I picked up my Savage 200 in 308 yesterday from Wally World. $268.00 New in box. The rifle is Identicle to the Savage 110 I had quite a few years ago. (I think I paid the same Price too) Blue steel action and barrel, Gray or (Grey) synthetic stock. It has impressed checkering where it should be and the barrel is free floated. I took the action off the stock, adjusted the trigger and hit it with some 600 grit sand paper wraped around a knife file to get the ruff edges off the sear and trigger. I mounted an old Burris 3 x 9 scope. I had a few rounds already loaded up for it, so off to the range I went. Nothing fantastic, but this was the first time out with it. I tried 20 grains of 2400 behind a Lyman 311466 sized to 308, loaded to what ever Lyman said for OAL. First groups were in the 2" zone @ 50 yards. I moved out to 100 to see what was going to happen there. One thing that stood out right away was the groups with softer boolits were smaller than the ones of pure linotype. I also was getting the dreaded 4 shot 1 1/2" cluster and one flyer about 2 or 3" away. After some thinking, I decided to try a few things. Next time out I will size em to .310. I also lubed 2 grooves instead of 4 on the 311466. I hope this will solve the flier problem. Now that I have the gun I can mess with the OAL and see how much that improves the groups.
I shot 10 311644 190 grain boolits behind 32 grains of 3031 for about 2000 Fps. Groups were about the same, but OUCH! Thats a lotta kick off the bench.
I moved out to 200 yards just to see what the heck. First group of wheel weight 311466 with 27 grains 3031 was about 4" x 6" in sort of a verticle string with one flier. Second group was a linotype 311466 with 32 grains of 3031. about an 8" x 4" group in a horizontal string with one flier.
This is going to take a few trips to the range because I like to only change one thing at a time. Next time out I will try them sized to .310 and compare 2 lubed grooves to 4 lubed grooves. I will also compare the wheel weight alloy to pure linotype agian to see if sizing them bigger makes a difference.
I haven't even tried the soup cans yet.
I am also going to solder a piece of feeler gauge to the trigger to get rid of some of the creep. I would rather do this than file off some of the sear. Over travel is adjustable, spring tension is adjustable and so is the safty engagment. Not a bad gun for the money. I think my goal is 2" @ 200 yards.
Standard disclaimer...Yadda Yadda Yadda