savage issue need help

batman1262

New member
I have a buddy that bought a savage model 16 FCSS stainless barrel 22" sporter barrel in an accustock. It is chambered in 308. Has a proven scope setting on it, Nikon 3x9x40 plex. Tried 3 different boxes of shells, 150 grain, 168 grain, 175 grain. I cant get this gun to shoot less than 5" at 100 yrds.

Again, proven scope, rings and bases tight, decent trigger pull (3.5), shooting out of lead slead, action screws hand tight but not used torque wrench. Any help would be appreciated. Btw all ammo is factory.

He bought this gun after going to the range with me and seeing how well my mod 12 vlp dbm shot.
 
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It will print first two shots really well. Third shot is loosening and 4 & 5 really get opened up. Same every time. Cold bore and second aint bad, but iits like the heat really affects it.
 
A 5 inch group is terrible. Is it missing all over the place? Mostly high,low or left and right? I used to use a lead sled and found i had grouping issues with it as opposed to a front and back bag. I would try to shoot it off a different rest first. What kinda rings are you using that you say are proven? I would elaborate on some of these things if you want better advice.
 
I definately agree that 5" group is horrible. This should be a nice rifle, and I have to believe there is something I am missing.

Rings and bases are Leupold. Just meant that the scope is a take off of another rifle that shot well.

It does miss all over. Left and right and mostly high. I will try to get a pic of target and post.

Ammo is 150 fusion, 168 privi partisan, and I need to correct that 180 gr fusion.
 
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Problems like this are 99% scope/mount related. But good advice to try shooting off bags first. Are you strapped to the sled? Make sure rifle is strapped on correctly and barrel still floats. Make sure action screws are tight. Then try a new scope!
 
Perhaps the barrel is touching the stock while strapped in. As the barrel heats up might be changing the POI. Put a washer under the front action screw between stock and action. That will raise the barrel. See what happens.
 
Gun was not straped in lead sled. I merely used it to support and reduce felt recoil. I will try it out of bags but I dont have confidence that anything will change. If the scope had not just came off of a 30-06 that was shooting good I would have bet money on it to be the problem. I have checked and rechecked rings and bases twice. The owner did tell me he pulled the barreled action out of stock on initial cleaning so I checked to make sure action screws were reasonably tight and they are, just not checked with torque wrench.

Should I take the stock off and remate stock and action again? It is an accustock. I have never had one of those.
 
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I believe there are 2 different flavors of accustock. The older one can be a real PITA. I have a savage 10T that uses a new flavor of the accustock. If you have one like mine, you need to hold the stock on the recoil pad as you put the action in to get the recoil lug to seat properly. Keep pressure downward on the barrel/action. Then I torqued the 2 action screws incrementally to whatever the spec was that I found (I think it's in the owners manual).

If action screws are only hand tight as you stated, I'm betting the stock is contacting the barrel differently every shot.
 
From Savage;
----------------------------------------------

you need to remove 3 screws. 1 just in front of trigger guard under the bolt release. The second is just in front of the magizine release. The third is for the Accu wedge in front of the magazine.
You need to torque the action in sequence when you reassemble the rifle. Every time I retorque the action it changes the POA some but the accuracy is consistent at better then .5 MOA at 100 meters. Below the picture is the torque sequence from Savage. from MSG Janoski at Sniper's Hide

I thought I'd pass along this info;

The other day I had a informative conversation with Mr. Chris Bezzina (main engineer at Savage Arms) who played a key part in the development of the AccuStock.
I wanted to get detailed information on torque specs for the 10 LE weapons series. There is a sequence for reassembling in the manuals but for ultimate accuracy wanted by advanced shooters the recommended sequence is;

Proper Adjustment of The AccuStock
there is a specific technique for assembling the action into the AccuStock,
and it needs to be strictly adhered to as follows:

1. Ensure that the recoil lug “wedge”
screw is backed out to the point where
the wedge has sufficient vertical movement to allow the recoil lug to seat
against the bottom of the aluminum rail.
2. With the action inserted into the
stock, justify the action toward the rear
of the stock to allow the recoil lug on
the action to be seated against the boss
on the aluminum rail.
3. Tighten the forward most screw to
10 in.-lbs. to seat the action against the
aluminum rail boss, then back out one-
half turn.
4. Tighten the middle action screw to 10
in.-lbs.
5. Tighten the rear action screw to 10
in.-lbs.
6. Tighten the forward action screw to
10 in.-lbs
Repeat steps four through six and
increase torque value in increments up
to a final torque value of 40 to 45 in.-lbs.
note: It is extremely important to
tighten per the instructions above
because when you are tightening the
action down into the AccuStock you are
spreading the aluminum side rails and
evenly moving the action down onto
the base of the rail, ensuring positive
engagement.

—Chris Bezzina, Savage Arms
 
Thank you wedgy! I appreciate that very much! I am pretty sure he just screwed the barreled action back to the stock and figured it had to be something like this! I will report after I correct this!
Thanks again
 
I have the gen 1 accu stock and was having horrible accuracy issues. Tried the recommended torque pattern per savage. And just about every other way I could. Took the accu wedge out completely. Issues gone. 1/2" groups with same rounds. If all else fails, maybe give it a try.
 
Ok guys I made a mistake. This gun is a FHSS. And has no wedge on the recoil lug. The stock has the aluminum bed block and only 2 action screws. Repeat, no wedge! Only a milled out groove that allows the recoil lug a snug fit. Recoil lug shows sign of being rubbed in correct place and being seated correctly. I am gonna use Wedges way of seating action and shoot it tomorrow after work. Wish me luck!
 
Any updates? Just so you know, Savage has often had action screws that bottomed out leaving play between the stock and action. I often grind or cut about two threads off to avoid the is problem. Also, the front scope base screws often bottom out against the barrel threads or bolt head. It is easy to figure out if it is hitting the bolt head. The bolt won't open if the bolt was closed when the screws were tightened and the bolt won't close it the bolt was out when the screws were tightened. Here again, removing a thread or so can cure the problem. Also recheck all base and ring screws for tightness. Hope this helps.
 
Some how I new somebody was gonna say that. (2Muchgun) I was/am a Remmy man until I bought my savage m12 vlp dbm. My best shooting gun I own. Now I like both!

Range report: Took this guys m16 FHSS in 308 back to range yesterday after work. Had some strange occurances. Apoligize for no pics but the owner took target with him. We shot a 5 shot group. This group consists of 3 shots grouped in a .5 group slightly low and a 2 shots 5.5" high that grouped .75"

Allowed gun to cool and took new target out and gave it 30 mins or so then shot another 5 shot group. Results were nearly exact mirrors, Only difference was there was 3 grouped high and 2 grouped low. I told him the gun was fine and needed new scope. He told me that it came off his dads 30-06 and was proven. Then said it was was on his 7mm-08 that was a terrible shooter and traded off.

I told him that only strengthens my arguement that his scope was bad. Seriously doubt both guns were bad! He continued to argue but told me that he would mount new sope and try it!

I would like to say thank you for all the support and help you guys offered. This is a great forum and has helped me improve alot in several areas!
 
I have owned several Savage bolt guns. One, a 7mm-08 took a pile of deer. Another, a 223 (10FP "tactical") shot extremely well. Really well.

But I have to come to prefer other brands and have always found the Savages to be somewhat unrefined and hard to look at. Contrary to what Savage shooters like to tell us, I KNOW there are other brands that shoot every bit as well. I don't hate them, just not my cup of tea.

I can't help you with the accustock, never owned one....
 


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