Custom Savage vertical stringing

[sambo3006]

I have a custom Savage 6.5 WSM with a Lilja 9 twist barrel with a Sharp Shooter Supply recoil lug and trigger. It is pillar bedded into a Stockade Rifle Works stock with marine tex. I am not the original owner but according to the original owner the work was done by a gun smith.

This rifle has exhibited some vertical stringing at 100 yds with 3 shot groups going around 0.8" to 1" vertical with less than 0.2" horizontal spread. It won't do it every group. A couple of weeks ago I shot it with a buddy and it did it to me two groups in a row, then he shot it and it clover leafed about 0.25". I shot again and it scattered the shots, then he shot again and it scattered them. At least I know it isn't me. Bullet is the 140 gr Sierra SBT.

It is floated all the way back to the lug. I don't know what parts of the lug are bedded and which are free. The action screws were not loose. The scope has been reliable for me on other rifles. My loading technique is quite consistent, and I don't let the barrel get more than warm to the touch.

I'm thinking that it is a bedding issue. I wonder if I need to rebed the recoil lug with only the back touching and maybe put a small bedding pad in front of the barrel nut. I don't know the usual bedding technique for savages with the barrel nut. What do you guys think?

 

[winmagman]

Check the rear tang of the action, I've heard that if that area is not free floated on a Savage it can result in inconsistent groups.

Got that info from a pretty reliable gunsmith....what the hell was his name.....oh yea, Kirby Allen

Chris

 

[GREYGHOSTt]

sounds like load variation. need more input..
if you get a string then a clover leaf then a string
looks like luck of the draw..

 

[sambo3006]

It's not load variation. I trickle each charge and prime and seat very carefully. I get very consistent results with several other rifles. This rifle has been inconsistent with the most common pattern being the vertical string. I believe the barrel should produce the clover leafs consistently given the near zero horizontal spreads it usually produces.

 

[Dead Beat]

double check the tang i have 4 savage i had the same trouble with my 116 it turned out to be the bedding compound recoil lug was sitting on. i cleaned out so was clearance below and on the side's after that it went into a solid 1/2 in. groups

JIM

 

[GREYGHOSTt]

is your brass as consistant as your powder weighing
has it been annealed has it been checked for volume
variance primer pockets uniformed flash holes deburred
usually a vertical string is a velocity variance between
shots or this load in this rifle dosen't like the primer you are using i know the primer thing sounds weird but it has happened to me in the past don't discount anything...

 

[edge]

Where is the front bag located?

Try moving it back under the recouil lug area.

edge.

 

[sambo3006]

I'll check the tang area. I had not heard of free floating it on a Savage. Honestly I have not messed with my other two Savages and they both shoot bughole groups stock other than a trigger job. I may as well hog out the bedding around the recoil lug and rebed it with only the back touching just to make sure. I guess it is floated from the lug forward? I usually bed 1 1/2" or so past the lug on 700's but you can't do that with the Savage barrel nut unless you would bed a small pad just ahead of the nut.

The reason I don't think it is velocity variation is that I have chronographed it with a different bullet and two different powders and the ES was not excessive yet it did the same thing with grouping tendencies.

Edge, the stock seems quite rigid and I don't think it flexes when it is on the front bag but that would be easy to check by moving it like you suggested.

Thanks for the tips, any other ideas would be appreciated as well.

Sam

 

[Eaglet]

Sambo3006,

Read this excellent article about vertical stringing. Will make you more
knowledgable and will allow you to start a process of elimination starting with the easier things.

Here it is!

Good Luck!

 

[HRstretch]

Sambo3006,

Read this excellent article about vertical stringing. Will make you more
knowledgable and will allow you to start a process of elimination starting with the easier things.

Here it is!

Good Luck!

That was a great article, thank you.