Eastman--let me eliminate the scope first. Basically 2" groups at 100 yards, on average, with wild swings not consistent with what I see in Mueller 8-32x scope when I drop the hammer, uh, release the shot. There are some jitters in the scope view that indicate that there may be a lens element loose in the scope. The bore is a little rough and it takes forever to clean it. The chamber seems looser than my Kadet.
I shot a 3-1/2" group with a handgun and no magnification at 100 yards last Thursday. A little smaller group with a rifle is a little discouraging, even though I fully realize how difficult it is to get a .22 rifle right--ammo, action screws, free float, sight mounts, position, trigger pull, breathing, parallax, level, everything.
I am trying to get the safe queens out in the sun and shoot them before they rust away. But I was never happy with the Savage, even when it was new. I think the best groups I ever shot with it were with a Nikon 2-8x scope that I took off of my AR-15 long enough to see how the gun shot when it was new. I've struggled with the Mueller scope since I put it on.
I am going to shoot my Savage Model 10 .308 XLR chassis rifle on Tuesday. I don't recall ever having a bad day with it, but it is centerfire! I love shooting 20-30 rounds through it, prone, taking my time, getting everything right. But I have to refresh myself on what "everything right" is again. So I'll shoot it Tuesday, not prone, from a bench, and probably again on Thursday. I might get everything right by Thursday. The .308 is always under 1" at 100 yards, usually 1/2". I've shot less than 4" at 500 meters with it several times...six or seven years ago. I can't read wind so all bets are off unless it is calm. I think I have more rounds through that rifle at 500 meters than at 100 yards. But I will have to adjust for air density here in Central Texas compared to the West Texas desert zero and the corrections for 6000 feet for the mountain retreat. My fallback position is "Look, I'm a pistol guy, OK, slow shootin', stationary pistol guy."
Joe