Flinched It In

charlesb · Post by **charlesb** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 3:37 pm

I shot my best five-shot group ever today, with my Savage .243...

( Click image to see it bigger )

Savage sent a note with the gun recommending Nosler 70 grain solid-base bullets, and sure enough, that's what I've had the best luck with.

Am not so proud of my groups with 90 grain Noslers, ( 1.2" ) or 58 grain Hornady V-Max bullets ( 2" ) - Great bullets, but not in this rifle so far.

Now that my brass is all empty, I think I'll just concentrate on the 70 grain Noslers. This gun will probably never be shot at anything but paper, so accuracy is the first and last consideration.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 3:41 pm

100 yards?

perazzi · Post by **perazzi** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:46 pm

lens makes it look like a 1000 yarder at Perry!!

charlesb · Post by **charlesb** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:23 pm

I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that it was on a 100 yard range.

That's the longest range that I can shoot at the Big Bend Sportsmans Club.

It would be nice if they had something longer, as a lot of the shots at game here are at longer ranges.

The scope on the rifle is a Nikon Monarch 4-16x42 Side Focus BDC. - Soon to be taken off and put on another rifle.

I guess the group is @ 1/2", the best I've ever done with five shots.

It surprised me, because when I was looking through that 16X scope, every heartbeat had the cross-hairs jumping around, all over the place. The trigger is only 1.5 pounds, I just waited until it was jumping back toward the bull before I touched it off.

Flinched it in, basically.

charlesb · Post by **charlesb** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:32 pm

perazzi wrote:lens makes it look like a 1000 yarder at Perry!!

That's a problem with that camera... We have beautiful mountains around here, but the camera makes them look tiny, and far away every time.

Someday I hope to get a better camera that has more lenses available for it.

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:14 pm

Nice going!

R,
Bullseye

arizona-hermit · Post by **arizona-hermit** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 3:13 am

Great shooting Charlesb!

Using a high-powered scope can be a real challenge.

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 10:01 am

Nice shooting with your Savage. I have this Savage:
http://www.guns.com/reviews/savage-model-12-vlp-dbm/
I really like it and have found the 70gr to shoot the best, as well. I use the
Sierra 70g MK HPBT and can keep about 1" 5 shot group, on my better days.
(Note: the better days are getting more rare these days)

charlesb · Post by **charlesb** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 7:42 pm

I noticed something unexpected about that range session with my .243. - The 70 and 90 grain bullets left ragged holes with little tears around the edges, but the 58 grain bullets going a bit faster left nice clean holes, like wadcutters or something.

70 grain

90 grain

58 grain

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 8:21 pm

Heavier bullets are longer and slower and not spinning fast enough to stabilize and are wobbling and key holing a bit. In my BTVS Savage in .223 I shoot 50 or 55 and they are stable and make nice neat holes.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 10:41 pm

Very nice shooting. The stock looks like the one on the M93 I fired today. Great feeling stock.

Very nice rig you have

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 11:14 pm

bearandoldman wrote:Heavier bullets are longer and slower and not spinning fast enough to stabilize and are wobbling and key holing a bit. In my BTVS Savage in .223 I shoot 50 or 55 and they are stable and make nice neat holes.

Charlesb was using a .243 cal. I have never shot anything as small as a 58g bullet in my .243, so I don't know how it would fly. I do have good luck with 70g bullets though. In my .223 I get best results with a 69g Sierra MK, and a 75g Hornady Match. The group could probably be made smaller with an experienced shooter, but about 1 inch is not bad for 20 shots.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:53 am

My bud and I were out one day and he was trying to find a good load for his .308. As little change in load of .5 grain of powder would make a change in the bullet hole, He had about 6 ;pads .5 gain apart. and as you went up some holes were clean and some showed key holing but the next .5 gain might straighten it out or sometimes not . It varied across the board of loads3

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:06 am

That's why they tell you to work up your loads. When you find some thing like that you make a spread through the best group looking for the one tighten it up more. Most loads you will find 2 sweet spots. 1 low and 1 higher but very seldom at max.