Range report for Savage Model 16 in .223

Thursday I took my new Model 16 in .223 to the range to shoot her for the first time. I bought the rifle from Cabelas, I think it's one of those deals where Savage makes a limited run for a big box store, the rifle is essentually a Weather Warrior except it has a 24 inch stainless fluted barrel, and a hinged floor-plate. The rifle also comes with the accu-stock, and accu-trigger, and has a 1 in 9 twist rate. I mounted a Hawke Endurance 30 SF 6x24x50 scope on it, and installed Weaver 6 hole tactical rings, the two piece bases came with the gun from Savage. I shot off of front and rear sand bags @ 100 yrds, The two different loads I used were 68 gr Hornaday BTHP match bullets,25 grs of Varget, new Hornaday cases, and CCI 400 primers. The other load was Hornaday 75 gr BTHP match, 24 grs Varget, new Hornaday cases, and CCI 400 primers, I fired 20 rnds each (68gr, and 75gr) for a total of 40 rnds fired, plus 7 shots to get her sighted in. I wanted to take my time so I shot her as a single shot, one load at a time, the first thing I noticed was she did'nt want to cycle smoothly, if I just placed the loaded cartridge on the follower, and closed the bolt, she would'nt chamber the round (my 10FP with the internal magazine has no problem with this). If I inserted the round into the follower, she would strip the round off the follower and chamber round, but not very smoothly, the COAL of the 68gr round was 2.250". The 75 gr round was even worse, the only way I could get her to chamber the round was to physically start the bullet into the chamber, she would'nt even strip the round off the follower, the bolt kept riding over the round when I closed the bolt, the COAL of the 75gr round is the same 2.250". I fire 20 of each round, and I would call the results good for shooting a new rifle/scope combo for the first time. The two best 5 shot groups @100 yrd for the 68gr bullet were .717", and .762", the best two groups @100 yrd for the 75 gr bullets were,0.726", and 0.807", and in each of those groups I pulled 1-2 shots if I had'nt pulled any shots they would have been less that 0.500 inch easily. I had trouble delivering a steady 5 shot group with-out pulling at least one round per group, but I think the problem lies with me. Im used to shooting heavier guns. The model 16 weighs 10.4 lbs, while my 10FP weighs 11.8 lbs, and my varmint AR weighs 12.2 lbs, and the palm swell on the 10FP is much thicker. Another learning curve for me is the accu-trigger, Im certainly not used to it, I replaced the accu-trigger on my 10FP with a Rifle Basix trigger, and my varmint AR has a CMC match trigger, both triggers have a very different "feel" to them as opposed to the accu-trigger on my new model 16. I think this rifle will be a great shooter once I get used to her, and she has a chance to "settle in", it usually takes 60-80 rnds for a new rifle to settle in, and I shoot her enough to get used to the accu-trigger. So the only concern I have is how she feeds, if any of you guys have had or know of problems with Savage rifles with hinged floorplates please let me know.