My first Savage bolt gun build!

[curlymaple42]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/curlymaple42/IMG_20150415_140408.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/curlymaple42/media/IMG_20150415_140408.jpg.html)

OK, I'm addicted. I bought this M10 in 308 used. I bought a boltknobs.com carbon bolt handle which fit perfectly, mounted a rail on top with the Nikon 2-8 BDC reticle scope I bought the same day I scored the rifle. Then I of course camo'd the stock using the Krylon method. Lol! It came out pretty good I thought, but reality is I just wanted it to break up the black a little, and I think it worked for that. As to shooting the rifle, since the only chance I have gotten so far was a few weeks back when we had 3 feet of snow at the range, I have only shot it 25yds so far. Mostly to function check. Everything works flawlessly. I am loading ammo now for a range day sometime soon. The barrel is 20" and I am curious as to the axect model this was, as the only one close has the rear sight mounted on the action, not the barrel. The only other thing I may do is cut the barrel to 16" or so and thread it and put on a muzzle brake. Or I might get a new barrel made the length I want. This is a deer hunting carbine, so I want it short, light, but able to reach out if need be.

PS: bipod is only on for pictures and maybe accuracy shooting at the range. It is not a practical piece of equipment normally for me.

[DrThunder88]

There is a Hog Hunter with barrel sights, but it has a threaded muzzle.

[BarrelNuts]

Nice cammo job! If you are going to do a barrel swap may want to check out McGowen; I haven't used them but on their website can get custom cut/contour and have them factory install a brake...

[jonbearman]

Every mcgowen I have plain shoots.

[curlymaple42]

I may have that barrel cut but am not sure there is enough meat there for threading for a brake. Anyone know if there is enough there?

[curlymaple42]

Shot for loads and groups saturday. Love the Nikon BDC scope I bought. The reticle works great for going from 100-150yds and from switching between 150gr and 168gr bullets. I wish the 168gr Berger Match bullets were good for hunting, as I shot one group with 3rds touching and another with 3 rds in an inch at 100yds! 150yds was a piece of cake to smack without even trying. Want to go to a local sand pit and stretch it's legs a little at 300 soon. I still may get a 16-18" threaded and fluted custom barrel at some point. But this will work for now.

[BarrelNuts]

Berger makes a hunting bullet that lots of folks say shoot just as good as their match stuff.

[curlymaple42]

I might have to check those out!

[curlymaple42]

Looked at a bunch of different similar bullets and the only one with no negative reviews on MidwayUSA was the Nosler Partition 180gr. All the other premium bullets had good and bad reviews, saying stuff like bullet didn't expand, etc. Hmmm...

[BarrelNuts]

There are always folks who aren't happy with something; I'm willing to bet on several of those reviews the "bullet didn't expand and we lost the animal" was either A) missed or B) hit outside the vitals. Also some of the bonded projectiles designed for deep penetration may not expand on thinner/lighter game. I've used everything from Nosler to factory loaded green box remington core-loct. Here is a synopsis of what I've seen, all on our small-ish whitetail deer here in coastal SC.

1) .25-06 Remington Core-loct 100 gr factory load: Every shot I've put into the vitals = 5 yards max, most drop on the spot. Slightly out of vitals... had to trail 2 for 50 yards +/- but plenty of blood from in/out wound.

2) .30-06 Nos. BT 150 gr (been a while think that is correct): LOTS of tissue damage but dropped on the spot. Same for Hornady SST's from the same rifle. Part of the reason I bought the .25-06 and sold the .30-06 was I hunt for meat... a shoulder shot from either of these two ruined both front shoulders easily. Good thing is I never had to trail a deer shot with either round

3) .270 WSM Accubond (unsure bullet weight): Had to do a lot of chasing deer with this round that were shot within the vitals but at between 50 and 150 yards... just seemed like they needled right through the smaller deer we have here in coastal SC. Exits were larger than entrances but not a lot. Good thing was always had reliable blood trails and normally didn't go more than 50 yards.

4: .270 130 grain BT: Similar to the .30-06 loaded with the Nosler BT these always seemed to drop them in their tracks; less tissue damage than the .30-06 but even shots slightly out of the vitals seemed to drop them where they stood. One of my biggest firearms transaction regrets was selling this rifle... just HAD to have that hot new .270 WSM.

5: 7mm Weatherby Magnum: Death Ray... can't remember what it was loaded with (My dad's rifle I hunted with until I bought my own rifle) but if you could stand the shoulder abuse this thing was amazing. The downside is ammo for it was at the point you need a second mortgage to buy a box almost.

6: .25-06 115gr Nosler BT: Started loading this last year and limited experiences with it, but the three deer shot with it never moved... all hit in the vitals though.

Biggest thing I've noticed with any caliber at any range is if it shoots accurately and you can hit the vital zone with enough energy and velocity it does what its supposed to do and Bambi doesn't run very far; just depends on how much meat you want involuntarily turned into hamburger by the projectile.

[Hotolds442]

I've had some real good luck with the 165 and 180 AccuBond in both my 300WSM and my 300 WinMag. In the WSM, the 165 at 3205 with Superformance powder is outrunning the 190 VLD, with 16" less drop at 750 yards. I'm only getting 2900 out of the VLD so far, but even pushing the VLD to 3000 the Accubond is superior in flight, and shoots tighter groups. My top 5 groups were all Accubonds, both 165 and 180. In the WinMag, the 180 at 3000 using IMR4831 is shooting the best of all the bullets I've tried. Second best load in it is the 180 AccuBond over IMR4350 at 3130. I have not had to mess with seating depth to shoot 1/2MOA with the rifle, seating the AB's at .020 off the lands. I'll give up the 130fps for the tighter groups that the rifle is shooting with IMR4831. Don't overlook the Accubond.