Finally did some shooting with my Hog Hunter .223
Couldn't get away for a full day from the family but got away for a few hours to the local indoor range today.
While it was only 50m I decided it would at least be a good start to testing this 480.00 rifle.
So my criteria was a inexpensive rifle (600.00 max) with a decent trigger, non wood stock, iron sights, heavier threaded barrel, and in .223.
I have a AR in .223, sold my .308 as it was just too expensive to shoot, the recoil got tiring after a full day of shooting, and as I only pest .308 while a better long range choice I just asked myself will I really ever shoot past 500 yards and no I won't so now I have a common ammo for 2 rifles. :)
My choice came down to Tikka, Ruger, Mossberg, Vanguard, and Savage Axis and Hog Hunter.
I liked the Tikka the best but did not like the lack of heavy threaded barrel and metal back up sights. The Ruger is great but just too much money and lacked a threaded barrel, the Vanguard was nice but also lacked a threaded heavy barrel, and while the Mossberg had me won the sloppy gritty unproven bolt design and plastic fragile front sights turned me off.
Not much left to choose and when I found a new Savage Hog Hunter for 479.00 CDN I thought well let's check it out. :)
Now I only had a cheap Barska scope and cheap 10.00 scope rings but thought I would see how the Savage did.
Pros:
Awesome predictable trigger
Heavy tough barrel and all metal sights
Accurate
Shoulders nice
Threaded muzzle allowed for a muzzle break
Floated barrel
Low recoil and controllable maintained sight picture as opposed to my .308
Cons:
A tad heavy but the heavy barrel is a must for a field rifle in my mind
the stock is cheap but did the job
Miss the mag option thumb got sore after 300 rounds being loaded
So the overall experience was great after 300 shots no fatigue, and while it is not and will never be a 800.00 to 1500.00 bolt action this rifle is capable of good accuracy. I just used mostly cheap loads some crap and of course better quality 75 grain Hornady. This stuff felt pretty hot when shooting but grouped well when I took my time.
This is the 1st time I have been bench shooting in years and I really needed a decent set of bags and a rest as the while I did okay I could have tightened up the groups as it was noisy in there and I was moving a bit due to using bipod.
I made a note of the other .308, .243, .44 mag, and SKS shooters and I must say my groups using the 75 grainers was pretty respectable to the other expensive glassed pretty wood bolt actions.
Anyways going to save up for some decent rings and go to a 3.5-10 M1 scope and put my Barska back on my .22 and may do a mag upgrade later.
Here are a few pics:
http://i.imgur.com/XDMfoJq.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/F3EzMKO.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/5KAnTe0.jpg
So before everyone says 50m is no test and a joke it was all I had access to and like I said I saw some pretty crappy groups being shot by other high end guns as well so let's see what 100, 200, and 300mshooting yields after I get some better rings and glass.
Randy
