mysticplayer said:
Now I don't sit there and shoot alot at 100yds/m but the Savage rifles I have played with were certainly 1/2 MOA capable...........
For the cost, hard to beat.
Jerry
Jerry, I certainly have to agree with you on that point for sure. I have posted most of this information in other threads, but for the sake of applauding what you have posted I will do it here, as well.
I have never been much of a Savage fan, but finally bought one of the Stevens 200s in October when they were on sale for $299. The price was just too ridiculous to refuse at least trying one.
I got the 300 Win Mag, thinking that if it would shoot well in that caliber it would probably shoot anything. I did not need the rfile at all, especially in that caliber. When the rifle arrrived I took it out of the box, without touching the trigger, guard screws or anything else. Wanted to see what the rifle would do just as it came from the factory.
Put an Bushnell 3200 Elite 3-9X40 scope on it, loaded up some 180 gr Hornady SSTs with Norma 204 and magnum primers and headed to the range. Actually,
River Rat, took it and did the shooting as I was still laid up with a broken leg. He came back with two targets, both right at an inch and commented that it needed the trigger adjusted down a bit as it was heavy, but broke clean.
We adjusted the trigger to a bit over three pounds and I took it to the range two weeks later. The rifle was getting right at 3000 fps and shot just at an inch again. Not bad for a rifle that didn't have 20 rounds down the tube yet, and absolutely no load development.
Two weeks later, just to keep from beating up my Sako on the snowmoblie, I took it caribou hunting and killed a nice meat bull at around 300 yds. Hmmm, this was getting interesting.
Decided I would get one at the other end of the caliber selection, again not because I needed it, but just because the price was so low. Ordered a 223 and it got here in December. Same thing, right out of the box, no tuning, just mounted an old Bushnell 3-9 Scopechief and first trip to the range the rilfe was shooting under an inch.
With handloads this rifle is easily capable of shooting half inch groups. I have tried bullets from 40 to 64 grains and they will all do that. Obviously the 1:9 twist will stabilize the heavy bullets just fine.
Garry,
River Rat, was so impressed that he ordered three for his boys, a 223, a 7mm mag and a 300 Win. I posted earlier that all three of them shot under an inch when they took them to the range between Christmas and New Years Day, but was mistaken. The 300 has not been shot yet, however the 223 and 7mm mag both went under an inch with ease.
Obviously Savage is doing something very right. They do need to put a decent recoil pad on the 300 though...................
I have ordered another one in 223 and am going to have it rechambered to 223 Ackley. Will let you know how those 40 gr Ballistic Tips do at almost 4000 fps in a nine inch twist barrel.
Please excuse the long post.
Ted
