I have been going to the range for about a month or 2 now steadily abou 3 times a week. I have been shooting my Savage 7mm-08 with Leupold scope. Here is the problem. I have changed nothing on my rifle or my loads. Yet, so far this year the load that was dead on accurate last year, 139gr. SSt's over 46 gr. of H- 4350 using CCI primers and an overall length of 2.80", is no way near that this year. It is shooting 3 inch groups! However, another load that is the exact same as the one above but I substitute a 140 gr. Sierra Spitz. SPBT bullet for the 139 gr. SST, is shooting deadly accurate (under 1") this year as opposed to about 2 inch groups last year. What in the world is going on? Other rifles that I load for I can use the same load year after year and it always is on. How could these two trade places from last year? Is whatever causeing the problem going to make the load that is accurate change in a couple weeks? I need help to figure this out. Thanks.
Whitey

Do two things and see what happens...
1. get a good copper solvent and scrub the bejabbers out of the bore

2. check the barrel for the stock touching it. A slight amount of stock warp can cause things to change drastically. IMO if the barrel isn't free floating you'll run the risk of this problem coming and going for the entire time you own it.

I'm goin' along with vapodog, sounds like a case of stock warp. Float the barrel, and seal all "internal" areas, ie action mortice, barrel channel, mag well, under the butt plate, etc. I use marine type varnish thinned down so it penetrates into the wood as much as possible. A couple three coats seems to do pretty well.

How old is your rifle? Yes it could be getting fouled as suggested above, but not neccessarily. You know if you have been cleaning your rifle properly.

Was the rifle new last year? If this was the case you might have just gotten the bore broken in and it settled down. Shooting laps the bore, and it wouldn't be the first rifle barrel that changed from being new to broken in. Point in case is your second load has gotten better.

A good read on that phemominum is Ken Waters write up on the 7mm Express Remington. He did a good job of documenting just such a rifle with chrono data.

Another question in your problem load is: Nothing changed? Are you using the same box of bullets, same can of powder, same box of primers? Different lots of powder and primers can be different, and bullets unless I buy them at the same time from the same lot, can and often do vary, one box shoots great, the next mariginal.

Remember reloading is about finding a good load and maintaining it with repeatability. The repeatability part is difficult, in any manufacturing process, reloading is no exception.

I bet you removed the action from the stock to give the rifle a good cleaning...

Hey Bearbuck, Looks like you are getting some excellent responses.

I didn't see anyone mention re-checking your Seating Depth off the Lands. Each time I open a new box of bullets, this is something I do. You need to focus on the "Ogive-to-Lands" distance.

As you shoot your rifle, this distance will increase slightly with more shooting. Depending on the number of shots fired, strength of the Loads and how hot the barrel is when you shoot, will all effect how quickly the distance to the Lead changes.

As that distance changes, it will change the barrel harmonics.

quote:

2. check the barrel for the stock touching it. A slight amount of stock warp can cause things to change drastically. IMO if the barrel isn't free floating you'll run the risk of this problem coming and going for the entire time you own it

As vapodog says, if you have a wood stock, it probably changed shape somewhat over a year's time due to atmospheric moisture changes, and may now be contacting the barrel differently than it was last year. This can affect barrel vibration patterns, giving the results you noted.

Ok. Here is where I am at now. I checked the barrel for floating and it was floated. But because I can't figure anything else and many have commented on this alot I decided to bed the rifle. I was thinking maybe as it heats the stock touches it somewhere that I can't see. At least the bedding job should make it better. So I done my first bedding job yesterday. I bedded it from about 2 1/2" in front of the recoil lug back to the trigger recess. So, what is your all's thoughts on this. think this solved the issue? Wont know for a week because Im giving it that long to set up good.
Whitey

A long time ago I had all kind of problems until I learned about glass bedding. I have never had a big problem since. We always have to get our recipe right when changing bullets but not a problem like you described.
I glass new rifles now and float the barrel before it gets fired. This eliminates a lot of head scratching and frustration.

Good Luck

I have been going to the range for about a month or 2 now steadily abou 3 times a week. I have been shooting my Savage 7mm-08 with Leupold scope _______________________________________________ I have the same problem than you;the first two years the rifle was able to shoot between .5-.7"MOA.Now the best I can get is near 3"MOA.What I have found out is this: first ;one srew holding the rear base(mount) was stripped or some threads were missing,second I have to tighten the stock srews.third I have to discard cases that I been fired to much times.I will start over with brand new cases,fireformed them and see what happens,you have done something differently,if you were able to get accuracy,it is not only bedding...

Check your action screws torque. I assume you did this after bedding.

quote:

1. get a good copper solvent and scrub the bejabbers out of the bore

Don't overlook Vapodog's first suggestion. I have three Savage rifles, all shoot sub moa, but all three foul the barrels rather quickly. Not enough to affect accuracy in one range/hunting trip but the cumulative copper buildup could definately affect the characteristics of the barrel if the copper not removed after each session.

Regards,
hm

And check the screws mounting the scope.