I've been ask by several folks how the Savage 6XC project has been progressing. Well I've done more shooting and have gotten some very encouraging results.
Let me start by saying that comparatively speaking this rifle hasn't shot that great at short ranges. 1/2"-3/4" groups have been the norm....quite adequate for me none the less. Where things start getting interesting is at longer ranges. Accuracy seems to get better and better as ranges get stretched out. I'll tell you what we've found out.....
#1 My reloads: Many of you have been loading much longer than I. I've only been at it for 17 years or so and it's never been for extreme true long range accuracy. Yeah, there are a few very accurate varmint rifles in my stable but getting shot opportunities past 3 or 400 yards was rare and coming up with quality medium range loads for 204's and 223's was pretty simple.
As it's turned out the 6XC hasn't been much trouble either.....With 105 Amax bullets and stiff doses of H4350 or RL17 my velocities have been quite good from the 28" barrel. I won't post my charge weights (PM me if you'd like to know) but I can tell you the speeds and standard deviations.....they are zinging out of the barrel at 3150 with RL17 to 3165 with H4350 FPS (measured at the muzzle with a magnetospeed) with H4350 having an SD of around 4 fps and RL17 around 8 fps.....I was shocked....here's the chrono data which has been very consistent shot to shot once the barrel is warmed up:
I'm using Norma brass, the aforementioned powders, CCI BR-2 primers and 105 Amax's seated about 10 thousandths off the lands. All put together with a Forster BR FL sizer and micrometer seater.
It seems that what I've learned over the years is paying off with high quality ammunition.
#2 The trigger....although terrible I've been able to shoot pretty well with the factory accu-trigger. A brand new SAV-2 showed up earlier this week and is now sitting in the rifle. After getting it all set up it appears to be an excellent upgrade. I can't wait to try it out!
#3.....and last but certainly not least how well it is shooting at longer ranges?......800 yards is all I've tried thus far but I was very surprised at the results....Like I said it hasn't been a great 100 yard shooter but it's turned in groups like this @ 800 yards on a couple different occasions so I see no reason to believe that it'll perform any differently in the future.......
That's a 1 inch dot......I know it's only 3 shots but there are reactive targets to shoot at too and it's much more fun to shoot those than it is to shoot groups....
All the advice I've gotten here and from my buddies at the range has helped get this thing rolling along. I look forward to some informal long range shooting.....I'm going to try some 115 DTAC's and some Hybrids but for now the 105 Amax's are performing very well. When the time comes to shoot 1400+ yards I'll need the extra BC of those 115 so hopefully those pan out too......More to come.....
Let me start by saying that comparatively speaking this rifle hasn't shot that great at short ranges. 1/2"-3/4" groups have been the norm....quite adequate for me none the less. Where things start getting interesting is at longer ranges. Accuracy seems to get better and better as ranges get stretched out. I'll tell you what we've found out.....
#1 My reloads: Many of you have been loading much longer than I. I've only been at it for 17 years or so and it's never been for extreme true long range accuracy. Yeah, there are a few very accurate varmint rifles in my stable but getting shot opportunities past 3 or 400 yards was rare and coming up with quality medium range loads for 204's and 223's was pretty simple.
As it's turned out the 6XC hasn't been much trouble either.....With 105 Amax bullets and stiff doses of H4350 or RL17 my velocities have been quite good from the 28" barrel. I won't post my charge weights (PM me if you'd like to know) but I can tell you the speeds and standard deviations.....they are zinging out of the barrel at 3150 with RL17 to 3165 with H4350 FPS (measured at the muzzle with a magnetospeed) with H4350 having an SD of around 4 fps and RL17 around 8 fps.....I was shocked....here's the chrono data which has been very consistent shot to shot once the barrel is warmed up:
I'm using Norma brass, the aforementioned powders, CCI BR-2 primers and 105 Amax's seated about 10 thousandths off the lands. All put together with a Forster BR FL sizer and micrometer seater.
It seems that what I've learned over the years is paying off with high quality ammunition.
#2 The trigger....although terrible I've been able to shoot pretty well with the factory accu-trigger. A brand new SAV-2 showed up earlier this week and is now sitting in the rifle. After getting it all set up it appears to be an excellent upgrade. I can't wait to try it out!
#3.....and last but certainly not least how well it is shooting at longer ranges?......800 yards is all I've tried thus far but I was very surprised at the results....Like I said it hasn't been a great 100 yard shooter but it's turned in groups like this @ 800 yards on a couple different occasions so I see no reason to believe that it'll perform any differently in the future.......
That's a 1 inch dot......I know it's only 3 shots but there are reactive targets to shoot at too and it's much more fun to shoot those than it is to shoot groups....
All the advice I've gotten here and from my buddies at the range has helped get this thing rolling along. I look forward to some informal long range shooting.....I'm going to try some 115 DTAC's and some Hybrids but for now the 105 Amax's are performing very well. When the time comes to shoot 1400+ yards I'll need the extra BC of those 115 so hopefully those pan out too......More to come.....
