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Well I did 2 things never thought I would do the last day of 2016.
I bought a new gun. As in I expected to actually shoot it without completely building it first. I buy cheap Savages in pawnshops and then screw on real barrels, put them in a real stock and spend about 20 hrs getting them how I like. I haven't bought and shot a STOCK rig in 20+ yrs. Haven't shot a stock barrel in 20+ yrs. Well now I have!
I also bought a 338 Lapua. I have run 338-378, 338-416, 340 Weatherby and lately the Edge. Never thought I would buy a Lapua due to the FANBOY issue AND brass cost. Well guess what? BRASS for any RUM based rig is now more $$$ per shot and WAAAAAAY harder to find than Lapua brass. Oh and RP brass, Nosler and even Norma SUCKS compared to Lapua.
It was hard for me to buy this rig. What can I do to improve it? IDK. Probably nothing except another barrel when I burn this one to cinders. I will tear it down and bed it, see if the action, bolt, lugs or nut needs work but I'm pretty sure from looking at the surfaces that they wont. Someone built this thing really well.
The trigger is within a very small step of a Jewell, yeah I know BLASPHEMY. Of course I can buy another one of these for the price of 3 installed Jewells so there is that.
Bought 100 pieces of brass (weighed 20 and got tired of looking at the same number on the scale). More fun to sort RP brass into 13 different lots.
Loaded H1000 from 88 to 92 in .5gr increments into virgin brass (No prep, have you seen this stuff lol). Pretty close to my Edge loads.
92gr ran 2820 with zero pressure at 50 degrees.
All 50 shots went into 1.25" while I was learning the gun and the 6 oz trigger. It's a tad harder to shoot than my usual 40lb 338 so I'm OK with that with a 4gr powder spread, no break in and 20 mph wind.
Gun is very well put together for a $1000 rig.
I would say this is the most LRH effective rig ever produced for this kind of money. I have been hesitant of the Lapua on a Savage platform and yet now I wish I had done this 2 Edges ago. I couldn't build this much gun for $1k with a $500 head start.
If you have thought of wanting a 338 and shied away due to cost, this is your rig. I won't spend $3k on a gun. I used to drag race and rich guys would write big checks for fast cars and then have to pay someone to drive them. It isn't what you spend, it's what you can do with it that matters.
Of all of the guns on the market, in all of the many different niches out there, I really believe this rig is the most bang for the buck that I have EVER seen.
If you have been dreaming of running 300gr pills past 2750 but haven't robbed a bank lately, go buy one of these and go have some fun and kill some stuff. Make 2017 the YEAR OF THE LAPUA and never look back!
Happy New years and hope everyone had as great of a 1st day as I did. I haven't been impressed by a stock rig in over 30 yrs and never thought I would be, just glad I was the one who bought one and not the guy at the next bench over.
Pics!
I looked at that one before settling on a 110 FCP. Wanted a magazine. Almost bought the stealth but the longer barrel won that argument. Used to own a 50BMG so this will be nice to reload for. Will be loading Hornady 285 ELD-M. Picked up some Retumbo and H1000. Heard its pretty close. ***** finding primers though. Yeah, where are the PICS! Mine comes in tomorrow.
Savage 10 FCP-SR 308, 300BO PCS
Savage action with a Lapua case scared me UNTIL I took a closer look at this thing. I have built hundreds of Savages for myself, friends and even for resale. I am a super Savage fan but had always felt the case was just a bit much for this action.
Well this action IS NOT a regular Savage LA in so many ways.
I cannot believe the build quality on it. 100% cannot believe it.
I can almost 100% guarantee you that Savage is barely breaking even on these rigs. They are building these to boost the image of the company and sell more Axis and mid level stuff.
I have been in the automotive industry most of my life and the factories always build a flagship model and usually lose money on them just for branding purposes. This looks like a case of that to me.
I'm pretty sure that with the lack of availability of RUM brass AND the quality of this gun that I will quit building Savages, buy these and build 7mm-375s off of this action and the stupendous Lapua cases. Everyone needs a 7-338LM, a 30-338 and a 375-338. :)
From what I have read, while most other gun makers just upgraded rifles to 338, savage built there's from the ground up. No corners were cut. How is the action on yours? I was trying to find out if the FCP action was trued like the stealth. Never could find anything. Am stoked mine comes in tomorrow. Should have my order of brass and other reloading stuff to start reloading next week. Just have to wait for old man winter to back off a little to get to the range.
Savage 10 FCP-SR 308, 300BO PCS
Well happy new year to you also, and I'm really glad your happy with your new purchase.Originally Posted by toddcdozer
But a couple of comments.
I can certainly understand where a driver can make a big difference in a race car.
but I doubt you'd be winning many races without both a good driver, and a good car.
On the other hand, most people don't buy these things to impress the guy at the next bench over, or to win any trophys with.
They do it to impress themselves primarily, and things they shoot at way out there.
For that, 2750 fps wont be buying you anything special when comparing 338s, including shooting it against the others you've mentioned.
Mind you, I'm not attempting to knock the gun or the cartridge. But to make comparisons to the others, is also to invite some friendly rebuttle.
There would also be a good argument with regard to using 250s in lieu of 300s with that cartridge. For sure the added velocity would help to some point down range.
I have friends using them in 338x378s for that very reason, and claim 1500 yds to be the catch up distance for the 300 gr.
Nobody here has ever, nor will they likely ever kill an animal at that distance.
I am glad you like it, nothing like buying something that is all or more than you expected (Lyman Borescope comes to mind for me), that is for sure a great feeling.
I don't ever see me getting any larger caliber than the 06 so none of the over 30s are on my wish or bucket list.
I don't know I get the great enthusiasm with Lapua Brass. Not that it is not good, it certainly is, but the new cases are erratic for how tight a bullet fits them (308 and 30-06) - it needs to be shot once to uniform it out.
I haven't weight them but then I don't weight brass, I just maintain mfg commonality.
I will do that just to see.
The lips need to be chamfered new (and granted I have not bought new RP brass I get once fired which is my go to for bulk)
I don't know if I am not good enough or there is no difference but I am not seeing any accuracy gain with the Lapua.
I have not tried to see how long it lasts, I am just doing minimal shoulder bump and annealing every 5 rounds along with doing the same with the RP.
I had very similar results and reaction to the 110 fcp-hs. 338 lapua.
I definitely see an accuracy gain and a case life gain but I'm too cheap to use it for everything. For what I spent on 300pcs of lapua brass for my 110fcp-hs .338 I almost could have bought a matching .300 win mag. Other than the 338 I only buy lapua when it's a crazy deal. It doesn't make me shoot smaller groups it makes me shoot more consistent groups without having to buy 5x as much winchester to sort into lots by weight and capacity and working on the primer pockets. I usually just buy once fired Winchester though .
My post stated I got 2820 with it which with a 26" tube I am very happy with. My Edges all ran 2850 ML but were 30" tubes.
The 2750 comment was a nod to BOOK SPEED.
I have been running the 300SMK in 338s since the 90s and I just like them. Back in the day they were softer than the 250s and where the 250s would pencil the 300s detonated and since I have 4k of them left I am going to run them. That and having that long working with them I'm just comfortable. If I do switch 3 barrels from now it will be to a 285 ELD or a mono in the 250 range or possibly the Berger.
When you have whacked hundreds of critters with something its hard to switch.
And yes, some of us have killed stuff past 1500 with the 300 SMK. One particular coyote was in a vacuum at 2342 ML and let me run 4 at him. No sonic boom and he thought the bullets were mice and would run to the bullet impact and pounce. Better than a spotter.:)
I have actually taken 9 animals over the size of water turtles past 1500. 6 deer and 3 yotes. However I have missed a few at that range and closer.
On turtles I have probably killed 100+ over 1500. We had a 40 acre pond that was full of laydown logs and turtles. We could get from 1200 to 2500 and about 500 ft higher than the water. You didn't need a spotter for that either lol and with the height and backstop it was safe.
Most guys don't kill stuff past 1500 because they don't get opportunities. I could set you up on dozens of 1500+ shots a day on deer and hundreds on turtles if you so wished. The plains aint Pennsylvania.
If you spent the last 20 yrs dealing with Weatherby 378 brass and then Remmy RUM brass and trying to track it down, you would get the enthusiasm. RUM brass is more PER SHOT than Lapua is now.
I have never popped for Lapua brass for the cost. With RUM Norma running $2.50+ I am REALLY HAPPY to pay $3 for Lapua AND its AVAILABLE.
I am so tired of chasing WSSM, SAUM and RUM brass. Yeah if I would shoot normal stuff it would be no big deal. I don't though so oh well.
Accuracy gain I don't expect, hopefully some decent ES should be achievable compared to others. ES is about all I care about, all brass can be accurate. ES is a little more ghostly.
And yes the weight variation for non sorted brass is silly. Easily 5 times better than RP, Fed or Norma.
I have torn apart hundreds of Savages and looked at a lot of other makers stuff including customs.....and these things are blueprinted. I couldn't find reference to blueprinting but you can tell by looking at the surfaces WITHOUT measuring a darn thing. The finish is not typical Savage or any other major player. More like a Borden or Surgeon than a Savage.
Incredible build quality for $1000. Just mind boggling that they built this thing like this. Hope your BA is up to the same standards, all of the M112s I handled were of this quality. If you are in a store with one look at the machined surfaces and you will see what I am talking about.
I will tear it apart sometime this week and measure everything but I already know what I am going to find. This wasn't made on a standard production line.
Can't post photos. Too dumb evidently.
Yep too dumb.
Use photobucket or something similar
Savage 10 FCP-SR 308, 300BO PCS
Sorry for the terrible pic. Looked good when I took it lol. Scope is a Burris Eliminator III. Ugly, heavy and glass out of a coke bottle but very fast for LR. It was on my Creed for mid range out to 1k or so but I will run it on the Lapua for now. Part of me hates the darn thing but for hunting it's hard to beat in speed. I can range and shoot faster than I can range only with my Swaro.
Text me pics of the rifle I will post them for you. 832 385 3374
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Sort of in same boat but I was looking to build or buy a 6.5cm. i have never bought a savage before due to all the negative publicity in the 90s with Savage. I priced options for a build but decided to go with a Mod 12 lrp. Still tuning a load but I am more than happy. I agree you get much more bang for your buck with these guns. A custom build would have been close to double what I paid even with starting with the action. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend or to buy another
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Sent.
I have always thought it was silly to buy a high end Savage or other rig when I can build a Shilen, CBI, Mcgowen, Douglas or other barreled and nice stocked rifle for right at $1k. However this 3 screw mag action + decent stock + brake + barrel is more than I can build for $1k. These rigs would be a decent deal for $1500.
Guarantee you that Savage is building these to build the brand name sort of like Chevrolet and the ZR1. No profit in the ZR1 but it builds Chevy's BRAND NAME. Anytime you can buy something that the manufacturer is building for a cheap flagship model its a WIN. Unfortunately most gunmakers charge a premium for flagship rigs, not the other way around.
Here is a pic of the rifle.
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Well the jury is in.
2800 FPS with RL33 and H1000, Virgin brass, Winny primers(not coming off of 215Ms just yet). Ran .5 over book on H1000 and went 1.5 over on RL33. No pressure signs. Best firing pin placement and finish I have ever had in a Savage. No craters, ejector marks or bolt lift issues.
Averaged under .75MOA with top pressure loads running under .5MOA. Great for me because I like to run fast.
Groups best at factory 3.68 OAL. 3.695 OAL was .5MOA looser.
ES was under 20 on all the RL33, the H1000 was closer to 40.
Accuracy wise the RL33 groups looked better as well.
The bench I had to shoot from was terrible, I would figure close to .25 MOA was in the setup.
Lotta FPE and accuracy for the $$$.
With the brass looking so good I will probably keep working with the RL33 and go a little higher, the groups are shrinking the faster she goes.
Or PM me and I can post them.
Sounds like you got a real hummer, awesome that it's shooting so well and you have the room to stretch its legs- looking forward to more posts on its progress.
2017 will be my YEAR OF THE LAPUA, but mine will be Lapua 6.5-284 cases for my new 12 Benchrest.
I'm glad you're enjoying your Savage.
Long-time shootist and reloadist; VERY-happily-retired accountant.
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