Back in about 2008 I got a Savage heavy barreled varmint HMR and put an 8-32x Burris Signature Select (scope cost more than twice what the rifle did). I was dying to see how close the Savage could shoot next to my Anschutz 1517 MPR since there were so many people claiming as how Savage shot as good as anything out there.
Well... this rifle was a disaster, I had just about every .17 HMR cartridge and bullet made, tried them all and the very best this rifle would shoot was an inch and a half at 100yds, the bad ones were three inch groups. So I took a test target shot with the Anschutz and another with the Savage back to the Big 5 where I bought it, and the manager talked to the Savage rep. He wanted to talk to me and see the rifles and targets so we met at the store. After looking at the targets and ruling out that it was the rifle and not my shooting he asked the manager if he had another Savage heavy barrel and told him to give it to me. I had to wait ten days to get the new rifle, and it shot the loads it did best with in half inch groups with a slight 1/4 inch out flyer every five shots or so, The Anschutz did the same thing so I figured it was some sort of ammo inconsistency.
I guess my point here is that Savage will make things right if you work em. They want this cartridge to work for them which it will not do if they don't exercise really really good customer service to guys like yourself that tell other guys how happy you are with Savage.
Good luck, and may the force be with you.