Hello all!, Sorry I normally don't like to make a first post to a board like this one but I really need a sanity check for my savage and figured this is the best place!

A little background / history if I may,
I've been reloading pistol for a while but only just got into rifle about 6 months ago.

I have a savage model 11vt 308 (dicks sporting goods) with a swfa ss 10x mil quad scope.
FIrst time out with factory ammo I got 1" groups, second time out to the range it was worst (then found out scope had loosened)

I then started reloading the 308 using Benchmark, I didn't have a COAL guage so I used the old modified case / close the bolt slow method to see what my max COAL to the lands were for my 168gr Hornady BTHP Match bullets...
I was getting right @ 2.8" oal which is what the book called for, so I set COAL @ 2.785 worked up a batch of 5 rounds each of benchmark of 38, 38.5, 39, 39.5, 40, 40.5
Went to the range and noticed after shooting them the bolt was stiff (stiff but not pound open with a block of wood stiff) but my groups were 3"

I went back to factory ammo and got the same results, so after testing it I found the scope wasn't holding zero well so I swapped it out for a SWFA SS10x

This last weekend I went back out with the new scope and some more benchmark reloads @ 40grs of BENCHMARK I got back to 1" groups but still had some stiff bolt action...

I heard benchmark wasn't great for 168grs in 308 and I happened across some Varget AND I bought a hornady OAL guage and bullet comparator....
To my surprise I found out that my previous OAL was WAY into the lands....so much in fact that my new max OAL to the lands is 2.690, from the base of the case to the OGIVE is 2.085!!!

I thought this was way wrong, no way could I have been that far into the lands so I redid my old test with a modified case and closing the bolt BUT this time I had a cleaning rod down the barrel to help gently push the bullet when I was opening the bolt... Sure enough the measurement came out close to what the hornady OAL guage was reading... I'm assuming the lands were holding the bullet some as I opened the bolt the first time doing the test....

OK so now I know I Need to load shorter and thank God I didn't over pressure / try to load to max load when seating into the lands on my first 2 runs.

Now to varget... All the references I have shows for 168gr and Varget from 42grs to 46grs COMPRESSED....
HOWEVER with my new deeper seating depth of 2.075 to OGIVE I loaded up 5 rounds @ 42grs of Varget Not compressed but close
and 42.5Grs (heard some grs crunching when seating fully) but still didn't really seem "compressed"....

Is this ok? Am I on the right track or am I way off??? I never heard of the Savages having such a tight throat / chamber until I discovered it on mine and started searching out info.

Being a Savage based forum what do you guys recommend?
Thank you in advance for any help / suggestions!