Finally, a day without subfreezing temps and 40+ mph gusts! So, I took three of the four Savages, to the range.
More and more, I find myself shooting match bullets - Amaxes and SMK's. This was my first experience with the Speer 145 BTHP Match. The results were, for the most part, not impressive. IMR4895 is the only one which shot decently. I am not sure if I pulled the one flyer or if I'd just cleaned the barrel and forgot to shoot a fouler. So, I'll need to try a repeat on this load. The other two groups, with this bullet, were too bad to post (Varget and H414).


Spr145match_imr4350_Jan-19-2013 by beartooth91, on Flickr


Spr145match_imr4895_19-Jan-2013 by beartooth91, on Flickr

I'm very early on the barrel break-in, for my new '06. I have a total of twelve shots through the rifle. Since I'm cleaning every 3 shots; I'm not really trying much for load development. Still, this next group, while not great, shows the rifle and/or load may have potential. It was fired from a clean barrel and with new, un-fire-formed brass.

Hdy168amax_rl15_19-Jan-2013 by beartooth91, on Flickr

The .223 turned in a good day. I did a repeat of four different powder combinations, with the Hdy 52 AMax. In the past, I've seated these with a .020" jump. This time, they were seated at the lands. The H-Benchmark load isn't anything to write home about....

Hdy_52AMAX_benchmark_Jan-19-2013 by beartooth91, on Flickr
...But, H335 and IMR4895 are....

Hdy_52AMAX_h335_Jan-19-2013 by beartooth91, on Flickr

Hdy_52AMAX_imr4895_Jan-19-2013 by beartooth91, on Flickr

IMR4895 was not originally in my top five choices of powder. I finally bought a can, for the .223. But, I continue to be amazed how well this old powder shoots in a variety of cartridges. It shoots very well in my .243 and it was once a match load for the 30-'06 and .308.