Happy Savage 10-FCP-K owner, sub 4" groups at 545 yards with box ammo

I have had a 10-FCP-K since Thanksgiving 2012. I'm primarily a SIG/CZ pistol shooter, but I have tried to learn to shoot the Savage at 500+ yards when I can. This model comes with a muzzle brake that works well, but isn't allowed in an F-class match. We have a local club match at 520 yards once/month and I will enter one this month or next.

We've also had the ammo availability problems, so I get zeroed and comfortable with one brand and bullet weight and then run out.

Last week I received a 200 round order of Federal Gold Medal Match with 168 gr Sierra Match King bullets. I took the muzzle brake off the gun and zeroed it at 100 yards, drove to the 500 m range, guessed at the muzzle velocity, dialed in 3.9 mils, shot high (off paper), dialed in 3.2 mils elevation, 0.3 mil right, shot 3 rounds 5" low and 2" right, dialed in 3.4 mils elevation and 0.1 mils right, and shot a 4 round group .1 mil left.

http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms...EE505262-M.jpg

I also checked the calculater versus hits at 300 yards this morning. It was close but also a little high. If I increased the muzzle velocity entry to 2730 fps for this round (Fed GMMK 168), the calculator predicts what it took for the dial in to hit center at both 300 and 545 yards.

I am a green bolt gun shooter. I never thought I would be able to shoot two sub 4" groups at this distance, especially with a relatively inexpensive box stock rifle and factory box ammo. This combination is phenomenal. This Savage rifle is simply fantastic.

It took me a while to learn to dial in the parallax correction properly on my 3.5-21x50 Bushnell HDMR scope. In previous sessions, I had trouble shooting less than 12" groups at this distance. My problem was the parallax adjustment. No problem after I took the time to learn how to dial in the parallax from infinity to shooting distance and never reversing directions. This is not necessarily a scope problem, this shooter has had cataract surgery in both eyes, and a detached retina repair in one eye.

Joe,
Happy Savage owner

Joe,
For a beginning shooter you are doing fine. I have that same rifle (in LH) that Savage gave me several years ago, it's a fine and inherently accurate rifle. As far as mechanics of the rifle look up "Proper Adjustment of The AccuStock " by Chris Bezzina of Savage Arms. Chris was the man at Savage that presented me with my 10-FLCP-K and included the "white paper" with it. For me after working the adjustment I went from out of the box groups of 3/4 inches to bug holes at 200 yards.

The more you shoot the better you'll get ad as you learn more and shoot at longer distances you will realize reading wind factors will tighten your groups the most...elevation is the easy part.

ODA 0121--Thanks for the note. I haven't touched the stock or the trigger yet. I'll look up the article and check mine.

I was able to go back to the same range this morning and shoot 10 rounds at 545 yds. This time I moved to the dirt next to the concrete pad where there was some up hill slope, laid the mat down and shot very comfortably prone. The winds were picking up so I got a little practice at the wind. As you suggested, elevation is the easy part. First group was under-corrected 5" to the left, second group was over-corrected 3" to the right. I hurried the second group so I had a little more vertical spread than the first.

What did I learn? A 2 mph change in the 2-8 mph range moves the hit about 2", and I can't judge wind very well! In West Texas, in the Spring, this will be a challenge. I've watched the F-class guys shoot in a 10-30 mph gusty wind before.

I am absolutely sure as a result of this weekend's experience, that the ammo/rifle/scope are good to go. Shooter needs work. Thanks for your recommendations. Wind is where I need to work next.

Joe

Joe, are you near Lubbock??
paperboy98

Joe,

You give me hope. I have a FCP I bought in December and due to it being rather snowy up here I haven't got to shoot it.

I saw Ruidosa on your target. Is that on the Rio Grand south of Marfa? Years ago I was a bicycle tour with my brother and he talked me in to heading further to Ruidosa and taking a ranch road he saw on a map rather than turning north at Presidio.

I hope you get good at reading winds, it sure was windy in April that year.

Szumi

I live in Midland, TX, about 110 miles south of Lubbock, but get to spend some time in Ruidoso, NM, west of Roswell. Not sure about Ruidosa on the Rio Grande south of Marfa.

I couldn't have had a better weekend with the bolt gun. Calm days are easy. Gusty winds? I'm still a beginner.

Joe

Here is the target for Sunday's outing, shooting prone instead of off the bench. Would have been 10 rounds out of ten instead of 9 if I had not have second guessed myself and not held off for one of the circled first group rounds. I had calculated a 0.15 mil (3") hold for a 4 mph wind for the first group. The results indicated the wind was closer to 8 mph. So I dialed in for an 8 mph wind for the second group (shots are boxed) but the wind had dropped to 6 mph while shooting, apparently. The second (boxed) group would have been tighter if I had slowed down some, instead of trying to shoot before the wind changed.

http://joelynch.smugmug.com/Firearms...EE505265-M.jpg

Sorry about the cluttered target, will shoot one string per target and transfer notes after I photograph next time.

Obviously, I am very happy with the gun/scope/ammo combination. I just need to learn how to judge wind.

Joe