What loads are you using for the Savage 308?

[Rich-Allen]

My son took his new F/TR to the range yesterday and we have mixed reviews.
The accutrigger was the biggest disappointment of them all. Savage put in a safety device into the trigger and if the rifle is jarred or if you cycle the action to hard the safety device blocks the sear. Once this happens the bolt has to be cycled again.


The other problem was keeping the shots consistent, shots would move as much as three inches up, down, left or right with no apparent reason.
I figure either the barrel isn't broken in or the rifle doesn't like the federal match ammo (168 gr) he was using. The barrel is 30", should we be using something smaller like 142 SMK?
I have some Laupa 155 scenaro and Berger 168 on the bench.

I will work up some loads tonight but I was hoping to find out what was working for everyone else. The rifle doesn't come bedded from the factory, what is recommended for bedding compound too.


Thanks in advance,

Rich

 

[milanuk]

Rich,

The trigger has been covered here (and elsewhere) last year, several times in fact. Takes some getting used to, but it works pretty well. Considering the liability involved in turning out a production rifle w/ a 6 oz. trigger, I think they did okay.

As far as loads... Berger 155s are all I've put thru mine. Either BTs 20 thou off the lands, or VLDs 5-10 thou into the lands, and enough Varget to get into the 2950-3000fps range. Winchester cases will probably require about a grain more powder (give or take) to do that than Lapua brass. The Lapua 155 Scenars are another excellent bullet; might not be able to get quite as much speed out of them as they are a very long projectile - anywhere from 2900 plus should be golden. IMR4895 is another good powder to try if Varget doesn't do the trick for you.

142gr SMK is a 6.5mm bullet.

It's possible the gun needs bedded (mine was done using Devcon) or has some screws loose somewhere - maybe action screws, maybe scope ring/base screws. I'd also suggest that unless your sun has a bit of experience shooting groups from a bipod... small inconsistencies in shoulder pressure, cheek weld, hand gripping pressure, etc. can do surprising things to your point of impact. I know I can easily throw a minute plus of windage either side of center if I'm not careful... and I've put a few thousand (at least) rounds thru a .308 off a bipod over the last several years...

Monte

 

[Rich-Allen]

Hi Monte,

I will load up some Laupa 155 tonight and give them a try tomorrow. My son shooting skills are really good, he can shoot bug holes with my rifle so I know it's not his skills.

I suspect it's load and possibly a loose screw. Did your barrel take time to break in?

 

[JDPowell]

My F/TR will not shoot Sierra MKs consistently.

It would shoot 1/2 MOA @ 200 Yds and then almost always 1 or 2 out of 5 made
the group 1MOA or larger.

Switching to Berger VLDs both 155 and 168 grain gives me mostly 0.5 - 0.6 MOA 5 shot groups @ 200 Yds. Best groups are with 0.010" jam.

The bore of my F/TR is very rough. I wonder if the Berger bullets shoot better and eliminates flyers because the harder jackets withstand the rough bore better?

See the bore scope pictures -

 

[earl39]

another thought

The bore of my F/TR is very rough. I wonder if the Berger bullets shoot better and eliminates flyers because the harder jackets withstand the rough bore better?
-

JD mine was rough so i ran half of a set of Tubbs final finish thru it. smoothed up really well. now all i get is fouling with no copper and really smooth running a patch thru it. not saying you should do that just that i did with good results. i don't think the barrels are factory lapped.

as for loads i am shooting varget with 155smk's. still playing with seating but 300 yard 5 shot groups average 1 inch running 2957fps. had problems with groups running bad vertical and found the recoil lug was not seated proper. loosened action screws and it dropped in place with barrel going to center of barrel channel.