What issue is causing this?

[Estimator86]

Shots from yesterdays session @ 100 yards. Cold bore shot is #1, blue is first group. (Adjusted for Avg being ~2 in. left and ~0.5 in. high). Green is second group. (Now I am torn. Adjusted sights BACK to where I started). Orange is third group. Shot #9 hit bullseye, moved to lower left target to double check.

Wind wasn't a major factor here. I am questioning whether this has more to do with the "cold bore" or the fact that this barrel had ~20 rounds through it at shot #1.

Opinions or other ways you guys sight in to save ammo? I am not a tack driver by any means, but I am trying to get this gun dialed in for 300 yards and less.

Gun: Savage 110, heavy fluted barrel in .308 Win
Ammo: (Could be a factor) Remington 150 grain

 

[cahunter805]

Probably more of a optics issue. What scope is it? I’d go shoot another group and see where it is sighted in at.
If you are after tighter groups you might want to buy a few boxes of different brand ammo and test that.
Are your shooting from a solid bench? Rest? Shooting bags? Bipod?

 

[Estimator86]

@cahunter805

Optics didn't even cross my mind.

Athlon Talos 9-12, Burris Zee rings over a 20 moa rail that came with the gun. This was also my first time mounting/setting up a rifle. No rest, just prone position with gun over bag.

Now that you mention it, I did notice a VERY VERY slight up/down coming from the rail. Would that throw it off that much at just 100 yards? No side to side or rotational movement that I could tell

 

[fishing4sanity]

I would check the picatinny rail, there should be no movement at all to any mounts. I have several Savage rifles, but many of the newer ones I've been around had loose bases from the factory.

 

[Estimator86]

I would check the picatinny rail, there should be no movement at all to any mounts. I have several Savage rifles, but many of the newer ones I've been around had loose bases from the factory.

I could have swore that I tightened before setting up the scope. Recoil must have jarred it loose. I guess I know what I will be doing tonight, WITH some blue loctite..

 

[WalkingBird]

I agree, check out your mounts. My gfs rifle came with a pre mounted scope that I failed to check the screws on (only adjusted the rings for eye relief) and it shot loose. I used it as an excuse to get her some talley's

Edit: Her rifle is a Savage 11 7mm-08

 

[cahunter805]

As stated above. I’d pull the scope/rings and rail. Degrease the screws and the action holes. Remount rail using blue loctite and then mount rings and scope. You can leave the rings attached to the scope and remount on the rail back in the same position and the scope should be pretty close to zero still. Might need some minor adjustments since the rail will be secure now.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Probably more of a optics issue. What scope is it? I’d go shoot another group and see where it is sighted in at.
If you are after tighter groups you might want to buy a few boxes of different brand ammo and test that.
Are your shooting from a solid bench? Rest? Shooting bags? Bipod?

That would absolutely be where I started. Second maybe funny barrel pressure re: your rest as @cahunter805 notes.
I epoxy bed my scope rails personally. Then consistent poundage across ring and pic mount screws. I've done loctite sometimes, sometimes not. In general I don't see a downside. Make sure all rail and ring surfaces, including threads, are clean of protective oils and such. Acetone on a q-tip and paper towels is the best easy way in my experience. I wouldn't trust almost anyone else to mount my scopes.
So you get your scope mounted square, snug, and secure. If it still acts squirrely upon adjustment I'd send it into the manufacturer. I don't trust most scope manufacturers to build internals that adjust correctly, because that doesn't seem to be the highest priority for many companies, and that's fine. I had a couple higher end models from a well-regarded scope maker that adjusted consistently but incorrectly--i.e. 1.0 moa adjustment was actually like 1.2 moa.

My best advice is to trust nothing until it's proven to be repeatable in the field. This can take a lot of rounds up front to sort out, but it's just the name of the game. One reason I like light recoiling rifles that are cheap to shoot, but hey what do I know.

If you have a proven shooter in .223, .243, .308 etc.--something cheaper and easier to shoot--put the scope in question on there to sort things out. Or, if you have another scope that's proven to hold zero and adjust repeatably, put that on this rifle and see what's what.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Looks like we were typing at the same time.

 

[cahunter805]

I was going to suggest bedding the rail but many people are afraid to do it or think it’s not needed. A little JB weld or Devcon and they are secure for sure.

 

[SticksMcKinley]

This is not likely the root of your problem and I would follow others' advice to remount the rail and optic, but once you get the rail tightened to the receiver, hold it up to a light source and make sure you don't see any light between two. I once went through 3 rails before getting a straight one from a reputable manufacturer.

 

[JCW]

I was going to suggest bedding the rail but many people are afraid to do it or think it’s not needed. A little JB weld or Devcon and they are secure for sure.

Agree with previous suggestions. I bed all my one piece bases just because I like to tinker and it can' hurt if you do it right. Jeff Brozovich has some good how-to's on his process.

 

[Estimator86]

Thanks everyone. As I stated above, this is my first rifle build so I don't have another gun to cross check things. I will take it apart and clean/tighten everything down once more. I may look into bedding the rail too, I never thought about that one. All in all, I'm glad everyone agrees that it is more of a scope/mount issue than the issues I was thinking.

 

[cahunter805]

Good video from Jeff for scope base bedding

 

[Cheese Curd]

Also check the action screws and make sure they are tight.

 

[IdahoPotato]

Weird. I went through this EXACT problem with a Savage 110 Storm recently. Groups were just all over the place with new rifle setup. After ~80 rounds or so I had re-mounted the optic several times and eventually took it to the gunsmith. He basically said clean the copper out completely and find the right ammo. He showed me a 0.75 inch group after doing this, where I had previously been spraying shotgun patterns. I now have it down under 1 MOA after getting familiar with some bore-tech copper solvent and developing a hand load. I don't know if this is specific to Savage but it got me where I wanted to be.

 

[GlockZ]

I own 2 Savage rifles and neither had the issue you describe. After going through a break in, I switched to handholds and shoot the TTSX from Barnes. What bullets are you pushing down the tube?

 

[devon deer]

As soon as I saw your post it just says something is loose and the advice to rectify it above should work.
I have no experience with Savage rifles, but after doing all the above, and you still have problems, I would be looking at the barrel touching the for-end, if its free floating that is.
Cheers
Richard

 

[tzone]

Shots from yesterdays session @ 100 yards. Cold bore shot is #1, blue is first group. (Adjusted for Avg being ~2 in. left and ~0.5 in. high). Green is second group. (Now I am torn. Adjusted sights BACK to where I started). Orange is third group. Shot #9 hit bullseye, moved to lower left target to double check.

Wind wasn't a major factor here. I am questioning whether this has more to do with the "cold bore" or the fact that this barrel had ~20 rounds through it at shot #1.

Opinions or other ways you guys sight in to save ammo? I am not a tack driver by any means, but I am trying to get this gun dialed in for 300 yards and less.

Gun: Savage 110, heavy fluted barrel in .308 Win
Ammo: (Could be a factor) Remington 150 grain



View attachment 117216

It's either you or your optics. Did you make sure all the screws on the bases are tight? Screws on the rings tight? Is the scope know to work or is this a new scope?

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Good video from Jeff for scope base bedding

Learn something new everyday... Thanks for sharing the video!