# Savage 340 30-30 Can't lower shots.



## Lowjack (Jan 8, 2013)

I have a savage 340 ,30-30 is a 1971 , Which I was my first high Caliber gun , the original stock cracked so I found one new through Boyd's stocks , the new stock fit like a glove , but the issue now is the gun is shooting 10 inches high at 25 yards and I can't lower the rear sight any lower.
The Old stock was dead on , the only difference I see is the new stock is a little thinner in front where the barrell band is and the old stock the barrell was set in,  Fiberglass resin.I also replaced the barrell band which was cracked.
What do you you suggest ?


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## LRanger007 (Jan 8, 2013)

Sounds like the stock is pressing up on the barrel or the barrel band is not fitting correctly.  Check everything for fit and reassemble.


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## WGSNewnan (Jan 9, 2013)

how do you know it wasnt shooting *10 inches low *with the cracked barrel band and broke stock? sight the darn thing in at 100 and try again.


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## miles58 (Jan 9, 2013)

Lowjack said:


> I have a savage 340 ,30-30 is a 1971 , Which I was my first high Caliber gun , the original stock cracked so I found one new through Boyd's stocks , the new stock fit like a glove , but the issue now is the gun is shooting 10 inches high at 25 yards and I can't lower the rear sight any lower.
> The Old stock was dead on , the only difference I see is the new stock is a little thinner in front where the barrell band is and the old stock the barrell was set in,  Fiberglass resin.I also replaced the barrell band which was cracked.
> What do you you suggest ?



I'd be money this thing is putting some up pressure on the barrel.

Check for that.  If it is, carefully and SLOWLY remove wood where it's putting that pressure on the barrel.  This will probably be a touchy operation.  Remove too much wood and float the barrel and the barrel band is going to give you trouble and likely affect accuracy.  Your rifle will likely shoot best with a little pressure at the barrel band.  If you do go too far, it's not a big deal.  There's a hundred ways to shim it at the band, but it's better to do it right.

Dave


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## Lowjack (Jan 9, 2013)

I can put a dollar bill with ease back an forth on the barrel so the barrell is floating but perhaps I have too much pressure on the band as LRanger said, I dont know if I can take and make the barrell band well any deeper and perhaps if I glass the barrell to highten the rear action a bit ? Yes it was shooting perfectly even with the old cracked barrel, that's the first thing I did.


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## miles58 (Jan 9, 2013)

Loosen the stock screws to the point they just have enough pressure to hold the stock and barrel together.  Fire t and come back and tell us what happened please.

Dave


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## Lowjack (Jan 9, 2013)

Will do


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## miles58 (Jan 10, 2013)

Also please include a picture of the gun and what you are calling the "barrel band".

A stock 340 does not have a barrel band, I was thinking you may have a different stock, but the possibility is that you just don't know what to call what you are looking at.

Dave


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## Lowjack (Jan 10, 2013)

The Savage 340 as well as other old rifles have a barrell band , it is a metal band that goes around the barrell midway from the tip to the action it has a nut in the botton where it screws to the stock with a tang screw , it is called a barrell band in the parts catalog and it is listed in Numrich as a barrel band.


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## Lowjack (Jan 10, 2013)

Barrell band and screw


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## miles58 (Jan 10, 2013)

The only thing that makes much sense right now is that something is causing the barrel to bend a little when you tighten the screws.  

Like  I said, loosen them and see where it shoots please.

Dave


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## Lowjack (Jan 10, 2013)

miles58 said:


> The only thing that makes much sense right now is that something is causing the barrel to bend a little when you tighten the screws.
> 
> Like  I said, loosen them and see where it shoots please.
> 
> Dave



Will do tomorrow.


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## Clemson (Jan 10, 2013)

Lowjack, looking at your rear sight in the photo, it is all the way to the top.  That will make the gun shoot high.  Lower it to the bottom of its travel and see what that does for you.


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## Lowjack (Jan 10, 2013)

Clemson ,It is set at the lowest point right now, when I shot it I kept lowering until the last turn downward and it is still shooting 10 inches high. I thought of fibrglass bedding the stock like the original maybe that will lift the action and lower the barrell ??


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## weagle (Jan 12, 2013)

As long as it is shooting accurately and consistently, I'd just file the slot deeper in the rear sight to bring the POI down.


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## Lowjack (Jan 14, 2013)

Never thought of that , yeah it groups but way high , I havent being able to do anything to it yet.


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## Bushwhacker (Jan 14, 2013)

Scope that old rifle up and let it show you what it can do out to 200 yards.  I handload 130 grain Speer flatpoint bullets for my 340 and that old girl surprised the heck out of me. Now I aint no sniper but a four inch group of five at 200 yards with flat point bullets and a short barrel aint bad.  I think I will unretire her next season and kill another one or two just for old times sake. Sure wish I could find one in 225 Winchester.


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## Lowjack (Jan 14, 2013)

Bushwhacker said:


> Scope that old rifle up and let it show you what it can do out to 200 yards.  I handload 130 grain Speer flatpoint bullets for my 340 and that old girl surprised the heck out of me. Now I aint no sniper but a four inch group of five at 200 yards with flat point bullets and a short barrel aint bad.  I think I will unretire her next season and kill another one or two just for old times sake. Sure wish I could find one in 225 Winchester.



With the old stock I could group 3 shots 1/4 of inch around , when I changed the stock to a new one , it is out of wack , problem this 340 is not tapped for a scope, costs 150 to tap it.Not worth the investment I think ??


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## Bushwhacker (Jan 14, 2013)

Pretty much got to be a pressure issue with the stock. Mine is a wierd side mount contraption that actually sets the scope back over the bore. Its a two piece Weaver mount I bought many years ago made for this gun. Yeh 150 is a high price for 4 holes. Do some web searching and you will find a good bit of info on these old rifles. I have been thinking of removing the barrelband on mine to see if it will shrink my groups.  A barrelband just goes against the norm for an accurate rifle.  You can shot pointy bullets if you reload but its a little tricky as the magazine is short and causes a few issues.


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## miles58 (Jan 14, 2013)

In all probability you have a high spot out in the barrel channel and when you pull the actions screws up tight you are putting a bend in the barrel.  Do what I suggested and loosen the action screws and see if that resolves the issue before you do anything more drastic.  

If it does resolve, then you need to remove the high spot(s) in the barrel channel and maybe bed the action.

Dave


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## animalguy (Jan 14, 2013)

According to the picture, Clemson is right. The adjustment leaf in the rear sight is maxed out upward.


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## biker13 (Jan 14, 2013)

I am getting a 340 on wednesday.Have wanted one since 1978,and now the time has come.


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## Bushwhacker (Jan 14, 2013)

Lowjack I don't know about your gun but the scope mount holes on mine are on the side opposite the bolt not on the top and it came that way.  The only problem is you have to have a scope that the adjusment knob swell doesn't go all the way around the scope barrel.  Hope you get the gun dialed in and let us know what you find.


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## Lowjack (Jan 16, 2013)

Bushwhacker said:


> Lowjack I don't know about your gun but the scope mount holes on mine are on the side opposite the bolt not on the top and it came that way.  The only problem is you have to have a scope that the adjusment knob swell doesn't go all the way around the scope barrel.  Hope you get the gun dialed in and let us know what you find.



Yes most of the 340 came with tapped holes on the side , this one I bought in 1970 and was an excellent shooter with the old stock , but them the stock cracked while inside the safe an issue with the wood drying out too much and I put a new stock , unfortunatley mine wasn't tapped out, I haven't worked on it because I've been sick with flue and I don't want to get dust and the smell of glass in my lungs ,but I'm taking some suggestions from here and will work on it , until I get it shooting good again, I want to keep it scopeless cause that is my brush gun for pigs and quick shots , I have 18-20 other rifles with scopes for hunting.


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## Lowjack (Jan 18, 2013)

OK , this is what I did , might help someone else ,who changes to a new Stock , I took the advice from here and checked the barrel grove on the stock , found out it was not level at all , where the barrel nut touches the wood it was deep but yet right in front it was high in the middle of the grove it was exactly the same depth as the old factory stock but in the front of the barrel band it was high by at least .32 of an inch thus the barrel was sitting in the middle without any other contact , the back of the action was 1/4 inch to high as compare with the Factory barrel.
Using a set of carbing knives I deepened the grove to the same depth as the factory one inch by inch, there were other areas that needed carving ,such as where the safety lever is , it was too tight.
I removed the Barrel band as someone suggested and layed a glass bedding to secure the action even more;
First shot was 5 inches below at 25 yards , went up 20 clicks and my second shot was 1 inch below at 25 yards , at 100 yrda I grouped about a 2'' group about 1/2 an inch high , I say it's fixed.


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