Been a while that the weather hasn't been minus a whole bunch with strong winds.
Today was right around freezing and pretty calm.
I tested Eley Sport, RWS CLUB, target rifle and rifle match. Lapua Standard plus, Rifle match, pistol match and pistol match special.
For S&G's, I launched some AE 38gr HP. All shooting was at 100yds with no wind flags and were 5 rds groups.
AE started off the fun with the first few shots nearly touching, then zinger here and there to end up with a nice big group. NO further testing.
RWS club was next 1 1/4", 1 1/16" - not bad with 1" of vertical. Most shots were lateral.
RWS Target rifle 7/8", 15/16" - roundish groups. Shots spaced out.
RWS Rifle Match 1 1/16", 13/16" Same thing. 1 shot in the first group was a bit out otherwise, the 1st group would also have been sub 1"
Lapua Std plus 7/8", 11/16", 5/16". Nice. Shots were more clusted together with some overlapping. The 11/16" was a one long lateral tear. The 5/16" groups had 3 in one tear and 2 in another hole cutting each other.
Lapua Rifle match 5/8", 5/8" - all real tight with little vertical. Lateral which might have been due to the light gusts? Very nice indeed.
Lapua pistol match 5/8" 1 1/8" with some flyers. Inconsistent enough to not keep shooting but maybe later.
Lapua pistol match special 1 5/8", 7/8" (4 clustered and 1 out), 3/4". Decent groups but again, a sense that it would toss the occasional shot. More vertical too.
Eley Sport 7/8", 1", 1" pretty stable group size. Shape of groups varied but there was definitely a vertical flyer here and there. Not bad but not great either.
Went back to testing the Lapua's.
Std Plus 7/8", 3/4", 1". Surprising as there was more obvious vertical dispersion. maybe getting tired?
Rifle Match, 13/16" 3/4" , 1" Decent groups but more vertical then previously so maybe I am getting cold and follow through not as good as it was before. Vertical was definitely present.
So for this Savage, RWS is shooting nice roundish groups with pretty consistent accuracy right around 1".
Eley is similar and since it was shot later maybe not shooting as well. Retest in order.
lapua looks like it has the potential to shoot sub 1" with groups as small as 5/8" - 5/16" not uncommon.
I did not foul the barrel between ammos so the first group tended to be larger then the later goups????
At any rate, all of this match ammo shot great with most sub 1". So any has the potential to make the average rimfire shooter very happy.
From a dirt cheap, box stock, bottom end factory rifle, I am very happy with its potential. Wind and fatigue can certainly change results dramatically so more shooting will be needed.
Right now, the Lapua Rifle Match is in the lead with Std plus not too far behind. RWS and Eley might tighten up by shooting more fouling groups before going for 'score'.
We shall see.
Jerry