Well... I got the ugly inaccurate one.

My first ever Savage and I'm not off to a good start. This is a brand new 110 Varmint model in 223 Rem, 1-in-9 with 'Accustock'. Initial cleaning revealed a noticeable reduction in drag on a cleaning patch when it got to the last five inches of the bore (heading toward the muzzle)... "That's interesting."

First range session, get the scope zeroed then try 5 types of factory ammo at 100yds:

PMC 55gr = 3" group.
Hornady whitetail 60gr = 2" group.
Hornady Black 55gr = 1.75" group.
PPU 69gr Match = 2" group.
PPU 75gr Match = 1.75" group.

Using a friend's Savage Axis (the cheap one), I'm shooting under 0.75" with the same Hornady Black ammo.

Stock screws checked/verified. Scope mounts checked/verified. Second attempt, same results.

Looking down the bore there is a visible difference to the entire bore surface in the last 5 inches. For a whopping $55 I got a borescope from Amazon. I've heard factory barrels can be a bit 'rough', but Wow...

I've reached out to Savage about sending this back for a re-barrel, but I'm also thinking of just buying a drop-in Shilen barrel, swapping it myself, and saving myself any more aggravation.

Looking down the bore from the muzzle:


Interior surface at the 5" point (muzzle is to the right):


Essentially the rest of the bore from 5" to the leade:

Typical for a modern Savage barrel. The last 'nice' rifle they made was the 99. Then they started adding letters to that, and it's been down hill from there. They say they shoot! But the foul quickly, too.

You definitely got a lemon one. I got the first one in 1970 and every one since then has shot very well.
Savage is the only maker who still button rifles their own barrels, and this one, they forgot to ream smooth.
Replace it with a Shilen??? That is a step is the wrong direction for sure. I only use Douglas barrels. Had either bad luck or no better performance, with the copies and other new comers to the barrel making market.
Anyway, you got a bad Savage barrel. Send it back.

Send it back immediately. Savage should make it good. They sent one of our customers a new rifle last month to replace his inaccurate one. With your pics and documentation that is a slam dunk IMHO.

I own 8 or so all varmint models great accuracy.

Functioning is not all reliable.

I agree with everyone else. Send it back. Savage has good customer service and will replace it or the rifle itself.

Yuh, they are accurate, mainly because of the floating bolt head!

Not mainly, but with the barrel quality in combination.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
You definitely got a lemon one. I got the first one in 1970 and every one since then has shot very well.
Savage is the only maker who still button rifles their own barrels, and this one, they forgot to ream smooth.
Replace it with a Shilen??? That is a step is the wrong direction for sure. I only use Douglas barrels. Had either bad luck or no better performance, with the copies and other new comers to the barrel making market.
Anyway, you got a bad Savage barrel. Send it back.

We get it, you are a Douglas fan boy. That is fine, but no need to put it in every post. And to criticize every other barrel maker as inferior or somehow inexperienced because they are a "new comer" is not honest nor accurate. We are blessed with MANY very good barrel makers, both relatively new, and others with names going back generations. Some hi volume that can turn our a large number of barrels for a very competitive price, and other much smaller shops that produce beautifully crafted barrels one at a time. It has been my experience that barrels that do not shoot is more often than not a gunsmithing quality problem rather than a barrel quality problem. If you have so much trouble getting barrels to shoot, maybe you need to have a heart to heart with your gunsmith rather than criticizing every other barrel maker.

But what the heck do I know, I only buy and chamber about 2500 barrels a year and have only done so for the last 20 years or so. Guess that makes me a new comer.

John

I will continue to recommend whatever products I choose. And now, I will put that into every post. Just for you. I have no idea who you are, or how many barrels you use each year. Doesn't matter. However, one this is certain; I never made mention to your being new or old; in fact, I never made any reference to you at all.
I have, in fact, had two S barrels that shot two rounds into 3/4 inch, and the third 2 inches out. Every time. I sent them back, they stress relieved them, and they shot ok afterwards. I report and recommend based on what I have seen, and what I believe.
Why use any of the new comers to the barrel market when Douglas works very well? None of the new ones offer anything different, except some do offer larger bore sizes. I have used every maker out there, except for some of the $750 ones; Proof something Definitely a rip off.
Did I mention that I only use Douglas barrels? If you thought I mentioned Douglas too much, you definitely went about stopping me, wrongly.
Every post now....15,864 more to go...

I was considering Shilen because they offer a drop-in ready option for Savage actions, in the same varmint contour. There are other makers that offer the same, but Shilen was known to me. Douglas does not appear to offer such an option. If the factory can't fix this, I'm not looking to spend $4-600 on a barrel plus final fitting by a gunsmith.

Based on feedback here, my first step will be to send this thing back to Savage and hope the wait will be worth it.

When we sent that rifle back it took only four weeks to get a replacement.

quote:

Originally posted by mrjulian_1970:
I was considering Shilen because they offer a drop-in ready option for Savage actions, in the same varmint contour. There are other makers that offer the same, but Shilen was known to me. Douglas does not appear to offer such an option. If the factory can't fix this, I'm not looking to spend $4-600 on a barrel plus final fitting by a gunsmith.

Based on feedback here, my first step will be to send this thing back to Savage and hope the wait will be worth it.

Definitely flawed rifling. Savage has a reputation for accuracy for a reason. You clearly got a turd that managed to slip past QC. Send it back.

Just dropped it off. It's on it's way back. I'll report back with how the story ends.

Does that savage model come with a threaded muzzle?

It does not.

Well... it came back from Savage.

They did... nothing. Well, not quite nothing:

Inspected
Cleaned
Polished chamber (why?)
Function fire-passed

Worth every penny of the shipping cost.

"Ugly, accurate, great customer service" - at least one is true.

quote:

Originally posted by mrjulian_1970:
Well... it came back from Savage.

They did... nothing. Well, not quite nothing:

Inspected
Cleaned
Polished chamber (why?)
Function fire-passed

Worth every penny of the shipping cost.

"Ugly, accurate, great customer service" - at least one is true.

Have you shot it. Before you stated to complain again.

I am shocked that they didn't replace it. My, my.

I own one Savage.

A 60+ year old Model 99A lever gun.

It equals or outshoots many bolt rifles.

I would not own a modern Savage bolt rifle.

Can't get past, around, under or over the ugly.

New idea. Take it to the store that sold it to you have them send it in. That might do the trick. $'s.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
New idea. Take it to the store that sold it to you have them send it in. That might do the trick. $'s.

That's what I did initially. Dealer was a little suprised when it came back "just fine".

Ah well, never again.

I'm still leaning Shilen for a drop in, DIY barrel.

Does Savage offer an accuracy guarantee? Did you pay by CC?
Shoot it one more time to confirm that it is not accurate as advertised and then call your CC company for a chargeback.