Don't worry, happens to the best of us.All four screws loose. I was swapping scopes between two rifles and realized that I checked my scope ring screws and failed to check my scope rail screws. So embarrassing. Fingers crossed, I probably found my inaccuracy problem. Classic Occam’s Razor. Hopefully someone will reply with something like ‘don’t worry it happens to the best of us’.
Thanks for the heads up. The photos were post range session, but it needs a real scrubbing. Thanks for the cleaning info. Please could you mark my photos that show the carbon ring? Thanks!Your barrel and chamber are filthy and you have a pretty significant carbon ring developing.
Fix those things and it will shoot better
Thanks for the heads up. The photos were post range session, but it needs a real scrubbing. Thanks for the cleaning info. Please could you mark my photos that show the carbon ring? Thanks!
My Savage 10BA in 308 went from 0.4-0.6 moa to about 1-1/4 moa between 4,000 and 4,800 rounds.I've never shot out a barrel. But I've read that a 308 should be good for at least 5000 rounds and still retain enough accuracy to be competitive. And be accurate enough for most casual shooters/hunters for 10,000 rounds.
The 243's life expectancy is usually quoted as about 1/2 that.
I've not seen any numbers on 6.5CM, but logic says it should be somewhere in between. I don't think that is the problem.
Savage barrels are known to be somewhat rough and need to be cleaned more often than most others. They are also harder to get clean. And it always takes a few rounds for best accuracy to return after you clean a barrel. My GUESS is that this is where you need to be looking.
Certainly like your shooting area. Nice.I run the same Savage in 6.5CM as well as a RPR in 6.5CM. The only time I run factory ammunition is to fireform the brass, as I'm a reloader. I've also loaded Staball 6.5, although my Savage prefers Varget.
View attachment 1205445
I'm well over a 1,000 rounds down my Savage barrel it still shoots sub-MOA at 200 yards.
View attachment 1205446
I agree with most others, that your problem is not due to a burned out barrel. I've gone through my fair share of 220 swift and 22-250 barrels and the loss of accuracy is gradual - you shouldn't go from a ragged hole to a couple of inches overnight. The same holds true for a less than spotless barrel. Carbon build up or not, your accuracy will not jump to two or three inches.
Like all troubleshooting steps - I would ask if you had changed anything? the Optics, mounts? have you removed the action from the stock for any reason? Things generally don't go from good to bad unless we changed something or a part has simply broken. Any change with the bolt? Is it still as smooth as before (you and I know that the Savage is not the smoothest bolt in town) but does it fell the same as before. Our model of Savage is known to have an issue with the extractor and that why the bolt seems to snag sometimes.
If you have another nice scope to try - I'd do it. I wouldn't bother trying to get a great zero; just on paper to see your group size. Out of curiosity, what optic are you running now?
Please let us know what you find.
sure appreciate the help, thanks!Clean it the way you normally do and take a few more pictures, particularly the throat and first 6” or so of the barrel from the chamber end.
I just spent the morning cleaning one of mine. 45 rounds from the last cleaning and you can see the carbon ring forming.
Here’s the before and after cleaning.
View attachment 1205425
It often takes a focused effort to get it gone as the normal cleaning strokes through the barrel can miss it. I use an oversized Ram Rodz cleaning swab (the link I posted earlier describes my method)
View attachment 1205426
A build up of this carbon ring is detrimental to accuracy as it impinges on the neck and affects pressure. The casual shooter might not know or care but if you’re someone who sweats making tiny groups of holes in paper it’s important to remove this buildup every time you clean your rifle. If it goes unchecked it becomes hell to get rid of.
I`m not after tiny groups at 500 yards from my Savage Model 12 LRPV in .223, but I do want to minimize carbon buildup. Some folks on here whose advice I respect very much talk about the non-necessity of cleaning after each range session but I`ve decided to go ahead and soak the throat and first few inches of barrel with C-4 and patch it out after some soak time after each shooting session. I`ll accept and know to expect the 3-4 rounds it seems to take to " settle in " at each session.Clean it the way you normally do and take a few more pictures, particularly the throat and first 6” or so of the barrel from the chamber end.
I just spent the morning cleaning one of mine. 45 rounds from the last cleaning and you can see the carbon ring forming.
Here’s the before and after cleaning.
View attachment 1205425
It often takes a focused effort to get it gone as the normal cleaning strokes through the barrel can miss it. I use an oversized Ram Rodz cleaning swab (the link I posted earlier describes my method)
View attachment 1205426
A build up of this carbon ring is detrimental to accuracy as it impinges on the neck and affects pressure. The casual shooter might not know or care but if you’re someone who sweats making tiny groups of holes in paper it’s important to remove this buildup every time you clean your rifle. If it goes unchecked it becomes hell to get rid of.
The Teslong is reasonably priced and very easy to use. I got the rigid probe, instead of the flexible one.Thanks to you guys, I’m going to have to get a bore scope now.