Newbie Grouping help

DILLIGAF

DILLIGAF

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Well I just got back from the Range 100 Yards

I got to say I still have much to learn... This is my first Savage .308 ( 10- FCPK )

So Here is the picture. I got good groups from the most expensive ammo ( Federal premium vital shock 165 Gr. ) What surprised me is the grouping I got from the cheaper Winchester Power Point 150 Gr. Except for the flyer, that im sure was caused by the operator... :p

and the Remington plain sucked...

Now is this as good as it gets without relaoding ? I think I will set my scope to the Federal premium for hunting this year... I measured the groups center to center and I dint count the flyer on the Winchester


Federal Premium 165 Gr 1 1/2
Winchester 150 Gr 1 3/4
Remington 150 Gr 3 1/4


IMG_3118.jpg
 
with factory ammo, trying just 3 different brands is barely a start without reloading. If you don't plan to reload, buy a few more boxes of other brands. Federal Fusion 150gr. is very accurate in my .270 handi-rifle most other factory ammo was struggling to shoot 3" groups. Keep trying.

Are you shooting off a table with sandbags?. biPod. Prone..?
 
Thats all my Local place has in stock... I was shooting off a bipod... Will try prone tomorrow and put a sandbag under my stock as well...
 
BTW nice shooting. And good for you too for firing five-shot groups instead of 3-shot groups, that gives *much* better information.

I'm not so sure that the "flyer" with the cheap Winchester was caused by the operator. If when you fired the shot you "called" it as being a bad shot, or possibly a bad shot, sure. But if you didn't think there was anything wrong with it until you saw the holes in the target, I'd be a lot more inclined to put it down to the ammo and not to you. I would not call the Winchester ammo "minute and three quarters" ammo unless you were to fire one (or several) minute-and-three-quarters groups.

By the way getting two and a half or three minutes from plain Jane hunting ammo is completely believable and par for the course - don't doubt yourself or your rifle over this. Also there's nothing wrong with any of this, even the very "worst" ammo you shot, for short range deer hunting (say 200 yards or less).

Also note that, broadly speaking, the Federal good ammo shot to about the same point of impact (POI) as the Remington ammo (call it about three inches left of your point of aim). It is a bit of a surprise to see the Winchester shoot to such a different POI but there you have it.
 
DILLIGAF said:
Thats all my Local place has in stock... I was shooting off a bipod... Will try prone tomorrow and put a sandbag under my stock as well...
Click to expand...

Try putting a little forward pressure on the bipod legs when shooting. It does help with consistency which therefore helps group size.
 
Dude you want to get into reloading those groups will shrink big time, and don't let anyone tell you it is cheaper to reload lol .
You will just shoot a lot more :D .
 
coyote said:
Dude you want to get into reloading those groups will shrink big time, and don't let anyone tell you it is cheaper to reload lol .
You will just shoot a lot more :D .
Click to expand...

I have the exact same gun and had the exact same results with factory ammo. Been reloading now for 2 years and let me tell you "wow". Just came back from a 500 yard shoot and was averaging .7 moa (i.e. 3.5"). That's without modding the gun at all, not even bedding it.

The first time I reloaded for this gun I actually said "wow" out loud after shooting the first group.

Don't get discouraged. You have a gun with serious potential. Try some high end factory ammo. Reloading is buckets of fun too if you're into that.
 
Thanks guys... I guess my groups aren't to bad after all... I was so dicouraged yesterday but after reading a bit more into it I will have to get into reloading...

I got a few more Boxes Of the Fedaral premium and will go learn my scope operations today at the range... And get ready for fridays opening day...

Were do I start looking for realoading info ? so much info out there...

thanks
 
Ummmm---I'm not a precision shooter in any way, shape, or form, but I do own a 62 yr old Winchester M70 that will put them into a ragged hole @ 100 and under 1.5 at 200. The ammo that rifle likes best is cheapo Federal Blue Box. The expensive stuff groups ok, but nothing spectacular. I have similar results with my cheap Marlin XS7--the sub $20/box FBB goes almost into the same hole @ 100, whereas the Winchester premium groups around 4.5!! If you aren't reloading give the Blue Box a try.......You may be as surprised as I was!
 
Try federal gold in 168SMK or 175SMK. It's a match ammo out of the box and should tighten up the results from the 165 you shot. (SMK=Sierra Match King, HPBT=Hard Point Boat Tail)

Here's my first hack at reloading: http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=436113

I use Lee 50th anniversary single stage press because it's cheap, it works and allowed me to purchase a Chargemaster 1500 combo sooner.
I bought the Lee stuff from msg.Drew at www.reloaders.ca

RCBS rockchucker is often argued to be the best single stage press but they cost more.....but you can feel and see the quality.
 
DILLIGAF, it is absolutely normal to feel this group is ####ty if you have access to the internet, where everyone shoots 1/8moa off hand with factory ammo and pencil barrels.

However, in real life, the groups you shot are absolutely reprensentative to true factory gun/factory ammo combo. Keep up the good work
 
DILLIGAF said:
Thanks guys... I guess my groups aren't to bad after all... I was so dicouraged yesterday but after reading a bit more into it I will have to get into reloading...

I got a few more Boxes Of the Fedaral premium and will go learn my scope operations today at the range... And get ready for fridays opening day...

Were do I start looking for realoading info ? so much info out there...

thanks
Click to expand...

Where to start looking for reloading info...Boy is that a loaded question. :p

There is so much information on this website with endless opinions from fellow hand loaders it will fry your brain. Read up on the basics of hand loading in the front of any reloading manual and go from there. As you progress and get the fundamentals down issues will pop up that you're not too sure about. Then you can ask pointed questions or do a search to help answer that particular question. The more you load, the more in depth you'll want to go so the learning never ends. Spending a few hours or so at my bench on a rainy day or a lazy Tues afternoon is very enjoyable for me. Tunes quietly playing on the radio, cold beer in the fridge beside you, Dillon calendar on the wall. It's awesome.

Have fun!
 
Pick up a Lyman 49th edition reloading manual. Read it. Look around your area for someone to mentor you if possible. Not sure where your located exactly so can't help you much there.
 
I just got back from the range... 1 inch grouping 5 rounds now Im happy... I had 3/4 Group after 3 rounds... But I like to shoot 5

I was just on my Bipod... And I didnt wear my contact lenses

Not to bad after all.... Time to reload ...

IMG_3137.jpg
 
That is a very nice group. There is tons of info out there on reloading for the .308 but I'll throw out a suggestion that a 168g SMK HPBT ( it is actually hollow point boat tail not hard point just fyi ) over 43.5 g of Varget with a COAL of 2.80 will likely be a good place to start.
 
coyote said:
Dude you want to get into reloading those groups will shrink big time, and don't let anyone tell you it is cheaper to reload lol .
You will just shoot a lot more :D .
Click to expand...

Well SAID! I shooot wayyy more now! haha
That reminds me...Damn Im almost out of powder! hehe
 
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