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  1. #1
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    243


    I believe I am making progress on the Savage 243. I think the rifle is better than I thought, although, compared to what most of you do it is not anything to brag about but I am fairly happy. It is about .8-.9 MOA now but probably a better shooter could improve that. I decided to give the action screws a little more torque and much to my surprise I found out the back one was not anywhere close to tight enough. It wasn't loose and I can only guess but I would say it was probably 5-10 inch pounds. I got them both a little higher than Savage recommends, as near as I can guess on the gauge 38 on the front and 33 on the back. Another thing was I changed scopes. It had a Vortex Viper on it and I don't know if there is something wrong with me or the scope but the on the horizontal crosshair many times I would see 2 lines and didn't know which one was the one I should be using. I put a Redfield Revolution 4.5-12 X on it and it works very well. I can't say I am much impressed with the Vortex. The Redfield is just as clear and doesn't have the 2 lines horizontally, nor does my Bushnell Nitro on another gun. I think the Redfield Revolution is a darn nice scope for the price especially. Another thing I found is it will shoot heavier bullets reasonably well, just not the first ones I tried. The lighter bullets are better for accuracy but I believe the 105 grain I shot last would be good enough for most hunting. All in all I feel a lot better about the gun.

  2. #2
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    I drew a pronghorn tag and I'll be loading up some 100 grain btsp, Peterson brass, h4350, and federal primers. I already know the 100 grain hornady shoot from the american whitetail box ammunition.

    This rifle I've had for at least 7 years. I bought it when I shot .300 win to get some extra low recoil practice rounds in. Then I loaded but some varmint rounds but I don't ever hunt varmints.

    Interesting thing about this rifle is it's actually long action despite being 243 and it appears to have been pillar bedded from the factory. Synthetic stock is fairly stiff and it definitely shoots. I glass bedded it to boot and have a new scope on it.

    Ps it's a 110

  3. #3
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    Compared to what most of us do? .8”-.9”? That ain’t too shabby for a stock 110. No sir....SUB MOA, ain’t so bad at all.

  4. #4
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    Some people really have half moa rifles. Many or most who claim to don't. It's a fad. Some people have a half moa gun so I do too.

    That's not to say they haven't shot a half moa group out of their gun. It's to say they shoot 3 shots from half dozen factory rounds and choose the best group which is half moa. Many of the time it was a random good group they can't repeat.

    Put another way, I have a 1 moa rifle that's shot many .2, .3, and .5 inch three shot groups in load development. Often these loads don't get chosen. Because I'm also considering consistent poi between adjacent groups, velocity trends, consistent velocity, whether or not the group .2 grains above and below were also good groups. In other words I'm looking for a good repeatable load not a random .5 moa group.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by shaffe48 View Post
    Some people really have half moa rifles. Many or most who claim to don't. It's a fad. Some people have a half moa gun so I do too.

    That's not to say they haven't shot a half moa group out of their gun. It's to say they shoot 3 shots from half dozen factory rounds and choose the best group which is half moa. Many of the time it was a random good group they can't repeat.

    Put another way, I have a 1 moa rifle that's shot many .2, .3, and .5 inch three shot groups in load development. Often these loads don't get chosen. Because I'm also considering consistent poi between adjacent groups, velocity trends, consistent velocity, whether or not the group .2 grains above and below were also good groups. In other words I'm looking for a good repeatable load not a random .5 moa group.
    Great philosophy!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by shaffe48 View Post
    Some people really have half moa rifles. Many or most who claim to don't. It's a fad. Some people have a half moa gun so I do too.

    That's not to say they haven't shot a half moa group out of their gun. It's to say they shoot 3 shots from half dozen factory rounds and choose the best group which is half moa. Many of the time it was a random good group they can't repeat.

    Put another way, I have a 1 moa rifle that's shot many .2, .3, and .5 inch three shot groups in load development. Often these loads don't get chosen. Because I'm also considering consistent poi between adjacent groups, velocity trends, consistent velocity, whether or not the group .2 grains above and below were also good groups. In other words I'm looking for a good repeatable load not a random .5 moa group.

    Very well explained shaffe48. Thank you for sharing that.

  7. #7
    Administrator J.Baker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shaffe48 View Post
    Some people really have half moa rifles. Many or most who claim to don't. It's a fad. Some people have a half moa gun so I do too.

    That's not to say they haven't shot a half moa group out of their gun. It's to say they shoot 3 shots from half dozen factory rounds and choose the best group which is half moa. Many of the time it was a random good group they can't repeat.

    Put another way, I have a 1 moa rifle that's shot many .2, .3, and .5 inch three shot groups in load development. Often these loads don't get chosen. Because I'm also considering consistent poi between adjacent groups, velocity trends, consistent velocity, whether or not the group .2 grains above and below were also good groups. In other words I'm looking for a good repeatable load not a random .5 moa group.
    One can put the shoe on the other foot as well...

    There are lots of 1/2 MOA guns out there, but very few who can consistently shoot 1/2" groups with them.

    Over the years I've found that's more often the case than the gun being at fault. I couldn't begin to count the number of times someone at the range was complaining about their rifle not grouping or shooting consistently, then watching another shooter sit down with the same rifle and same ammo in the same conditions immediately thereafter and shooting a nice small group with it. It all boils down to the shooters consistency in how they mount the rifle for each and every shot. A consistent shooter will consistently shoot good groups with even so-so guns, whereas an inconsistent shooter will still be inconsistent even with the best equipment money can buy.

    If you want to humble yourself, record video of yourself shooting and write down where each shot prints on target as you do so. You'll find that on certain shots you might see the rifle recoil differently (jump more off the bag/rest, maybe shift left or right, you will move more under recoil, etc.) which is the tell-tale sign your mounting of the rifle is inconsistent. When you look back at your written notes you'll find those are typically your fliers that are opening up your groups.
    "Life' is tough. It's even tougher if you're stupid." ~ John Wayne
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urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.” —Mark Twain

  8. #8
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    I am coming to that conclusion. You have to do it consistently. Every time I shoot a bad group I blame myself but sometimes you shoot a good group and it was just you were off enough to help you. I previously shot a .4 group with this gun and there is no question in my mind it was luck. I am a better shooter now, not that I am anything to brag about, but better. I also really believe I did find a couple things on the gun that was handicapping it, the action screw and scope as I previously mentioned.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by J.Baker View Post
    One can put the shoe on the other foot as well...

    There are lots of 1/2 MOA guns out there, but very few who can consistently shoot 1/2" groups with them.

    Over the years I've found that's more often the case than the gun being at fault. I couldn't begin to count the number of times someone at the range was complaining about their rifle not grouping or shooting consistently, then watching another shooter sit down with the same rifle and same ammo in the same conditions immediately thereafter and shooting a nice small group with it.
    I agree. Very common occurrence with pistols as well. Both accuracy & jamming.(limp twisting) I was quite used to this when I worked as a the Range Manager & Instructor at one of the busiest ranges in the Tri-State area. Every day a different person, or FIVE would have a new gun they would SWEAR as being inaccurate or jamming, only to be “miraculously” fixed when either myself or one of my range officers would fire it. LOL.

    This is a very common thing. People often believe if it’s not accurate for them, it MUST be the fault of the firearm. Same kind of false belief as people who DON’T reload...DON’T build any firearms(except maybe assembled their LEGO toys AR15 once), yet somehow believe THEY are an Authority of information concerning firearms.

  10. #10
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    Hah, I'm only talking about shooters who ever shoot a half inch group. I mean I ain't the best by a longshot but...

    All I know is if I had the average internet rifle life would be good indeed

    And a 1 moa gun will hit some targets once you get off the bench. I ain't the best at that either. But due to a preponderance of practice I'm at least ok.

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