Shot group question

I have a ~15 year old Savage .243 with a Vortex Viper on it. No matter who is shooting the gun the shot groups always have a much greater traverse than elevation. Vertically it's 1MOA or better but horizontally it's 2-3 MOA depending upon who is shooting. It still has the factory bbl and crappy stock that came with but I'm getting a new one this week. I've just never had a gun that shot real good on one axis and poor on the other. Any thoughts other than the stock?

Do you have another scope to try on it?

Check the bases and rings for correct torque values.

check the optics section, a guy there has a viper stringing vertically but good horizontally. It was a bad scope...

Bet its scope savage is one of the best out of box shooters. I have scoped and sighted lots never a problem.

Bed the stock, and problem solved. Stringing groups or groups in a straight line are generally stock to action mating issues. I could show you numerous targets of rifles before and after bedding. I have one I am doing now, a Rem 700 in 300 WM. The high end HS Precision stock that came with the factory rifle was sliding, yes sliding back and forth in the action when I took it off. A lot of factory rifles perform this way.

The scope is fine, it's topped other guns and was superb. I hadn't thought of the rings or bases, might as well upgrade those when I get the new stock. Good call, jeffbird.

Chad, I'm sure you're right but I don't think I'll put $10 of epoxy in a $8 hunk of plastic. I think Savage use to make their stocks out of melted down Star Wars action figures.

Thank you to all of you gentlemen.

I pillar bedded my savage factory stock and cut nearly an inch of my avg 100 yard group. Although mine was a round group no stringing, and it was a wood stock.

I glass bedded a Savage 93R17 that had real bad vertical stringing problems. Tightened the groups right up. It had the cheap plastic stock.

Tighten the screw in front of the magazine as tight as you can. If it is a Savage, it will shoot.
Adios,
Gary

I figure that the rings are tight and mounts tight. I think will be scope put one on and let us know.