Remington 700 VSF 308

[Griz44mag]

Stainless, 26" heavy barrel, fluted, sits in a varminter stock. Picked this up last week because I have a trip planned next year where the antelope will be 300-500 yards away. I wanted to get it running ASAP, so I ordered a Mueller Eraticator scope (in silver) to match. The eventual plan is to put a lot better grade of glass on it, but for the budget, for now, it will do. I was actually surprised at how clear and stable the Mueller scope is. I mounted an EGW rail on the rifle, and used Leupold QRW rings. The QRW rings are easy to put on and off the rail, and hold the POA very nicely from session to session. Since I am really old school, it went to the range for an old school breaking in. One shot - total clean job, repeat 10 times. Then 2 rounds, total clean, repeat 10 times. Then 5 rounds, repeat 3 times. Today's session got through the first 10 rounds. The barrel went from a hard push on a patch to get it through, to a very smooth ride and very little copper fouling showing on the patch after the obligatory 10 minute soak. After each shot, I made a 3 click adjustment on the scope until the POA and the POI became one. The last 3 shots were all in one 3 lobed hole. I'm happy. If the rest of the breakin is as good as this, this gun will be an antelope's worst nightmare. The load is 44.0 grains of Varget pushing a 168gr soft point boat tail. The load produced very repeatable results, with very good accuracy at 100 yards, even though today's exercise was for breaking in the barrel, not necessarily to see how accurate it will be. The Xmark trigger that I had read horror stories about turned out to be a very nice trigger. I adjusted it out until I got a 2.5# break point, which I consider to be a great place for a long range hunting trigger. It breaks clean with no grit or travel. The only objection I have is the allen screw when turned out far enough to get a light trigger sticks out into the shoe enough to make it an irritation. It will get replaced with a shorter allen next week, or will get ground down to the right length.
http://www.texas-chl.com/images/700sf/DSC00835.JPG
http://www.texas-chl.com/images/700sf/DSC00836.JPG
http://www.texas-chl.com/images/700sf/DSC00837.JPG

[catboat]

Thank goodness scopes are nitrogen filled. If they were filled with hydrogen, your rifle would float away.


I have a blued Rem 700 VS in 308. It didn't take any appreciable "load development." I don't think any combination shot over 1 moa. Most were in the 0.6 - 0.7 moa range. I have a fixed 6x Burris Signature scope on mine. Handles well. Hefty, not heavy.

Hope your rig shoots well.

[Griz44mag]

Thank goodness scopes are nitrogen filled. If they were filled with hydrogen, your rifle would float away.

Since the hunts are usually most successful in the early AM or the late PM, the recommendation was to get as much light as possible into the scope in the early dawn and twilight hours. Range will be long, so the extra magnification for these tired ancient old eyes was also important. I am also going to sight in with my 4-12 x 40mm and take it as well. With the QRW Leupold rings, changing the scopes is a matter of seconds. I loaded a batch of 168gr soft point hunting bullets for it to break it in, which is the round I will also hunt with. After breakin, I will have 50 fire formed cases that I expect with only a neck sizing, will produce some outstanding results. I will push these out to 500 yards in the next month or so, and get both scopes tuned up for some long range fun. I'm pretty sure the gun can handle it, it's me that I think will be the weak link. 40 years ago, I could do 500 yards with opens sights on my 30.06, now I need help just seeing that far!

[dk17hmr]

Should do nicely. I shoot just about everything in the safe out to 500 yards several rifles alot further. Shooting your hunting rifle at 800-1000 yards at 10" steel plates makes 500 yard shots alot easier.