Savage ML2 accuracy improvement help

[powderfinger]

I have a factory SS with laminated stock.
Several loads will yield 1" @ 100 yds.
What alterations could be made to improve  the accuracy ? 

[dannoboone]

I think you have reached the plateau of Savage stock 10MLII
barrel accuracy.

Wish mine would have had that consistent accuracy with ANY
load. The only way I got one inch consistent accuracy was
to spin on a .45 barrel.

[ET]

Jan 16, 2022 11:33:51 GMT -5 powderfinger said:

I have a factory SS with laminated stock.
Several loads will yield 1" @ 100 yds.
What alterations could be made to improve  the accuracy ? 

I have the same model and want really worked for me was bore lapping and bedding.

[powderfinger]

ET, Bore lapping details please.
In regards to bedding, conventional or pillar bedding?

[ET]

Jan 16, 2022 16:02:21 GMT -5 powderfinger said:

ET, Bore lapping details please.
In regards to bedding, conventional or pillar bedding?

This is all you need. With the BP in, give the bore a coat of oil. Then add a few drops of oil to the patch followed with a coating of valve lapping compound.
Run FULL CYCLED STROKES up and down the bore. After 6-8 cycled strokes the patch fit will loosen and require another prepped patch replacement. I used just under 300-cycled strokes and that's all it needed to perform much better. The idea here is to reduce or remove any jagged or sharp edges left behind from machining of the bore.
As for bedding I did install a 3rd pillar whether it was needed or not. Nice to remove bolt retaining screw without disturbing the stock fit.

[mshm99]

Well we all want custom barrel accuracy with factory barrel. So state some givens. It is very difficult to shoot small groups with a heavy recoiling weapon.(any weapon) Lapping could wreck your bore. Some JB polish is as abrasive as I'd go. You're shooting minute of deer accurate. The tighter the bullet/sabot combo is going down the barrel,the more accurate. I'd leave well enough alone IMO.

[jims]

Bore lapping may help but be careful and slow. You cannot add material if you take off more than you want. A one inch group at 100 yards IMO is not bad at all, certainly will take any deer you see at that distance.

[reloader22]

You have eclipsed most of the Savage shooters.  One inch @100 yds if incredible if repeatable.  My opinion on what has been the biggest reasons that I can almost do that good:

1)  bedded the action
2)  used HARV CR sabots and .458 bullets
3)  Use H4198 powder as it is very forgiving regarding sabot disruption.  You don't need to wait between shots.
4)  After seating, compress the load with a few taps on the rod
5)  Index your sabots so that there are two lands squarely on each petal

I get average 1 1/2" groups with rarely a flier.  Sometimes I get a real doozy under an inch but not the norm.  Never worse than 2" at 100 or 4" at 200.  This will never be a target grade type of gun.  So it is a hunting gun.  This level of accuracy is lethal no questions asked.  As someone said, shooting a rifle like this from a bench is tough due to recoil at the upper ends.  It's actually brutal.  It takes a gun set up with a great recoil pad.  It takes a very solid shooting set up with bags and a stable platform.  And most important it takes a great trigger sqeezer not afraid of getting hammered with recoil.  Now, getting hammered with recoil is not bad if your gun and your form are set up for it.  You will get shoved around but not hurt when this thing goes off.  Once you realize you will not be hurt you just learn to see the flame in the scope when you squeeeeeeze. 

[powderfinger]

FYI, I'm using RL7, BLackCR harvester sabot and .458 FTX 325. shoots just under an inch.
The barnes original right at an inch with the same sabot and powder.
Another load that shoots an inch is AA5477 with the red harvester sabot and the .452 250 FTX.