I have had this gun a few years now.  It was never as accurate as I wanted, but I have decided to be content with it.  When I first got it, it was a 3/4" or bigger groups at 50 yards gun with various ammo.  I got online and found I should replace the plastic stock with a Boyds, install pillars, and glass bed the action.  I chose the thumbhole model.  I practiced glass bedding on my Daddy's wood stocked 22 magnum Marlin- it went from 3-4 moa to SUB MOA at 50 yards. WOW.

So I spend several weeks on and off working on the Savage.  I made pillars, researched, ground, cut, sanded, torqued....and it still only grouped 3/4" or so at 50 yards. I was frustrated and did not shoot it for about a year even though it fit like a glove and felt divine to the shoulder and cheek.

So I finally bought some A17 ammo to give it another shot with different food.  Average from the 16" barrel was 2627 fps measured 2ft in front of the Element II.
Format is best 4 / all 5
50 yards laser checked, 3-8 mph variable unpredictable winds on top of a hill.  Bags front and rear laying on top of a storm shelter (bad shooting position).  The crosshair rarely wiggled more than 1/4", but still not stone stable.  No called flyers.  All shots were included.  Could fall asleep on that stock.  Accutrigger is very nice after a light stoning.

Me shooting
0.46" / 1.26"
0.42" / 0.53"

Then my 14 yr old nephew shot
0.51" / 0.69"
0.62" / 0.80"
0.91" / 1.43"

Then I shot
0.86" / 1.45"

And I head shot a squirrel from about 30 or 35 yrds the week before this.  I will give it a try with other ammo later.  I have read of people shooting 1/2 MOA groups, but I have yet to break 1 MOA.

I have noticed the accuracy falls off with my Savage 17 HMR Mark II FV.   If I clean the barrel the accuracy comes right back.  A Friend only used a bore snake and after several hundred rounds the Savage 17 HMR accuracy went to pot.  I cleaned the bore with Hoppe's and a brass brush and the 17 HMR shot like it was new.

I've also noticed my Savage shoots best with Hornady 17 grain tipped ammo.

I have a 12 year old 93 stainless laminate stock.  Pre accu everything.  It's all clover leafed at 100 yards with no wind.  Suppressed or not.  It's stupid fun to pop chipmunk heads.  Keeping 17HMR clean is really important to accuracy and extraction.  If you check your brass as soon as you start to see case neck splits - clean and de-copper/bore clean.  About 2-300 rounds on my experience.  Unless it's a new gun then clean every 1-200.  

Check out a variety of ammo as well.  Federal and Hornady are VERY different.  POI are inches apart. Even with identical grain bullets.  Chronograph your shots and throw out the odd balls.  It's still rimfire.  


Killin' varmints is fun and shooting to help solve problems is the best kind of work

I've had best luck with the 20gr Hornady rounds. Worst experience was with the CCI and Winchester. Now I still to the Hornady 17gr and 20gr. Mine is an absolute tack driver. 50 yards is no challenge for it try reaching out to 100