Finally, 500 yards on paper, so I could see where I am hitting...

and I am pretty happy! 15F ambient, 6000 ft altitude, but absolutely calm, which is good for me. I shot one group at 300, made a 0.1 mil windage correction, but did it in the wrong direction, so the scope was unintentionally dialed in 0.2 mil right, which is about where they hit.

http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms...EE505162-S.jpg

Edit--Distance was 500 meters, not yards.

This is from a stock new Model 10 FCP-K with a Bushnell DMR 3.5-21x50 G2DMR scope, on a bipod and bag with a very green shooter behind the trigger...as evidenced by the dial in error.

This rifle/scope/ammo combination is phenomenal.

Joe

Very nice I wish I could shoot like that.

Dean

Impressive.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe L

and I am pretty happy! 15F ambient, 6000 ft altitude, but absolutely calm, which is good for me. I shot one group at 300, made a 0.1 mil windage correction, but did it in the wrong direction, so the scope was unintentionally dialed in 0.2 mil right, which is about where they hit.

http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms...EE505162-S.jpg

This is from a stock new Model 10 FCP-K with a Bushnell DMR 3.5-21x50 G2DMR scope, on a bipod and bag with a very green shooter behind the trigger...as evidenced by the dial in error.

This rifle/scope/ammo combination is phenomenal.

Joe

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we all have done that but most will not admit to it..I have and will admit it lol

I corrected my original post, except for the photo. Distance was 500 meters or 547 yards, not 500 yards. I couldn't figure out why the elevation hold needed to be so much more than I had calculated. Problem was I had assumed the berms at this ranger were at 500 yards and 300 yards, with a 300 yard zero, and actual was 500 meters with a 300 meter zero. Another newbie mistake.

Joe

Went back out this morning to see if yesterday was a fluke. It wasn't. However, it was warmer today and I dialed in 0.2 mil less elevation and that was a mistake. Should have left it alone. Group size was excellent for me, however. I can't believe a relatively inexpensive rifle is this repeatable at almost any range with box ammo. (Rem Premier Match 168 SMK.)

http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms...12-30-12-S.jpg

This is fun.

Joe

Good shooting!

Dan-thanks, I'm a happy Savage owner.

Today, I built up the cheek weld, leveled the sight level, small change, ran three dry patches through the bore, and worked on getting more comfortable behind the gun in prone.

I learned over the weekend that the parallax adjustment is critical to getting good groups and that the parallax adjustment on this Bushnell scope is very sensitive. I'll be paying more attention to parallax and to proper cheek placement and comfort in the future. Overall a milestone weekend for me getting some experience at over 500 yards.

Joe

You are shooting awesome. A lighter trigger will tighten those groups up. At 500 meters distances pulling a 26 inch barrel .010" can open the groups 7 inches if my math is correct.

Stangfish--thanks. Trigger pull from the factory on the Accutrigger is 2lb-8oz. It is almost too light for me now! I shoot pistols with 3 lb triggers out to 50 yards. I can't imagine lowering the trigger pull much on this rifle. How low do people go on these things?

Joe

Depends on how much enfluence their trigger hand has on their groups. I provide a rifle for a special Marine in our local F/TR matches. He has not refined his trigger hand and I shoot 3 inch smaller groups at 600 than he does with the same rifle. So more appropriately I should have asked if your trigger hand was having an effect on your groups. The other things are your loads/reloading process and es on your loads. What power scope? There really is nothing wrong with it though. How long have you been shooting that distance?

I prefer around 1 pound trigger pull for .308 F/TR but 2 is still acceptable.

Good shooting Joe.

I can really only recommend one thing, assuming you haven't already done it. Either buy a log book, make your own, or just keep a notebook with all the data you're gathering in it. Especially the distance, angle up/down to target, wind speed and direction, temp, barometric pressure (if you can get it), ammo used, scope corrections required, etc. Basically no detail is too small to add. Eventually you'll have enough data that you can go out in virtually any condition and at least make an educated guess as to what will happen before ever firing a round.

As for the trigger pull weight, I've come to settle on 2lb 8oz, for all my long range rifles (and my hunting rifles too, FWIW). Several years ago I got into the trap of trying to go lighter and lighter on the trigger, but after a while I noticed I was shooting worse. What I'd actually started doing was just punching the trigger because it was so light I didn't really have a "feel" for it. I tried every pull weight from 2oz up to almost 4lb. After a lot of trial and error I settled on 2lb 8oz because, for me at least, it's not overly heavy but it's heavy enough that I have a good feel for what the trigger and my finger are doing. Of course a BR rifle that's fully supported is a whole different animal, but for more common shooting scenerios like most people do, I've become a believer that you can go so light on the trigger that your shooting form suffers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe L

I can't believe a relatively inexpensive rifle is this repeatable at almost any range with box ammo. (Rem Premier Match 168 SMK.)

http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms...12-30-12-S.jpg

This is fun.

Joe

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Welcome to the world of Savage!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stangfish

...if your trigger hand was having an effect on your groups. The other things are your loads/reloading process and es on your loads. What power scope? There really is nothing wrong with it though. How long have you been shooting that distance?

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Stangfish--I have a pretty well educated trigger finger, which is why I tend to like a 3 lb trigger. I want to feel the sear. I don't reload. Scope is a 3.5-21x50 Bushnell DMR with a G2DMR reticle. I haven't been shooting this distance long. You have photos of 40% of the groups I have shot, so 25 rounds at 500 meters is it. Shot my first paper at 500 meters last Saturday. Previous longest was 300 yards, I think I have maybe 40 rounds at that distance. I am green, very green.

Joe

Quote:

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Originally Posted by squirrelsniper

Good shooting Joe.

I can really only recommend one thing, assuming you haven't already done it. Either buy a log book, make your own, or just keep a notebook with all the data you're gathering in it. Especially the distance, angle up/down to target, wind speed and direction, temp, barometric pressure (if you can get it), ammo used, scope corrections required, etc. Basically no detail is too small to add. Eventually you'll have enough data that you can go out in virtually any condition and at least make an educated guess as to what will happen before ever firing a round.

As for the trigger pull weight, I've come to settle on 2lb 8oz, for all my long range rifles (and my hunting rifles too, FWIW). Several years ago I got into the trap of trying to go lighter and lighter on the trigger, but after a while I noticed I was shooting worse. What I'd actually started doing was just punching the trigger because it was so light I didn't really have a "feel" for it. I tried every pull weight from 2oz up to almost 4lb. After a lot of trial and error I settled on 2lb 8oz because, for me at least, it's not overly heavy but it's heavy enough that I have a good feel for what the trigger and my finger are doing. Of course a BR rifle that's fully supported is a whole different animal, but for more common shooting scenerios like most people do, I've become a believer that you can go so light on the trigger that your shooting form suffers.

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Thank you very much for your reply. I have started keeping a log book. My Kestrel weather station will get here tomorrow, so I should be able to keep much more accurate data.

My trigger pull experience is similar to yours. I have heavied up some of my pistol triggers to get a better feel for when they are "prepped". On the pistols, much less than 3 lb is too light, but I can shoot up to a 5 lb trigger just fine. My preference is 3.0-3.5 lbs on the pistols. I do all my own sear/hammer/spring work on my SIG DA/SA triggers.

I think I will leave the rifle trigger pull where it is. Cheek weld, scope level, and parallax are what I need to refine and become consistent with right now.

Joe

Got the Kestrel, going to a new range at a different altitude and temperature level this weekend. Now if I can just find some more Rem Prem Match 168 gr ammo! Maybe I'll have to find something else that shoots as well in this rifle.

Joe

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe L

Got the Kestrel, going to a new range at a different altitude and temperature level this weekend. Now if I can just find some more Rem Prem Match 168 gr ammo! Maybe I'll have to find something else that shoots as well in this rifle.

Joe

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where in West Texas do you reside/shoot?

Live in Midland, TX, shoot at Midland Shooters Association range, about 19 miles from my house. Paper out to 300 yards, steel out to 520 yards. Great range.

I've shot the rifle some more. Parallax adjustment is still my main problem. The Bushnell scope is good, but very fine adjusments for parallax are difficult, at least for me. Adding a spacer under the cheek pad made getting a good sight picture other than parallax much easier. The level also should help become more consistent. I still have some learning to do, that's for sure.

Joe

awesome, I can't wait to get mine out!