So.... 6.5 PRC fliers.....NOT ANYMORE!!!!!

[Darryle]

I just figured that out on their website.... Shilen is it.
Thanks for the info and suggestion.

Your rifle probably has the smooth barrel nut, I used a pipe wrench to get it loose and chunked it in the trash.

 

[sveltri]

I rebarreled an old 110 Savage hog hunter .308 into a 6.5x47 (Shilen). James at Northland was very helpful and had everything I needed. One more suggestion if you do go that route would be to replace the recoil lug as well.

 

[Kimber7man]

Are you talking about the actual magazine itself?

If it is a BDL type floorplate with a magazine box, spring and follower, the magazine box should not be tight inside the mag well, it should wiggle a little bit. Sometimes the magazine box binds between the barreled action and the stock and causes inaccuracy.

 

[Darryle]

I rebarreled an old 110 Savage hog hunter .308 into a 6.5x47 (Shilen). James at Northland was very helpful and had everything I needed. One more suggestion if you do go that route would be to replace the recoil lug as well.

Action wrench is a great tool to have, because you will not stop at one, this will become an obsession

 

[sveltri]

Action wrench is a great tool to have, because you will not stop at one, this will become an obsession

You ain't joking, my action wrench is in the mail on its way home. I'm just waiting for a Shilen 22 ARC barrel to be available to rebarrel my 6 ARC.

 

[bluedog69]

If it is a BDL type floorplate with a magazine box, spring and follower, the magazine box should not be tight inside the mag well, it should wiggle a little bit. Sometimes the magazine box binds between the barreled action and the stock and causes inaccuracy.

This one has a removable magazine. So it seems pretty "wiggly" and loose.

 

[bluedog69]

Well the tang in this rifle was floated in the left but dang tight in the right. So I glass bedded with Marine Tex and made sure the barrel and the tang were floating.
First 4 shot group at 137 yards was 8". Second three shot group was 4". So now I am confident it is the rifle itself. I assume the barrel is to blame at this point.

 

[Fatboy1970]

This is a new Savage Desert Tactical in 6.5 PRC. We got the gun in January loaded up some 123 gr Mid South Shooter bullets(Nosler 123s?), RL26, Lapua Brass, CCI LR Primers, and my 11 year old dropped about dozen dogs with that and a thermal. Hard to get good group indications with a thermal but the 123s seemed dang good.

So now we are trying to load 143gr ELD X for deer season. He was running around 3" at 120 yards so we cleaned the gun took the scope off and remounted & retorqued. We have tried 3 different powder charges of RL 26, and 4 different seating depths. Crazy part is we get 2 close or touching and then there is a third that ends up 3" to 3.5"
away from those. So far no rhyme or reason. Youth season is Saturday. Rifle has now had about 90 shots through it.

What next??? Some say LRM primers tightened up their groups. Some say 143s dont shhot very well, 147s shoot much better. New caliber, new rifle, little time.

I had same issue. Finally after about 350 rounds and no hair left my rifle settled down and will put the 143 ELD-X in the same hole at 100 yds. Lapua Brass, 143 ELD-X, .030 off lands,CCI 200 large rifle, 2950 Avg FPS.

 

[bluedog69]

I had same issue. Finally after about 350 rounds and no hair left my rifle settled down and will put the 143 ELD-X in the same hole at 100 yds. Lapua Brass, 143 ELD-X, .030 off lands,CCI 200 large rifle, 2950 Avg FPS.

Did you read my post just above yours? Was yours shooting 8" groups? The best this rifle shot was 1.25" at 137 yards, 4 shots. But we waited like 5-10 minutes between shots. I would be amazed if 150 more shots made it shrink to 1 hole, or even at or under MOA.

 

[bluedog69]

I had same issue. Finally after about 350 rounds and no hair left my rifle settled down and will put the 143 ELD-X in the same hole at 100 yds. Lapua Brass, 143 ELD-X, .030 off lands,CCI 200 large rifle, 2950 Avg FPS.

I am not being harsh in my questions above. Kinda sounded like it when I went back and reread it. I am truly curious what yours was shooting like before it finally settled?

 

[Darryle]

I am not being harsh in my questions above. Kinda sounded like it when I went back and reread it. I am truly curious what yours was shooting like before it finally settled?

Have you reached out to Savage? They have been great for most people that have had to deal with their customer service.

Have you borescoped the barrel looking for obvious signs of damage or bad machining?

 

[bluedog69]

Have you reached out to Savage? They have been great for most people that have had to deal with their customer service.

Have you borescoped the barrel looking for obvious signs of damage or bad machining?

Not yet. I haven't had a chance to yet. We are in full deer season swing right now so maybe in a week or so I'll give them a call.

I didn't spend a lot of time with the bore scope but I didn't notice anything that caught my eye. I also haven't owned the scope more than about 8 months so I am not an expert scope runner.

I have at least 8 savages so I am not running them down. This is the first one that hasn't been great.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Your rifle probably has the smooth barrel nut, I used a pipe wrench to get it loose and chunked it in the trash.

YUP,.. ^^^ THIS !
Look at, a Crown Ridge Barrel Nut and use, a Big Crescent wrench to, tighten and "Set" HS on, Barrel.
I clean & degrease all, My Action Screws and put, ONE Drop of, Blue Loctite, on each screws Threads, then, Tighten to "Goot'enTight" ,.. Spec's !
But I've done this, for almost, a Life Time, since 15 years old, when working on my first .30-06, Springfield, Bolt act. rifle that, Shot,.. LOOSE !
Sadly SOME, Savage Barrels, ARE, "Hit or, Miss", for accuracy,..
My grandsons New ( 50- 60 rounds, down Bbl. ) Savage 110 Carbon Lite, ( Special, Carbon Fiber, Factory, PROOF Barrelled ) 6.5 PRC, will put, 3 ELD-X's into, . SUB 1/2, MOA,.. repeatably. But, it's NOT, really,.. a "Savage" Barrel.
The rest of Us, in Family,.. ALL, shoot,.. Tikka's

 

[Darryle]

Not yet. I haven't had a chance to yet. We are in full deer season swing right now so maybe in a week or so I'll give them a call.

I didn't spend a lot of time with the bore scope but I didn't notice anything that caught my eye. I also haven't owned the scope more than about 8 months so I am not an expert scope runner.

I have at least 8 savages so I am not running them down. This is the first one that hasn't been great.

We understand, lemons slip out the door. I bet they take care of you.