New rifle troubles - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

dirtyvicar · 07-11-2005, 06:24 AM

I bought a .22 plinker rifle, mainly so I can introduce my kids to the joy of shooting - a Savage Mark II-F. It's a bolt action .22. I bought a Savage because I have read about how accurate Savage rifles are out of the box. 2 of my friends have Savages (one is a .308 tactical, the other a .223 tactical), and they claimed Savage is a good rifle.

I specifically didn't get a scope, because I want them to learn to shoot open sights first.

I tested the rifle the other day. It shoots high and right. I had my friends shoot it (both of whom are better shots than me), and we all had similar results. The rear sight is not adjustable for windage. They said the front sight can be adjusted, but it would have to be done by a smith. There's nothing in the manual about adjusting the sights.

This kinda sucks. Shouldn't my rifle be pretty close from the factory? I don't want to have to send it back to the factory since I just bought it. Should I return it to where I bought it and ask for another? Should I shoot a couple hundred rounds for it to see if it gets better? Or do I just have to take it to a smith and get the sight adjusted?

Obviously I don't have a whole lot of experience with a new rifle (none, in fact), so opinions are appreciated!

hytekblue · 07-11-2005, 07:22 AM

This is just my humble opinion so take it for what its worth...

but having gone through this in the last few years with my son.

first I would not own a rifle that I intended to use iron sites on with out fully adjustable sights. A lot can be achieved by teaching a person to how to zero a rifle.

After my son got used to shooting I did take the time to teach him how to zero the sights. And once he moved on to a scoped 22 mag he was able to zero it. I have since moved him up to my AR-15 and he has been able to ingage targets out to 400 yards adjusting the sights as needed and he is only 11 now.

Brickboy240 · 07-11-2005, 07:29 AM

The front sight is not dovetailed in? This would require a brass punch, to move it left or right as needed.

I bought a new Ruger 10-22 years ago, and it was shooting way to the left. We just drifted the front sight with a few taps of a brass punch and a ball-peen hammer and all was well.

-Brickboy240

PS: Ever consdider one of those Williams receiver mounted peep sights? They're fully adjustable and very accurate. I have one on my Remington 511 and love it. Brownell's sells them for about 60 bucks.

dirtyvicar · 07-11-2005, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brickboy240

The front sight is not dovetailed in? This would require a brass punch, to move it left or right as needed.

PS: Ever consdider one of those Williams receiver mounted peep sights? They're fully adjustable and very accurate. I have one on my Remington 511 and love it. Brownell's sells them for about 60 bucks.

I didn't know it was that simple. I'll try it.

I'll look at the peep sights too.

Thanks for the info!

Brickboy240 · 07-11-2005, 08:11 AM

Yeah, just use a brass punch and drift the front sight...a little goes a long ways. Fortunately, the 22lr is cheap enough that you can shoot-and-drift several times, before getting it right and not break the bank.

Does it group good? My 10-22 grouped great out of the box, but it just threw the group far to the left. Once I drifted the front sight, all was well. It is not overly unusual to have to drift a front sight, slightly, to get a zero on 22 rifles.

I had to do just that to a recent pawn shop rescue piece - a 1963 Winchester 94 30-30. Again, after a few taps, it was throwing everything in the center just fine!

(go easy...and use a brass punch)

-Brickboy240

PS: take a look at the Williams Foolproof rear peep sights...on a 22 bolt gun..they're fantastic as far as iron sights go!

dirtyvicar · 07-11-2005, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Does it group good? My 10-22 grouped great out of the box, but it just threw the group far to the left. Once I drifted the front sight, all was well. It is not overly unusual to have to drift a front sight, slightly, to get a zero on 22 rifles.

Yes, it groups very well.

Do you need to put the barrel in a vice before you attempt to drift the sight? And do I need to move the sight to the left if I'm shooting too far to the right?

**agalindo** · 07-11-2005, 11:56 AM

Might consider getting a BSA red dot pretty cheap and they work great.

KoG · 07-11-2005, 08:29 PM

I have a Savage Mark II FXP. It came with a 4x scope, so I got a slightly larger scope to fit 1" see under rings. Shoots acurately with the irons sights, never had to adjust it. My guess is that one of the sights got wanged a bit on the way to the store or something.

07-11-2005, 06:24 AM	#1
dirtyvicar XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 449	New rifle troubles I bought a .22 plinker rifle, mainly so I can introduce my kids to the joy of shooting - a Savage Mark II-F. It's a bolt action .22. I bought a Savage because I have read about how accurate Savage rifles are out of the box. 2 of my friends have Savages (one is a .308 tactical, the other a .223 tactical), and they claimed Savage is a good rifle. I specifically didn't get a scope, because I want them to learn to shoot open sights first. I tested the rifle the other day. It shoots high and right. I had my friends shoot it (both of whom are better shots than me), and we all had similar results. The rear sight is not adjustable for windage. They said the front sight can be adjusted, but it would have to be done by a smith. There's nothing in the manual about adjusting the sights. This kinda sucks. Shouldn't my rifle be pretty close from the factory? I don't want to have to send it back to the factory since I just bought it. Should I return it to where I bought it and ask for another? Should I shoot a couple hundred rounds for it to see if it gets better? Or do I just have to take it to a smith and get the sight adjusted? Obviously I don't have a whole lot of experience with a new rifle (none, in fact), so opinions are appreciated! __________________ Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. -Edmund Burke, statesman and writer (1729-1797)

07-11-2005, 07:29 AM	#3
Brickboy240 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 8,829	The front sight is not dovetailed in? This would require a brass punch, to move it left or right as needed. I bought a new Ruger 10-22 years ago, and it was shooting way to the left. We just drifted the front sight with a few taps of a brass punch and a ball-peen hammer and all was well. -Brickboy240 PS: Ever consdider one of those Williams receiver mounted peep sights? They're fully adjustable and very accurate. I have one on my Remington 511 and love it. Brownell's sells them for about 60 bucks. __________________ The top 25% of wage earners in America pay 86% of all federal income taxes collected. (according to 2007 IRS website data) Es mejor morir a pie que vivir arrodillado Volvo...the Swedish Brick!

07-11-2005, 08:11 AM	#5
Brickboy240 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 8,829	Yeah, just use a brass punch and drift the front sight...a little goes a long ways. Fortunately, the 22lr is cheap enough that you can shoot-and-drift several times, before getting it right and not break the bank. Does it group good? My 10-22 grouped great out of the box, but it just threw the group far to the left. Once I drifted the front sight, all was well. It is not overly unusual to have to drift a front sight, slightly, to get a zero on 22 rifles. I had to do just that to a recent pawn shop rescue piece - a 1963 Winchester 94 30-30. Again, after a few taps, it was throwing everything in the center just fine! (go easy...and use a brass punch) -Brickboy240 PS: take a look at the Williams Foolproof rear peep sights...on a 22 bolt gun..they're fantastic as far as iron sights go! __________________ The top 25% of wage earners in America pay 86% of all federal income taxes collected. (according to 2007 IRS website data) Es mejor morir a pie que vivir arrodillado Volvo...the Swedish Brick!

07-11-2005, 08:29 PM	#8
KoG XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 279	I have a Savage Mark II FXP. It came with a 4x scope, so I got a slightly larger scope to fit 1" see under rings. Shoots acurately with the irons sights, never had to adjust it. My guess is that one of the sights got wanged a bit on the way to the store or something. __________________ Where are you taking me and why am I in this handbasket?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-11-2005, 07:22 AM	#2
hytekblue XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Great State of Missouri Posts: 288	This is just my humble opinion so take it for what its worth... but having gone through this in the last few years with my son. first I would not own a rifle that I intended to use iron sites on with out fully adjustable sights. A lot can be achieved by teaching a person to how to zero a rifle. After my son got used to shooting I did take the time to teach him how to zero the sights. And once he moved on to a scoped 22 mag he was able to zero it. I have since moved him up to my AR-15 and he has been able to ingage targets out to 400 yards adjusting the sights as needed and he is only 11 now.