performance gains from gunsmithing?

[cv62rigger]

I have a Savage 10 FCP  HS Precision.  would a new bedding job help?  would timing the action help that much?  if anyone has any ideas let me know.  i want the gun to shoot groups as tight as possible.

[1Shot]

  i want the gun to shoot groups as tight as possible.

...Looks like alot of time at the reloading bench...lol.. ...

[benzy2]

Proper bedding very rarely hurts performance.  If you have a good fit now it may not help much.  On the other hand it may help a ton.  Timing the action doesn't make the gun more accurate as directly as one would like to think.  Timing makes sure all the parts are in proper spec and relationship to one another.  It allows for a more consistent and lighter trigger pull, often an easier bolt lift, and a bit more.  When trued and timed you will have as much out of a trigger as possible, you will have the locking lugs fully engaged, you will have all firing operations moving at the proper times, and you will have a bolt that is much smoother and easier to cycle.  While nothing in there states smaller groups like a better barrel or better ammo would seem to directly do it does often lead to better groups.  It first allows you to manipulate the bolt easier.  This means the gun will move less in the bags taking less effort to get back on target and giving less chance you moved the bags out of alignment.  The smoother cycling and easier bolt lift also mean you can cycle the gun faster.  This allows you to get more shots off in a shorter time.  If the wind is holding consistent you now may be able to get all 5 shots off before it changes.  You may only be able to get an extra shot off during the holding condition but this directly makes shooting small groups easier.  It won't put them any closer to each other in a perfect world with no changing conditions but in the world we live in you may be able to get the entire group off during a single condition or you may be able to get more of the group off and have enough time now to still wait for the condition to return before time runs out.  If you aren't using wind flags a lot of the benefits of timing and truing may not be as noticeable as you wouldn't be watching the conditions anyways to know if they switched.  If you aren't shooting under a time limit it also isn't as beneficial as you can wait all day for a condition to come back to finish shooting a group.  Still it all should be for the better and if you want the best it sure is a step in the right direction.

[Northlander]

Here's my secrets to shrink your groups in size:
1. Test your loads to find what your rifle really likes.
2. Tweak your seating depths to find the best seating depth for your barrel.
3. Measure everything and do not exceed +/- one tenth (.1) of a grain in powder.
4. Uniform your case neck thicknesses.
5. Neck size the brass that was fired in your chamber and then only half the neck (the rest of the neck will act as an alignment guide).

If all else fails, move closer to the target. Mine all shoot groups half the size at 50 yards that they do at 100.

Jim Briggs
NSS

[outlawkyote]

  If the crown is crooked, your gunsmith can cut a new one that will defenatly help your group size. The face of the receiver needs to be cut square and flat to the threads in the receiver. A quality recoil lug can help group size. Bedding the action is a must for best accuracy. Bedding the scope bases can help accuracy. Quality glass is very inportant to accuracy.

  Now, My pet peeve. People always think the bedding block in an HS presision stock doesnt need bedded. Ive proven several times that my groups have shrunk by half when bedding an HS presision stock. In order to do it right, the V-block needs to be ground down before bedding. All actions need bedded for the most in accuracy.
 
  A quality barrel will gain a lot in accuracy 90 percent of the time. Im giving thos "hummer" factory barrels a 10 percent brake compared to a quality after market barrel.

  The accutrigger is a good trigger but, it just doesnt compare to a quality trigger when setting at a bench.

  Reloading is a must for the best accuracy. There are lots of different ideas on the best methods so Im nopt going to go there.

[jeffjenn]

 Wow I'm not sure if it's because these guys have seen this question in one form or another before or if they are just really on their game today, but some good answers & info here!