Strange issues with Savage .17HMR

[robmc5]

I have a Savage 93R17 .17HMR that I absolutely love to shoot. It has a bull barrel and a synthetic stock. I have noticed something strange though, I go to the range and a few friends and we have shooting contests (kinda Top Gun Style). I will shoot 100+ rounds easily, every time I do this my rifle accuracy just goes away, one minute I am easily hitting golf balls at 200 yards and the next I cannot hit a 6 inch target. My only guess is that the barrel is heating up (although it does not feel very hot) and affecting the accuracy, or maybe the scope is the issue.I usually pack it up at this point and the next time I go out its better but still not as accurate as when I started and I have to re-zero.

I have a friend with a regular barrel CZ and he has no problems.

Any ideas??

Thanks!

 

[1948CJ2A]

I would shoot 20 through it and then stop and clean it. Then check your results. Are you and your buddy using the same ammo?

 

[627PCFan]

17's can be damn finicky with cleaning. Mine takes at least 100 rounds after a cleanring for groups to shrink back in. This seems to be a common effect. Others accuracy tails off after 150-200 rounds and needs to be cleaned. Id check your scope mounts and scope to troubleshoot first.

 

[tuj]

17hmr will foul after 100-150 shots, then take 5-10 to return to accuracy.

 

[Cee Zee]

I'd check to see if the heat causes your stock to make contact with the barrel. Those rifles are technically supposed to be free floated but they are if they aren't messed up. Savage didn't want to control quality enough to call them all free floated IMO.

Use the dollar bill trick. If it will slide around the barrel all the way down to the action you're ok. If when the barrel heats up it won't let that dollar slide all the way down you have your problem. I had the same issue with a Savage MkII with a synthetic stock. I replaced the stock and my problem was solved. A person can remove some of the stock though and not have to buy a new stock. A little sandpaper will do the trick. If you're lucky you can do it without having it show.

 

[gamestalker]

I think it has something to do with the characteristics of the round in general. I have one as well, and from a clean barrel it takes a good 10+ rounds before it starts to group. Then it's good for 50 or 60 rounds before it has to be cleaned, and then back through the whole re-foul thing again. Leupold 6x glass that I know is good.

GS

 

[CraigC]

Probably the flimsy synthetic stock.

 

[Cee Zee]

That could be it Craig. Those stocks aren't the best in the world. But I don't have to clean my MkII until I want to switch to another brand of ammo. It's very sensitive about switching. I have to clean the bore then foul it with about 30 rounds every time I switch to another brand of ammo. Needless to say I try to stay with the same brand. If I do that I only have to clean it about every 500 rounds.

 

[tuj]

I don't think it is the stock. I have a 93R17 BTVS (wood stock) and it exhibits a slight loss of accuracy after about 120-150 rounds. A quick cleaning with a copper solvent and a few patches and it will return to accuracy after 5-10 'fouling' shots.

 

[robmc5]

Thanks for all the reply's, we are shooting the same ammo. I will give it a good cleaning and head back out to the range and test more, I have double checked the scope and its good. I will also check to see if the Stock is the problem, I did not even think about that.

Hell, then again I may just go and buy a CZ.....

 

[viking499]

Hell, then again I may just go and buy a CZ.....

Smartest statement I have heard all morning.

 

[rcmodel]

Get some copper solvent and clean the bore with that.

.17's are bad about copper fouling real fast.

rc