Uneven Rifling

[Hunt1676]

Hi. This is my first post and I hope this is in the correct forum. I had a Savage Light weight Hunter that shot terrible with every factory ammunition I put through it, 3-4" groups being the norm. I sold it to my friend who is more gunsmithy than me and he figured he could get it to shoot but to no avail. The gun is in 260 Rem. He just did a chamber cast and one rifling extends almost to the casing with the rest being shorter about 1/4". Has anyone ran into this and I'm certain this is the reason it is not accurate and what to do about it. I believe he will need it set back and rechambered.

 

[shortgrass]

Could be crooked rifling as you say, or it could be the chamber isn't straight with the rifling. If set back, most of the old chamber would need to be cut way. You'd probably be more satisfied with an after market barrel than trying to fix this one. That's just the way it is with some factory produced barrels these days.

 

[tobnpr]

Is this the same rifle that was mentioned at the Hide? Exact same issue..
I have no idea how that could happen with a typical reamer that cuts the throat and chamber, it would have to be run into the breech at such a horrendous angle i dont even think it would be possible.

Form cutters will cut evenly as the stock rotates around them, even if one flute were ridiculously longer than the others it would cut to that dimension consistently.

If it's a new rifle it needs to go back to Savage.
If not, and it otherwise looks good, set back and rechamber.

I would think twice on that route though because that barrel may have other issues that aren't easily apparent.

 

[Hunt1676]

Is this the same rifle that was mentioned at the Hide? Exact same issue..
I have no idea how that could happen with a typical reamer that cuts the throat and chamber, it would have to be run into the breech at such a horrendous angle i dont even think it would be possible.

Form cutters will cut evenly as the stock rotates around them, even if one flute were ridiculously longer than the others it would cut to that dimension consistently.

If it's a new rifle it needs to go back to Savage.
If not, and it otherwise looks good, set back and rechamber.

I would think twice on that route though because that barrel may have other issues that aren't easily apparent.

 

[Hunt1676]

This is a 3rd hand rifle at least. No it has not been mentioned before.

 

[MNbogboy]

Is this the same rifle that was mentioned at the Hide? Exact same issue..
I have no idea how that could happen with a typical reamer that cuts the throat and chamber, it would have to be run into the breech at such a horrendous angle i dont even think it would be possible.

Form cutters will cut evenly as the stock rotates around them, even if one flute were ridiculously longer than the others it would cut to that dimension consistently.

If it's a new rifle it needs to go back to Savage.
If not, and it otherwise looks good, set back and rechamber.

I would think twice on that route though because that barrel may have other issues that aren't easily apparent.

Here is one I bought on eBay sold by a well known barrel smith. He would not refund my money only offered me credit on another barrel that his outfit sells.
He called this a "perfect chamber", the rifling reaches the case mouth on one side. It was fully chambered 6.5-06 and test fired only according to him. I would guess the 1/2 nut stuck during threading and you can see the tool crashed into the shoulder. They probably didn't recheck the setup and chambered anyway.
My guess an unhappy customer returned it as it was full of copper. Being it was a Wilson blank and was ****ed off I headspaced it for my 700. With great surprise it shot 1/2 moa without load developement. Took it hunting and shot a huge 8 point whitey with it. Still ****ed off it sits in the safe waiting it's turn.

I often see uneven rifling in factory Savage barrels sometimes 2 out of 6 seem way longer. Some shoot ok some never get there.

 

[birdiemc]

On the casting how parallel is the bore to the chamber? Seems that might be an indication of whether or not the reamer was ran in at an extreme angle.

 

[shortgrass]

Who says Savage cuts chambers the same way a custom gunsmith does? Production 'runs' in collets, not a 4 jaw chucks where the work in dialed-in each piece. Who says the reamer is the same as a gunsmith uses? And, the tool holder? It seems many expect 'custom quality' from a production made rifle that costs about the same as an after market, custom barrel blank. I hear that Savage barrels are button rifled. Are they rifled with the same quality in mind as a Hart or Shilen?

 

[Hunt1676]

On the casting how parallel is the bore to the chamber? Seems that might be an indication of whether or not the reamer was ran in at an extreme angle.

I saw the cast in a coffee shop and it appeared to be inline but I was unable to roll it across the table to see if the bore part of the cast had any wobble to it.

 

[Greyfox]

I'm by no means a gunsmith, but I looks as if the rifling button may have had different depth groove formers....perhaps out of spec.. During the chamber cutting step, the reamer(throat) dimension was less then the oversized former for that particular groove(s), producing the variation shown in the OP's photos. Alternatively, the initially drilled bore, before button rifled, in that section of the barrel could have been out of round, producing the same effect. The blank bore dimension and the button have to meet exact dimensions for a correct barrel/chamber. If the rifle/barrel was un-altered, I would definitely send the rifle back to Savage. Several years ago, Savage, located about an hour away, invited our club to the plant, and took us through the production process.....interesting field trip!

 

[chronic]

I have the same rifle in 6.5x284. Shot the same as yours, even with every reload I through at it. Tried to sell it, could not. Finally sent it back to savage. Waited months and months, nothing. Called and they did not have a replacement barrel. So I had them put a long range hunter barrel on it. Wow!! 1/2" groups all day with my handloads. Love that rifle now. That was close almost sold it. Cost $100 bucks for the new barrel from savage.

Chronic.

 

[Radman]

Could be crooked rifling as you say, or it could be the chamber isn't straight with the rifling. If set back, most of the old chamber would need to be cut way. You'd probably be more satisfied with an after market barrel than trying to fix this one. That's just the way it is with some factory produced barrels these days.

Get a return authorization and send it back. They will make it right I'm sure.

 

[Hunt1676]

Get a return authorization and send it back. They will make it right I'm sure.

My buddy contacted the warranty depot here in Canada and the rifle is off warranty. As we can't ship across the border it will be out of pocket and a gunsmith.

 

[ntsqd]

Looks to me like the perfect opportunity to buy a quality pre-fit barrel in the chamber, length, & contour desired. A few tools and you can swap it yourself.