Originally Posted by
Trapper458
Thanks everyone for your responses, a few comments/answers:
--I started this project this past December so I could sort out things for next hunting season. I started this project on this Savage LRH platform because it had many of the features I wanted for a long range hunting rifle, accustock, muzzlebrake, light trigger, adjustable cheekpiece. My going in position was that if I couldn't get this rifle to shoot the way I wanted I would change the barrel to a premium match barrel, so in my mind the first thing I needed to determine was if it would shoot the way I needed it to.
--I want sub moa performance with 200grain+ bullets for long range hunting.
--I'm well aware of the cost of replacement barrels and of components, my point is not can I afford them it is am I wasting components and time searching for results from this barrel that are unobtainable
--I have kept track of seating depths, for the 208 AMAX at 3.490, there is a 0.136 jump to the lands, with the 210 ABLR, 0.114; the 3.490" length is dictated by the magazine length of 3.5" unless I want to use this rifle as a single shot, which I don't.
--I have IMR4350, IMR4831, H4831SC, IMR7828SC, Magpro, and H1000, plus the 208AMAX, 210ABLR, and Berger 215's on order, I decided to stick with one load combo the 208 AMAX and H1000 to see if I could get some reasonable results, the combinations with my components are exausting and I frankly don't have that much range time available to test 18 combinations of bullet/powder. I picked the 208AMAX/H1000 combo because I have read of people having good results with these components in the 300WM.
--My cleaning regiment is good, no copper fouling issues (after cleaning)
--I don't think flinching is an issue, I gave this some thought, but I do my testing alternating 2 or 3 rifles to allow cool down time, and my 308 (soon to be 260 Rem Improved)(another story) and 30-06 are giving me sub moa groups in the same range sessions. I also have asked my buddy to load for me and give me a rifle with a empty chamber on occasion, I notice no flinching when the rifle goes "cleek"
--The rifle twist is 1:10, with an accustock (I don't plan on bedding) and an accutrigger set at 1.5#, factory muzzlebrake, adjustable cheekpiece, the rifle does "fit".
--I have never done seating depth testing before ladder testing, hmmm....I'll give that one some thought....usually get my ladder testing with a close load/load window and then go to varying the seating depth......
--I'm a bit concerned with the jump to the lands with the VLD bullets, I did notice, at 3.490 OAL the 168 Hdy bthp was 0.030 off, the 180 Nos BTip 0.070, the Nos 190BTHP 0.025off. I saw some of my best results, maybe it was the seating depth more than the bullet......problem again is with my magazine length I can go shorter but not longer
--Action screws and scope mounting are checked and double checked.
--Thought about seating some of the 208AMAX/H1000 loads out closer to the lands just to see if they will shoot, but what good will that do me? I want a magazine fed rifle for hunting.
Thanks again for everyone's input, I'll give it a think.....
Regards,
Trapper458