Looking for info on Model 10 with Choate stock

I purchased a model 10 in .308 with Choate stock from Cabelas a few weeks ago. I've only had it to the range now twice, so it's no where's broken in. Maybe 50 or so rounds through it at best - still working up an optimal load. What can any of you tell me about this combination? I have a knock off harris bi-pod on the front, and the whole rifle hops like a bunny when firing off a table! Do those of you who own one - are you satisfied? Accurate out of the box? I'm looking to shoot 168 bthp over BLC-2 (Varget I have problems metering in my Dillon, and BLC-2 is super acurate in my bolt .223). Still working up the load. Anything I need to do with the stock etc to improve the accuracy? I'll be shooting this anywhere from 100 - 600 yards. Thanks guys....

I had the same problem with "bipod jump" with my rifle until I got a Holland muzzle brake installed. My gun likes 168 gr Sierra HPBT and loves 110 gr Sierra FB HP. Picture of my rifle and a group I recently shot with 110 gr Sierra over 46.0 gr Varget with Lapua brass and Fed 210M primers. Measures .420" CTC including cold bore shot and thats 5 shots by the way. The combination of light bullet and the muzzle brake allow me to shoot with almost no felt recoil. That has upped my confidence and really helps with flinching. Overall, in 300 rounds I have shot, I would call it .75 to 1 moa with factory ammo, .5ish with handloads, and has the ability to shoot in the .2's and .3's with perfect conditions, 5 shot groups. I know at least a few people who have shot in the .1's (*cough* z71rat *cough*) with 3 shot groups and factory ammo.

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I've got a 10FP in a Choate UV stock, and be sure the tang is free floated, mine needed quite a bit of plastic removed. The bipod jump is gonna happen, my Harris 6-9, jumps pretty bad off a table. I have no problem shooting .750" 5 shot groups, even with free recoil shooting. A break would be nice! ;D

You could try a sling, to pull the gun into your shoulder, and down in the front, at the same time, but I had no luck with that method. A Police office friend of mine, who is on the sniper team, told me thats how they were trained. Works for him, not me 8)

That load you are working on should shoot well. Mine likes 168 & 155gr Sierra Match Kings, over Varget, but it looks like some 110s are in order!

Heres my short barreled shooter
[img width=600 height=450]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/JDG357/IMG_2751.jpg[/img]

With the choate stock be sure the action is contacting all 4 points on the bedding block. It easy to check just take your barreled action out of the stock and look at where the action cntacts the stock. There will be dark marks where the action is touching. On the u/s that I had I had to file one of the contact points because it was too high and not letting the other side contact at all. After a few attempts I finally got the even marks on the block and made it a lot more consistasnt.

Same kind of jumping with my rifle also. Added some weight in the hollow pistol grip, helped some. Brought the weight up to about 14 pounds. Also helped to balance the rifle about 1 inch in front of the barrel nut.
Try some 175 SMK's over 43.2gns of RL-15 and BR2's, seated .010 off the lands.

Good luck
Tony

I still bed the action into the Choates or the HS Precision stocks.

For those that have 2-300 rounds down the tube, pull the action and look at the rub spots on the aluminum blocks in the stock and on the action surface....it is moving under recoil.

I have the model rifle you have and it very accurate, don't think it has shot over .75" with any load I tested. Give Ramshot Hunter and TAC a try. I quit using Varget because I could get equal or greater accuracy with Ramshot Hunter. It meters like salt, as accurate, cost less and can be found. Black Hills uses TAC in a lot of their loads. Data can be found on their website for the TAC. I kinda went on my own for the Hunter data. I now use Hunter in my .308, .22-243 Middlestead, and my .243, all shoot great.

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If you're shooting off a bench, the bipod/shoulder relationship is hard to get right. I always shoot off a bipod prone, it works a lot better. Why not use sandbags off the bench?

Shucks, I shoot my 10/22 prone if I'm using a bipod!

I don't see any difference in accuracy so it's just a matter of accommodating to your facility. Admittedly, our range has all concrete pillar benches that are good enough for the benchrest types to use, and abundant sandbags and carpet pads.

Regards,
Brian in CA

cool

I picked up a Stevens rifle. Used only the action. Ordered a 22" by 1" Douglass barrel, had it threaded for their brake (which I don't use could have saved $180), lug, and trigger from SSS. The UV from Choate and a Bushnell 4200 6x24x50 tactical scope on a Ken Ferrell 20MOA one piece base with Burris 30mm rings. I used Brownells Acuglass to bed the action. After assembling everything I couldn't wait until I could take it to the range. Ended up with the following load. 41gr RL15 with Hornady 168gr BTHP. This thing shoots lights out. I use a Shooter Ridge Bi pod. On hard surfaces you will get hop. use a piece of carpet to dampen the hop.

Since you are talking about factory rifles and factory ammo and shooting groups... here is another one for you. And just so you know, the .312 is the tightest 5-shot group that I have ever shot in my life. Keep in mind here, the 1st 4 rounds are almost the same hole. The 5th shot felt like a good one too, but turned out to be off the mark.

Factory 10FPLE .308, factory barrel, factory Varmint Low Profile stock.

DK

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