Savage Model 16 Trophy Hunter XP reborn
I bought the Savage Model 16 Trophy Hunter XP (package) chambered in .260 Remington, in March this year. Initial range results were disappointing - with the included Nikon scope and Remington factory loads. I honestly couldn't even get it sighted in well enough to think about shooting at 100 yds. Five or six inch groups all over the place at 50 yards. Hated the scope lacking a side focus. Actually hated the stock too :) So after firing about 20 shots through it, I packed up and left the range.
Got home, ordered an EGW rail, a Vortex 6.5-20 x 50mm scope, and a Boyd's thumbhole stock. Once the stock arrived, I took the rifle and new Boyd's stock to my local gunsmith and asked him to free-float and bed the action, mount the Boyd's stock, and adjust the accutrigger as low as it would go. I have done these things myself in the past, but they look a lot nicer when a pro does it.
Fast forward a couple of months (local gunsmiths are busy these days :) ) I get the rifle back, and I don't like the way the Boyd's stock looks with the stainless barrel. There are bits of material (laminate?) in the stock that are not the same color as the rest of the stock. Not meant to condemn Boyds, the stock fit excellently. This was my 2nd from them and the first one was good in every way.
So I found another gunsmith who specializes in doing Duracote paint jobs on rifles. His specialty is a local camo pattern called "South Hills" named aptly for - you got it, the South Hills just south of our town.
I still wasn't happy with the trigger pull either, so he swapped a spring out on the accutrigger and got the pull down to just a hair over 1 lb. Safety and reliablitly still good, no surprises.
Remember, I have only shot about 20 shots through this thing so far. Well now she's back, I named her Betty - and she's tearing it up :)
http://burbankphotography.com/videos/betty_group.JPG
http://burbankphotography.com/videos/betty_rifle.JPG
