how accurate is your savage really?

[Phil3]

Interesting discussion, but in my opinion, there is a "best" performance and an "average" performance. Top speed records on vehicles at the Bonneville Salt Flats are an average of two runs, one each way. To determine how well the GUN shoots, I do think you need averages of groups, with the gun set up very well in a rest and bags, and shot by someone who is a proven accomplished shooter. I am quite sure I could have a winning rig and be smoked by someone shooting a stock Savage at any modest range. I am just not that good.

One thing I have not seen mentioned is the element of luck. So, your gun shoots a .250" group. Luck, gun performance, or...? We often can't explain why bullets go where they go, so what happened in the small group? Luck, skill, alignment of the planets at that moment in time, or...?

I would only claim my gun is a 0.xxx group gun after having shot at least 40 5 shot groups and averaging all together. With my shooting skill, I doubt that group number will be impressive, but I can say it will do it and I have the proof.

Phil

 

[swampshooter]

Due to physical disabilities I bought a Savage F-Class 6.5x284. To see if I was physically able to shoot F-Class. I live on the coast and the wind blows 15-25 mph or 20-30 mph all the time. With my reloads of Sierra MK, Lapua brass and bullets straight out of the box it's been averaging 1 5/8" at 300 yds. I sorted Lapua brass and weighed, measured and sorted Sierra 142 MK bullets last week and in switchie winds got .836 vertical by 1.100 horizontal with bullets jammed .003 for 5-shots at 300 yds. One group with Norma brass, 5- shots .002 off lands were 1.743 vertical by 1.666 horizontal. I had one vertical flier that opened the vertical of that group up by .05. Norma brass has always grouped slightly larger. I just shot two-5 shot groups as the round count in my rifle is getting high and I don't have much left in the throat. I'm going to rebarrel it, replace the trigger and keep shooting, at my age and physical condition I'll never be a top shooter anyway, it will be good enough for me. It is capable of holding x-ring.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

can anyone verify Team Savages claims of winning competitions with stock factory rifles ?
I have 4 savages that shoot .5 moa at 100 most the time-
the rest of the time -when they don't Its probably the driver -me-

Yes, they win matches with stock rifles and Savage barrels. I know most of them personally and I'm glad they are shooting factory rifles.

For what it's worth, I've never shot a factory barreled Savage. With a good barrel, mine (110 long action thats been fiddled with a little) has shot 20 shot cleans repeatedly against the 300 and 500 yard f-class target in F-TR competition despite the driver. It does give sub x-ring elevation at 3-600 yards when I do my part. The only reason it hasn't shot clean at 600 is me. Windage has bit me all 3-4 competition targets I've shot at that range.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I have shot Manatee plenty. I set 2 records in 1 shoot years back in the 1000 yard 8" Gong shoot with a .300 Lapua in a Shehane Tracker stock that Greg Tannel built. Shortly after that I built a 6CM (Competition Match) on a Savage Varmint model 12 singleshot, Krieger barrel, B&C Medalist stock. David Bruno chambered it and the 2 others I have. First time out while FF loads at the 1000 yard gong shoot I shot 3rd or 4th, can't remember. The following month when I went back, I tied both my records with that 6CM, Savage action rifle and won. Even though I know it is not factory, all this was done in wind and mirage. For those of you that have never shot Manatee, there is PLENTY of wind and mirage to go around for ALL. Since then my records have been broke many atime, mostly by SAVAGE'S!!!!!! Some way closer to being stock. I could go on and on about Manatee, but I'll leave you with this - Winter time, wind full value, blowing 18-23, gusting to 30. I set my wife behind my 6CM, the one mentioned here schooled her on the wind pick up and laying down. I told her to watch the tall grass on tthe berms and the mirage. I shut up, she shot 3 times and made 3 hits on that 8 inch gong. She really thought she was doing something in that wind. This would be a good range for those booger picking IBS shooters to shoot, no offense.

 

[LHSmith]

In the original post the OP queried about factory Savage accuracy. Most of us are in agreement that Savage actions can be competitive when using upgraded components. So far, no such wins in a major sanctioned match have been confirmed. You can all post how well you hit gongs in club matches with your "Almost" factory savages....but that is not the topic.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I know what the OP was, then all of a sudden it was, too much BS about this and that!!! Most OF US got off topic!!!

 

[BoydAllen]

Here is some solid information about stock Savages winning in international competition.
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=5&t=294204
I would have put up a link to an article from this site, but it is down for maintenance.
And then there is this.
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=5&t=294204

 

[chevytruck_83]

I'm the original poster. all I wanted was to see is how small a Group the true talented reloader /shooters are getting from their savages because I'm relatively new. 99% of what I know has been aquirred from this site. I keep thinking how accurate can these savages really be. I'm doing pretty well(is that better)

 

[LHSmith]

Sorry, but I am very skeptical about a franchise sponsored team using actual random production line offerings. Judging from past posts, I am not alone in this skepticism.

 

[BoydAllen]

Years ago, without any bedding and just adjusting the pre accutrigger down to 2 1/4# with a scope that was not as powerful as what I shoot now, I shot several types of premium ammo in one of the then new Savage 112 stainless barreled, laminated stock, single shot varmint rifles. This was before they started using the black tips on the stock. Shooting from a pretty good home made rest, using a very ordinary soft bottom rear bag, and without wind flags, I shot carefully measured half inch five shot groups with Federal and Winchester premium ammo, and the Hornady loads with 40 gr. Vmaxes at over 4,000 FPS shot into .440. I took that target with me to show someone at a Visalia benchrest match and it was measured by the person that was doing the targets for the match. Although I am not saying that it was typical, after 200 or so rounds that barrel broke in to the extent that it cleaned as easily as a Hart that was on a .222 that I still own. Later that rifle became part of a story in Precision Shooting that featured a Shehane drop in varmint stock, and the then new Rifle Basix SAV II trigger, which I installed. I have had a number of Remingtons, and I like them, but I have to say that that Savage impressed me. Typically, my varmint loads would reliably group into 7/16". If I still had the rifle, with the better trigger and stock, ( that was professionally pillar bedded) and knowing a bit more about reloading (would probably anneal cases), and with one of my benchrest scopes on top, I think that my results would be measurably better, but that is just a guess. By the time that I got that rifle I had separated my bench rifle from my varmint rifles, and that level of accuracy was all that I felt that I needed, so I stopped fiddling and just shot squirrels from that point on.

 

[BoydAllen]

I agree that it is not likely that rifles shot by a factory sponsored team were randomly chosen, but I do think that the team's successes prove the viability of the design, which has, after all, been called into question. I think that that has been proven.

 

[Joe C]

LOL! Read the whole thread and y'all suckered me in...I'm game...or is it gamey?

I don't, haven't and most likely never will own a Savage. Is it because they don't shoot? Nah, my local hunting buddy has a M10 Tactical .308 that has consistently shot five shot groups at 100 yards in the .4-.6" range with Federal GMM...and I watched in amazement. Nope the reason I won't ever own one is cause I think they are BUTTTTTT UUUUUGGGGGGGLY! That and the action feels like a 1942 Colt 1911 full of sand on every one Ive looked at, LOL! Not to mention the accutrigger reminds me of a Glock...and I really dislike Glocks. FLAME SUIT ON FELLAS! ;D

 

[chevytruck_83]

does it really look that bad? your hurting my feelings.

 

[savagedasher]

We always said in racing If it don't go chrome it. That why I enjoy shooting so much.
Shooting to me is the skill of the shooter not the gun. Most matches if they all shot just one gun you would end up with the same winners. Good Shooting Watch out for the Chrome. Larry

 

[LHSmith]

does it really look that bad? your hurting my feelings.

No comment.....but you could send it to Speedy G.........he can make ANY bench gun look pretty.......although it might come back with a different action ???...and stock perhaps.......scopes lookin' good though :

 

[vervi1jw]

This is definitely a tough question. I have several sporter barreled savages that with good loads and shooting were usually around .75 to 1moa, maybe a little less. If you shot it a lot and the barrel got hot I would expect about half of that accuracy. I would imagine the factory Fclass model does much better. I have a couple savage based built match rifles and they usually shoot in the .3-.5 moa area. I do fairly well in 600 yard F-open with one of them.

 

[Nomad47]

does it really look that bad? your hurting my feelings.

I live in a motorhome (its in the background of the first pic). When my wife and I first moved into the MH, I carried and loaded for 6 rifles. But that got to be a bit much so now I am down to two rifles and four barrels - both Savages. I'm not going to make any MOA accuracy claims because it really is irrelevant. The pictured Savage started life as a 22-250 and it was easily the most accurate stock factory rifle I have ever owned. In fact, up until I bought that Savage 12BVSS in 22-250, all my rifles were either Remington or Winchester.

The Savage as pictured is sporting a Criterion 243AI barrel. Other than the barrel, all rifle parts are Savage - action, bolt, trigger, and stock. The rifle is as accurate as I need or want it to be, killing groundhogs over 1000 yards distance. I happen to like the looks of it. And I really don't care if anyone else thinks it is butt ugly or not.

 

[Joe C]

I happen to like the looks of it. And I really don't care if anyone else thinks it is butt ugly or not.

And that attitude is why you, me and The Viper get along so well!!!! See, we can like different things and still be friends and fellow shooters folks! 8)

 

[jscandale]

does it really look that bad? your hurting my feelings.

I like the bus in the background.

JS

 

[Rustystud]

First, I am not a great shooter but I shoot a lot. The best 100 yard group I have ever shot was with a Savage model 12. That group was with a 22 BRX and it measured .0087"
Nat Lambeth