Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
I purchased Savage model 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39 last year and wanted to update everyone and provide a short review. Bottom line: I like it.
I am shooting 150 grain CT Partition golds at about 2300 FPS which allows me to maintain 1000 foot pounds of energy out to about 225 - 250 yards. Plenty of range for PA whitetail conditions.
I played with the trigger and have it down to about 2.5 pounds right now. Light, but not too light for hunting.
The accustock it came with was fine for hunting. It works well and is weather resistant, so hunting in the rain did not worry me. I did add a second sling swivel mount because the internal aluminum channel of the accustock was already drilled and threaded for it. All I had to do was to drill through the plastic and screw in the machine screw of the sling swivel mount.
The factory rear sight is simply a Williams aperture sight with no insert. I purchased an adjustable aperture for the rear peep sight. It helps with varying light conditions. I shot a small doe at about 80 yards this past hunting season. No trophy, but really good eating; tender and not gamey at all.
After hunting season, I replaced the front sight with a Williams "fire sight;" same height, but red fiber optic. It should help with the dusk and dawn light conditions. I had tried painting the original brass bead white, and although that helped a bit, the firesight seems to help more. I also purchased a hood for the sight so I don't break it by banging against a tree or big branch in the woods.
Although I did load development with a low power LER scope, I took the scope off to hunt with and can still shoot about a 4-6" group off the bench at 200 yards with the iron sights.
I also slugged the bore (used a 32 wadcutter [314" diameter] as the slug), and confirmed, as I thought, that it is a 308" bore, not a .311".
That's all I can think of right now. Questions? Ask and I'll try to answer.
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
I am interested in your rifle/ caliber. combination. I am wondering do you handload usin .308 diameter bullets or do you shoot the .310-.311 factory loaded ammo? I would be interested in a rifle like this with a true .308 bore for the wide bulwt offerings capbility when hand loading. How does she group at 100 with scope?
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
Quote:
Originally Posted by leatherlunger
I am interested in your rifle/ caliber. combination. I am wondering do you handload usin .308 diameter bullets or do you shoot the .310-.311 factory loaded ammo? I would be interested in a rifle like this with a true .308 bore for the wide bulwt offerings capbility when hand loading. How does she group at 100 with scope?
I handloaded using .308 caliber bullets. I loaded up some 150 grain Combined Technology Partition Golds that I had and along with 4895 was able to get about 2MOA 5 shot group at 200 yards with the scope (1.5-4 power). That was good enough for deer hunting season, and I was running out of time, so I didn't do additional load development. Since then, I have purchased some Accurate Arms 1680 and will try to see what I can work up with that powder.
I have shot some Wolf and Herters factory (.311") ammo, both the 123 grain and the 154 grain. They gave me no problems, and are minute of deer accurate at 100 yards, but as expected, accuracy is nothing to write home about with the cheap ammo. They do function just fine in the rifle, however.
I am fairly certain that I am nowhere near the accuracy potential of this rifle, especially considering the reports that others have posted about their accuracy results. However, I did not purchase it to be a long range competition rifle. I will eventually continue with load development as time permits and see what I can make it do with iron sights.
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
I am impressed with your results. I am looking at either the mini 30 tactical or the savage acout you have. Iwould like to have a nice scout rifle that I can feed third world ammo in a pinch or handload for normal target/hunting/plinking. Thank you for your review. How easy was the front and rear sight upgrades?
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
Quote:
Originally Posted by leatherlunger
I am impressed with your results. I am looking at either the mini 30 tactical or the savage acout you have. Iwould like to have a nice scout rifle that I can feed third world ammo in a pinch or handload for normal target/hunting/plinking. Thank you for your review. How easy was the front and rear sight upgrades?
The rear sight aperture I purchased was this one (one with a shorter shank would have worked just as well):
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/663...s-sights-black
The rear sight aperture simply screws into the threaded rear sight opening. A little locktite so it does not fall out and you are good to go.
The front sight I purchased was this one:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/685...iber-optic-red
I did purchase the williams sight-pusher tool to remove the old sight and install the new one. (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/732...t-sight-pusher)
I also purchased a small triangular file with fine teeth and sanded off one side so I could file one side of the dovetail without changing the other side.
the front sight installation took a little hand filing to make it fit, but was not hard. I went slowly and carefully to make sure I did not bugger up the sight, ramp or barrel.
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
Ithank you for those updates I need to get my project going.
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
do you have any pictures o the completed project?
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
Here are a bunch of photos. They don't look too interesting because for the most part my rifle looks almost stock.
Here's an overall photo of the rifle:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J...%2520Scout.JPG
Here's a closeup showing the adjustable rear sight aperture:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-q...ure%2520AA.JPG
Here is a closeup showing the front sight, a Williams Firesight, along with an open sight hood so that I don't break it going through the woods:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-I...d%2520hood.JPG
The sight hood is this one:
http://media.midwayusa.com/productim...372/372740.jpg
I like to fill in my roll marks and printing with stick paint. Here's the right side of the rifle:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B...ks%25201AA.JPG
Here's the left side:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6...arks%25202.JPG
Here is a photo showing the two sling swivel studs. (The rear one is the one I installed.):
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F...2520swivel.JPG
Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. No matter what I did, I had difficulty getting the black on black to show up well.
I hope these photos are helpful.
I purchased this rifle to have an easily maneuverable rifle for the wooded areas in which I primarily hunt. It is not a 1000 yard bench rifle, nor it is designed to be.
I am still playing around with loads. I recently was able to get some Accurate 1680, so I will do some testing with that and 150 grain partitions. Eventually I may work up a 220 grain subsonic round, but that will have to wait a while.
Re: Savage 10 FCM Scout in 7.62x39: review
That is a really sweet setup man. The beauty of its is the fine print and often overlooke attention to detail. That may well be the nicest 7.62x39 scout rifle i have seen. I must have one! Thank you for all the specs and part descriptions, I will be putting one together soon.
