new rifle advice

[busabeast]

E Zurcher -
so i have been told- i plan on reloading a few (20 or so) at 2/3 different configurations and trying them out before i get rid of this rifle... again- i know its not me.. so i will try to eliminate any other factors first, and then move towards a resolution- i just wanted to know what i could expect to find in the market that would make my work a little less strenuous...

thanks for the insight tho- i do appreciate it.

 

[BusaBret]

True consistency requires custom loads and ammo headspace and powder load adjusted for the rifle. Factory ammo cannot approach the consistency of properly loaded custom rounds. Finding the ammo your rifle "likes" helps but production variances even in the same type of ammo can cause accuracy issues.

Absolutely true. But, for the average person, with no desire to handload, consistency can be found with a bit of luck and effort. Once the "liked" load is found, one must find and buy as much as possible from the same lot of ammo.
Also, the higher end ammo is extremely close to handload consistency for the ranges the OP specified. Granted, the matches at Camp Perry are a totally different matter than zombie slaying No offense meant to the OP, comparing Carlos Hathcock to just about anyone is laughable.

Sent from my dunce stool

 

[DaCol.]

I have found that Hornady makes the most consistent match grade ammo. Hand loads are OK for their purposes (I compete at 600 to 1000 yd matches and yes I use hand loads - but this is because out of 40 competitors the winners grouping will be sometimes 1/4 " smaller than No. 40 in the group) . Most people can't shoot a 3" group at 500 yds much less a 3" group at 300 yds. My question is, what are you going to shoot ?
A shot 3" low at 300 yds on an Elk, STILL KILLS THE ELK ! Also, what type and weight are your bullets, this makes a difference and zeroing with one weight or type will not correspond to a zero at another weight and type, though the group on each should be the same. Personally, I like the challenge of finding out how to improve my rifles. Gordy (Gunsmith out of Kansas City) holds the record of killing prarrie dogs at 2 MILES (just got back from one of his schools on loading and shooting at 1000 yds). So why not try everything first, then change !

 

[busabeast]

DaCol-
i tried remington core-lokt and winchester power point - both 150gr- guess i'll try a box of something else before i get froggy... and if it hadn't been so daggon windy, i probably could have shot in a 1" group with that .308- of course they were HAND LOADS i was puttin down range...

i was just so disappointed in the ammo i was using: i figured they would have to be "good enough" to make a decent group at 200m... otherwise- why sell it at all?

 

[StromBusa]

My Stag 3G .223 puts my model 70 to shame...& it is gas vs bolt... If your goal is to shoot tight bench rest groups under $500, I'd vote for the Savage.
.

 

[DaCol.]

DaCol-
i tried remington core-lokt and winchester power point - both 150gr- guess i'll try a box of something else before i get froggy... and if it hadn't been so daggon windy, i probably could have shot in a 1" group with that .308- of course they were HAND LOADS i was puttin down range...

i was just so disappointed in the ammo i was using: i figured they would have to be "good enough" to make a decent group at 200m... otherwise- why sell it at all?

Never really figured this out, but some rifles just don't like some factory loads. I would suggest you still shop around for other factory ammo (like Hornady Superformance in 150 or 160 grain). Then if your rifle ONLY likes hand loads (which would really surprise me) then trade the rifle or have a REAL GUNSMITH look at it. Although having a gunsmith work on it would probably be more than selling the rifle and getting another

 

[BusaBret]

If worse comes to worse, I know a guy with a Colt Light Rifle in 7Mag brand new in the box, unfired. Google these rifles, they are shooters!!

Sent from my dunce stool

 

[BusaBret]

If worse comes to worse, I know a guy with a Colt Light Rifle in 7Mag brand new in the box, unfired. Google these rifles, they are shooters!!

Sent from my dunce stool

Just checked and it is available. For the $$ I may buy it.

Sent from my dunce stool

 

[Redline337]

It better for that kind of money.. Although putting a cheap Bushnell scope on it is a little weird.

It's not an expensive rifle (as far as heavy barreled bolt guns go). I think msrp is $850. I traded a desert eagle (that I paid $700 for and shot for a few years) for mine. The scope was all I cared to spend at the time. I don't shoot enough to justify a nice scope and the Bushnell was the cheapest high power mil-dot scope I could get. With the groups I can shoot with it I have no complaints.

 

[busabeast]

gonna try some handloads this weekend!

supposed to load them tomorrow- i'll bring details tomorrow eve...

 

[ogre]

sig556, piston driven, side folding stock, easily packable, out to 100m at least, i'll pop silhouettes with just an eotech. I've seen a couple .260 Remington builds recently, both sa and bolt, that group tight out to 1000m. check out recoilweb.com for the builds.

 

[busabeast]

1000m - eventually i'll get there - wasn't a priority until recently - now i think about it all the time... just to hit a target at that range would tickle me... i think i can, i'm pretty sure i can, just need the weapon capable of it...

 

[StromBusa]

DaCol-
i tried remington core-lokt and winchester power point - both 150gr- guess i'll try a box of something else before i get froggy... and if it hadn't been so daggon windy, i probably could have shot in a 1" group with that .308- of course they were HAND LOADS i was puttin down range...

i was just so disappointed in the ammo i was using: i figured they would have to be "good enough" to make a decent group at 200m... otherwise- why sell it at all?

when you test loads, make sure that it is not windy, you need to eliminate all variables. Rem core lock is (hopefully) as bad as it gets for benchrest...Hornady Custom is good for factory.

 

[ogre]

when I go home, I plan on hitting up a range that's a bit longer than the one I initially shot at. I've only had a chance to take it out once.

 

[smac]

My HS Precision shoots a .2744 inch 3 shot group at 100 yards, not bad for a sporter rifle.

 

[busabeast]

ok- update- its def the rifle... nice day (very little wind- hardly any mirage) and with the handloaded rounds the best it would do is a 3.5" group @ 200m... totally unacceptable... went to the store and was checking out the savage 11 and remington 700... about $150 diff between them... thinking more and more that i'm gonna go with savage model 11 in .308 - thoughts?

 

[BusaBret]

Not mine but I can get the load data that is used for this Savage. It may offer a good starting point if that's the route you go. It shoots quite nicely at and beyond the range you specify. It is my nephew's rifle. It's not completely as it came from the factory

 

[BusaBret]

His reply about HIS best loads......both are for a .308

41gr of varget under a 168 a-max has been working out. Or 44gr under a nosler bthp of the same weight.

 

[busabeast]

super cool busabret- thanks...

and to say that rifle is 'not completely as it came from the factory' is like sayin the busa is 'kinda fast'

love the stock...

 

[Big Bo]

Things to check for tightness. Stock, is it bedded? If not have it bedded. Rings, are they good rings? Scope, is it up to the job?
Trigger, what weight is the trigger? Weight of the rifle? Did you clean the barrel? Muzzle crown? How is the crown? Just because one gun likes xyz ammo does not mean its brother will like the same ammo. I know it is expensive, but try different ammo. You may find the one that your gun prefers.
Reloading? Do you reload?
Practice, practice practice.