Hog Hunter

[hunthard44]

Purchased in 223, cut barrel off to 16 in & painted scope & firearm all white for a light winter yote gun. Range results were not bad not good. Question is how many rounds for barrel break in (cant remember with other guns) & I have not really figured out what pills it likes yet. I have about 50 rounds down the tube & next round will be Hornady 55 V-Max loads because I think they will be good yote loads. I do not reload & shoot about 2000 rounds per year at local range.

Stock sucks but it is what it is. Tricked out other firearms but this is staying factory

Thanks for in-put

[storeyteller]

Try this site.
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/proceduresbarrelbreakin/
or
http://www.6mmbr.com/gailmcmbreakin.html
Good luck!

[Bossman]

When my Savage .223 was new, I was disappointed- first time at the range, shots pretty much walked around in a 6" group at 100 yards.
I cleaned the bore as per break-in instructons for 40 rounds but nothing improved the grouping. I kept shooting, and the groups started to tighten up at 50 rounds, and when I hit 80 rounds, it was grouping .75 for three shots. I was at the range most of the day with a couple of rifles, keeping them cool between shots.
I really got a lot of copper out of it when I got home. The next trip to the range, it took about 5 fouling shots for it to group well, and since then I can shoot .5 for three. I guess that barrel likes a little copper to shoot decent. I'm not complaining now.

[tammons]

My old 223 took about 200 rounds to really tighten up and then it was shooting .25-.35"

One of the tightest shooting bullets I have used is the 52 gr Vmax.

[1Shot]

..The shorter the bbl. the calmer you have to be behind the trigger... ;)

[hunthard44]

Thanks, My Remy 223 took about 200 rounds too. It is also a tricked out 11 lb gun with heavey 20 in barrel, B&C stock, shoots 1/2 at 200 yards all day If I do my parts. Trouble is its a 1 in 12 & likes B/H 40 grain.

I have cheap winchester loads I pop about 5 off as I clean well after each range session. Cool little gun (first Savage)but after first 2 range trips it was not shooting like all the Savages I read on here about. I will try the 52 grain instead of 55 & see what happens

[hunthard44]

The barrel is very short but in the yote woods a lot in the winter. Good point & will remember that next range trip

[tammons]

My rifle shot remington ammo in huge groups like 3" or so even after broken in.
I did finally find some black hills factory match ammo that shot about 1/2-3/4".
Handloads did it though and 1/4-3/8 after about 200 rounds.

A 52 gr amax over a hot load of H4895 was my load.

In Lapua brass and CCI BR primers.

The best were 52 gr Vmax and believe it or not 90 gr Bergers, but I had a 7 twist.

My dad has a 223 sporter and I never have been able to get it shooting super tight
even with the same 52 gr Vmax load.

[hunthard44]

I bought this Savage for just hunting, painted it white so I dought I will never sell it. I wanted a light 223 for coyote hunting & thats its only purpose. As long as I can hit the 4 in circle at 200 yards off shooting sticks I will be happy. At 7 to 8 lbs its easier walking the mile at cabin in snow then dragging 11 lbs.

[teebirdhyzer]

try some 40 grain fiocchi vmax loads or some of the ultramaxx remanufactured loads in 40 or 50 grain nosler Ballistic Tips. I have two savage .223's with factory barrels. One shoots the VMAX in little bitty groups less then .5" at 100yds sometimes. The other shoots the Fiocchi under an inch, and the 50 grain ballistic tips .29" group at 100yds! Both of these are pretty inexpensive factory ammo. I like the Fiocchi the best, because it's loaded pretty stout to 3650fps.

[hunthard44]

Range up date on new Hog Hunter. Ordered some 55 grain soft points from Goergia Arms (great ammo). I fired a few FMJ to clear barrel & my last three 5 shot groups were .5 at 50 yards. Will move to 100 this weekend & 300 next weekend. I really dont expect the world as the stock is the cheapest thing I have ever seen on a firearm, I knew that going in. This is just a stock winter yote gun. I am sure barrel will tighten up after a few 100 rounds

[ellobo]

..The shorter the bbl. the calmer you have to be behind the trigger... ;)


Pistol shooting comes to mind. Trigger control is a must if you want to shoot good scores. But, that is true for any gun.

El Lobo

[teddy12b]

Try out some of the many factory loadings with 69gr matchkings. I reload my own, but the federal and black hills 69gr match ammo will come pretty close to telling you everything you could hope for out of your rifle for accuracy.

[hunthard44]

Treid B/Hills 68 hollow point & either barrel was not broke in or it doesnt like 68 grain pills. Will try again after 200 or so rounds. Remy loves B/H ammo so I know its good ammo

[Artpro]

Ho Hunter. You state that you cut the barrel. I trust that it was done on a lathe, and a proper crown was also turned.???
If not, you'll likely not have any kind of accuracy.
Art

[tammons]

If you are going to hunt with it try out some Speer 70 gr Semi round nose bullets.

[hunthard44]

68 grain would not work so I am thinking 70's would not either. Went to the range & it seems barrel is starting to break in. .5 in group at 100 & a 1.75 " group at 200 so its ready to hunt. To bad stock wont handle a Bi-Pod. Use shooting sticks hunting anyway. Happy with how its turning out

Ofcourse I had a smith cut barrel down

[tammons]

The 70 gr speer semi spitzer will stabilize in a 1:9 barrel.
Its a short bullet.

[hunthard44]

Thanks lack of info on my part. Who loads them in factory ammo ?

[tammons]

Nobody that I know of.
Its probably one of the better 223 hunting bullets and cheap, next to the barnes tipped 62 gr bullet
but I doubt the 62 gr barnes would be accurate out of a 1/9 twist. Never tried it though.