New deer rifle

Decided to buy a new rifle for deer hunting.  I haven't bought a new rifle in twenty years or so, so I decided to treat myself..  The off the shelf guns nowadays shoot just about as good as the custom jobs with a little bit of work.  So after reading up on the available fire arms,  this Savage ( PC) precision carbine, 20 inch barrel, 308 caliber, was purchased.  It comes with the accu trigger and accu stock.  Was trying to avoid having to buy an after market trigger or do any bedding work.  The purpose of this gun was to shoot the longer ranges with a heavier bullet.  I've been using my 6br, 75 gr. vmax, for many years with good success.  Just wanted to throw a heavier slug out there.  Also purchased was a vortex Viper PST scope, 6x24x50, FFP, w/a EBR-1 MOA illuminated reticule. This is mounted on a weaver 20 MOA base.  After mounting the scope, I couldn't maintain the proper eye relief because of the stock configuration.  So I got a piece of foam rubber and some duck tape and stuck it on there. Works pretty good.  Might even leave it there. Not really.   I'll get me a cheek rest some where.  Also ordered was a Yankee Hill Machine surpressor.  As you probably know it will be a few months before that comes in.  The barrel on the rifle is already threaded.  I headed to NC where all my reloading stuff is located. There is a gas line there that I can get out to about six hundred yards.  I thought it would be warmer but it was cold as hell.  Like around 10 to 15 degrees.  Bullshit.  So I decided to reload.  I had purchased a hundred rounds of Winchester brass.  It had already been prepped, trimmed to length, flash hole debured, turned, etc.  From all the reading I had done, I figured this gun was going to shoot with varget and a 165 or 168 sierra hpbt.  According to the weather report I had two days coming up that were good to shoot on.  That was the 1st and 2nd of Feburary.  I didn't have much time so I decided to work up a load that wasn't showing any pressure, one day, and fool with the OAL the next day..
    This first target (100 yards) is the first time I shot the gun.

  Wasn't to bad considering all the factors, new gun, no barrel break in, out of practice on the bench, etc.  I cleaned this barrel when I first got the gun and decided I wasn't going to clean it any more. I may clean it in  two to three hundred rounds, according to how it is shooting.  I decided on the bottom group with the 168 and 44.5 grains of varget.    Average crono speed is 2525 fps. Went back to the bench and loaded up a batch of ammo of different lengths.

  Shot this target Sunday morning.  The weather was great w/a  high of 65 degrees and little wind.  Surprisingly I had a little trouble with heat mirage.  Had to turn the scope down.  It went away later.  Decided on the top group. Still no signs of pressure.  This loaded round had a very slight jam.  Could just see the marks from the lands and grooves.

Again hustled back to the reloading bench and loaded up a batch of about sixty rounds.  No trickle charge, just straight dump.  Headed back Sunday evening to sight the gun in at 50 yard increments.  This is a lot of work but it pays off.  Worked my way out to 500 yards before I gave up.   This is the 500 yard target .  Monday it started raining and it lasted for a couple of days.  So I gave up on load development.  Good enough for now.  Later on I will try to get some dope for 6 or 7 hundred yards.  Also the brass will be fire formed, neck sized only, so maybe the groups will tighten up.  So I'm impressed with the savage gun.  Out of the box it is a shooter.  It's winter time.  Might as well write something.   

nice, you about have it dialed in, like you said, its a lot of work and nice in the end

Nice   

Looking good   

nice rifle

those sierra boat tails are awesome! I loaded 165g bt's in my 30-06 when I was hand loading with the old imr 4350 powder. I could get tight 3 shot groups at 200 yds. with a 3-9 leupold, that's as far out as I went.

They have been in use for a long time.  Great bullet..

poor deer

Good Job!  Now reality sets in off the bipod. 

I think you got your rifle tuned in

 

Savage has come a long way.  Those are very nice rifles.  A friend of mine has a 22-250 in that gun and he talks more crap than Tbone ever could.  Looks nice.   

Great choice with the gun. I love my Savage model 111 with a thumbhole stock and accutrigger. Very reasonably priced rifles that shoot great. That's pretty good shooting, well done!!

Hump, the difference between your friend and Tbone is that Tbone, being the fledgling shooter that he is, is prone to talking the talk w/o delivering the goods.  Whereas your friend delivers.   

Nice job. Only a few things better than putting holes in paper.

Hump wrote:

Savage has come a long way.  Those are very nice rifles.

yes they are. I bought a Savage 110 30-06 from a gun shop in west end Radford, Va. about 30 years ago. My friend Choop Duncan told me about it. It had a crappy 4x Tasco scope on it, but it was such a good price I couldn't pass it up. I shot dozens of hand loads through it. I still have it.

Thats funny groundhog

groundhog wrote:

Hump, the difference between your friend and Tbone is that Tbone, being the fledgling shooter that he is, is prone to talking the talk w/o delivering the goods.  Whereas your friend delivers.   

           I got a good armory going on...u better watch out. I can bullseye every time.   



Protect the Groundhogs

Good deal we might need you

Tbone.. When them deer see you in the woods, this is the respect you get.

              

Groundhog better watch it.  Tbone will turn you in to his good friends over at PETA. 

Tbone.  I can't shoot a rifle worth a poop, so you will have to talk crap to someone else on this one.  I am pretty durn good with a handgun though.

  

groundhog wrote:

Tbone.. When them deer see you in the woods, this is the respect you get.

Hey. Don't tell me u don't fart in the woods.