I invite anyone in Tucson that is familiar with this rifle to show me that it is just me! Because I would much rather know that I just need more practice with a higher recoil rifle. This is a serious offer...
I am an honest MOA shooter with my factory-barrelled savage fcp-k in 308 on an average day, and have shot a few 1/2 MOA groups with it and one sub-1/4moa group with it with my own handloads on good days. But yes, I am still, for all intents and purposes a novice shooter, so maybe its just me. But after about 200 rounds of various loads using retumbo and us869 powder, hornady and lapua brass, Berger and sierra 300gr bullets, and cci and Remington magnum primers - all in various different combinations and charge weights, I'm starting to think there's something going on with the rifle.
To date, the best group measured about 1.5", but average groups are between 2 and 3 inches using retumbo. US869 has been even worse, averaging 4 inches!!!
So what do you think? Do I write this rifle off as a scatter gun, or do I need to spend more money on more different powders and bullets? I already know that this particular rifle prefers the heavier bullets and I bought this rifle to tease the mile mark so lighter bullets wouldn't work for me anyway - neither would a powder that can't keep muzzle velocity up. But at this point I am willing to try anything that others have proven in this rifle.