Help!! My Savage 10FP Won't Shoot!!

R

RickD

Moderator
I don't get it. I took my 10FP (new SharpShooter trigger installed, full sear contact) to Ben Avery range for some more shooting. I now have 22 shots through the rifle.

A couple of weeks ago during my first outing with the stock trigger (6.5#) I was getting .75MOA with Winchester and Federal 168g match. Today I used only Federal GMedal Match. Now, with the new trigger, I am getting these odd three-shot warm-barreled groups of .75MOA, .625MOA, .875MOA, and .438MOA. I just don't think I can trust my rifle with such wide variations. To add insult to injury, on three of the four groups, two shots of the string went into the same hole while the third were obvious fliers which widened the group from what might have been fine 1/4MOA accuracy, all the way up to mundane 2/3rdMOA and 3/4MOA.

With accuracy so variable, how can I trust my rifle>

It looks like all you Remington shooters were correct. I should have spent more money on a rifle. Now I might not even waste the time working up "more accurate" handloads. Why bother at this point if the rifle is not worthy?

Rick
Chastened.
 
Rick: Sorry to hear about your troubles with your 10FP. I have been having very similar problems with mine. It is still stock, so my groups have not had those terrible variations. But I, too, wish I had opted for a Remington and spent the extra bucks on advertising and not ammo. :)
 
Sounds like the shooter

Rick,
you needn't get all worked up about such deviations..I would suggest it's the new trigger....you are just not used to it yet.
With time, and a little patientence I'm positive you will have a solid 1/2 moa shooter.
Keep that range time coming!!.
 
Woe is me.

Prof:
But I, too, wish I had opted for a Remington and spent the extra bucks on advertising and not ammo.
Click to expand...

Advertising? You mean I spent $384 dollars and they didn't even have the common courtesy to advertise? I should have researched this a lot more.

ronin308:
Rick, Did you go through all the proper barrel break-in procedures?
Click to expand...

That was my original plan. I was going to shoot several dozen rounds of milsurp through it and do the mega-cleaning thing. I did, at first, up to the first dozen shots. But then I got greedy and started going for groups. I nearly completely abandoned the Sinclair break-in procedure and now I will have to pay for it.

Kaboom:
Let me guess Rick, you didn't put a Leupold on it. I suspect there lies your problem.
Click to expand...

I am such a fool. I went with the Romanian IOR Valdada 2.5-10x42 despite nearly everyone else telling me to go Leupold or NightForce. But I was swayed by those who said that the IOR had German optics and was just as good for half the price.

Well, now I am paying that price. When it it time to go for that head-shot in the next tactical match, I won't be able to ask the sniper's favorite question, "Which eye?" I will have to settle for little more than a clean kill, as if that will get my name in the record books.:rolleyes:

Forever Humbled,

Rick
 
Rick lies.....

First off, let me say that RickD's sear engagement is about 75%, not full. He's only trying to gain your sympathy, the worthless troll that he is! :rolleyes:

Anyway, he asked me to post the crummy performance of his match ammo from our foray, so here it is:

Federal Gold Match 168 gr.
2666
2692
2707

I don't have my calculator, so no average, extreme spread, etc. I didn't know how to work his chrony, so I didn't get it from there. This three shot group was 11/16", poor thing.

Here's the second string:

2656
2687
2695
2688
2704
2692

I figured out how to use the chrony, so:
Avg. 2689
ES 74.87
SD 16.62

I didn't get nearly that good from my Talon .30-06 military ball ammo, so he shouldn't complain, the selfish brat!!

My handloaded Enfield ammo (39. gr IMR 4895, Fed large rifle primers and Sierra 180 gr. RN) was:
2279
2270
2246
2264
Avg 2265
ES 33.xx (can't read Rick's chicken scratch)
SD 13.92

Just in case there were any of you reloading for your Enfield (No4MkI).

TimW
Minion of Rick
 
Hmmm. Variations from 1/2 MOA to 3/4 MOA? That's not much variation. You say you were seeing regular 3/4 MOA before the new trigger. Now you're seeing that or better. I think you just had a bad day at the range with a very good rifle. Or maybe the variation (1/2 MOA) was cause by an unusually good day?
 
:D:D ... LMAO!! ... "Help!! My Savage 10FP Won't Shoot!!"

I guess I'll be seeing this inconsistent performer down in "Buy, Sell and Trade: Rifles and Shotguns" ...? I'll just lurk down there for a few days and be prepared to take this off your hands, so you can get your Rempold.:)
 
Bless me, Father

No, having consulted with my Pastor, we have decided that the most appropriate penance would be for me to keep the Savage so as to remind me of the time that I committed the sin of pride by not listening to my betters.

The most painful part is when I will have no choice but to hand it down to my offspring. Can you imagine the shame?

Rick
Hail Mary, full of grace...
 
One thing Rick isn't saying because he's embarrassed...

Rick, you see, short-strokes, especially at a public range.

Normally, I would advise him to see a physician about it, but he's only done it once.

And it opened a .25 MOA group to about 1.5". All because he couldn't handle his bolt properly.

Keep doing that and he'll go blind. :eek:

TimW
phoenix
 
Rick: I wouldn't give up on either your rifle or scope. If you're not reloading, then you're not getting the best accuracy from your rifle. Also, you fail to mention how frequently you're cleaning the barrel. Wouldn't be uncommon for groups to open up after ten-to-fifteen rounds.

If I recall correclty, you've only shot three-shot groups. I'd have to say that you probably have never had a good benchmark for what you and your rifle are capable. Try some five-shot groups. Clean your barrel religiously. If you're not going to reload, then use the best premium match ammo that you can find.

I'm betting it's your inexperience, and not the dynamics of your rifle/scope setup that's causing your group "inconsistencies".
 
Disclaimer: I shoot benchrest

1. It isn't too late to break it in properly. Go gitcherself a jar of Sweets, a jar of Butch's, and a whole bleepload of patches and brushes.

Clean the bejeezus out of it. Then clean the bejeezus out of it again. It's the bejeezus that causes problems.

Use a bore guide, and Butch's, and a cycle of three wet patches, 10 brush strokes with a soaked brush, three wet patches to get the crud out, then three dry patches, clean it.

When you think that it's clean, run a patch of Sweet's down the tube. Wait a minute or so, and run a plain patch. If you show any color (other from your jag), guess what? You get to clean it again. You may wanna use some Iosso or JB bore paste.

When it is FINALLY clean, run a lightly oiled patch down the barrel, then fire one shot. Clean it again, checking with Sweets to make sure you REALLY have it clean. Repeat the oiled patch thing, yank on the trigger, and do this about five times. Then switch to three shot groups, cleaning between each, checking with Sweets to keep yourself honest. When you've fired about 20 rounds, that should be about as good as it gets.

2. Okay - We don't know a darn thing about the conditions at the range on the day of the tests. Were you using wind flags? A light wind changing directions can blow a bullet up to an inch away from its buds at 100 yards. What you're looking for is VERTICAL dispersion (assuming a crosswind. If you've got headwind/tailwind, you're wasting load development time, ammo, and barrel life). Horizontal dispersion will be YOUR fault, vertical will be the rifle and the load.

Sounds like a darn fine rifle to me. Never heard of the scope, so I don't know. For load development, I'd get a few boxes of 165 grain Nosler ballistic tips and try 'em jammed a little with a starting load (39 grains if I remember correctly - CHECK to make sure I'm not lying to you) of 4895, and work the load up. You know you're right when the vertical goes away.
 
RickD, it must have been difficult to type that with your tongue planted so firmly in your cheek. Do I also detect a bit of "nya nya nya nya nya" for the naysayers? ;)

I shot my 10FP for the first time last Sunday, but I was getting nowhere near the groups you got. Could be because I was using cheap milsurp ammo and cleaning between each shot for the first 10 rounds and every few rounds thereafter. Do you think after it's broke in and if I shoot some good match ammo out of a warm barrel my groups will tighten up?

I'm staying with the factory trigger for awhile. I was able to adjust it to get about a 3-4 lb. pull with just a hint of creep. I could adjust it to get rid of the creep but that puts it just on the edge of being unsafe. To get rid of the creep altogether, I'd have to stone it. Is the Sharpshooter trigger worth the money?
 
I wouldn't be so sure about that "tackdriver", until he shoots some real groups, like maybe, five shots. If I couldn't get under 1/4" out of my Rem. 700, with FIVE-SHOT groups, I'd go back to the drawing board.
 
Could be because I was using cheap milsurp ammo
Click to expand...

I get 1.5 to 2.5 MOA from milsurp. The SShooter trigger is worth it. Try some Never-Sieze type lube on the sear.

We'll see how good it shoots after I try my third type of match ammo and then work up some loads.

I have no doubt that I will be getting close to .25 to .33MOA. After the barrel gets 100 rounds through it.

Rick
Now where did I put my tongue?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top