Old News but Funny Savage News

[Appleseed]

I live northwest a couple counties away and know a bunch of folks at this range, (some may still be breathing this year?), and some shooting neighbors too. Savage factory beats up the competition every year, this was from 2008, but makes me smile about the .223LRPV sweep. There is a custom rig competition too. This blurb comes from 24hr, accurate shooter and a couple other sites.


"The Hickory North Carolina Egg and Groundhog Shoot, considered by many to be the World Championship of Varmint Shooting, with targets at 100, 300, and 500 yards shot without any wind flags or sighting shots was won for the first time with an unmodified factory rifle – a Savage varminter in 223.

Shooters from every continent come to Hickory each April to compete. There have been many articles in Precision Shooting and other magazines from serious competitors on the custom rifles they have built to win this competition.

Always before there has been a factory and an open (custom) rifle category and winner. This time a factory Savage took both trophies.

This competition depends on a score based on concentric scoring rings on a life-size groundhog target (not group size) and on the ability to hit a real chicken egg at 500 yards. A Harris bipod or similar device is allowed. No sighters for vertical adjustment are allowed between changes of the three ranges (100, 300, & 500 yards). No sighters for wind and there are no wind flags.

Talked to the Hickory NC Groundhog and Egg Shoot competition match director and sponsors. Might not have all the details right. I was not present at the competition.

First, second, and third place in factory category were all taken with Savage factory rifles. With the first place factory rifle also winning the open category.

Three boys from Savannah, Tennessee, brought three identical Savage rifles – all 223 Remington caliber with 7-inch twist.

Each boy took turns shooting each rifle (as is allowed). Each rifle was shot at all three distances by each boy without leaving the shooting range position. No one recalls what scope they were using. When asked, the boys did not know what ammo they were using and said somebody just handed the ammo to them before they left for North Carolina.

Many other shooters complained – especially Remington 40X shooters – saying that those Savage rifles had to come from Savage’s Custom Shop. Of course, Savage’s Custom Shop just screws/bolts together standard factory parts in combinations not available in the catalog, e.g., screw a factory blued barrel onto a factory stainless action. The boys insisted that the three rifles were purchased off-the-shelf in a gun store. The competition match director confirmed this personally the next week.

Many have said that those boys were just lucky because the wind was blowing so hard the day of the shoot and knocked the rest of the shooters off their game. Many said that on another day Remingtons would have won."

[charlie b]

Since it was from 2008 did you see results from the next year or two? Did Remington regain the 'crown'?

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[wbm]

Many other shooters complained – especially Remington 40X shooters – saying that those Savage rifles had to come from Savage’s Custom Shop.

Standard issue whine.

[Phreddie30.06]

My dad told me way back in 1969 that savage guns were good

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[Appleseed]

Yeah, the Svages still show well, no matches the past 2 years, but did read a report more recent. I'll try and find it.

Want some whine with that cheese?

[charlie b]

If they guys with the Rems were better at wind compensation maybe they could have beat the 'new' kids. :)

[wbm]

Old news also but the same tired anti Savage rants were common then.

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...s-on-a-budget/

[Fuj']

Old news also but the same tired anti Savage rants were common then.

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...s-on-a-budget/

There's a few irritating blisters that pop up from time to time but
I find it enjoyable to have the guy's look over my rigs on the bench
and staying right there with them.

WBM.....Over on Accurate Shooter you may have seen ppc Jeff (Jeff Gates) He
has more BR rifles and calibers that should be allowed by law. At one of our UBR
match's he brought a non shouldered Savage, and cleaned house. It was no easy
pickin's either. We have at least 10 guy's and a gal that can win on any given day.
Three including myself shoot Savage.

[yobuck]

I guess my question would be, does the best shooter with the best gun always win?
If not, then why not?
We tend to hear very little about the luck of the draw as for the relay conditions when the winners are announced.
As for the Rem 40x rifles, they are custom shop items as well.

[charlie b]

Note that they said half the team used a "...Savage actioned rifle of some sort...". Another part of the article said they used off the shelf 12 F/TR rifles. Conflicting information.

Well, I would say the 'best shooter' would be the one who wins in bad wind conditions. Luck? Yep, every shot made has some luck associated with it, even without the weather. Many random variables at work here. We all try to minimize them as much as we can but they are still random and even small variations can add up when your numbers are rolled.

[Fuj']

I guess my question would be, does the best shooter with the best gun always win?
If not, then why not?
We tend to hear very little about the luck of the draw as for the relay conditions when the winners are announced.
As for the Rem 40x rifles, they are custom shop items as well.

Absolutely. There are times when you can't read the conditions and
brought the wrong caliber. Windsocks stretched and pointing to different areas
constantly switching. The Shooter with a heavy and fast bullet has the edge.
At a recent 400 yard deer shoot, it was bad. Some of the gusts had the cars
rocking in the parking lot. If the sock at 100 and 300 seemed to coincide, I ran
the bolt.....I tied for third place overall, and won smallest group. That group
size was a barn door 3.8" at 400 yards. Usually at 400 the winner will be an inch
of less. Yeah, Mother Nature was throwing a fit.

[Appleseed]

Hickory, NC Egg Shoot

These are different stories, different years, different ranges. The funny part of the op is it's an amateur backwoods match. No wind indicators and the crowd and referees didn't know the difference in the Savage factory rifles. From a person I know was there, this rifle was a LRPV .223. He and his son went right out and bought one in 6br after this match and still compete there.

This was a group of three TN boys who wiped the competition away. And they didn't load their ammo...young eyes and sober? But the rifle was an of-the-shelf Savage. Maybe somebody had lapped the dickens out of the barrel? Maybe it was the brass and loads? Maybe it was pure luck?

I just reserved one of two, the VLP or LRPV in 7 twist this morning.

[wbm]

We have at least 10 guy's and a gal that can win on any given day. Three including myself shoot Savage.

Several years ago at Shooting Range Park event in Albuquerque I met a young LEO that was competing. He used a Savage. He kept it in his a bag and out of sight a lot he said because of the "crap" he got from other officers. He won.

Note that they said half the team used a "...Savage actioned rifle of some sort...". Another part of the article said they used off the shelf 12 F/TR rifles. Conflicting information.

"Conflicting information" source was from the article not the shooters. I personally asked Milanuk if they were "off the shelf" and he said they were.

[charlie b]

Thanks for that. Article writers frequently don't ask the right questions or write them down incorrectly.

The LEO's down here are pretty good too. I like to watch them shoot, especially since they leave their brass (Hornady match) :) State, county and city. Also a mixed bag of rifles. They did like my model 12 but were shocked when I shot the Axis (.223) at 600yd. I think I might have prompted a few sales that day. :)

[Appleseed]

Charlie, how was the axis scoped, for range or hunting?

[charlie b]

Range. Vortex 4-16 Diamondback

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