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Thread: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

  1. #1
    jonrobinson
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    Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!


    So I bought my first Savage over 2 weeks ago. A 110 in .270 Win caliber. Through much help here I got the trigger
    adjusted and the action bedded. You can imagine my disappointment when I still could not get better than a
    1 1/2" group out of the gun. I tried both Remington core lock and Hornady Premium Super Shocker Tips.

    Well, I figured at least the Hornady's would shoot good. Should as much as they cost. Always have before in
    other guns. I was all but fixin' to go trade the gun back in for something else when I made a last ditch effort and
    tried some Federal Power Shock 130 grain soft points. These are the cheapest cartridges that Federal makes.

    The gun shot an honest 1/2" group at 100 yards. This floored me. I always would have thought that a ballistic tip
    design would shoot best.

    Anybody else have something similar happen?

    Jonrobinson

  2. #2
    82boy
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    I have had excellent luck with the winchester white box ammo, in 22/250 rifles.

  3. #3
    ellobo
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    Every rifle is different and will shoot better or not than another. For example, I rebarreled an older 110 from .30-06 to .35 Whelen. I used an A&B barrel from Midway, not exactly a match barrel. Did not bed the action, just made sure it was all free floated. I was very surprised when the first three shots at 100 yds went into 1 1/4 group. The next three were a group just under MOA. As were subsequent groups. This was done with cheap Remington green box 250 gr. loads. I handloaded some 200 gr. spirepoints with loads recommended in the book "Pet Loads". and they also shot sub MOA. Next up is some 225 gr. Your rifle may improve. Savages tend to shoot better dirty. Try it clean or dirty and see what happens. Sooner or later you will get to where you want to be.

    El Lobo

  4. #4
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    I have had great luck with Ultramax, shoots under MOA in my rifle consistently.

    Dolomite

  5. #5
    z71rat
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    Quote Originally Posted by dolomite_supafly
    I have had great luck with Ultramax, shoots under MOA in my rifle consistently.

    Dolomite
    +1 For my Savage as well. I have shot the best groups of my life with Ultramax... over and above even Federal Gold Metal Match.

    DK

  6. #6
    kenbo776
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    Yes, and I was using the very same ammo except in .308 Win. It was $10 a box when I first bought the Federal Powerpoint and I wish I had bought more back then. I got about the same results as you but I do seem to remember one group I fired at 200 yards that was like 3/4 inch. Since I cannot seem to find anymore at Walmart I have started to handload. Now I can get just as good groups but I sure wish I could find more Federal at Walmart.

  7. #7
    ToadHill
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    I have had the same experience. Federal Power shock ammo gives me 1" groups at 200 yards. The 111, 270 seems to really like this ammo.

  8. #8
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    My buddies 10FP .308 Mcmillian shoots excellent with the Ultramax 168's. $69.99 for a box of I don't know how many. Very accurate. We are saving his Fed Match stuff this Ultramax shoots so good.

  9. #9
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    I rebarreled a SA to 243, and used the cheapest federal load I could find to sight it in. This is one of the pathetic 3 shot groups I got at 100yds. The hole at the bottom, was shot, then the scope adjusted to the 3 shot hole at top center. This was with a stock Savage, sporter barrel.

    Sad part is I have not got ANY non lead offerings (now required here) to even come close. They have ranged 2"+.

    [img width=600 height=450]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n82/handirifle/DSCN1436.jpg[/img]

  10. #10
    barryb
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    I have to say that my Model 10FLCP-K works very very well with Federal 150gr stuff. It's the least expensive stuff I can find and I consistently shoot groups of 20 within 3/4" - no lie!

  11. #11
    EVOC ONE
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    Each of my 110 .270's shoot Federal Power Shok 130's very well. 1" groups are fairly consistant. They do as well with 130 gr Core Locts, but the Power Shoks are generally less expensive.

    :)

  12. #12
    jlcpls
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    I had a 308 that liked it cheap and sleazy.

    Hated Hornady custom though.

  13. #13
    kehighfield60
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    I have a savage 110 in 270 and it shoots 3/4 inch at 100 yards all day long. Also i have a savage 111 package gun that still has the cheap scope from when I bought it at dicks last year for 308.95 OUT THE DOOR easy 3/4 or less groups at 100 yards. My savage 10FCM scout rifle I bought when I was 13 or 14 shot some cheap federal ammo that I paid 12.00 a box for it 9 years ago then they discontinued it. Just started to hand load but its only for better bullet performance over accuracy. my savages love the cheap BLUE box ammo.

  14. #14
    Rifleman4910
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    Re: Anybody else's Savage shoot best with "cheap" ammo?!

    The Model 12 FV shots the Winnie white box 45 Gr. .5 in when I do my job. 35 shots at Yotes, 34 down and out. Longest shot so far 383 yrds, with many over 200 yrds. I do have a cardinal rule--no shots at running Yotes and yes I follow it. I think more Yotes are educated with poor shot selection than any thing else and I don't need them any smarter.

  15. #15
    Basic Member thebeav's Avatar
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    Ancient thread alert........

    but a good topic, so I resurrected it......
    I don't have a '110',but I have an axis II in .223. The gun likes cheaper ammo over the more expensive match stuff. I can get away with Hornady 'Frontier', Winchester 'White Box'.....even PMC stuff. I've tried some 1.25 to 1.75 per round stuff, not for this gun...... I don't plan to reload, so I'm fortunate....

  16. #16
    Team Savage wbm's Avatar
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    Remington Core Lokt shot best in my first 270. It was the cheapest and nothing except my hand loads shot better. Go figure!

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by jonrobinson View Post
    So I bought my first Savage over 2 weeks ago. A 110 in .270 Win caliber. Through much help here I got the trigger
    adjusted and the action bedded. You can imagine my disappointment when I still could not get better than a
    1 1/2" group out of the gun. I tried both Remington core lock and Hornady Premium Super Shocker Tips.

    Well, I figured at least the Hornady's would shoot good. Should as much as they cost. Always have before in
    other guns. I was all but fixin' to go trade the gun back in for something else when I made a last ditch effort and
    tried some Federal Power Shock 130 grain soft points. These are the cheapest cartridges that Federal makes.

    The gun shot an honest 1/2" group at 100 yards. This floored me. I always would have thought that a ballistic tip
    design would shoot best.

    Anybody else have something similar happen?

    Jonrobinson
    Glad you found something that shoots a 1/2-MOA at 100. I have 3 Savage rifles including a 110 in .270. I have also have a 12FV in .223 and a 110 Elite Precision in 6.5CM. As for my 110 in .270, I've only ever sighted the scope in with 3 or 4 rounds to get centered, and never shot a single group with it. It has however put 10 or more deer in the freezer, and I've never lost a deer I shot at with a 130gr Hornady SST. Most in fact are dead within 20 feet or so, and that SST is an absolute hammer. If your 110 is a pencil-barrel (sporter) model made primarily for hunting, it likely isn't going to shoot repeatable tiny 5-shot groups. It probably should shoot better than a 1.5" group though. It's purpose is "minute of deer" more so than sub-MOA. My 12FV in .223 has a 24" barrel that is heavy varmint profile and it will shoot groups in the .3" range all day with just about anything you feed it. The 110 Elite Precision gets hand-loaded match-grade bullets and it will shoot .3" groups all day long as fast as you want to send them. The stainless barrel on it tapers to 0.875" at the muzzle (just measured my 110 .270 and it is 0.585" at muzzle). That rifle will hit at 1-mile repeatably if the wind isn't crazy, and 1,500 yards and in is pretty much automatic. If you are shooting a 110 .270 with a sporter profile barrel, and you aren't spacing shots, I'd bet heat is your nemesis over the brand and grain-weight of the ammunition. Just my free $0.02 opinion, and not trying to be a butt...

  18. #18
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    Have Model 12 Target in 223 and it outshoots some Match ammo with Walmart Winchester value pack of 45 gr HP
    Bug sized hole groups. Problem is I can't find that ammo anymore.
    Down to half a box

  19. #19
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    That is what my experience with same gun and ammo is.
    Where can I find them? Walmart don't have em anymore

    Quote Originally Posted by Rifleman4910 View Post
    The Model 12 FV shots the Winnie white box 45 Gr. .5 in when I do my job. 35 shots at Yotes, 34 down and out. Longest shot so far 383 yrds, with many over 200 yrds. I do have a cardinal rule--no shots at running Yotes and yes I follow it. I think more Yotes are educated with poor shot selection than any thing else and I don't need them any smarter.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by thebeav View Post
    but a good topic, so I resurrected it......
    I don't have a '110',but I have an axis II in .223. The gun likes cheaper ammo over the more expensive match stuff. I can get away with Hornady 'Frontier', Winchester 'White Box'.....even PMC stuff. I've tried some 1.25 to 1.75 per round stuff, not for this gun...... I don't plan to reload, so I'm fortunate....
    110 Storm in .223. Can`t say it " prefers " the cheap stuff. 55 grain PMC Bronze FMJ range fodder is pretty inconsistent with an occasional sub-MOA group but most 1.0-1.5 or so. Remington 55 grain all over the place. Frontier OTM in 55 and 68 grain will shoot consistent sub-MOA groups as will Hornady, Nosler and Barnes flat base hunting loads.

  21. #21
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    I won a 110 around 2005 in 270 that shoots the 130 grain Remington Core-Lokts into 3/4" consistently, and that's for five shots, not three. I hunt with Federal 130 grain TSXs, though, and they group around an inch for three shots, which is more than good enough for the hunting I do. It's the most accurate rifle I own, although I can't say I've thoroughly wrung out every rifle I own, but it's the one that turned me on to Savages. I currently own six (?), and have played with a couple others that I later sold.

  22. #22
    Basic Member thebeav's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by olegburn View Post
    Have Model 12 Target in 223 and it outshoots some Match ammo with Walmart Winchester value pack of 45 gr HP
    Bug sized hole groups. Problem is I can't find that ammo anymore.
    Down to half a box
    I was at Cabelas this morning, just to check the .223 ammo situation. They had Winchester 45 gr HP ammo, lots of it. I don't remember the price, but it must have not been very good as I didn't buy any. I would like to try it also. It was probably around a buck a pop.

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