Range Report - Savage Rifle.

[Uncle R.]

After a couple more range sessions and close to 100 rds. through the new Savage varminter I'm pretty impressed. The WORST five shot group of everything tested went 1-1/16" @ 100 yards. The best load I've found so far holds five shot groups at 1/2" when I steer 'em right - and the worst of several groups with that load went 3/4" including a called flyer.
Excuse me while I smile.
:-D
The rifle is not fussy, and throws everything I've tried so far (all 55 grainers) to the same place. I usually figure that's a good sign that the bedding is solid and the barrel isn't doing any strange hoodoo dancing.
With that big 20X Nikon scope I'm learning a lot about how BAD my bench technique is - and how ding-blasted hard it is to shoot a 1/4" group with ANY rifle. That last little 1/4" of jitters on the target just won't seem to go away no matter how I arrange the bags or how hard I screw down my concentration. Given a really skilled operator I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see this rifle shoot 1/4" groups. I KNOW I'm not getting the best that it can do, just because of my lack of skill. Still - I guess a 1/2" rifle will be better than nothing for prairie dogs...
It's just too bad that rifle is so homely. Well - kinda homely - well actually it's starting to look pretty good!
:-D
Uncle R.

[Scrounger]

Glad you're happy with it. My built in wobble moves that crosshair about 3 times more than yours. Equiptment and technique are big factors but don't forget conditioning. A lot of what we're seeing is heartbeat. A superbly trained athlete, like a long distance runner, could probably shoot better groups. So no more coffee, or alcohol, no sex, half the food you now eat, and watch that group size shrink. But then, it might not be as important to you as what it costs?

[mainiac]

After a couple more range sessions and close to 100 rds. through the new Savage varminter I'm pretty impressed. The WORST five shot group of everything tested went 1-1/16" @ 100 yards. The best load I've found so far holds five shot groups at 1/2" when I steer 'em right - and the worst of several groups with that load went 3/4" including a called flyer.
Excuse me while I smile.
:-D
The rifle is not fussy, and throws everything I've tried so far (all 55 grainers) to the same place. I usually figure that's a good sign that the bedding is solid and the barrel isn't doing any strange hoodoo dancing.
With that big 20X Nikon scope I'm learning a lot about how BAD my bench technique is - and how ding-blasted hard it is to shoot a 1/4" group with ANY rifle. That last little 1/4" of jitters on the target just won't seem to go away no matter how I arrange the bags or how hard I screw down my concentration. Given a really skilled operator I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see this rifle shoot 1/4" groups. I KNOW I'm not getting the best that it can do, just because of my lack of skill. Still - I guess a 1/2" rifle will be better than nothing for prairie dogs...
It's just too bad that rifle is so homely. Well - kinda homely - well actually it's starting to look pretty good!
:-D
Uncle R.

Full blown bench-rest guns have 3 inch wide,dead flat forearms,weigh 13.5 lbs., and have 2 ounce triggers, these guns easily shoot .25 groups,,,,BUT,,,, the wind and conditions will still bite your butt, if your not paying attention.

[Uncle R.]

A superbly trained athlete, like a long distance runner, could probably shoot better groups. So no more coffee, or alcohol, no sex, half the food you now eat, and watch that group size shrink. But then, it might not be as important to you as what it costs?

Gawd! Give up all that to shave my group sizes a quarter inch?
Hmmmm... Let me think about it for a minute...
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Ummm - No.
:-D
Uncle R.

[Buckshot]

.............Smart man!

.............Buckshot

[Hunter]

Savage makes a fine rifle and I believe the most accurate out the box. I have a 110 Tactical in .308. With 39.5gr of IMR 4895 and the Sierra 168gr MatchKing she will keep 5 in a dime at a 100 yards from a rest.

[rvpilot76]

If you can, try and get rid of the wobble with the free-recoil technique. It works, and is the method most used by the benchrest crowd.

Kevin

[Pat I.]

Believe me when I tell you that before the internet came along there were a lot less 1/4 inch rifles than there are now. If you're getting groups of around 1/2 inch center to center out of an off the shelf rifle in 22/250 you should be pretty happy about it. I'm sure there's a lot of guys walking around with little bitty groups in their pockets but ask to see the group they shot before and after the bragger.

Pat

[Uncle R.]

Believe me when I tell you that before the internet came along there were a lot less 1/4 inch rifles than there are now.
Pat

You're right of course. When most guys brag about their "Under an inch" rifle it means they shot a group under an inch once. It doesn't count if you can't do it every time - or at leat four times out of five. Those people are kin to the barroom wits that always seem to shoot their deer at "five hunnert yards."
Heck - I've gotten groups that were ragged holes - usually with three shots but sometimes with five. I don't own a rifle that'll do that reliably - but I DO own a couple that'll reliably put five in less than 3/4" every time. They are a joy - and I'm happy with 'em all right!
When I hear some obvious bozo bragging about his accuracy I'm tempted to lay $20 down on the bench and say "Show me - right here - right now - no excuses." I haven't actually done it yet - it's a good way to make enemies and I have too many of those already.
:-D
Uncle R.

[johnp]

From the sounds of it you have a very nice rifle on your hands. I don't think I would worry too much about that last 1/4".

[JSH]

I have an old savage 110 that was rebarreled before I got it a few years back. It shoots like a house afire to say the least. A friend of mine has a Savage in 223, but it is a 1-9 twist. Be careful of what bullet you use, the SPSX hornady shot fine in my Savage and TC. Same laod in his didn't make it to the 100m target. Speed was under what they had as max, but SWAG is that the torque from the 1-9 was to much for the jacket.
Mine has not shot .25 for me yet, but I shoot no less than 5 and 10 being the norm. I do have a target that I am pretty proud of hanging on the fridge. 14 rounds under 1/2", but #15 put that to 3/4".
Is the Savage shooters board still up and running? The last time I tried to get on there it would not load.
There was alaos a very nice web site for the Ruger 22 pistols, that one just vanished a year or two ago. It had a lot of very good info there.
Jeff

[IcerUSA]

I like both of my Savages, one in 22-250 and the other in 7mm Rem Mag, only shoot condoms in them tho. Also still working on me to get to where I think the rifles are capable of shooting, I'm close but can't quite make the 1/4" dot disappear at 50 yds yet. hehe Still have to get wood stocks for them also, just don't like plastic, seems fake to me. hehehe Old School I guess, but they sell alot of the plastic now days.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I've never owned a Savage, but I have a lot of friends who had them and they were all very accurate. I had a friend who had a 300WM Police model, that was scary accurate!