new gun, bad barrel.....

F

fml123denney

Private
Minuteman
Apr 15, 2011
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0
36
#1
im jeff and im new to this sight. i recently bought a savage .308 tactical rifle with a millet trs scope. when i bought the rifle i knew it had some rust in the barrel and thats why i got it cheaper than i should have. i shot it today for the first time its been shot in like 3 years and shot a pattern of 1 in. at 100yds. but i feel like it shouldve shot a better pattern than it did. so im looking for a replacement barrel. one that is not extremely expensive but not a cheap barrel. better than stock is prefered. i will be load my own rounds once i get a new barrel and have some time with the gun.

thanks for any help
jeff

p.s i am also looking for any other mods for this gun that would do it good.
 
#3
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

I'd first check the ammunition. You could have some bad stuff, or maybe just a round your rifle doesn't like. I used some Winchester Super-X in my Savage .308 (normally MOA or below with Federal 168 OTM) and it groups about 5" at 100 yards, but most people I know that have used it claim to have good accuracy.

If it's not ammo, McGowen makes replacement drop in barrels for Savage rifles for about $250. This website:

Savage-Barrels.com

That website sells McGowen barrels. They have an Inventory page of barrels in stock, and you can custom order one (It'll take a couple months that way). I've known a few guys with McGowens, and their Savages were all shooters.
 
#4
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Also, make sure of the shank of your barrel before you order. Savage makes large and small (standard) shanks. The large ones have a step down right after the threads.

As for other "mods": For a scope base I highly recommend EGW's one-piece base, for about $30, it's great. Bell & Carlson make some nice stocks for Savages for around $220. I also added a bolt handle to mine, and plan on getting some bottom metal from CDI. Good luck with your build.
 
#7
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

I also had one last thought:

How many rounds did you put through it after the 3-year-neglect spell? With many bolt guns, they do not shoot well with a clean, cold bore. My Savage and my dad's Tikka both hit their best groups after 20-30 rounds without a cleaning of the bore, and both shoot well until about 200-300 rounds of a "dirty" bore, then groups start to open up a bit. I'd recommend not cleaning and seeing how the groups do. Don't clean until the groups open up.
 
#9
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Try shooting other ammo as has been suggested. Upgrades: New stock, try contacting Jim at Northland Shooting Supply for a new barrel, he has some in stock and has had rave review on the Criterion barrels. I have a Savage-Barrels.com barrel and haven't been able to shoot it yet but was disappointed in the finish, supposed to be a Matte Black, but was very thin in some areas and heavy in others with a bit of rust on a small area of the barrel. Try Savage Shooters, there are reviews for both Criterion and Savage-Barrels.com
 
#10
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tac243</div><div class="ubbcode-body">a quality barrel will shot good with any ammo...</div></div>

Completely wrong.

First off, the correct grammar would be "shoot well", not "shot good".

Second, quality barrels do NOT always shoot well with any ammunition choice. i.e. My Remington Custom Shop 40X .22LR barrel will throw hyper velocities into the dirt every time.
 
#11
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Post in the WTB section for a used Savage Barrel, I know there is a guy that has a take off, heck, he might even sell you his action for a good price, since it has a little treak in it.
SScott
LOL
One more thing Jeff, finish filling out your profile if you want to hang out here.
 
#12
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

fml123denney,

Before you replace your barrel, as mentioned above, you might try a couple types of "good" factory ammo like black Hills or Federal Gold Medal Match, if you haven't already. Also, what about getting a local smith or someone you know with a bore scope to take a look-see?
 
#13
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Couple of ideas

1. As mentioned try with good factory ammo or better yet try with a good handload.
2. What conditions did you shoot in? was it windy? was it off a good bench etc?
3. Can you shoot better than 1 moa?

Get all the variable right before you start changing barrels.
 
#15
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

I wouldn't call 1moa with factory ammo a bad barrel. However if you're set on swapping it there are plenty of choices for Savage barrels. Mcgowen seems to have the shortest wait. However Midway usually has a few Shilen barrels in stock. While you're at it replace the recoil lug.
 
#16
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

ok i got a lot more responses here than on my other forum. so i guess i know where ill be hanging out now. lol and ill get on the profile...

i have a bore light and when i put it in the chamber i can see rust pitting all down the barrel. and now i know why. the ammo he gave me with the gun is some cheap czech corrosive ammo. and thats what i shot the other day too. i did clean the barrel first and shot about 40 rds. 148grain and probably a weak load. so ill be buying a new barrel soon it looks like.

and yes i can shoot 1 moa lol. i have a savage tactical .223 all stock except nikon scope and i can shoot pretty good at 300yds.

i would like to try a heavier bullet since i have the 1:10 twist anyway. so ill give the 175 smks a try.


thanks for all the help guys
 
#18
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Something that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet, are you sure that your scope is secure on the rifle and that it is capable of holding zero? Just saying, if you do not have your rings properly torqued then your scope could be moving around on you (even though I think you would have noticed that) or the scope might be a dud. Good luck.
 
#19
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bpnelson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I also had one last thought:

How many rounds did you put through it after the 3-year-neglect spell? With many bolt guns, they do not shoot well with a clean, cold bore. My Savage and my dad's Tikka both hit their best groups after 20-30 rounds without a cleaning of the bore, and both shoot well until about 200-300 rounds of a "dirty" bore, then groups start to open up a bit. I'd recommend not cleaning and seeing how the groups do. Don't clean until the groups open up. </div></div>

+1

All of my factory Savage barrels shot better dirty.
 
#20
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Jeff, do yourself a favor. Buy a box of match ammo and see it it shoots. you may be able to hold off on the new barrel for awile and shoot the one on there out. GL
 
#21
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

yeah i stopped by the range on the way home and grabed some 168gr match grade and ill see how they shoot tomarrow probably. its pretty gusty outside where i live today.
 
#22
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

After you've done that and cleaned it, take a look at the barrel with your light again to see whether the rust/pitting is still visible (ie. was it just a very light coating on the surface, or has it really eaten into the interior surface of the barrel?). Might make a difference in your decision depending on how it shoots with the match ammo. Good luck.
 
#23
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

1 MOA with questionable ammo is not bad.

Bore pitting is not necessarily any sort of impediment to accuracy. If it shoots well, ignore the pitting. Just take reasonable precaution against further corrosion.
 
#24
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Try out the 168 gr. check all your torque points, scope rings, base ect. and in the future a good idea would be to up grade the stock and bed the action to it. As mentioned above, My savage also prefers to have some rounds through it before i see the tight tight grouping. 1moa is not bad, also the factory stock may not help much if it is the normal plastic one.

Here is a barrel i found, check the review. Just an idea.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=637187

best of luck
 
#25
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

I once rebedded one of the original Savage plastic 10FP stocks by simply applying hot glue, employing neutral paste shoe polish as the release agent. The intent was to do a temp job to check out where the permanent bedding material should go. Turned out excellent, and due to procrastination, was never replaced. Lost touch with the rifle (owner died, rifle passed on to a relative). For all I know, that temp bedding job may still be working.
 
#26
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Good barrels do not always shoot all loads well, I have a Savage PC in .223 that shoots some match ammo around 1 inch, but shoots some handloads well under .5 moa. I also have a Remington 788 in .308 that was so rusted up the last 3 inches of barrel when I bought it cheap I had to cut it down 4 inches and recrown it. It has a nasty looking bore but shoots 168smk at about .5 moa if I do my part, so I guess my point is you dont know what you have until you try some different loads in that thing, and appearances are not everything.
 
#27
#28
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tac243</div><div class="ubbcode-body">a quality barrel will shot good with any ammo...
i hand load all my ammo but ive thrown factory remingtons down range and still shot 1/2 in groups </div></div>I disagree. My AW is a 1/2 moa or better rifle with most all match ammo, and it struggles to get to 3 moa with Brown Bear (Russian surplus garbage.)

For a rilfe to shoot sub moa, the ammo needs to be sub moa capable. No rifle will turn junk ammo into half moa ammo.
 
#30
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tac243</div><div class="ubbcode-body">a quality barrel will shot good with any ammo...
i hand load all my ammo but ive thrown factory remingtons down range and still shot 1/2 in groups </div></div>

must not have owned many barrels. had a CZ varmint that would shoot everything under 3/4" tried some miltary green tip ball ammo, 4" groups!!!!

you would be suprised how well a ruff possibly rusted and pitted barrel can shoot. I once had an austin and halleck muzzleloader the barrel was litterly a corn cob, I am talking visible groves with your eyes, it looked like they made the barrel with a hacksaw shaped button when they pulled it through. the gun would shoot ragged holes with several muzzloader bullets. had a model 88 winchester where the barrel had the rifling gone in about 3/4" section about half way down the bore, someone claimed a patch was shot out of it, gun shot 3/4" to 1" with several loads, which for a lever action with a 4# trigger is pretty darn good.

1" right out of the gate with a random picked ammo, you could actually have a decent shooting gun. I say play with that barrel some more.
 
#31
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

As for a new barrel... Jim at Northland Shooters Supply is the first guy to talk to. Midway USA sell barrels CHEAP too. They Had A A&B Barrel for 98 bucks on sale. Other wise if you want cheaper look in classifieds
 
#32
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

Are you sure it's rust? I have a Savage HS Precision and it's a fantastic rifle. It's only downside is the barrels copper foul like a motherf#@*#r. When you shine a light down there, it may give the appearance of rust, but it's actually copper. Try Wipe Out/Patch out with accelerator. It works like magic and it's harmless to your barrel.

But like everyone else said, 1" groups with crappy ammo isn't bad. I can shoot 3/4 MOA groups with my savage with handloads that it likes, then shoot ammo it doesn't like and get 2" groups.
 
#33
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

I'm blowen away, you take the gun down to the range run some bull$hit ammo through it, the stuff shoots 1moa and you complain about it, and want to change out out the barrel..... are you serious? As mentioned by other posters, you need to do a little more work before you go and trash the barrel. Now if your just looking for an excuse to change the barrel than by all means knock yourself out. If it were my rifle and I could see that it can already shoot 1moa with some stuff I just grabbed, I would go straight to handloading and work up a load.
Another thing is, and I mean no disrespect but are you capable of doing the shooting? A lot of people think that they are 1/2 moa shooters because they have shoot a couple of wallet groups that were 1/2moa, but the truth is thats not always the case. Again, I'm not trying to be disrespectful.
1. Is the weapon better than 1moa capable.
2. Is the ammo better than 1moa capable.
3. Is the shooter better than 1moa capable.
4. Have you put everything to its proper settings, action screws, base, and rings, ect.
5. Did you clean the thing, how did you clean the thing, did you get all the copper and carbon out? Did you give the rifle time to settle down after cleaning it (some rifles need that). I bought a PSS barreld action from a guy here on the hide a long time ago for a rilfe I was putting together for my father. This guy sent me the dirtiest rifle, I cleaned the thing and it shot lights out. So I wish you the best of luck with the thing but dont be to quick to put the blame on the barrel just yet.

mike
 
#34
Re: new gun, bad barrel.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BERGER KING</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Like others have stated try different ammo. Not all guns shoot the same ammo "good". A good start would be Federal Match with the 168 SMK's or 175 SMK's. </div></div>
That is what I would try first before replacing the barrel.
 
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