I picked up a used, in excellent condition, a Savage 10XP recently. Got some PMC 55gr .223, PPU .223 55gr, Am Eagle 55gr .223 to try it out. 1.5" groups or larger at 100 yds with it with the factory scope and stock. Put a Bell and Carlson Medalist Varmint stock on it with the aluminum bedding blocks, Mueller scope and tried it again. Groups again not that great with the 55 gr ammo. Tried some Black Hills 69gr reman .223 and 75gr reman 223 from Black hills and the groups were a little better, but still some fliers. Tried some 62 gr Fusion and Fusion MSR, and again, accuracy was around 2" at 100 yds. Tried some 77gr SMK Fed Gold Match and groups tightened up, but still usually has 1 flier or so in the group at 100 yds. Went back to 200 yds, 77gr SMK consistently at 1.5" groups, but it tends to cluster either 3 shots close and then 2 fliers, or 2 shots close/touching, another 2 shots close or touching around 1" apart, and then 1 high in the middle of the other 2, 2 shot clusters. 55gr Hornday V Max does a little under 1" at 100 yds with less fliers, but opens up at 200 yds, 3 to 4" groups. I try to shoot in the earlier morning when the wind is calmer and the 200 yd line is in the shade, so that keeps the barrel heat down.

With the Bell and Carlson stock, I torqued the front action screw down and then the rear screw, should I play with the screw tension to see if that makes a difference? Bolt tracks very smoothly with both screws torqued down pretty hard. There wasn't much difference in the group size with the factory plastic flexy stock with plastic pillars vs the Bell and Carlson with aluminum bedding block.

I figured the rifle would shoot better with 55-69 gr ammo, has anyone else seen a Savage this picky about ammo choices? I will start handloading for it (500 77gr SMK, 600 75gr Hornday and 250 55gr V Max heads) in the next week or two to see if that makes a difference. Even the 69gr SMK Black Hills was so so accuracy wise, around 1" where the 75/77gr stuff is more around 3/4 MOA.

My previous bench shooting experience is with .22lr rifles at 50 yds scoped; 5 shot, 1 hole groups around 1/4" to 3/8" are the norm for me with my Win 52 and CZ 452 and CCI SV ammo; I don't seem to have the flier problem at that distance, so I may go back to 50 yds with the .223 rifle and see what the groups look like since I know my capabilities at 50 yds vs the 200yd being new to me this summer. I shoot at 100 yds occasionally, but not a ton, so it very well could be me. Muzzle crown looks good, rifling is sharp and crisp, cleaned it several times, but still trying to figure out if it's me or the rifle. With my Howa 308 that I used to shoot at 100 yds (deer rifle), I was shooting 1/2-3/4" 5 shot groups at 100 yds with almost any ammo I put thru it (no fliers), and around 1.25" at 100yds for 10 shots of cheap .308 Surplus stuff under similar conditions.

Anything else I should look at with my form or rifle wise? Crown looks good, accutrigger is nice, don't see the action torquing in the stock, seem to get a good, consistent cheek weld/overall position with the rifle and the bench rest?