Range day, finally found "what my gun likes"

T

TwistedSage

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Joined
Jan 19, 2018
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Location
Eastern NM
After a humbling archery season I was ready to get my rifle dialed in for the winter.

I have a Savage model 11 hog hunter in 308, medium contour 20" barrel. Its not the lightest or most aesthetic gun but it's all I got. Wife got it for me as our first anniversary gift so there's no trading up on this one for the foreseeable future, plus we moved to NJ shortly after that and this gun is really only getting to be put to work the last couple years now that were back out west. Although I did dress it with a new scope this summer.

Since I've had the gun I've been trying different ammo to see what groups the best from 150 grain to 180 grain corelokts, fusions, win PowerPoint, win xp... basically all of the ammo at the store. The 150 grain corelokts were always the best but I could never really get them to group sub 1.5 moa even at 100 yards. I thought the gun just had its limits.

Randy's podcast on lead ammunition last year really caught my attention and I started looking in to mono bullets. Speed seems to be the biggest factor on performance of monos and with a shorter barrel I wanted all the speed I could get.

Ended up choosing barnes vortx 130grains. Ordered online, 3120 fps(per barnes, not sure what it is out of my rifle).

First 4 shot group had me feeling pretty damn good about it.
20190926_122519.jpg
So I moved the target back to 200.
20190926_140340.jpg
200 yard group. This is the best 3 round group I have ever shot with this rifle by far let alone at 200 yards.

I am very happy with these and plan to test them out on TX whitetail and hogs over the holiday season, and hopefully a barbary this winter.
 
twsnow18 said:
Kinda funny how some guns will group better a little further out. Which makes little sense to me.

Awesome groups.
Click to expand...
hope this explains a little bit,,if youre on 10x setting with your scope the cross hairs will move due to your body sending signals and you will anticipate the cross-hairs as to when you will pull the trigger,,now at two hundred the movement is down by 50%,,so you relax more and henceforth a better group
my best group ever was .25 at 100yrds using a 3x fixed scope and off my jacket for a pillow
 
Nice shooting! I always find it interesting how a gun will absolutely love one round, but hate another. Obviously you found one it likes, but what I have learned is to buy a a crap ton of boxes of it, because you never know when the manufacturer is going to stop making it, or switch it up just enough that it doesn't shoot as well for you.
 
Great!
I'm happy for you in finding factory ammo that works for your gun!!

Now go forth and learn to hand load!!
You can cut your group size in half again.
 
twsnow18 said:
Kinda funny how some guns will group better a little further out. Which makes little sense to me.

Awesome groups.
Click to expand...

I have noticed this phenomenon on many occasions. I think that sometimes bullets take a bit to settle into their flight, also. I get shots onto the target at 100 and then all of my serious sight in, is done at 200 and 300 yards. It is amazing how stretching out that distance-especially at 300 and beyond- will also show some of your own problems-like drifting the groups right, or left, due to trigger squeeze.

I have been lucky, but I have never found a rifle that was extremely picky, as to ammo. My re-barreled rifles shoot every load/bullet combo that I have ever tried and my factory rifles are not far behind.
 
Thanks! The scope is a fixed 6x meopta. I get the overcorrecting at closer distance or a more "detailed sight picture" as I could see every line on the target still. At 200 yards I just did my best to hold in the center of the orange and it felt pretty good so I sent it.

These boxes were ordered a couple months ago. I only wanted to get two boxes to start with just in case they didnt shoot well. Not sure I'd get the same lot now but I beleive that with vortex being premium ammo they should be reasonably consistent.

I was been thinking about getting in to reloading a lot over the last year. Although I am very happy with the vortx ammo and not sure how much that can be improved. I'd happily keep buying this ammo.
Edit: I'd keep buying depending on performance of the 130 gr ttsx on game. High hopes.

The question I have about reloading is, for the guy that doesnt shoot thousands of rounds a year will reloading ever save any money? Or is the enjoyment of it or the utility of being able to craft your own rounds, bullet choices ect? More consistency?
 
Last edited:
Been a lot of years since I've shot any factory CF ammo. Got a question. If you find ammo that shoot's well, as above, in your rifle, will it continue to do that even though lot number's change? I know people make a big deal out of changing lot number's in powder for reloader's. Will change in lot number at some point has to mean a change in the powder lot number.
 
SD_Prairie_Goat said:
Nice shooting! I always find it interesting how a gun will absolutely love one round, but hate another. Obviously you found one it likes, but what I have learned is to buy a a crap ton of boxes of it, because you never know when the manufacturer is going to stop making it, or switch it up just enough that it doesn't shoot as well for you.
Click to expand...

every time! Hornady just did this with the .257 WbyMag. My rifle loves the 90gr GMX load, but now they’ve discontinued it
 
twsnow18 said:
Kinda funny how some guns will group better a little further out. Which makes little sense to me.

Awesome groups.
Click to expand...

Some of this depends on what range the scope is parallax free at. If your scope is parallax free at 150-200 yards, then it will definitely contribute to tighter groups at longer range.
 
TwistedSage said:
The question I have about reloading is, for the guy that doesnt shoot thousands of rounds a year will reloading ever save any money? Or is the enjoyment of it or the utility of being able to craft your own rounds, bullet choices ect? More consistency?
Click to expand...

Usually you don't save any money reloading.
But don't tell my wife that!!!
If you look at the press, dies, accessories as tools and an investment, it helps.
Your cost per round, or 20 rounds will be less expensive, and with premium bullets.
But more likely you will shoot more/ more often.
Hence not saving money.
But you will become more proficient.
Which is a good thing.
Plus you develop a load to a specific rifle.
Have a bullet you want to shoot, but factory ammo isn't available, or shoot well from your rifle?
Handloading tweaks can usually, usually take care of that.
Plus the satisfaction of a good group, or an animal taken with loads you crafted.
 
std7mag said:
Usually you don't save any money reloading.
But don't tell my wife that!!!
If you look at the press, dies, accessories as tools and an investment, it helps.
Your cost per round, or 20 rounds will be less expensive, and with premium bullets.
But more likely you will shoot more/ more often.
Hence not saving money.
But you will become more proficient.
Which is a good thing.
Plus you develop a load to a specific rifle.
Have a bullet you want to shoot, but factory ammo isn't available, or shoot well from your rifle?
Handloading tweaks can usually, usually take care of that.
Plus the satisfaction of a good group, or an animal taken with loads you crafted.
Click to expand...

This pretty much sizes it up. I started loading, when I was 17 and I am still using the same press. Most of my gear has been paid for, for many years, so that does not figure into my cost much-except a new tool, or dies now and then.

Factory ammo has gotten so good, over the years, that it really is not a good reason to start loading, if you find factory ammo that you like. Reloading takes time to get things together and work out your loads. It is a good hobby if you have an interest. It does allow you to pick your bullets and shoot unpopular calibers that are hard to buy ammo for. Jumping into reloading with both feet, is going to cost quite a bit of money, also.

I recently traded for a Winchester Model 70, .270. I won't shoot it a lot-even if I keep it. It shoots Hornady Whitetail ammo so well, that it is not worth it to me to start reloading for it. I would have to shoot it quite a bit, just to make up the price of the set of dies.

Ultimately, the choice is personal, as to whether you want to jump into reloading. If you don't, the best thing that you can do, is to find factory ammo that shoots well in your rifle and buy a lot of that lot number-if possible.

One more thing that makes reloading real good for me, is the fact that I have my own shooting range. Game changer.
 
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