2500+ fps with current Savage barrels?

[Marlin Junky]

Has anyone had success with the current Savage barrels at 2500-2700 fps?

MJ

[mpmarty]

I've got a Savage in .308 w/ accutrigger and have pushed the envelope with 180gr LEE flat nosed gas checked boolits and find the accuracy drops off at around 2200fps with dispersion in all directions, up, down and sideways. No leading whatsoever though. I'm using BLC-2 and WLR primers in GI cases. I'll give Varget a try in the near future and see what that does.
My barrel is a 1:10 twist and I suspect a 1:12 would work better.

[pdawg_shooter]

I have a Savage 116 in 300RUM I have taken over 3000 with MOA accuracy, but then I paper patch!

[303Guy]

Just a thought - based on a desire fore better understanding on my part. I've been told of way better accuracy with the use of COW or corn cob media case fillers. It seems like these fillers act as a wad, protecting the boolit from damage. Now the thought is this, if you have more 'pressure capacity' with your loads at 2200fps, you could try upping the velocity with the same powder but with filler and see what difference it makes. You have already found the velocity threshold for no filler. This would tell us all whether the limiting factor is the rifling twist or something else.

[mpmarty]

303GUY I'm a bit leery of adding filler to these loads of BLC-2 as I feel ball powder is a bit "weird" in spiking pressures under odd conditions. I use filler over 2400 and Unique frequently with good results but at reduced velocities.

[Marlin Junky]

I've got a Savage in .308 w/ accutrigger and have pushed the envelope with 180gr LEE flat nosed gas checked boolits and find the accuracy drops off at around 2200fps with dispersion in all directions, up, down and sideways. No leading whatsoever though. I'm using BLC-2 and WLR primers in GI cases. I'll give Varget a try in the near future and see what that does.
My barrel is a 1:10 twist and I suspect a 1:12 would work better.

I plugged the following parameters into QuickLoad and got about 32K PSI for a pressure. What is your BHN and actual charge weight and COL?

Boolit: Lee C309-170-F at 180 grains
COL: 2.65"
Barrel: 22"
Charge of BLC2: 40 grains
Velocity: 2228

My point is, try a slower powder or harder boolit. According to QuickLoad, the same amount of Varget (all else the same) will produce 38K PSI.

MJ

[mpmarty]

I plugged the following parameters into QuickLoad and got about 32K PSI for a pressure. What is your BHN and actual charge weight and COL?

Boolit: Lee C309-170-F at 180 grains
COL: 2.65"
Barrel: 22"
Charge of BLC2: 40 grains
Velocity: 2228

My point is, try a slower powder or harder boolit. According to QuickLoad, the same amount of Varget (all else the same) will produce 38K PSI.

MJ
I've got a 26" barrel. The mix is straight WW air cooled w/BAC and a check sized .309 over 36gr of BLC2. I gave up using my LEE hardness tester as I feel filing a flat on a boolit shank probably has some effect on the functional hardness of the boolit. I suspect without any proof that the boolit is harder on the outside than on the inside. I can't scratch the nose of these with my thumbnail but after filing a flat to measure the indent I can scratch the exposed surface. Enough for me. I'm easy![smilie=l:
COL IS 2.80"

[Buckshot]

I can't scratch the nose of these with my thumbnail but after filing a flat to measure the indent I can scratch the exposed surface. Enough for me. I'm easy![smilie=l:
COL IS 2.80"

.............What you're probably seeing is your thumbnail scratching a rough surface after filing. The smooth 'as cast' surface doesn't allow your thumbnail any purchase.

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

[Marlin Junky]

I've got a 26" barrel. The mix is straight WW air cooled w/BAC and a check sized .309 over 36gr of BLC2. I gave up using my LEE hardness tester as I feel filing a flat on a boolit shank probably has some effect on the functional hardness of the boolit. I suspect without any proof that the boolit is harder on the outside than on the inside. I can't scratch the nose of these with my thumbnail but after filing a flat to measure the indent I can scratch the exposed surface. Enough for me. I'm easy![smilie=l:
COL IS 2.80"

QuickLoad is a bit off on that load (about 2040 fps assuming a .983" boolit) but if you are indeed getting good accuracy at 2200 fps with ACWW metal then you are doing great with that 1:10" Savage.

With a COL of 2.8", it has a pretty long throat. Am I correct in assuming the throat is about .2" long. Would it be possible to post a pic of your loaded round?

Thanks,
MJ

BTW, when I hardness test with the Lee tester, I test on the meplat after it's been squared up.

[mpmarty]

QuickLoad is a bit off on that load (about 2040 fps assuming a .983" boolit) but if you are indeed getting good accuracy at 2200 fps with ACWW metal then you are doing great with that 1:10" Savage.

With a COL of 2.8", it has a pretty long throat. Am I correct in assuming the throat is about .2" long. Would it be possible to post a pic of your loaded round?

Thanks,
MJ

BTW, when I hardness test with the Lee tester, I test on the meplat after it's been squared up.

Would it be possible to post a pic of your loaded round?
Yup, here ya go.

[Marlin Junky]

Wow, is that forward band the same width as the groove diameter of your barrel? Is that a Savage factory throat?

MJ

[mpmarty]

Wow, is that forward band the same width as the groove diameter of your barrel? Is that a Savage factory throat?

MJ

Yes forward band is .309 Nose section mikes at .300 - .301
I don't know about the chamber and throat being "factory". I bought the action and stock and got a barrel from a guy here in the Gun Club who had it made for his savage and decided to go to a Remington so he sold it to me.

[HangFireW8]

I've got a 26" barrel. The mix is straight WW air cooled w/BAC and a check sized .309 over 36gr of BLC2. I gave up using my LEE hardness tester as I feel filing a flat on a boolit shank probably has some effect on the functional hardness of the boolit. I suspect without any proof that the boolit is harder on the outside than on the inside. I can't scratch the nose of these with my thumbnail but after filing a flat to measure the indent I can scratch the exposed surface. Enough for me. I'm easy![smilie=l:
COL IS 2.80"

The Lee instructions are to file the side of the boolit and measure there. They said not to measure the base, as it will always be softer, or the skin without filing, as it will always be harder.

Being one to read the instructions and still get it wrong, I started out measuring the side skin, then moved to a filed base, then re-re-read the instructions and started filing the side of the boolit and measuring there.

I found that the Lee instructions were exactly correct. Boolit bases always measure softer and not filing always measures harder.

The point of using the hardness tester is not to achieve some perfect BHN point, but to be able to reproduce an alloy functionally (if not perfectly in composition), and therefor reproduce a boolit functionally. Or, to know that the harder or softer boolit you are experimenting with really is harder or softer than the last.

While I am still a neophyte caster, by "following the rules" and loading to pressure to the 90% point of lead strength, I have had zero leading even in some very stiff loads (.30-06 2400-2500 fps). Accuracy is quite another matter, but at least one battle is won.

-HF