Need some advice on a semi-custom savage for wife

All,
I purchased my wife a savage lady hunter as a backup rifle to her other savage semi-custom (7mm08). Her semi-custom shoots lights out. Currently she is shooting Nosler 120 ballistic tips as a reduced recoil load for whitetails. her new backup rifle simply shoots terrible. I sent it back to Savage and they swear it shoots fine and even sent a target back to me showing 1.25inch group but I cannot get the thing to group better than 3 inches, due to crazy flyers. We will get a 1.5inch group with 2 bullets and then an extreme flier opening to 3+inches... this is with reloads and factory ammo. the rifle is pillar bedded (but not fully bedded) and freefloated. I have decided to not mess around anymore and to go semi-custom on this rifle as well. So first question is I will buying new scope bases and rings...which do you recommend to keep the scope height relatively low for a woman? it currently wears talley 1 piece base/ring combo aluminum bases/rings. Second question, is pillar bedding enough or should I have the entire rifle bedded? third question is should I go criterion, shilen or other for barrel? Should I keep the rifle 7mm08 or should I jump onboard the 6.5CM boat to give it a shot (remember this is not for long range shooting). Third question is what length barrel... 20, 22, 24? I would like to keep the rifle lighter and well balanced so I was thinking 22in which is what the current length is. Thanks everyone!

Anyone?

Question 1: I'm running a dnz game reaper tactical one piece with a 20 moa base medium height. That just barely clears with a 50mm objective.

Question 2: I would spend the money on getting a stock with a full aluminium bed block and bed the recoil lug area. If your keeping the stock I would bed the whole thing in devcon.

Question 3: cant go wrong with either barrel. I have a criterion and it shoots great. I shoot it at 1350 yards regularly. My father has a shilen on his 22-250AI and it shoots well too. Flip a coin. I would run a lighter contour 24in barrel so your not sacrificing velocity. If you want lighter recoil the 6.5 will probably be the better route. Down range ballistics will be about the same if the 6.5 has a 140 and the 7mm with a 162. If you run both with a 140 the 6.5 will be better at distance. Depends how far you want to shoot

When you sent the rifle to Savage for testing did it have your scope mounted to it?

I have ran Talley's and spoke to the owner once on the phone. I think the rings/ mount is just fine for regular hunting. I thought the wood stock came without pillar bedding from the factory so I'd look there first before buying a different stock. And since your wife already runs a 7mm-08 and this rifle is a backup I'd stick to 7mm-08. I'd even run the same barrel length as her semi custom unless she wanted to change barrel length. Just my opinion.

Agree on the full length aluminum block stock. I've got a B&C and a Hogue both on 6.5 Creedmoors. Both perform the same and my wife prefers the feel of the Hogue and I like tje B&C.

The rifle in the Hogue has a Wilson #4 finished at 22". I'm running the 140 gr Elite Hunter at 2856 fps. It's a little hot with some sticky bolt every now and the but very accurate.

I don't have any experience with the 7mm-08 but the 6.5 Creed has been the easiest cartridge I've ever tuned.

xsn10s said:

When you sent the rifle to Savage for testing did it have your scope mounted to it?

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No it was not, but I tried two different scopes on the rifle (not different bases/rings though). I know it is not the scope but it "may" be the rings/base on there at the moment. I will buy new bases and rings first to see if that cures the issue but I doubt it will.

xsn10s said:

I have ran Talley's and spoke to the owner once on the phone. I think the rings/ mount is just fine for regular hunting. I thought the wood stock came without pillar bedding from the factory so I'd look there first before buying a different stock. And since your wife already runs a 7mm-08 and this rifle is a backup I'd stick to 7mm-08. I'd even run the same barrel length as her semi custom unless she wanted to change barrel length. Just my opinion.

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Normal Savage wood stocks do not come with pillars but the Savage 14/114 and Lady hunter do. I have had the rifle out of the stock a few times now and have visually seen the pillars. I have also changed out all the bottom "plastic" to new bottom metal just to see if that was an issue because the bottom metal does attach through the same hole as the front action screw.

I think you've covered just about all the bases. I agree with trying new rings and bases. And then you could go with a full bedding. It depends on if the stock fits your wife well. It seems though since the difference between Savage getting a 1.25" group is rings, bases and a scope then that would be the first check. Good luck, sounds like you're doing the troubleshooting the way I would.

If you wife likes the stock, keep it and bed the recoil.lug area first. It will shoot funny if the recoil lug is not up against the wood bump for it.
All good ideas on cartridge above. If you want to try something different a Creedmoor shoots great.
The Talleys should work well on that rifle. They will help keep the scope low. I have them o. A 25-06 for several years and hundreds of rounds. They have never been a problem for me. I use rosin powder on the scope rings wher they grip on the he scope.
I would keep the barrel the same. My wife had a Lady Hunter in 243, it shot very well and was well balanced. Stock fit her well.
Sux. Having anew rifle that wontw shoot...

xsn10s said:

I think you've covered just about all the bases. I agree with trying new rings and bases. And then you could go with a full bedding. It depends on if the stock fits your wife well. It seems though since the difference between Savage getting a 1.25" group is rings, bases and a scope then that would be the first check. Good luck, sounds like you're doing the troubleshooting the way I would.

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Do you have a suggestion on type of rings and bases?

I've had pretty good luck with Talley's and Warnes. I think if you don't want to spend a lot of money even Weaver have given me acceptable results. Have you looked carefully on how the Talley's you have fit? Usually they have a good reputation. What are you torqueing them to? Whatever you use I suggest marking different index spots on the scope with pencil and screws with whiteout to see if anything is moving. And then use a known working scope on the remount. I'm sure you already thought of that.

Depending on how much you are wanting to spend, I would get another stock that your wife likes the feel of. Maybe a b&c and then definitely bed it.

Since you are not looking for distance shots I would go with a 22in barrel as you stated.

With rings and bases, I like Warne. All steel. Might make it a tad heavier. But not by much.

On the barrel, it's personal preference with all the big name manufacturers at this point (criterion, bartlien, shilen, lija, etc). They are all going to shoot good with reloads from all that ive seen. I personally went with 2 xcalibers on my 2 customs. My 6.5-284 with reloads and is off a tikka action is right at .62moa and my .300wm which is a savage action is .55moa with factory ammo. They've worked for me.

On a side note, ive heard savage's customer service is horrible.

xsn10s said:

I've had pretty good luck with Talley's and Warnes. I think if you don't want to spend a lot of money even Weaver have given me acceptable results. Have you looked carefully on how the Talley's you have fit? Usually they have a good reputation. What are you torqueing them to? Whatever you use I suggest marking different index spots on the scope with pencil and screws with whiteout to see if anything is moving. And then use a known working scope on the remount. I'm sure you already thought of that.

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I have not checked the rings like you have stated but I have switched with 2 scopes, both with same issue so it is definitely not the scope.