Savage Magnum Target-First Time Past 300yds

[redneckdan]

The rifle is a Savage Magnum Target in .338 Lapua. 40 MOA steel Farrall base screw and epoxied with steel Farrall rings holding a 16x SWFA Mil-Mil. Currently has a cheapie prone bipod while I decide on a future direction to go with this as far as a rest. Rifle has less than 50rds through it. Zero'd at 300yds for MPBR of 350yds.

The Load:
Nosler bulk straight out of the bag, neck sized with FL die to square it up. Mouths deburred with 60* chamfer. No further prep. As shipped they are 0.005-0.007 shorter than 0.000 head space.

Winchester Large Rifle Magnum Primers

Hornady 225gr SST loaded as delivered. 0.000" jump is 3.660". These are seated 3.700" to jamb the bullet into the lands in an effort to fully blow the shoulders forward on first firing.

Powder charger is 100.0gr of WC860 lot#48770 purchased from GIBRASS in 2007. This lot, in my experience, burns between retumbo & H1000; more towards the retumbo side. Velocity estimated at 3000fps and that is what calcs are based on.

SniperCalc App was used for come ups.

Shooter:
Skills rating Fair to Horse****. I honestly cant recall ever shooting in earnst beyond 200yds. I shot small bore for several years in high school in the late 90s.


Target is a 24" x 24" piece of 5/8" AR500 plate. Hung in diamond orientation. White background with 2" black dot. Shooting down a dead end forest road.




I started at 300yds to get my base zero. Was chasing it a lot until I eased way up on the bipod preload. Settled the groups down a lot. Hovered right around 1.5- 2.0 MOA. No real rear bag, had a wadded up wool pullover.

Backed up to 530yds, since 500yds was a mud hole.

Settled in and shot 5 rounds using the App come up of 19 clicks plus 1 for good luck.

5 rounds on the plate! All kinds centered on the bull.


Furthest spread is right about 5 inches.



The pair on the bull is at about 3/4"




Not bad for a first timer.

I need to work on my positioning a lot. I think that will close up the group more. I'm going to stick with the WC860 and 225gr SST load until I get my part under control.

My goal is to be able to confidently take an antelope at 600yds or less this october.

 

[gohring3006]

I have that rifle with a Leupold 20 Moa steel base with a SWFA 10x shooting the 285 ELD at just under 2800 fps. I'm holding under Moa out to 1200 yards. That's a great rifle and I'm glad I bought it.

 

[Rich Coyle]

redneckdan,

Good start. The other day I fired a friend's long range rifle. I never used a rabbit ears bag before except on the bench. I was amazed at how steady the reticle can be from the prone. I could not tell any difference in the bench and prone with the bipod and rear bag. So I suggest you get one. You can bet I will be using one when I put my rifle together.

 

[redneckdan]

I've been out a couple times since the first post, with similar results.

Finally got a rear bag and tightened up the bolts on my cheap bipod. Was able to stretch it out to 725yds today.

Started at 300 to adjust zero for load of 90gr RE22.

Went to 530 and had good results so I took it to the max of 725.

The two low rounds are before adding 2 more clicks to the scope.





I think I like this RE22 load.



Getting used to the rear bag and the bipod is still pretty wiggly. I would like to get a better one before I go hunting in October. Eyeing the Sinclair tactical. Windage seems to be my problem. I wonder if the bipod wiggle is the problem.