Savage 340C accuracy question.

M

mikenbarb

New member
I own a Savage 340C in 30-30 and it shoots 2-3" groups @ 100 yds with Hornady lever evolution ammo. Does anyone know if its safe to remove the barrel band and free float the barrel? Or is the barrel band to improve the strength and accuracy? Also, I have been looking for a new barrel for this gun and all I can find are used ones that noone knows the condition of the bore. If anyone can help me locate a new barrel it would be greatly appreciated. I would also consider a used one that is in great shape if someone here has one for sale.
 
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i have a 340c in 22 hornet, and have been experminting with the set up in regards to accuracy. mine shot better with a tight barrel band. i felt like the barrel needed the band pressure to settle in the same spot. have you tried any other ammo besides the leverlution? i'm wondering if the old savage can handle the faster ammo. i have been considering a new barrel also, from the looks of it it would be simple to have a custom barrel switch. my trigger is terrible, that will be my next improvement.
 
Barrel band.

Im pretty happy with the lever evolution ammo. It has great range and ballistics to it. I also run the Remington accelerator varmint rounds thru it with no problems. I originally shot the Winchester CXP2 150 gr hollow point round nose and they shot well and knocked the heck out of the deer at 100 yards. I just want to get a little better accuracy out of it. I dont handload so im pretty much stuck with factory ammo and the Hornady is the best I have found so far. Sighted in 3" high @100 it drops -0.2 @200 yds and -12.1" @ 300 yds. Its come a long ways for 30-30 ammo.:D I was thinking if the action and stock could handle removing the barrel band I would try a Sims barrel de-resonator and free float it. My barrel is the original with a lot of rounds thru it so I would love to get a new or good used one for it to see if it improves. FYI, I also have a 340c in 222 cal that I had rechambered for .223 and it shoots 1 1/2"@ 100 all day long.
 
Barrel band removal?

Does anyone know if its safe to remove the barrel band to free float the barrel?? Or if anyone can offer sugestions to improve accuracy I would appreciate it. I am looking for a new or good used barrel and I cant seem to find one that anyone knows what shape its in. I really dont want to play the ship and return game till I can find a good one. Thats what the large surplus suppliers are telling me I would have to do with the used ones they sell. :mad:
 
My catalog is a year old, but Gun Parts Corp. had brand new factory barrels for the 340 at $64 at that time. No sight screw holes or dovetail cuts though, as those have to be done once the barrel is installed and headspaced. For most folks, that will be a gunsmith job.

IME, those rifles were absolutely UGH! to look at, but shot pretty well. The main drawback to accuracy was the trigger pull, not the barrel quality. I don't know how bad your barrel is, but with non-corrosive ammo not many are really bad. I would say that if you get 3", it might be better to play some with reloads than to try replacing the barrel. One thing about that rifle, you can use pointed bullets and those might give better accuracy than the Leveolution factory stuff.

I don't know if I would remove the barrel band. Those rifles have only one action screw (the rear trigger guard screw is a wood screw), so the barrel band screw is probably necessary to hold things together.

Jim
 
It is safe to remove the barrel band, but it may not improve the accuracy a bit. Stock bedding, barrel channel inletting, or any number of causes may be at the root of your accuracy woes. You could rebarrel, or spend the money for a new rifle, but then you may be right back where you are now with a gun that has mediocre accuracy.

Surplus parts dealers get their parts by disassembling guns they get from a variety of sources. One of the main reasons people get rid of an old gun is (you guessed it) it won't shoot, so I doubt they would make any guarantees one way or the other about the accuracy of their surplus barrels.

IME, those rifles were absolutely UGH! to look at, but shot pretty well.
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Couldn't have said it better myself.
 
What would be the chances of finding improvement and sucess in having the bbl recrowned? I've heard that recommendation lots of times- but have never heard anyone speak of the results.
 
The gun shoots an average 2-3" @ 100yds with the Hornady pointed Lever Evolution ammo and a trigger job has already been done on it. As far as the looks go, I dont think its that bad. I have seen alot of uglier bolt actions out there. I have lots of rifles but this one has something to it that I like. I dont know quite what it is but I have always had luck hunting when I took it into the woods. I dont reload so im at the mercy of factory ammo and I think Hornady had done great things with the Lever Evolution ammo line. It made the 30-30 capable of 300 yd. shots compared to the old brush gun 100yd history. The regular 30-30- ammo is worthless in this gun and have heard the same from everyone that owns one. It wont chamber the flat nose ammo and always hangs up. Is there any other model gun barrel that would fit the action besides the 340 - 340E series? And the other thing I like on this gun is the removable clip with in line loading instead of a staggered box. Will a 110 barrel fit a 340C? If anyone has a 340c barrel in 30-30 thats in good shape let me know what the asking price is or send me an e-mail to mikenbarb@embarqmail.com Thanks.
 
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Barrel interchangability.

Does anyone know if only the 340-340E series will fit the 340c. Does any other Savage rifle have the same barrel that would fit this action?
 
"I own a Savage 340C in 30-30 and it shoots 2-3" groups @ 100 yds with Hornady lever evolution ammo."

Compared to several .30-30 caliber model 340s and varients that I have owned, yours is a real tack driver. Floated the barrel on one that I owned and it shot no better for my effort.
 
Savage 340 accurizing

I floated the barrel up to the bearing area where the barrel band is and then past the barrel band to the end of the barrel channel. The same thing works for SMLE's, which is where I got the idea. I also put a shim in behind the recoil lug because the action was swimming around in the stock with the receiver and barrel band screws out. Total cost: Bupkiss. At 50 yards using Hornady 1/2 jackets and Unique, my rifle outshot an Anschutz .22LR sporter. The other guy wanted to know if I was using a .22 and when I told him it was a .30-30, I got a weird look and he didn't say anything else.
 
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