Accuracy woes

[swamphunter]

I have a 10ML11 blued synthetic, my buddy has the stainless laminate. We can not seem to get decent groups out of them. We are both using 5744 and have tried 44, 43, and 42 grains behind both 250 and 300 grain Hornady XTP's loaded with MMP short black sabots. I cleaned both rifles yesterday, which included using a 5/32 drill bit to de-carbon the breech plug. Unfortunately I could not get my vent liner out. Any tips would be appreciated. I think the allen head on the vent liner is now fairly rounded off. I might take a cut off wheel and grind a slot in it and remove it with a flat screw driver; but since our season starts tomorrow it may have to wait. Any ideas on tightening our groups (they are currently running from about three inches to over six inches) would be VERY much appreciated!

Thanks
Swamphunter

 

[MCee67]

Which sabots are you using?

 

[peteo]

I had trouble with a stubborn vent liner and rounded out the allen wrench. It probably was'nt the correct way by any means but it worked. I stuck the allen wrench into socket and hit it once with my mig welder, welding it securely to vent liner. It might have been the welded tool plus a little heat but it came right out with no damage to breech plug.
I then purchased 4 of Randy's vent liners, and apply a full thread and coned head contact surface coating of never seize and have not had any trouble since.
As far as bullets go my gun does better with 458 300 than the 452's I have tried. they require the orange mmp sabot. I am using 44 gr of 5744 but am going to try some Vihatouri 120 after season. Good Luck!

 

[big6x6]

Here's what I'd do:

1. Check action screws to be sure they are tight. Check scope base screws to be sure THEY are snug. Warne front bases have a history of having too long of screws. You may have to file one of them down a little to be sure it isn't bottoming out. LOCK TITE the base screws. Make sure the scope rings are all attached securely and that the screws are tight.

2. What scope are you using? Brand new scope or a scope you KNOW has a history of adjusting/holding zero?

3. CLEAN the gun from one end to the other. Use a brass brush to clean the bore with Hoppes. Dry with patches etc.

4. Remove the vent liner. You can remove yours that is rounded out. Get a larger sized allen head and grind to fit the rounded out ventliner. While you are doing that get a pill bottle or container that the breech plug will fit in and put enough Liquid Wrench in it that will cover the ventliner. Let the breechplug soak with the ventliner end soaking in the Liquid Wrench. After a few hours try it. It will come out. Get a 5/32 drill bit and clean out the breech plug. That bit will go from one end of the breech plug to the other.

5. REPLACE the ventliner and lube ventliner threads and use a Q-Tip to lube the breechplug threads where it screws in. Better to OVER lube than UNDER lube. Lube the breech plug and screw back into the rifle. Remember...You'll need to pop a primer before loading the gun or you'll have a misfire REGARDLESS of powder used if you don't do this!

6. What are you using for a rest? If you don't have a good rest you really need to get one.

7. If it were ME...I'd get some VV N-110 AND some AA 5744 AND some 250gr .452 XTPs/SSTs AND some 300gr .452 SSTs/XTPs and your sabot of choice, probably either the MMP Short black OR the Harvester Short black. Try both 42gr 5744 AND 40gr VV 110 with the 250gr loads and allow ample barrel cooling time before reloading/shooting. IF that doesn't work you can try the 300gr loads, same charges. IF everything is good to go it is my opinion that your Savage SHOULD shoot with the above load data.

8. Have I covered everything?

 

[tick]

Just follow big6x6's advice and things should improve. If you're trying to use some of the old 3 hole ventliners, toss them and replace with the 1 holers from RW.

 

[Mountain Man]

#1: To get that vent liner out, if it were me, I would turn the plug around and use a 1/8" drill bit and start drilling at slow to medium speed. As the bit starts to bite into the metal of vent screw, it should twist/unscrew it right out. Just be careful not to rub the spinning bit against the threads.

#2: Call Savage and pay the $27 bucks to have them send you a spare plug ASAP. There's no reason not to have the peace of mind that you've got a backup available if this happens again.

 

[getonit]

6x6 is right on the money- with your loads it has to be sights,bases or maybe poor contact on the recoil lug- make sure your action screws are tightened -centered and not absorbing recoil- it helps to bump the but plate to the ground before fully tightening them- you didn't say how many shots have gone through them- you may have plastic buildup in the bore- it takes more than an easy cleaning to get it out- I polished my bore as some others have done- it seemed to help mine.....heres a link for the JB lapping- http://www.sav10ml.com/pages/main.htm -Getonit-

 

[Billy]

I suspect you're not allowing enough time between shots, depending on the temps where you're shooting. Try again, waiting 15 minutes between shots. That's the easiest thing to eliminate first, and probably the most common culprit. If that doesn't help, then you need to do all the stuff Big 6X6 said.

 

[Ron S]

Don't be afraid to try diffrent sabots! Some guns have a diffrent prefrence for sabots. Mine didn't like the MMP short sabots. Went to HPH-12's and bingo! Every gun is a little diffrent,but it will tell you what it likes,if you experiment with diffrent components! Ron

 

[oneshot]

Also try seating the bullet harder, it helped my groups alot