Issues with new Savage 111 300WM

[JwestAK]

Hello everyone,

I just recently purchased a new Savage Trophy Hunter package to use on my upcoming hunt and have been having nothing but issues with it. I have attempted to get the thing sighted in 3 times now with unsatisfactory results. The first day at the range i couldn't get the rifle to group better then 4 inches at 100 yards shooting off of a bag. After leaving the range i took the rifle home to give it a good cleaning and noticed that there seemed to be some slight crown damage which i didn't notice when i purchased the gun so i can only assume it happened while at the range? Anyway, i continued with the cleaning and also pulled the action out of the stock to make sure there was nothing else out of the ordinary. I found that the front action screw hole had metal debris left in it from being tapped and as a result, the screw was binding up. I cleaned the threads out and ran the screw through it to verify which then pushed two burrs up into where the bolt locks. I was finally able to get the burrs removed and then re installed the action into the stock and stored the rifle.

After a couple days i headed back to the range with a second box of ammo (180gr Fusion). Again i couldn't make the rifle group any better then the first day. I even ran a few 150gr rounds through it with no improvement. Frustrated i went home and began to inspect the rifle some more, i noticed some copper in the barrel and went and bought some Patch Out cleaner. I cleaned the barrel out until the patches were not coming out blue anymore. I also noticed some cut marks that ran through the rifle lands inside the muzzle of the barrel, almost like from a pilot on a crowning bit or something? I also pulled off the Nikon scope and mounted a Leupold 3-9 in its place.

Range trip number 3. I headed back the the range in one more final attempt to see if cleaning the barrel and a new scoped had fixed my problems. I purchased another box of Fusion 180gr (the bullet i planed to hunt with) and rented a lead sled to reduce as much human factor as possible. First up 25 yards, punched the same hole twice. Hopeful moved the target out to 50 yards, first two rounds 1/2" left of center and within 1 moa of each other. Next two rounds 2.5" left and 2 inches high, still within 1 moa of each other however. Moved target out to 100 yards and the first 4 shots were 6 inches left and 1-4 inches high. Adjusted windage and continued. The rest of the shots were either to the left or right of center, and the rest climbing to the right.

After the range i inspected the barrel again. it was a copper mine after only 20 rounds down a perfectly clean barrel. The muzzle was also unevenly fouled, roughly half the barrel had copper in the grooves and the other half did not. The most fouling was in the same groove as the previously mentioned crown damage. I also put a bore scope down the barrel and it looks worse then the coloring you see at the muzzle.. All that being said, after the last trip to the range i am still not happy with the consistency of the groupings. Am i that bad shooting from a sled or do i need to have Savage take a look at the rifle?

I should also note, the sled was rested on the front action screw to prevent forearm flex. The forearm is not touching the barrel in its resting state, and the tang does not appear to be resting on the rear of the stock.

http://imgur.com/Pn3rQ5H

http://imgur.com/G0DrZsv

http://imgur.com/f0Lv5yc

http://imgur.com/iKcvgHr

http://imgur.com/bQSOOxh

[Flintlock28]

Take a Cotton swab (Q-Tip), and pull a few little strands slightly away from the others (just lengthening them), than gently insert the tip into the Muzzle. Slowly, gently, pull the Q-Tip out away from the Muzzle, and see if ANY of the strands grab, or stay in the Muzzle. This shows if there's any burrs or other deformities, that grab the strand(s). The Q-tip should pull out with no grabbing at all, and if any strands stick to the Muzzle, contact Savage about a bad Muzzle. This is an old trick to test the final end of the rifling.

I found a similar video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9DKAx-QXsU

[Londerko]

This is very obvious, but please don't be offended:
Did you check the scope bases? The factory ones on the trophy Hunter are terrible. Wouldn't be surprised if they were loose from the factory.
ive been guilty of overthinking things and missing something very obvious. Just didn't want you to do the same.

[olddav]

Maybe try some different ammo, yours may not like the "Fusion" ammo.

[RC20]

Unlikely to get damage at the range, with a hunting crown you have to pretty much ram it into something solid.

Try the swab, check the barrel as best you can.

If you have a Mil Surplus guy who has 30 caliber around he may have a Muzzle Wear gauge, you won't have done it, but that gives you a good idea how well made the barrel is at least on that end. It works on any 30 caliber rifle.

I have an 06 barrel that looks to have been barely shot (used) and it came out 2.5. That's not awful, but .5 to 1.5 would be more normal for a new current date mfg barrel.

I have used barrels that are better than that.

[JwestAK]

I attempted the swab as best i could and its hard to tell. You can see tool chatter marks inside the barrel if inspected with a bore scope. As far as the scope base goes, i did check it to confirm it was tight. The Fusion ammo i admit is cheaper @ $36/box. However i have run another box of Federal soft point through it the first day at the range with similar results. At this point i don't think im willing to go testing with $50-80/box or more worth of hunting ammo. I put in a call to Savage and was told that the sporting barrels are expected to shoot around 1.5 moa and a heavy barrel is expected to be 1 moa. After telling them about this one they are having me send it back. So once i get this thing out i guess ill know the results in a few weeks. Thanks to everyone who had ideas on it.

[SavageShooter]

Sorry to hear that. Let us know how Savage customer relations treats you and how the rifle shoots when you get it back. Just know that your experience is NOT THE RULE and is very much the exception. Most Savage rifles shoot good right out of the box.

[Robinhood]

How many magnums have you ever owned?

[JwestAK]

Sorry to hear that. Let us know how Savage customer relations treats you and how the rifle shoots when you get it back. Just know that your experience is NOT THE RULE and is very much the exception. Most Savage rifles shoot good right out of the box.

As i have been told Savages are great shooters out of the box so i was a little frustrated ive been having this many issues with it. However, i know with any production item weather its a vehicle or a firearm there is always bound to be a lemon so to speak. So i do not hold any grudges, im just anxious to see what the findings are. If i could get the pictures to come out clear of the pitting i found with the borescope on the muzzle and in the barrel i would post them up.

As for the next question, not that its relevant. This is my first Magnum that i have personally owned, but not the first one that i have used. I did have another person shoot the rifle and had the same results i did.

[Robinhood]

Video tape yourself to be certain. Video the other guy too.

[MTVFIREMEDIC]

My 111 LRH doesn't like Fusion ammo - always bad groups - it REALLY likes the expensive stuff - which I hunt with too - I use Barnes VOR-TX TTSX 165g in .300 win... Elk drop in their tracks - last trip I had two tags - first one - 250 yds - Dropped on contact - second one 1 min later at 500 yds - never took another step - just back from range today - first 4 holes - 1/4 to 1/2 MOA at 200 yds - stock 111 LRH with Vortex PA 6.5-20 x 50 BDC SFP.


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[nova1194]

I rarely shoot factory ammo in my Savages, but when I do its usually regular old green box Remington, has been pretty accurate in 7 mag and 300 win mag. last season my hunting partner killed an elk at 500 yards with the 180 grain 300 win mag Remington ammo.

Mike

[RC20]

I had good performance out of Federal Premium in the past (7 mm)


It does seem excessive for any ammo to shoot that badly, 2 inches at most.

[jwilliams82]

I am having similar issues with my 111 LRH. Terrible groups and I can't figure out why. I am going to try a box of the expensive Barnes ammo to see if that sorts it out but I am interested to hear the response you get from Savage.

[MTVFIREMEDIC]

I also can only shoot 3-4 rounds back to back - then let barrel cool - before another couple rounds - 300 WM is a hot round - typically my 5th round will fly up and left if I don't let it cool - it might be a bedding issue or maybe the barrel isn't free floated enough so that when it heats up and swells - it makes contact with the forend and because I'm shooting off a bipod it pushes the barrel up and left just enough - I'm not talking a few inches - it's more like 4-6 MOA up and 4-6 6Moa over at 200yds ... but if I let it cool - it gives me 1 MOA or less all day at 200yds


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[Zero333]

Light rifles chambered for Magnums with skinny barrels are usually very picky with ammo. You will need to try everything from cheap to very expensive factory ammo before you find what it really likes.

[Robinhood]

Light rifles chambered for Magnums with skinny barrels are usually very picky with ammo. You will need to try everything from cheap to very expensive factory ammo before you find what it really likes.

This is true. I also notice you mentioned brand names of scope with power range. It has been my experience that many of the big name scope makers make cheap scopes that cant handle the win mag punch. Leupold and Nikon come to mind.