New Savage mod 10 fcp-sr really disappointed.

[alsation]

Just bought this in 308. Thought it would be a great starter rifle for tactical/practical matches. Put an optic on it an it shoots 6 inch groups at 200 yds. Tried 3 different types of ammo, checked receiver screws, scope base etc and tried a different optic. Same 6 inch grps.

I bought it based on its combined reputation for quality and accuracy. All manufacturers let a bad gun out the door once in a while. I hope they can fix it.

 

[AtOne]

What type of ammo?

 

[lencomatt]

What kind of optic?

 

[Steve Williams]

Just bought this in 308. Thought it would be a great starter rifle for tactical/practical matches. Put an optic on it an it shoots 6 inch groups at 200 yds. Tried 3 different types of ammo, checked receiver screws, scope base etc and tried a different optic. Same 6 inch grps.

I bought it based on its combined reputation for quality and accuracy. All manufacturers let a bad gun out the door once in a while. I hope they can fix it.

Sorry to hear your having trouble with the Savage.
Sounds like you've checked all the usual suspects.

I did a shoot/clean break-in for the first 30 rounds, as I had heard the Savage barrels could be a little
rough in the rifling.

I do not know if this is the problem, but maybe a rough spot has caused excessive copper accumulation.

Hope you get it worked out.

My FCP-SR shoots great with 175 gr FGMM, and with my hand rolled 185gr Berger tipped loads.

Shot it today hitting tennis balls @ 285 w/the 185's.

 

[diego-ted]

Hard to believe the rifle is the problem here?

Diego

 

[MIDWAY]

When I first purchased mine, I was also highly disappointed. However, I was also using whatever ammo I could find. Turns out I just wasn't using the right stuff.

Try any match 168g, you'll likely see better results. I reload now for even better accuracy. I don't usually shoot groups at distance, but my best distance group is 3 inches at 500 yards with SMK 168 reloads at 500 yards in 7-8mph winds. Can't really complain about that with an out of box rifle.

 

[jdgray]

My factory savage barrel fouled in 30 rounds, be sure yours is clean. A good copper solvent will be needed...
Also, be sure the rear tang is free floated.

 

[JMGlasgow]

Try a box of FGMM 168 or 175gr bullets. In my experience if a rifle won't shoot those, there is a problem somewhere.

 

[FALex]

"tried 3 types of ammo" doesn't say much, quite frankly. Get into some Hornady Match/TAP, Black Hills Match or FGMM. If it still shoots that poorly, ask a shooter who you know is a marksman to shoot it. If no groups then, put a post up or just save yourself some time and send it back to Savage.

 

[alsation]

What type of ammo?

First I tried two types of hunting ammo. When that didn't work tried 175 Fed match, no joy.

 

[alsation]

What kind of optic?

First optic was a new out of the box leupold Mk VI 3-18x. Then tried a leupold v? 4-12? Varmint scope that I know shoots well.

 

[alsation]

"tried 3 types of ammo" doesn't say much, quite frankly. Get into some Hornady Match/TAP, Black Hills Match or FGMM. If it still shoots that poorly, ask a shooter who you know is a marksman to shoot it. If no groups then, put a post up or just save yourself some time and send it back to Savage.

Thanks Falex, I'll send it back this week. Will post the outcome.

 

[Capt Beach]

I can assure you of a couple of things...

1. This is not typical of a Savage...I've owned about a 1/2 dozen now and ALL were .5" or better shooters once dialed in...

2. ALL my 308's shot FGMM 175 exceedingly well...

3. Savage will make it right and you'll end up happy...

 

[alsation]

Didn't want to malign a good company so thought I'd post the outcome. Got the rifle back on Monday. Savage said they could find nothing wrong. Took some 168 Fed gold to the range and fired tiny groups at 200yds. So, at the risk of ridicule the problem was me.

Turns out it really hated hunting ammo. And what I thought were 175s were really a mystery batch of hand loads.

 

[Mike 338]

Didn't want to malign a good company so thought I'd post the outcome. Got the rifle back on Monday. Savage said they could find nothing wrong. Took some 168 Fed gold to the range and fired tiny groups at 200yds. So, at the risk of ridicule the problem was me.

Turns out it really hated hunting ammo. And what I thought were 175s were really a mystery batch of hand loads.

Thanks for getting back with the result.

 

[hahco]

Didn't want to malign a good company so thought I'd post the outcome. Got the rifle back on Monday. Savage said they could find nothing wrong. Took some 168 Fed gold to the range and fired tiny groups at 200yds. So, at the risk of ridicule the problem was me.

Turns out it really hated hunting ammo. And what I thought were 175s were really a mystery batch of hand loads.

I knew how this story was gonna end after reading the first post because ... I've been there done that with a 10 precision carbine, i was just too lazy to send the gun back. turns out, the issue was a combination of my shooting and the reloads I was trying to make work. once I gave in and started shooting 168 SMK's and approximating the FGMM ammo, all of a sudden the rifle "magically" became a sub-MOA shooter. cross my fingers, I have yet to come across a factory savage that wouldn't do at least 1" to 1 1/2" groups at 100 yds, but then I've only been through about 12 of them. Most of mine will shoot 5 into 3/4" at 100, and that's with the crap factory stock and the crappustock. I don't think there is anything magical about savages, but I've bought and shot enough of them now that I'm pretty comfortable that I'm gonna get a serviceable gun right out of the box.

kudos for posting the outcome, you'll get no ridicule from me.

 

[BoilerUP]

It takes some stones to come on SnipersHide and say "I was wrong - the problem was me."

Glad the rifle is working for ya...

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Awesome, cool to hear someone own up to an honest mistake. Every Savage I've had shoots way better than it should for the price.

 

[Hunt4life]

Yep, any one can put out a bad one here or there but savage overall is literally the best bang for the buck. Short of expensive custom actions it is the best there is without large amounts of Trueing without breaking the bank.

 

[Shrubjr]

This is the rifle I'm currently running too, I had initial troubles with mine as well, but I've found it likes longer bullets 155 federals are horrid, 168 FGMM's are better, 175 FGMM's are best so far, I haven't tried any handloads yet, but I suspect it could do even better with some Berger VLD's or somethin. My biggest bitch with this rifle is that I find the forend to be extremely slick, I wish savage had checkered it, or something. As to the rough rifling theory, I treated mine with "smooth kote", which I understand basically moly-coats the inside of your barrel and fills in rifling pok-marks, I did this before I even fired a single round through it, so I'm not sure if it made things any better or not.

 

[shoots100]

Didn't want to malign a good company so thought I'd post the outcome. Got the rifle back on Monday. Savage said they could find nothing wrong. Took some 168 Fed gold to the range and fired tiny groups at 200yds. So, at the risk of ridicule the problem was me.

Turns out it really hated hunting ammo. And what I thought were 175s were really a mystery batch of hand loads.

No ridicule for a man that can face facts and post about it here too. Hope you get a lot of use with it.
I have an old savage in 30.06 that didn't shoot worth a penny too. I was too stubborn to send it back to savage after trying several proven loads, with no success.
After casting the chamber, I found it wasn't finished reamed properly. If I sent it back to savage in the first place, I would've saved a lot of time and ammo trying to figure it out.
I sent the barrel to them and they sent me a new barrel. It's been a good shooter for over 25 years.
That's the only time I had an issue with a savage rifle in dealing with them for over 30 years.