Got a new toy

[mconwa951]

So i have been slowly getting into rifle hunting over the past couple of years and have been shooting a savage .308 and have been very successful with it taking 4 antelope and some mule deer. I wanted to get someting new and stoped by the local gun shop and he had a new Savage Long Range hunter in .300 wsm so i picked it up. Now i know its no custom rifle and it isnt gonna be a 1000yd shooter out of the box but its what i can afford with the economy and child support being what it is.
So i am gonna start with adding a picatinny rail and i already have a nikon monarch 5-20x44 scope i am gonna use for now to get me shooting.

I was wondering what other inexpensive things i can do right away to make it shoot better. I have heard good things about the final finish bullets has any body tried these? Also i am going to be reloading and i have about 300 rds of winchester brass i got from a buddy for free. I also have some hornady 165 gr interbonds and some berger 210 vlds i want to try to work up a load for does anybody have any pet loads they like to shoot?
I am considering a laminate tactical stock and bed it.
Like i said i am not looking to be able to shoot to 1000 yds but wouldnt mind if 500 yds was doable in the near future. Thanks a lot guys.

 

[grit]

I'd start with the stock. A solid, stable platform, and proper bedding are critical (accustock doesn't cut it, sorry Savage). Boyds and Stockys have laminates for great prices. Tune the trigger, and develop a load.

The 210 Berger is superb. H1000 in the mid sixties will perform great. Start around 60 grains and work up.

The 300WSM and a 210 berger has got way more than a 1000 yards of reach. Get the barreled action in a stable platform, and develop a load. You're good to go!

Your scope will work. Have fun!

 

[liltank]

Get your accustock bedded with devcon. It will be the cheapest up grade. Consistency is the rule to long range. Sounds like a fun project. If you think about a stock upgrade, go to Stockade Stocks. He offers a money saver model that you can finish on your own.

Tank

 

[midwesthunter]

As tank said bed the stock first. I know lots of people who like the acustock. This gun might surprise you on what it can do. You don't need a custom rifle to shoot 1 moa at a 1000. But I'm not saying every out of the box rifle will either. Shoot it and see how it groups. Use final finish as a last resort.

 

[liltank]

I guess I should have suggested shooting it first and see how it does. May surprise you! I like Savage and think they make a good product. As far as the brass, try the Winchester, but when you can afford to do so, go with the Norma or Remington. Use plain bullets for your barrel break in. Shoot 1 and clean for 5 shots. Shoot 2 and clean for 5 cycles. Then shoot 5 and a clean for 5 cycles. Shoot 10 and clean for a few more. By this time you should be about done with barrel break in.

 

[mconwa951]

Thanks guys wondering if i should get a 20 moa rail for the scope or if a standard would do.
Also i found these stocks and really like them what do you guys think.

Tactical Style

 

[liltank]

From what I've heard, they fit well, but you have to finish the stock and do the final fitting.

Tank

 

[brentc]

Thanks guys wondering if i should get a 20 moa rail for the scope or if a standard would do.
Also i found these stocks and really like them what do you guys think.

Tactical Style

You'll probably need the 20 MOA rail with that scope if 1000 is your goal.

BTW good powders for the 210 in the 300 WSM are H4831SC, RL22, and IMR 7828 SSC.

 

[mconwa951]

Ok Stock is ordered from the company listed above the thing i liked was the fact that because my right eye is messed up and i need to shoot lefty they are custom making a left hand shooter stock for the right had action for me. I cant wait till it gets here gonna be prob three months but it is gonna look great hope it is as good as it looks.
Going to pick the gun up tomorrow from the store. Got a 20 moa scope mount ordered from Midway USA. Got some powder on the way both imr 4350 and superformance powder (just interested in seeing how it works). Got some dies ordered gonna try the 168 interbonds and the 210 bergers. Anybody try the sierra game king rounds i have never shot them of any weight just wondering what people think of them as they are very inexpensive compared to bergers and such.
Im not huge into reloading so looking for something that is easy to load for and not really picky.
Thanks again guys

 

[rscott5028]

Don't use the Final Finish on a nice rifle like this. It's not likely to make an improvement and could cause unnecessary throat errosion. There are a few desperate situations where I might give it a try.

Why can't this rifle be a 1,000yd shooter out of the box?

All you need is a good 20 MOA rail, quality glass, and match grade ammo or handloads.

All of the suggested improvements are great. But, you may be surprised just how good it shoots out of the box.

-- richard

 

[meanmrmustard]

Barrel break in. Snake oil.

 

[mconwa951]

Picked it up the other day from the store i like it even more then i thought i would.
Wondering about barrel break in can i load up just cheap FMJ rounds to break it in or should it be done with better bullets then that. Also was looking at scopes i really like the Vortex Viper PST in 6-24 with the MOA reticle but i also like the Millett LRS but it looks big and bulky and not sure if id Like the MILS instead of MOA but half the price is a nice thing. Any thoughts?

 

[liltank]

Picked it up the other day from the store i like it even more then i thought i would.
Wondering about barrel break in can i load up just cheap FMJ rounds to break it in or should it be done with better bullets then that. Also was looking at scopes i really like the Vortex Viper PST in 6-24 with the MOA reticle but i also like the Millett LRS but it looks big and bulky and not sure if id Like the MILS instead of MOA but half the price is a nice thing. Any thoughts?

For me it doesn't matter. Some guys say you should break in with what your using, others like me say it doesn't matter. I personally broke mine in w/ fmj's and then started using my good bullets. No sense in wasting valuable products. Your barrel will change dramatically from shot #1 to shot #50. Mine really didn't start coming together until around 150rds, but I saw its potential and what it like around 75rds. Now that I am into the 1200rd mark, it is .25-.75MOA with just about every load I put through it. Nice rifle. Can't wait to see it does.

 

[meanmrmustard]

For me it doesn't matter. Some guys say you should break in with what your using, others like me say it doesn't matter. I personally broke mine in w/ fmj's and then started using my good bullets. No sense in wasting valuable products. Your barrel will change dramatically from shot #1 to shot #50. Mine really didn't start coming together until around 150rds, but I saw its potential and what it like around 75rds. Now that I am into the 1200rd mark, it is .25-.75MOA with just about every load I put through it. Nice rifle. Can't wait to see it does.

Other than smoothing lands , which is also very much silly, I don't believe that there is anything bullets, a brush, or a certain oil can do that a machinist hasn't already. Doesn't make sense.