First Savage - problem?

[Jackpine_Savage]

So I just put together my first Savage. It has a Shilen .308 barrel. A friend measured the chamber with his Stoney Point gauge and came up with a 2.69 cartridge overall length with a 175 gr SMK at the lands.

I chambered a 168 gr Federal Gold Medal Match and extracted it. It ended up with a scuff mark about half way around the base of the bullet.

Has anyone run into this short of a throat before? I suppose it will cut into case capacity. Should I be unhappy with the barrel?

Note, I'm new to reloading, and new to long range shooting. I will be using the rifle to learn long range shooting and possibly some tactical style competition down the road.

 

[SavageLapua]

Re: First Savage - problem?

Is it uniform around the bullet? Or just on one side?

 

[z71rat]

Re: First Savage - problem?

You might want to call Shilen, since it is their barrel and not a Savage factory barrel. But, even though it is a Shilen barrel, that doesn't mean they are the ones that actually cut the chamber.

DK

 

[Jackpine_Savage]

Re: First Savage - problem?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SavageLapua</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is it uniform around the bullet? Or just on one side? </div></div>

The scuff mark is only on one side of the bullet. Could that be because of the pressure from the ejector?

I will be making some phone calls. But like I say I'm new to this and wanted to get some idea of how much this hurts me or how out of the ordinary it is.

 

[SavageLapua]

Re: First Savage - problem?

Since it is on one side, it is more than likely caused by the pressure of the ejector... My Remington does it, my Savage does it... It concerned me as well, but it was explained to me, now it doesn't bother me... When you chamber a round, pressure from the ejector causes the round to chamber at an angle. No big deal.

 

[MarinePMI]

Re: First Savage - problem?

Ditto what SL said...

 

[007notgnimer]

Re: First Savage - problem?

Its about time someone had a problem with a Savage rifle.

 

[tipper]

Re: First Savage - problem?

Its about time someone had a problem with a Savage rifle. [/quote

But it's not a Savage rifle.

The barrel is probably set up for 155's or lighter, what is the twist rate.

 

[Jackpine_Savage]

Re: First Savage - problem?

I took it over to a local gunsmith this afternoon. He is wondering if there is a burr in the throat area. The scuff mark is continuous and doesn't show rifling marks.

My BIL has a small inspection camera for his plumbing business. I'm going to try to get a closer look inside the chamber.

 

[Jackpine_Savage]

Re: First Savage - problem?

No luck with the camera. Too big to fit in the chamber and not enough resolution to make out anything from the end of the barrel.

I did try one more thing. I neck sized a case so I had enough neck tension so it was difficult to push the bullet into the case. I painted up the bullet with a magic marker and then pushed the cartridge into the chamber with a wood dowel. Then I used the dowel to push the cartridge out from the muzzle. The COAL was 2.76, and there was a scuff mark visible all around the bullet and no signs of hitting the rifling.

Now I'm thinking it is just a very tight throat. Maybe it was a worn reamer? Should I be happy with a throat that tight? Just load to 2.8" and go with it? I would have to make sure that I had enough neck tension so the bullet wouldn't stay in if I extracted a live round.

 

[Jackpine_Savage]

Re: First Savage - problem?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tipper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">what is the twist rate. </div></div>

Sorry, the twist is 1 in 10.

 

[Jackpine_Savage]

Re: First Savage - problem?

I spent some more time playing with dummy rounds in the Savage and a couple other factory guns that are in the safe. Looking at the SAAMI .308 chamber drawing I am pretty sure the throat is closer to .308 than the .310 that is spec. I am assuming that isn't normal for custom barrels. It makes it impossible to use a gauge to find the lands.

So I called Shilen and they said to ship it back along with a dummy round that I would like to shoot in it and they will check out the chamber.

So the next question is what length should I load the dummy round to. Should I load it to the max magazine length? I was thinking about swapping out the Savage bottom metal for Accurate Mag. Anyone know how long I can go?

 

[BillCh]

Re: First Savage - problem?

I'd send it back too. That way you can have Shilen double check the chamber and provide you with the actual dimensions.
You may want to consider what bullets you'll be shooting most as well, and pick one. Do you plan on sending a 175 MK dummy round? That would be my choice for a 10 twist.

tipper suggested that this chamber was cut with a shorter freebore to accommodate 155 gr bullets. That's what it sounds like to me. I'd be interested to know how a Berger 155.5 gr. or a Sierra 155 gr. Palma bullet fits.

If I were going to have a reamer ground for a mag fed 308 with a 10 twist, I think I'd like a maximum COAL of 2.850 for the 175 MK. I'd make my dummy round should be as long as what I plan to shoot. Chambering to fit the mag seems like putting the cart before the horse. Hopefully Shilen will have some options for you.

B

 

[Jackpine_Savage]

Re: First Savage - problem?

I am planning on shooting the 175 SMKs and that is all I have on hand.

I was reading that the Palma chamber has a .3085 diameter throat. Maybe that is what I ended up with. Anyone have one of these? Can you push a SMK in to the lands?

Bill you are probably right that I shouldn't go to magazine length. Maybe I should just send them a 2.800 and start there.

I guess I'm learning some stuff. But sending the barrel back is going to cut into my short shooting season. I guess that is a good excuse to start putting together another rifle.

 

[Jackpine_Savage]

Re: First Savage - problem?

Summer is too dang busy. It took me awhile to find the time to get the gun taken apart and load some dummies. I sent the barrel back to Shilen and I had it back in about a week and a half. They did a chamber casting and measured the throat diameter at .30815. They said that was good to go. I put the rifle back together last night. Hopefully start on some handloading soon.