how accurate is your savage really?

[letronshootit]

To chevy truck 83, on your original question..... my son and I have 2 Savage 25-06's, a 112bvss and Tactical 110GCXP3. One 26" one 24. One bought in 1997 the other 1998. These rifles were bought because of tests done by a gentleman named Jim Carmichael a very famous gun writer for Field and Stream Magazine and book author. Savage used his test results in their catalog as well as a quote from a Bob Lesmeister from The American Firearms Industry Magazine " Savage Rifles are the most accurate rifles right out of the box regardless of price" So this may be where it all started on the Savage accuracy legend if you will, all the reading I could glean nobody ever said this about any rifle so I had to have one at $410.59. We put Burris Signature rings and BSA 8-32x scopes on them, they were cheap and we were financially challenged. BSA at that time was made in Japan. I cleaned up and adjusted the triggers to the best of my ability. My do all accuracy loads were at that time was 90gr. Sierra Gameking HP, 56.5gr. IMR 4831 and CCI BR2 primers. This will yield nice 3 shot clover leaf groups cutting holes in both rifles, It was used by us for years. 3 years ago I tried 1,000yd.VBR and used the same rifle but I installed a SSS competition trigger. This was a economical starting point to see if I liked the game. I used 115gr. Berger VLD 48.5gr. IMR 4350 CCI BR2 primers. Accuracy was .5 or less at 3,125fps. Barrel throat gone at 1,604 rds. We have 2 Savage PTA actioned 6brs but with different barrels they shoot from 1 hole to .5 3 shot groups with 30gr. Varget 105 A-Max and Wolf SRM primers. 6BRX barrel on the way to replace the 25-06 barrel, an Edge stock and a Rifle Basix trigger, too much money in the old horse but it has have served me well and I can do the barrel swap myself. Sorry if I rambled but they are a good working mans rifle that have allowed me to compete and win my class on occasion.

 

[BoydAllen]

Nice report.

 

[chevytruck_83]

thanks ron. finally a response back on topic. Though i do enjoy the bickering and may instigate it a litttle. 8)

 

[Nomad47]

LHSmith and others are confusing rifle accuracy with shooter accuracy.

When I develop loads (and I'm sure this applies to everyone else) I want to shoot those loads in as near perfect conditions as possible. Because I want to see how accurate the rifle AND load are. THEN when I have an accurate rifle and load, I can then test my skills with wind and mirage.

Or to put it another way... Put a 1 MOA rifle in Erik Cortina's or Steve Blair's hands (or others, I just happen to know those two fine gentlemen) and a .25 MOA rifle in my hands. Then have us compete at 1000 yards. Either man will easily beat me. My only chance would be if conditions were pristine. So bad wind and mirage don't determine a rifle's accuracy (they determine a shooter's skills), but having an accurate rifle sure helps. ;D

 

[kelbro]

LHSmith and others are confusing rifle accuracy with shooter accuracy.

When I develop loads (and I'm sure this applies to everyone else) I want to shoot those loads in as near perfect conditions as possible. Because I want to see how accurate the rifle AND load are. THEN when I have an accurate rifle and load, I can then test my skills with wind and mirage.

Or to put it another way... Put a 1 MOA rifle in Erik Cortina's or Steve Blair's hands (or others, I just happen to know those two fine gentlemen) and a .25 MOA rifle in my hands. Then have us compete at 1000 yards. Either man will easily beat me. My only chance would be if conditions were pristine. So bad wind and mirage don't determine a rifle's accuracy (they determine a shooter's skills), but having an accurate rifle sure helps. ;D

Bill, I was thinking the same thing!

 

[stinnett1981]

To chevytruck the OP. I dont know if this helps, but if your curious about how accurate other factory guns are then here is mine. It a regular Rem 700P .223 and I shoot from a Harris bipod. It shoots .6 to .7 on average with boat tails and Varget. I just found out that it loves flat base bullets at short range. I started shooting some 53 grain flat base Sierra Matchkings a few weeks ago and EVERY SINGLE 5 shot group I have shot with them has been under .5 moa. I have 1 group that measured .21. The one thing I noticed about this gun is that it cleans and shoots better and better after every time I go to the range. It has about 700 rounds down the tube and it doesnt foul up at all anymore. Also I have become alot better shooter and reloader lately. Before I just stuck the gun up on a bench and pointed and fired. Now I have a detailed way to shot from a bipod. I figured out how much shoulder pressure to put on the rifle and bipod, hand placement, where to place the stock in the protektor shooting bag, breathing and trigger pull. I know do all these contestant and it has helped my shooting game a lot! Again this post is to chevy truck. Here is a pic of the .21 group @ 100 yards with the 53 flat base SMK's, 25.8 Varget, Lapua brass, Fed 205M primer and .007" off lands.

 

[chevytruck_83]

what twist rate is your 700 p in 223? 1x12? i went with an sps as my first 223 because it had a 1x9 but it was fussy. i was lucky to get those random .75" groups. my rem 700 vtr 308 shoots great but as the barrel warms it tracks up and right quite a bit. I would say it shoots 2 shots on top of eachother then usually a third. 75-1" away. I like the Remington 700s too but my savages prove more more accurate. I'm sure there are a lot of people who had savages first then there 700 shot better.

 

[stinnett1981]

Its a 9 twist. It really didnt shoot that good at first. Or maybe I wasnt that good of a shot at first? Anyway now it has 700 rounds down it and it doesn't foul anymore. It shoots a lot better now. It loves those flat base bullets!

 

[LHSmith]

LHSmith and others are confusing rifle accuracy with shooter accuracy.

When I develop loads (and I'm sure this applies to everyone else) I want to shoot those loads in as near perfect conditions as possible. Because I want to see how accurate the rifle AND load are. THEN when I have an accurate rifle and load, I can then test my skills with wind and mirage.

You will most likely have an accurate rifle and load for perfect conditions.....when the conditions pick up, your accuracy will probably degrade....no matter how well you read conditions.....it's called "tuning to the present conditions."
Most barrel/load combinations will shoot smaller in certain conditions....this fact may be difficult for many to comprehend.
In the first post the OP asked for input from "guy's that compete and really know how to tune"
.........well I compete, I'm not the best tuner but I do have a clue about how to go about it, and in full disclosure I don't own a Savage.....so maybe that disqualifies my input.
All I'm trying to impress to the OP is there is a never-ending learning curve to precision shooting......much of it is not cut and dry...there is no scientific reasoning behind what successful shooters do.....you just have to accept "it is what it is."
So the OP apparently is seeking to go to the next level and to do so I would recommend reading all the BR and other shooting related books.

 

[swampshooter]

I'll buy all the Bat action rifles you can find for $700.00 and give anybody a profit.

 

[Tim Singleton]

I have several Savages I've built. A couple in BR stocks they shoot pretty well. Especially for my shooting and loading abilities at this point.

I would compare this to NASCAR.
If you are a top driver. Can you stay on pace with a savage? Keep on Lead lap, or Win against the other top competitors on a regular basis? Savage against Bat and other top of the line actions?
Like trying to beat Jimmy Johnson with my car I drive to work each day. it gets me to work.
beating Jimmy Johnson in a race ? Don't think so.

Like I said I'm a big Savage fan. At this point in my shooting level I need a Bat about as much as I need a NASCAR race car to get to work.
Just another 2 cents

 

[Jeff Von Rosenberg]

I don't think you can talk about how accurate your savage is when you have a custom aftermarket barrel on it you can almost take a Krieger, Bartline, Lilja, etc on any action and they will shoot well. You guys with Savages with Savage barrel that shoot well(I have2) have something to crow about. Don't know if this has already been said(didn't read entire thread) if so I apologize for taking your time! JVON

 

[Max Power]

I guess my Savage rifles suck now.


Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

[jo191145]

Read em and weap.
Five shots, 200 yards with a Savage VLP with factory barrel in 204R, RBII trigger EJS stabilizer and a 12 x42 NightForce sitting on top. 25.3 gns of BM behind a 40 Berg. 2.275" was this depth. Fed 205M, Nosler brass.
This is one group in a 25 shot string of round robin seating depth tests. No cooling, no cleaning just 25 down and dirty.

Next weekend that gun and load outshot every custom on the line at the Dartmouth egg shoot at 300 yards. Only gun that day to break 15 eggs with 15 shots. No wind flags allowed. Also won the 200 yd factory division that day.

Drove home from the shoot. No cleaning no cooling fired the last 43 rds at my 200 yd range and no group was larger than .25 moa. Some were three shot groups, at least one was eight. Whatever floated my boat and the prevailing conditions which were admittedly extremely mild.

The people who think factory guns cannot shoot were trained to believe that.

Here's an idea. Take your ppc's and ream the necks out to .275" then go shooting your .262" brass through them. The changing brass hardness will make your heads swim. I have full blown customs. I find them boring. Good shooting guys and gals.

PS. The only reason I ever accomplished such a feat is because the crowd back in 2005 at BR Central told me it was impossible. They had the same training.

 

[JamesnTN]

I can remember years back I use to post results with targets I shot from my rifles from factory to my Mike Bryant built 22-243 and damned I was always one the defense. I guess I was called everything but a good shot back then. That changed once I got off my back yard range and started shooting some fun shoots. I think my first was in TX I went down and shot a match that stretched out to 500 yards. I came home with first place that day and I made a lot of new believers whom questioned my abilities, then I began shooting 600 yard IBS matches and got myself 3 world records that year, 2 of which was same day same gun two different barrels.
Long story short I know longer have prove anything and I'm getting back into the game slowly but getting there. I've bought a few factory rifles one being a Savage model 12 in 6 BR and just got it shooting the other day and it so far shoots quiet well. I can't say how consistent it'll be just yet but I have a nice load worked out.
I also have bought a gas gun yea an AR JP Enterprises and shot it with some old ammo I had loaded up years ago I still had in magazines. At time I didn't have a rest so I shot it off the tailgate of my truck in a uncle mikes bull bag. Not knowing what to expect from a new rifle and old reloads I was amazed of the accuracy of this rifle. Once I sighted it in I took my target out to 200 yards and here's what this rifle is capable of.

This group measures at .296 for five shots the worse five shot 200 yard group that day was .473

Te most accurate rifle I ever owned was a Winchester HV in .243 that rifle was a dream to shoot. So yes factory rifles can be accurate the odds aren't near as good as a custom but a few do sneak thru the food chain.

 

[chevytruck_83]

I didnt think i was the only guy on here that got (lucky) with my savages..

 

[Seeking_Coyotes]

There is nothing I would rather than a Remington...love them...just think they have gone to the toilet. It is hard to find a gun worth buying outside of a Savage and I am a Remington wanna be fan. Just got a Tikka and still have the jury out. I just wish Remington would come around the way Winchester recently has with their Model 70.

 

[chevytruck_83]

Thats kinda surprising. I thought more people would stick up for tikka. Ive personally heard good things and believe there actions are smooth. I havent actually fired one yet though.

 

[BoydAllen]

What it all comes down to is whether you are looking at keeping the rifle as is, or taking it through a series of modifications. I agree that if you are considering buying a rifle and not modifying it, except for working on the trigger, and bedding it that the Tikkas merit serious consideration.

 

[Seeking_Coyotes]

Didn't mean to seem that I am against Tikka. It does have a very smooth action and it has a wonderful balance for shooting. I just have not yet found the accuracy node after shooting alot of different powders and bullets. I would advise not going above a .243 in the Tikka T3 Lite. I got it in 7mm-08 and the gun is so light that it kicks more than my 30.06. Probably would be about perfect in a .223 or so.