I have a savage 111 7 mag that I am having trouble with. I have sent the gun back to savage 3-4 times over past 2 yrs. I have changed rings twice, scope three times, tried about 5/6 different brands of ammo. I have shot off lead sled and had other people shoot to eleminate flinching. The gun will not group. It's all over. Savage says it groups and I get nice little target. I send multiple targets of scattered sh*t. They shot 150 gr federal premium (sriram gane king or nosler ballistic). I cannot find the game King, shot the ballistic and they shot good one day, and scattered the next. All nuts are tight, nothing loose, action included. They swear they shoot off shoulder and do not bolt gun down.
so I am looking to change barrels. Looking for recs on good barrels and someone/somewhere to get it put on. I am thinking something is off/not square, ect with barrel and action.

what is your budget?

good question. Ive never done this before, so I am learning along the way. I guess a mid priced barrel. This will be for hunting and I do not currently hand load. I am only doing this, so I have a functional rifle. If there is a 300 barrel that is just as good as a 500, then the 300. I mean, what am I going to gain from the extra money, if I don't target shoot. I assume the assembly part will be similar charge no matter where I go. Im not trying to build some super custom rifle, though I guess I may end up with one, lol.
If something I am thinking is wrong or doesn't make sense, please tell me. I am new to this.

Jason, I dont mean to belittle or insult...I haven't seen you posting enough to have any idea what you experience level is, but I'd have to ask of you've mastered recoil. Some folks jump into hunting without having shot much at all, and buy themselves too much rifle right off the bat. Do you have the experience to handle the 7 Mag?

Not an insult. Ive tried to trouble shoot all components I can, scope bases, rings, scope, ammo, shooter. Sent to savage 3-4 times. First time scope replaced, 2-4 time, that said was fine and recommended ammo federal premium 150gr Seirra game king or nosler ballistic tip. Both of which are actualy hard to find.

I believe I can handle the gun, honestly not that bad. Ive shot on the bigger end, 30-06 BDL (light gun), 300 WSM, and a rifled barrel 12 gauge shooting 3in accu-slugs. Im not flinching. But, to be sure, I placed in lead sled and had gun range owner shoot the gun. I was at Evans Brother in Huntington. He sights rifles in for people, I have faith he's not flinching either. SHots still scattered.

The gun in general chunks bullets all over. Groups wide as 5-7 inches. occasionally, with certain rounds, it will throw a similar scattered pattern. One day last year, it shot a tolerable group, of 2 shots within 1" and the third was 1.25. this is a thin barrel gun, so very quickly heats up (with nosler 150gr federal). I was satisfied, and placed in case. I opened this year, to try and hunt with it. SHot all over like before. everything is still tight. I own a few diff guns and crossbow, so I try diff guns each year to see what guns I like best. When shooting the gun I usually warm up on a lighter gun, 223,243 or 308/270.

Bases are lock-tighted down. And though I cant remember off hand, the action is torqued down, 35-40Lbs

Scopes tried:
2 different Nikon BDC scopes that come with gun. (savage replaced scope once)
Nikon buckmaster

Rings tried:
Leupold PRW
Burris rings

Ammo:
federal blue box 150gr
Federal Premium trophy copper 150gr
Federal Fusion 150gr
federal premium 165gr Seirra game king
Hornady whitetail 140gr
Winchester silvertips 150gr
Federal Premium 150gr nosler ballistic tip (savage recommended)One day, shot about 6- shots of 3 shot groups. with 1st/2nd shot almost touching to right under 1", and third shot walked off a little to 1.25.

I am thinking that changing the barrel will eliminate that as a problem, plus when the barrel is changed, the head space will be readjusted and can assess for squareness.

Get a Criterion barrel and screw it onto the action yourself. There's no need for a gunsmith when you shoot a Savage.

http://northlandshooterssupply.com/match-grade-barrels-2/criterion-savage/

Sounds like you've tried everything, then. I hope the new barrel gets you where you wanna go!

Ummm...just one more question, though: is the barreled action in a synthetic stock that might be flexing at the fore end and contacting the barrel when you're shooting off your rest?

I am shooting synthetic. I usual place bags on fore-end, bit a few inches back, so as to not place on the most flexable part. I barely put hand on top part of barrel to keep it from recoil back in my face. When I had casey shoot it, he didn't place his hand there and there was no change.

The gunsmith part was to make sure there was not an issue with the headspace/squarness of action. These were recs to me, since I have tried all the things I can swap myself.

I have a Criterion and a Shilen, cost about the same at 300 to 400. I also have a ER Shaw, cost about 200. All three keep between .28 and .45 easily at 100 yards. That is with reloads. Barrel is an easy change on Savage.

Have you tried a different brand of scope? Have you had the barrel scoped?

I've tried different scopes, not brands. Scopes were all new. I can't see how a diff brand would change anything. I guess, I could question whether the recoil is effecting the scopes ability to hold zero.

Jasons,I have a safe full of Savage's. The problem is the factory stock,99.9% of the time. The 11/111 series is an entry level firearm,and the stock that comes on them make a better boat paddle than a gun stock.
Before I'd spend money on an aftermarket barrel,I'd buy a new stock for that rifle. When I buy or build a Savage rifle,the first thing that goes into the dumpster is the factory stock.

I only have 2, one accustock and one not but they both shoot better than any of my more expensive rifles. I know some people like to tinker but my experience with the Savage stocks is they shoot even if they are cheap.

Look at the utube video of rebarrling the Savage rifle.
It is the easiest rifle to do

The problem is always tooling cost to have it done initially. Assume that you already have a space to work and you're the kind of person who owns more than the real basic tools; as in u have a vice, torque, etc. then still u have to spend on:

Headspace gauges - $40ish I guess
Barrel but wrench - $30ish
Action wrench - $100+

It adds up. I rebarreled a savage. I got a pre-fit barrel from shilen. My gunsmith put it on for $50. It can shoot 1/2 moa at 300yds, but that's with a better stock and just starting out to handload. That one test batch shoot better than I would have thought.

do this, if you are close to me I have the tools to change the barrel, the only thing you need is a go gage

I asked because you used the same model of the same scope both times. I know it would be odd, but just thought it might be something to consider. Also, have you checked the barrel crown for damage?

I agree with that, before replacing the barrel I would replace the stock with something stronger that wont flex as much as the tupperware ones from the factory. if that doesnt help then look at barrel/trigger, and handloads.

Thousands and thousands of savages are sighted in every year with the same factory stock. The only way the factory stock should be hurting you, is if you are putting a good amount of downward pressure on the stock, and its touching the barrel while shooting.

How well do you shoot with other rifles? And you didn't mention what size groups you are getting. I'm not saying it's not a barrel issue. But it would suck to do a barrel swap just to realize it wasn't the barrel. I'm also not saying you are a bad shot. If other people can't shoot it either, then something is up. But it could just as easily be an OVER torqued action screw as it could be a stock or barrel. Check the free stuff first.