Reply With QuoteCool.
Do you reload?
Took my new 243 predator max to range for first shots. Was very pleased with the accuracy out of the box. Shot federal fusion 95 gr at .75 moa. Was very surprised that hornady gmx 80 gr shot < .50 moa. The gmx would frequently get two of three shot groups in same hole. I would have expected the lead to do better than gmx. Given it seemed to like the hornady Ammo, going to try the 95 gr ssts. I would expect the SSTs to shoot at least as good as the GMX.
Cool.
Do you reload?
Very cool.
I'm thinking about picking one of these up as a dual purpose long range and hunting gun. Hoping that it likes the 105gr A-max for 1,000 yard shooting.
No, I don't reload, but I am thinking about starting . Especially with ammo so hard to come by these days. I was using factory federal fusions and hornady gmx s for the break in.
According to studies...It' is now officially broke in. Shoot away.
I took the few hijacked posts out of this thread and put them into their own topic of conversation, that way it doesnt interfere with yours.
Sounds like another good shooting Savage you got there. Congrats
”I have a very strict gun control policy: if there’s a gun around, I want to be in control of it.”
~Clint Eastwood
Sorry about the hijack, but I couldn't see any way that a 105 Amax was going to work in the standard barrel. That was the reason why I went to the 1:8 with Ackley chamber. It sounds like I was not clear enough about my reasons for posting about my barrel. It seems that there is basically no way to get a 1:8 or faster twist from the factory, so one has to choose your base rifle and go from there. Looks like I need to be sure to put the "why" in as well as the "what".
I just got my new predator 243 out of the box and did the break in , the questions I have befor I reload is what do the 55 gr bullets do in this rifle and where can I get an extended mag ?, can I bed this composite stock ? I ended my break in with some 100 gr federal power shock, with an unimpressive 1 3/4 three shot group. I have some Nosler 70 gr BT varmit bullets also.
Good shooting and thanks for sharing factory ammo performance.
A bullet I found that shoots great in the .243 is the 95gr Sierra Match King. I used to shoot the 105 Amax in the standard twist 1-9.25 Savage barrels...no problems. Once I found the 95 Sierra and coupled it with Hodgdon Hybrid 100V, it shot bug holes and was moving at 3000fps out of 22" barrels. So I just quit loading for anything else except the 85gr Sierra HPBT for deer hunting. In years of hunting and lots of deer I never had one go further than 20 yards after being hit with that bullet.
yup. and for varmints i shoot a 60 grain sierra hollowpoint. ridiculous velocities and great accuracy
Have you shot the A-max at long distances out of a 1-9.25 Savage? If so what were your results like?Originally Posted by wbm
Match king or game king?
I found a neat link to an analysis of the 105gr Amax here : http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/105Amax.html
They show clearly that even in a "real" 1:9 barrel the stability ranges from 1.34 (best case) to 1.01 (worst case) with a Nominal of 1.17. Acceptable stability requires a value of 1.4
So I would have to guess that a 105gr A max out of a 9.25 twist Savage barrel is going to provide unreliable performance, even if one can get it to "just" work under certain conditions (mid summer, 95% humidity).
There are many stories of the 105gr Amax NOT grouping from 9.25 twist barrels. Those who do get them to group are probably operating at dangerous pressure levels to drive them fast enough.
Get an 8 twist barrel and you should be fine.
I have not tried a-max. I think a 1:8.25 twist should deliver a 1.41 stability value for the 105 amax.
I use the 105 amax and 105 berger in my predator max out to 1,000 yds. I use HV100.
This was with a 105 target bullet I tried to see if it would work. It works. I now shoot the 105 hunting vld with 1/2 grain less powder and a higher fps.
I have. The techs at Hornady give it 600 yards in that barrel before they "wobble" but I don't know. Never shot them past 400.Have you shot the A-max at long distances out of a 1-9.25 Savage? If so what were your results like?
In any case, the 95 Sierra moves faster has a fairly good BC and is very accurate.
Here is my data. Yes it is confirmed and yes it makes Remington builders mad.
Is yours a 24" Predator Max 1 with factory .243 barrel?
Here is my data. Yes it is confirmed and yes it makes Remington builders mad.
I'm ready to order a .260 remington, but if I can get the .243 to fly like that i'd lean towards it.
Have you tried that load in winter yet ? The increased air density has quite a big impact on stability. I need a load that works at 20F or lower at at 1000ft elevation. Obviously at 8000 ft it will work better, but I don't hunt at that altitude yet. How about clarifying the altitude at your location ?
How's the terminal performance of the amax? I'd assume adequate or you wouldn't be using right? Have you experienced any failures on game? I'd assume it would be more of potential issue close in than at range?
My winter shooting is mainly at deer but I do shoot at range to verify poi.
I'm at 285 ft. so there is quiet a bit of difference between us. I basically only use Bergers in the 243 and 260 for hunting. I use the 178 amax in a 308. It is excellent for deer. I don't use 140 amax in 260 for deer. It doesn't perform well in this caliber. All 243 amax kills were neck shots and did their job.
Yes mine is the max 1 with 24" barrel. I have the 12 LRP in the 260. Bought the 243 for my daughter but I took it over!
So here are 2 calculations run with Bergers own stability calculator based on data you have provided
summer conditions as reported
Winter conditions assuming 20f ambient
What I can say is that my own model 12 LPV with its 26" barrel was not driving the 95gr bergers well enough to group as well as the 95gr SST's I had been shooting.
If we make that comparison, the 95 gr VLD is in the marginal stability range whereas the SST is at 1.5 due to being shorter.
I'm afraid there was guaranteed no way I could be running a 105gr VLD here in MI in our winter conditions, and I do a lot of my testing in winter so that I have no surprises. In summer I shoot my 223 and 8x57 to stay in practice...
What gets me is the 260 with the 1-8 twist that is suppose to shoot the 140's will not. (my rifle)
The 130 berger in it is a very bad boy. I'm not disputing any data,by any means, but the gun made to shoot a certain bullet won't and the one not made for it will.
One other note on my 243, the blue box Federal 100 grains will one hole. Cheap, accurate, and I load 100 grain Sierra Gamekings to match it with the used brass. What's not to like.
Members who have read this thread in the last 1 days: 0
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks