ammo troubles, PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!

pa-savagehunter08 · 11-23-2003, 03:16 PM

I bought a brand new Savage model 11 7mm-08 and shot it a few times, but couldn' t get a pattern, but didin' t think much of it. So I bought 2 boxes of Winchester 140 power points, wut the saleman said, and shot today, and it was the same thing. We sand-bagged the gun so it didn' t move, and it still shot all around the target. Please give me an idea of what kind of ammo to buy, I think I may try a 120 grain next, just to see if anything changes. Thanks

charlie brown · 11-23-2003, 03:44 PM

How big of a group were you getting? Were the bullets hitting in a more " circular pattern" or were the bullets hitting in line on the target? Are you using a scope? How far are you shooting? There could be many other factors involved. The scope may have one screw that is slightly loose and could be causing problems. Need a little more info.

pa-savagehunter08 · 11-23-2003, 04:01 PM

charlie brown, I was shooting 100 yards. The shots were all pretty much circular around the target, usually about 8 inches or so out. My uncle checked the scope, it' s in good shae, and working right.
Thanks for any ideas u may have

strut · 11-23-2003, 05:02 PM

I would dig deeper into the scope and mounts, 8" is quit aways for it to be the ammo. What scope and mounts are you using?

PABuck_HNTR · 11-23-2003, 05:59 PM

I had a simular problem with my 7mm08, not quite that drastic though. I started loading my own, and got a good group fron Nosler ballistic tip 140 grain and IMR 3031 powder. i could not get it to group at all before that.

Vapodog · 11-23-2003, 06:51 PM

Until you free float the barrel and glass bed the action you are going to chase yourself silly trying to get this solved. You must eliminate bedding as the cause then proceed to other possibilities.

Savages typically shoot well right out of the box but this is the best way to find the problem. You might also try a totally different scope that is proven to shoot good groups on another rifle. It' s the only way I know of to tell if the scope' s reticules are moving on you.

frizzellr · 11-24-2003, 07:36 AM

Could it possibly be shooter error? As far as free floating and bedding the action, Savage barrels are floated and many models are pillar bedded.

mainehunt · 11-24-2003, 07:52 AM

If you bed that action, and it turns out that the barrel is a lemon, I don' t think that Savage is going to back you up. I would keep it in original condition.

The Savage model 11 is free floated but not pillar bedded.
I have a couple of these guns. My 243 will shoot 1" groups, but ONLY with a certain factory ammo. The other ammo will shoot under 2 and 1/2" though. My model 11 in .308 will shoot under 2" with the cheapest ammo that wal-mart sells.

I would bet that the problem is the scope. Unless you know for a fact that this scope is PROVEN. I have had this problem before with a Remington 30-06. Some guy said that the scope was " good." I put the scope on another rifle that would shoot any ammo accurate, but with the " good" scope, it would only get 6" groups.

Prove to YOURSELF that the scope is good.

DANTHEHUNTER · 11-25-2003, 09:06 PM

I DONT KNOW HOW FAR YOU ARE SHOOTING BUT TRY A 25YD TARGET AND SEE WHAT YOU GET. YOU DONT HAVE TO START AT 100 YDS

RPL · 04-11-2004, 09:13 AM

8 inch groups indicate a much bigger problem than glass bedding and free floating are going to resolve.
I also would look at trying a different scope. If the scope isn't the problem, at least you've elliminated that possibility.