I think I got lucky

Jesse_L_B

Jesse_L_B

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I bought a new to me rifle on this site, it came in the mail on Monday. It's a savage model 10 with 20" heavy barrel. I bought some varget and some Hornady amax 155 grain. I'm using IVI brass, so I started 2 grains lower than my reloading manuals minimum charge. I loaded five shots per charge weight, starting at 42 increase by .5 grains, and stopped at 44. I shot my groups at 100y using sandbags. The first three groups were mediocre then this happened. The one "flyer" was my fifth shot, I knew it wasn't good as soon as I pulled the trigger. But anyways here are a couple pics.

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Nice! Almost not worth running a smaller spread of loads to focus it down. (say .1, .2, .3 off on either side of this load)

I'd make up a couple more just like that (say 5), and fire them, to make sure you're getting the same performance. You may have some variation due to varying barrel cleanliness, barrel temperature, and environmental (wind, temp, etc), but that's a sweet grouping.
 
Thanks, that was also my next plan. Load 25 shells at 43.5 and see if it shoots consistently like that. Then try it at longer ranges. I just couldn't belive that I got that kind of group on first day of load development. Man I love savage rifles.
 
Jesse_L_B said:
Thanks, that was also my next plan. Load 25 shells at 43.5 and see if it shoots consistently like that. Then try it at longer ranges. I just couldn't belive that I got that kind of group on first day of load development. Man I love savage rifles.
Click to expand...

Longer ranges will tell the tale. Spinning projectiles don't necessarily fly completely straight... the group may stay 0.5MOA. If they fling out into multiple MOA, (it's possible that bad flying projectiles could happen to converge at your target above, then diverge further downrange, I'd change projectiles first, because otherwise, that's a fine load-and-rifle combo.

Here's one pic of my load workup for the Savage 10TR: #3 is close, but I want to tweak it a bit more. That's at 100 yds, and it rings the 220yd gong everytime, so I'm on the right track.
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Nice group. I would try 2 more groups of the same charge, and two more of +0.2 and +0.4.

Your brass is a weak link.

When you measure your group, instead of measuring outside to outside, measure from the right side of the flyer to the right side of the group. That will be the group size.
 
Jesse_L_B said:
Thanks, that was also my next plan. Load 25 shells at 43.5 and see if it shoots consistently like that. Then try it at longer ranges. I just couldn't belive that I got that kind of group on first day of load development. Man I love savage rifles.
Click to expand...

Just wondering ? How much did you go down the precision road? Ie fl sizing and or primer uniformity flash hole deburring?
But I must say congrats very nice group!
 
Glad it's working well for you.
I had seen a few 1/2moa groups with it when I owned it and 3/4moa was pretty regular.
If you bed the receiver to the stock it will prob tighten the groups up a tiny bit as well.
I had good results with 165gr SST's for my hunting load. I found my reloading log book the other day (just finished moving) so I'll send you some more data next week when I'm back from the CQB course.
I've made hits with that rifle out to 1100 yards before, it's a good one :)

What did you put on it for glass?
 
Chris, I put a vortex 4-12 on it. It's a little under glassed for the 1100 yard shots but great for the 300 that my range has.
 
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