My factory VARMINT/HEAVY BARREL rifle shoots sub .75" all day! Really? Prove it!

I had some load development to do today and was out fire-forming brass for my Sako and decided it would be more interesting to try this out than to just pound rounds down range.

Here's the setup:
stock Sako 75 in 6PPC
Nightforce 5.5x22 NXS
Harris bipod/bagged rest with rear beanbag






Load is virgin 220 Russian brass (Lapua) necked up to 6mm. 70 gr. Sierra HPBT over 26.5 H322 and a mixture of winchester, Federal and CCI primers (using up some left overs).



As others have indicated, this can be a tough challenge - consistency is key.
Target #1: narrowly missed this on three of the groups. These were all fired off the bipod.



Target #2: Buggered up the first group, then proceeded to clean up the remainder on this page.
First two shot off the bipod, then played with windage and elevation knobs and switched to shooting off the bag for the remainder.



Target #3: Switched out the target. I found this to be a bit better with the NXS's thick mil dot reticle.



So overall, didn't make the challenge, but came fairly close. T'was a good day of shooting and this challenge made the fire forming a bit of fun! I'll have to revisit this one and the .5 moa challenge when I've made up some loads for this Sako.
 
Hi beltfed,
You can't go wrong with a Sako, I shot a few thousand rounds through mine before the groups got consistently over 3/4 inch. H322 was my powder of choice with the 6mm berger 68 gr bullets. The 70 gr sierra is a good choice too. I would use match primers though.
Youre actually closer than you think though as 6 mm equals .243 and you are subtracting .236?
Good shooting, you should be able to beat the challenge soon going by what I see already!
Rodney
 
Beltfed, thanks for posting. I still have wanted to do this challenge but have never really applied myself. Then to see yours and other posts where you tried and recorded everything, well it just gives me faith to at least try. Plus I am getting tired of walking to the 300 yarder anyway.
BTW are we allowed a quick clean between groups? As in shoot 5, let barrel cool and wipe, then continue on?
 
Canadian Dad said:
Beltfed, thanks for posting. I still have wanted to do this challenge but have never really applied myself. Then to see yours and other posts where you tried and recorded everything, well it just gives me faith to at least try. Plus I am getting tired of walking to the 300 yarder anyway.
BTW are we allowed a quick clean between groups? As in shoot 5, let barrel cool and wipe, then continue on?
Click to expand...
Yes you can clean between groups. But no sighters on the official target.
 
rodauto said:
Hi beltfed,
You can't go wrong with a Sako, I shot a few thousand rounds through mine before the groups got consistently over 3/4 inch. H322 was my powder of choice with the 6mm berger 68 gr bullets. The 70 gr sierra is a good choice too. I would use match primers though.
Youre actually closer than you think though as 6 mm equals .243 and you are subtracting .236?
Good shooting, you should be able to beat the challenge soon going by what I see already!
Rodney
Click to expand...

The 6ppc is a real sweetheart of a round - super easy to load for and shooting it in the Sako is a real pleasure. It is nothing short of a brilliant combination. There should be more of these things around - quite surprised they never really caught on outside of benchrest circles.
243/236 - yeah, I guess I just went with a hard conversion of 6mm divided by 25.4mm (per inch) to come up with the group size :HR:
As this was just a fire forming exercise to blow out the cases to 6ppc, I wasn't expecting much from the groups. I'm quite happy with how it did.
I have a box of Berger 68 FB target bullets that I've loaded up for some load development - hopefully I can get that in this weekend.
 
Some really great shooting and beautiful rifles in this thread. I hope to be making an attempt in the coming months.

Question... does an aftermarket muzzle brake installed on a factory barreled action disqualify a rifle from this competition?
 
Slug870 said:
Some really great shooting and beautiful rifles in this thread. I hope to be making an attempt in the coming months.

Question... does an aftermarket muzzle brake installed on a factory barreled action disqualify a rifle from this competition?
Click to expand...

The muzzle break would be fine.
 
The wife just did it today. .486 average group.

Rem 700 Varmint 223 bedded in an a 40X stock, shooting 55 grain Vmax.

Will post some pics tonight.
 
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beltfed said:
The 6ppc is a real sweetheart of a round - super easy to load for and shooting it in the Sako is a real pleasure. It is nothing short of a brilliant combination. There should be more of these things around - quite surprised they never really caught on outside of benchrest circles.
243/236 - yeah, I guess I just went with a hard conversion of 6mm divided by 25.4mm (per inch) to come up with the group size :HR:
As this was just a fire forming exercise to blow out the cases to 6ppc, I wasn't expecting much from the groups. I'm quite happy with how it did.
I have a box of Berger 68 FB target bullets that I've loaded up for some load development - hopefully I can get that in this weekend.
Click to expand...


Beltfed, Nice try at the challenge, fireforming brass. Awesome. Looks like your PPC is a repeater, is that correct? I have a single shot heavy barrel and a sporter repeater. (both older A1 versions) I love these rifles, super accurate, virtually recoil free, just awesome. I have been simply blown away buy the tiny little groups they will shoot, while fireforming cases. Crazy.
As soon as this unbelievably long winter breaks, and I can get to our range, I will try this challenge, with the heavy barrel, (and try the 1/2" challenge with that rifle) and try the .75" with the sporter.
Nice shooting, and nice rifle.
Almost forgot, I have had excellent results with the Berger BR Column bullets as well.
 
So Mrs 42MTD and I head out to the range with her Remington 700 Varmint 223 with some 55 grain Vmax I just loaded up. The rifle is completely stock but I bedded it into a 40X stock that a buddy gave me. The scope is a Bushnell Tactical 6-24x50. Using a bipod and rear bag.

Winchester Brass
Federal 205 Match primer
27 grains of Varget
seated at 2.258

She had no idea about the challenge, and I wasn't thinking about it when I put the targets up. After a few foulers to get her zero she shot the first group. When I asked her how she did she said "I either put them all in the black or I totally missed the page". Well she totally put them all in the black. We continued to alternate shooting until her 5 targets were complete ( I Was shooting my 243...close but no cigar..damn flyer). When I looked through my scope I knew she had a good target and figured she would be close.

Here are the numbers:
.662
.394
.556
.520
.298
Average .486

The first set of numbers I had to cross out as I was subtract .243 (thinking it was my target!)

Here are the pictures:





Hopefully I can join her on here someday! :)
 
Well I gave it a try today, I had 35 rounds that were non pointed so I only had enough for one attempt wanted to use them up and reload the brass.
I do not normally have issues with vertical at all. People say varget is not temp sensitive, well it seems to be enough to cause me some vertical. I have this load set for summer use. I fired a few rounds at another target and the group wasn't great but ok. All shots were going a little high to save my point of aim. After the 2nd group I put all the rounds in my pockets. As they warmed as well as the rifle started to act like it usually does.
I started bottom right worked up to the left then back to the right etc the last group shot was the best.
I was shooting at the page placed vertical by length the way you see it here.
Savage 12 .308 win





Smallest group .232"
Largest .705" almost quit right here.

#1-.608
#2-.705
#3-.534
#4-.513
#5-.232
AVG .518"

I will try again when it warms up outside, FYI I normally use this rifle for F-class shooting and it usually does very well for me. I would rather shoot prone where I can load up the bi-pod.
 
I went after it on Monday. I'm embarrassed to post lol

I arrived and shot the top left target first. My scope was slightly high and I literally just made the edge of the paper. So I figured I'll finish group then adjust. I did that and had a 5 shot 0.312 group. So I adjusted. Second group I don't remember exactly but was 0.4 something. Third group was around 0.5. Fourth was around 0.4. My fifth group... Dear god. First shot was a flyer. So I decided to chase it which led to even worse results. Group was over 1.5" lol lets not talk about it.
 
Nice shooting Mrs 42MTD and Ishodu. I have yet to join the Factory HB Club, but will try it again if we ever get spring in Alberta.
 
So I have been trying for the 0.5 MOA challenge and have been getting close but no joy so far due to some ammo issues. My last shoot was bad but good enough...barely... for the 0.75 MOA challenge. This is from Saturday Apr. 12th/14 on the 100 yard range.

The rifle is a Savage Model 12 VLP in 223, shooting 75 grain Amax over 24 grains of Varget.

Groups are 0.742", 0.718", 0.709", 0.703" and 0.646" (.709 MOA, .686 MOA, .677 MOA, .672 MOA and .617 MOA). The average is 0.703" (squeeked in - not proud but it will do).






 
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