Lololo....true that
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One of the guys at work gave me some of his handloads to try. The soft point spitzers did not deliver. The 55 gr Hornady ballistic tips over 26 gr of Varget did. So, I loaded up my 55 gr Nosler ballistic tips over 26 gr of Varget and got lousy results. Started thinking about the difference in bullets. I called him and verifed that the Hornadys that he loaded are flat base, mine are boat tails. I've bought a box of flat base and have loaded up several different loads and am waiting for the weather to settle down so that I can hit the range.
Online 'wisdom' is that some barrels like flat bases more that the boat tails. Maybe, I've literally been chasing my tail. I'll post here again after my next trip to the range.
I went to the range with Hornady 55 Gr V-max flat base bullets over H335. I had loads as follows 26, 26.3, 26.5, 26.7, 26.9, and 27 grains. 26 was nice, 26.3 gave me a 4 shot group that was 1/2 inch center to center and chronographed at 3323 fps average with only a 29fps spread. If I understand correctly that is 1/2 MOA. WooHoo! This gun can shoot! Above 26.3 grains the groups opened up again. 26.9 showed some stress but the extra tenth actually caused a couple of primers to punch through at 27 grains.
I loaded up some more of the flat base bullets and also loaded some of the 55gr ballistic tip Nosler boattails at the same load of 26.3 grains. I plan to hit the range again in the morning to see if the gun likes the boat tails over that same powder charge or if it really does prefer the flat base bullets.
I also installed a Savage AccuTrigger target spring. I recently learned that Savage offers such a thing and promptly ordered one. It came today and I installed it and it also made a world of difference. If you have an AccuTrigger and want to lighten it considerably I suggest that you get one of these springs.
Idaho, where did you get the target spring? I was thinking of getting the varmint trigger spring to lighten mine up a bit. Don't know that I want it as light as the target trigger, but maybe your source has them both. Thanks.
Scratch that...I just saw that I got an answer to another thread you mentioned it on as well. Thanks!
Yup...neighbors
Update. I've ordered a McGowen barrel just today. It will be a 26 inch varmint barrel with 1-8 twist. That twist rate should shoot 55 to 75 grain bullets with ease. The barrel is a Savage prefit so all I need is for a gunsmith to screw it into the action and set headspace. In the meantime while I'm waiting on the barrel I'm going to work on the stock to open the barrel channel. Right now I don't know if the barrel will come in a week or 16 weeks but at least I have a plan.
If you are feeling really frisky order the tools and a go gauge and do the barrel swap yourself... if you ever decide to do it again you'll be set up and its really pretty easy to do. This, of course, will open an entire new can of worms because then you'll be into the realm of walking through pawn shops looking for old beater rifles to supply donor actions for your next "idea". I just finished a build and haven't even gotten my scope delivered yet and already am eyeing a 110 in 300 win mag at a local pawn shop; they want $300 for it... which seems like a steal until I add a 28" shilen barrel and a XLR chassis along with new dies and dura coat and new brass and new...... maybe I need to see an addiction counselor?
This is painful. The McGowan barrel arrived on July 3rd. I got a new barrel nut and recoil lug from NSS the following Monday and immediately verified that the nut would fit on the barrel. (there are lots of posts about nuts not fitting on McGowan barrels) Then I went to work on the barrel channel in the stock and opened it up enough to fit the heavy varmint barrel. Then I took everything and dropped it off to my gunsmith; he's backlogged for a month. UGH. I can't wait to get my hands on the rebuilt rifle. 26 inch varmint barrel with a 1 -8 twist. I plan to follow a rigorous break in period just because it won't hurt and I want to get the max results. One shot, clean, one shot, clean, one shot clean. Two shots, clean etc. I'm looking for a ragged hole at 100. God help me if I don't get it.