Cold bore inaccuracy with Savage model 93 FVSS

[Trey45]

Let me preface this with the following. I have checked scope base screws for tightness, scope rings for tightness, tried 3 scopes to make sure I dont have wandering reticle syndrome. I have ensured action screws are tight, but not overly tight. The barrel is not touching the stock, but I haven't glass bedded the action yet, that may be next depending on what I can find out here. This is a 22 Magnum rifle. I figure there's enough expertise on this board to solve virtually any rifle problem, regardless if it's a centerfire, or rimfire.

When I take a cold bore shot with this rifle, it hits 3" left and 1" high at 50 yards. A few more shots and it centers itself up to where I have the crosshairs, and can keep a sub moa group once the barrel is warmed up. Fouling the barrel is probably out of the equation too since I rarely clean the barrel except for dragging a bore snake through it. What's going on here? This is the only rifle I have that throws the first shot like this, and then shoots good groups afterwards? Is glass bedding my next step to try and cure this? If it makes any difference, this is a pre accutrigger 93FVSS. Plain Jane black plastic stock. Have i taken all the correct steps to rule out the variables? What should I be doing next to correct this issue? Also, have any of you experienced a similar incident with one of these, or another rifle, and what steps did you take to correct this situation? I know there's a lot of questions here, but I'm running out of ideas and frustration is beginning to take hold. Thanks for listening

[Doc Highwall]

My uncle has a Remington model 7 in 7mm-08 that did the same thing and it went away after I bedded it so yes give it a try.

[ANeat]

Floating the barrel would probably help. If its a thin barrel and floating doesent help sometimes a pressure point between the barrel and stock under the forearm may help.

Basicly your changing the harmonics of the barrel.

[dk17hmr]

I would go with bedding it....but what does it do with a super clean barrel?

[largom]

I would go with bedding it....but what does it do with a super clean barrel?

Good question. Clean and lightly oiled. Try it and see what happens.

Larry

[Tony65x55]

Did you do a proper barrel break-in? It's been my experience that the biggest help a proper break-in does is to prevent the rifle from throwing the cold shot out of the group. As tedious as it is, I do it to every new gun. They don't throw fliers on the cold shot.

[Trey45]

I bought this rifle maybe 3-4 years ago used. It's done it since day one. Clean barrel, dirty barrel, fouled barrel, hot weather, cold weather, any and all ammo brands, types and styles. Other people have shot it and it does the same thing for them. I'm going to glass bed it and see if that cures it. If not, I'm putting it up and buying another 22 mag heavy barrel rifle.

[Tony65x55]

Trey, try doing a proper break in with it. Sometimes it can work wonders.

[Trey45]

Tony, I have stated that this was a used rifle, don't you think the time for a "proper break in" is well past? It's obvious, I would think, that this rifle has been shot, and shot a lot. Exactly what at this point will doing a "proper break in" do? That time is well past, probably with the previous owner well before I bought it.

[Tony65x55]

Trey, I have done the barrel break in to many used rifles with positive results. It doesn't always work but it is certainly worth a try before you do something expensive. Clean the daylights out of it, remove the slightest hint of copper and treat it as a new barrel.. What do you have to lose?

[Trey45]

Am I wrong here, but aren't barrel break ins done on factory new barrels? Not barrels that have thousands of rounds fired through them? I'm open to trying it, but I would hate to waste all that time for something that's not going to work anyhow.

[Doc Highwall]

Trey45, about all you can do with a barrel that has had been shot before you got it is to fire lap it. Clean it real good and start with a fine compound that is non embedding.

[Tony65x55]

Fire lapping would be the second thing I'd try. Yes Trey, you can do a break in procedure to an older barrel. It may make a difference assuming it was not broken in properly to start with. I have done it before with positive results. Yes, it's a pain in the butt but it's cheaper than a new barrel. So is firelapping. If neither of those things make the difference in your cold shot, rebarrel it.

[Shooter6br]

only gun I had that shot well cold was a match grade Hart barrel i n 6BR in a glue in bedded stock.