Savage accuracy improved

[TonyBen]

I floated the tang of my Savage that I bedded a couple of weeks ago and took it to the 200yd range today. I torqued the action screws to 40 inch pounds. I tried some PMC 30-06 just to see where the groups were and I was on paper at 200. I then switched to some hand loaded 168 grain SMK's and some H4350. After adjusting the scope to hit the orange sticky, I fired 3 shots at the deer target and called it a day. I am very satisfied with the accuracy out of a cheap used barrel that came off my gunsmith's shelf. I am also satisfied with the post-pillar and action bedding job I did.

If I overlay the 2 shots on the sticky to where I aimed at on the deer target (the dark spot on the heart), the 5-shot group is 2.2" at 200 with 4 of them measuring .9" and 2.2" with the fifth shot. So at 100, a 4 shot group would be under 1/2" and the 5th shot would open it up to 1.1". That's totally acceptable for hunting.

I also noted that after I had the rifle zeroed with 150 grain ammo and switching to 168 grain ammo, the POI shifted up a couple of inches to the top of the paper. The 3 shots at the top were the first 3 168's before making sight adjustments.

I'm going to duplicate this load with 165 grain bullets and take it out one more time before my hunting trip in October.

Thanks again for all the info you all provided.

Tony.

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb423/tonyben3/DSCN2075.jpg

[GaCop]

You can't argue with success, congratulations! Another happy Savage owner.

[olddav]

It always makes you feel good when you try and succeed.
Good Job !

[wbm]

Glad it is working out. Good to see you over here talking to Savage shooters rather than over at M14 conversing with them gas gun shootin hooligans! ;D

[TonyBen]

Glad it is working out. Good to see you over here talking to Savage shooters rather than over at M14 conversing with them gas gun shootin hooligans! ;D


Looks like I'm BUSTED! Hey, I don't discriminate. I go where I gotta go to gets me da info! I'm shelving my M1A for hunting this year. My Savage wasn't ready last year but this will be my rig for years to come. I'm going to try and re-barrel this one by next summer; finances permitting.

I just got done loading a batch of 165gr Sierra Game Kings with 57.5 grains of H4350. Hopefully this will overlap my POI with the 168's.

Thanks for the welcome. :)

Tony.

[Rifleman51]

If you have access to a cronograph, it would be a good idea to check the consistancy of your handloads. I've used mine a lot and have found some loads far more consistant than others.
It may explain why the groups are not as tight as they could be. That's not to say your groups arn't good, it is just something that really helps in load development.
As a general rule, the most consistant rounds with the crono are going to give the best groups.
Not giving you any grief, just suggesting something I have found to be a big help in load development.

My Best, John K

[TonyBen]

My intention will be to use a chronograph in the near future. The only problem is that summer is over and I am entering the rainy season here in Oregon. I have a CED M2 chrono that I use. As stated before, I am normally an M14 guy so I already developed my golden loads in 308 but I am in the infancy stages of getting my Savage done properly. Right now it's just a rush to get my rifle in good enough shape for hunting under 200yds, but if she does well with my load at 300, I may go out that far if I get a good shot.

I'll probably stick with the 165's and perfect a load so that it can be used effectively on deer and elk.

I didn't have time to match case weights today but I did sort through the bullets and got ones that all weighed 165.00 grains.

I'm using an RCBS X-die for sizing and and RCBS chargemaster for powder dispensing and weighing components. I'll probably spend the winter on load development and chronograph the loads if we ever get sunshine before March. You definitely watch the weather channel a lot during the winter months to see if a chrony will work out here in the Pacific Northwest. I managed to get my 308 loads down to an extreme spread of 25 to 35fps on average so I'll do the same for 30-06.

Unfortunately, I'm used to loading for service rifles or autoloaders so I don't have the equipment for neck turning, runout or neck sizing. I always full length size, give myself about .003" of room on my case to chamber headspace and crimp my bullets with a Lee FC die. I didn't do that stuff for this rifle since it's not needed but I am sort of guessing on the headspace and my seating depth.

Loading for bolt guns is a little different and I have to get used to some new techniques.

Anyway, I'm just babbling now so I'll stop until my next range report some time this week.

Tony.

[GaCop]

Unless you have a match chamber with a tight neck (not likely on a factory production rifle) forget neck turning, it's not needed.