somehow. If that's what happened it's no wonder I've been getting keyholes.

Ever since I've had this rifle (just under a year) it has had a problem with shooting in one spot for a while then suddenly it was off. I've been through a bunch of scopes, mounts, rings, and even a new stock trying to figure out what the problem was. Obviously I had been thinking it was the scope somehow. But it could possibly be the chamber somehow it looks like now.

Is there something that would explain this? I was getting a target ready to send with the gun back to the factory. I was going to include it with the letter that has to accompany the rifle describing the problem. I guess I'll have to include this information in the letter now. It's just that I've never seen any rifle have this problem. I don't want to sound like a nut but I know what I saw. It would explain a lot of things if the chamber was the problem but that seems like it would be really an outrageous thing to even suggest.

Any help or comments would be appreciated.

you've got me. send it back. when it comes back tr hand feeding it and see what happens. when i was using mine in friendly matches i always hand fed it.

i shoot a.r.a. and put on the ir50/50 unlimited matches at the range i shoot at. i have moved away from trying to shoot savage rifles for score. unless your in a factory class they won't keep up. i have a hall custom .22lr i use with a lilja 4 groove tight bore barrel,r.v.a. tuner,stith stock and 12x42 power nightforce scope with of set rings. i also have a suhl in a stith stock harrels tuner, weaver t-36 and off set scope rings. the savage just won't even try to keep up with either of them.

the savage markII's are nice and do shoot well for what they are. send it back and have it looked over. something is wrong. it shouldn't go from shooting great to throwing rounds like crazy.

Is it a 17mach II or are you shooting coper washed bullets? You may have copper build up.

It is a factory class I'm shooting in. I came close to buying a 40X a few months ago but I waited too long and I missed out. It had a Shillen barrel, a Jewell trigger, a tuner and a BR stock. It was a heck of a deal from a guy who's given me some real breaks but it just didn't work out this time. I ended up buying the Savage 12 LRPV in .223. I certainly can't complain about that rifle. It's amazing IMO.