Savage FTR 308 win

[supergolfer18]

Anyone else have trouble with this rifle not shooting out of the box? Seems I got suckered into a $1200 trap. I have tried 4 different bullets and 2 different powders and it does not want to shoot consistently at all.

Now I am stuck

[supergolfer18]

Varget and 8208.

Sierra 175 MK, Berger 168 hybrids, Berger 155 Hybrid, Berger 155 BT

Not shooting as in:



Have tried ladder test at 350 yards and also Dan Newberry OCW method at 100. Even with seating depth nothing is consistent. What looks promising today, shoots bad the next hour.

Forster Coax press, john Whidden FL die(bumping shoulder 1-2 thous) and Micrometer Seater die, GP 250 scale weighing powder to the single kernel, seating bullets exact same to ogive measurement, Mitituyo dial calipers, trim all brass same length, runout on cases are less than 2 thous

Have shot loads off bipod(Duplin) and off a Bench Rest and getting same type of results

No way this gun is competition ready shooting groups close to 3/4"-over 1" at 100 yards

[foxx]

You probably have much more experience than I do, and I've never shot a 308, but I have loaded 270 WSM, 260, 30-06, 45-70, 223 and 25-06, all in basic, factory hunter barrels this past year and have, on many occasions, had to try more than 3-4 powders and bullets before getting 1/2 and 1/4 MOA. Also, I have never had any luck with Varget, though I know many people have had.

Just my $.02

[fgw_in_fla]

I had a lot of trouble getting a .308 to settle down with 8208 when I was helping a young fella out with reloading. It did not seem to like it at all.
Now that I have the .308 barrel, I get good results with 4064 & 4320 - consistently. Max weight bullet I use are 165's in Nosler & Sierra with good results.

[supergolfer18]

This is how my load work up looked like with Varget and 175 SMK.



This is what it looked like just trying to find a good seating depth to use with the 175 SMK



I am using Lapua brass and KVB7 primers. I had tried Varget and getting these results, so a few top shooters suggested 8208 so I tried it with the 155s

[squirrelsniper]

I see verticle in most of those groups, so try another primer. FWIW, Varget usually likes CCI BR-2 primers.

Other than that...
I've never used 8208 in anything, so I can't help there. But, any time I have a 308 that for some reason doesn't want to shoot with Varget, I try some 4064 in it. I don't know why, but the few 308s that won't shoot with Varget for some reason usually do well with 4064.

[Dirty Steve]

I use Federal Match primers with Varget and get great results. I stick with 175's now but have used it with great results with the 155 Lapua secnars.

[vmcdonald79]

I have personally seen many M12 FTRs shoot lights out with zero modifications made to them. Seems like you've tried everything but the kitchen sink. I don't know how far off the lands you've tried but one guy I shoot with shot his very well and he was somewhere around .080" off the lands with Berger 155.5 full bore bullets. You didn't say if this was a new unfired rifle or a second hand with x # of rounds on it. One other thought is to check the torque on the action screws, there is a certain procedure to torquing the 3 screw savages.

[supergolfer18]

it was brand new about 900 rounds ago. I did break in and everything. Started with 175 SMK and after 400 rounds with no sign of shooting(different seating depths and powder charges and FL sizing and neck only sizing) I sold the rest of the bullets and bought some 168 hybrids to try. Worked up a load with this and it was promising and have since shot 500 of those. It shot ok and good enough for a 1000 and 600 yard match, then a couple weeks ago it seemed to be out of tune. Spent about 200 plus rounds and the rest of my Varget trying to get it shooting again. Then tried some Berger 155 BT match using Varget. Now tried the 155 hybrids and looked aweful

It is driving me insane. I help my other shooters work up loads(they have same actions but custom barrels and different calibers) and their loads work up just as expected and have held solid so far.

We even thought it was a bad scope but seeing it shoots FGMM well that eliminated that. It also in my mind eliminated shooter error.

At what point do you give up on a barrel? Almost 900 bullets and 6 lbs of powder later....... Tried Varget and nothing great so decided to try 8208

[supergolfer18]

2 firings ago

[Dennis]

43.5 grns Varget, Winchester LR primers, 185 Jag's set kissing the lands to .050 off.

Make sure the barrel is clean. If this doesn't work, well you may have an issue.

[supergolfer18]

good thing for me I am out of Varget and don't have anymore of the 185s left and don't have WLR primers

[Dennis]

good thing for me I am out of Varget and don't have anymore of the 185s left and don't have WLR primers

Not being funny, but send the gun to me and I will see if I can find a load for it.

Every 308 I have shot did so with <.250 moa groups, 1/2" MOA @ 100 should be fine.

Dennis

[CharlieNC]

"We even thought it was a bad scope but seeing it shoots FGMM well that eliminated that. It also in my mind eliminated shooter error". Was this done in the bad rifle? If so that tells you something; if not then maybe try the FGMM as a baseline. Also, nice offer Dennis!

[supergolfer18]

yes in this rifle.

We tried a proven good load today with several of our shooting buddys and it did not shoot. Sierra 168 using H380.

Swapped scopes for a proven one and it shot the same as with mine on. Also buddy reloaded ammo with his tools and dies and we shot it. Shot same way really

Thanks for the offer Dennis will let you know

[earl39]

Mine shoots 45.6gr of BLC-2 under a 175smk using lake city match brass. I know BLC-2 can be hard to find now just like a lot of powders but i went thru a lot of varget and never found a load my barrel liked. Never tried 4064 in this barrel but H380 just wouldn't settle in either. My guess is you have to find the right powder.

[Arky 223]

My .02, my 308 12BR loves 40.5 gr. IMR 4895 under a 168 gr. SMK also 39.4 gr. Re 15 / 168 gr SMK. check the action bolts!! check action bolts. This a must. Mine set at 30 in.#-30in.#-5in.# but all rifles are different.

[supergolfer18]

shot my old load Saturday at 1000 yard match and shot this string


Seems my barrel is real finicky. Also shot 45.7 and 46.2. They had a lot of vertical

[Dennis]

NICE Shooting

[jonbearman]

What is your cleaning regimen like,can you tell us how you are doing it and what you use?

[supergolfer18]

the vertical really kept my scores down except for the 45.9(ironically my old load). I shot 45.7 first, 45.9, then 46.2. I missed apparently small let off from string 1 to 2. So far my scores at 1000 are 538-4x(first ever match) and now a 539-5x.

I broke the barrel in when I first got it. And have been cleaning with Wipeout/Accelerator and Carb Out. I clean about ever 100-130 shots. I use JB past every 400 rounds. I use a Pro Shot bore guide and their cleaning rod. Aluminum jag by Montana Extreme. A Pro Shot bore brush when needed. And use either a thin coat of Kroil or ME Bore Conditioner after cleaning.

I tried load work with a fouled barrel(over 75-100 rounds since cleaning and also tried it with a clean barrel with 10 foulers. Seemed to still show same issue.

[emtrescue6]

My best luck with all of my 308's including my FLCP-K has been with IMR-4895 or IMR-4064...and I've has the best accuracy with 150's and 165's...I've ever have Varget shoot worth a darn in anything...

[missed]

Subd....

My FLCPK shoots the 175 SMK over varget and IMR 4064 consistently in the sub 0.5 MOA range. I am jumping them 0.040" with 45 grains of IMR4064 or 44g of varget. I am over 200 rounds since the last time I cleaned it, It just gets a soaked patch, dry patch, patch with a few drops on it after a shooting session.

Good luck with it match groups look good!! I am interested in the vertical stringing also.

[jc5420]

I think you need to load a little more powder using varget and your 175 SMKs.

My go to .308 load for all my rifles and my fathers is:

175 SMK
Lapua Brass
Winchester LRP (all that is available to me)
44.5gr Varget
COAL - 2.81"

I get very good groups from Remington 700s, Savage 10s, and a Tikka. All rifles have had preference to this round, It is fed through 5 rifles total and was worked up using the OCW method.