Got to shoot the new Savage today

[Ricoh]

I finally got to the range. I am using 43 gr. ( weighed) of 4759, 240 XTP Mag. w/long black sabot, 250 XTP w/ short black sabot and 250 Barnes Expander w/ long black sabot. I made sure it was shooting on paper at 25 yds. I am shooting with open stock sights because I have not decided on a scope yet. I set up at 60 yds. Here are my results.







Group 1 - 250 XTP w/ short black- hard to load, shot 1 3/4 "

Group 2 -250  Barnes Expander w/long black sabot, nice to load, shot 1 5/16 "

Group 3 - 240 XTP Mag w/long black sabot, nice to load, shot 1 on paper, shots 2&3 ??

Great gun. going to be deadly with glass on it and some more play time.

Rick

[Oldsnow]

Ricoh good shooting and it will be deadly with glass on it.
The best thing is after it goes boom, you can see the flop. 

[1187VX2]

I was interested to see what kind of groups you'd get with the 240 grainers.  Apparently these are .430" and are not noted to give good accuracy in the Savage as the .452"s do.

Mine just loves the 250 gr XTPs........Usually around 1" at 100 yards with 4759.

[Ricoh]

I was thinking of trying the 240 in the shorter sabot. They were blowing all the petals off the sabots with 43 grains of 4759. I liked the Barnes the best of all. They loaded tight but not bust a nut tight and they shot the best. I have a lot more playing to do. I am looking at a Busnell 3200 in 2-7 x 32 for glass. If it's far enough away that I can't see it at 7 power I should not be shooting at it. I also have a Baush & Lomb Balvar in 1.75 - 7 x 32 on my 223 that I could maybe use and swap a bigger scope on my Stevens for hogs and Coyotes. Too many decisions. What do you guys think?


Rick

[kyelkhunter3006]

That's good power for a variable for ML-ing.  I think that I'd swap and get a little more power for the .223 if you use it for varmints. Not much more though...maybe 10x at the top range.  If you just use it for hogs and yotes, nothing tiny, then I'd just get a new 2-7 for the Savage.

[1187VX2]

A lot of guys will say 7X on the top is enough - and maybe it is, but 2 & 3 power are of very little value to me.  If I'm buying new, 3-9X is where I start looking & 4-12X is what I lust after.

The Savage is a 200 yard gun and I'd much rather have 9 - 12x at that range than a limit of 7X.

[kyelkhunter3006]

It really comes down to preferences.  For hunting deer and such, I'm totally satisfied with a plain old 4x.  That's all I have on my black-powder rifles.  Seriously, 200 yds is a pretty long poke for any muzzle loader, and if you can't see well enough with a 4x or 5x power, you just need to get closer. 4x at 200 is just like no magnification at 50 yds.  Most people can shoot pretty good at 50 yds with open sights.  Last thing I shot at 300 yds was a feral dog, and I shot it with a 30-06 and an Elite 3200 2-7x32 set on 3x.

Now of course, for shooting groups on paper, a higher power does make it easier to aim precisely.  I'm all for that.

[harvester]

don't waste your time with the 240 grain xtp's.  no savage will shoot them well.  requires too thick of a sabot.

many are reporting best accuracy with .458" diameter bullets - those made for the 45-70 rifles.  the barnes original is expensive, but an excellent bullet.

[Oldsnow]

In the last three years with my Savage  I have taken 30 deer from 20 Yds. to 230 yd's, using 44gr's of IMR 4759, CCI magnun primers, and Hornady's 250 Gr. SST. The SST is hard to load but it puts meat on the table. 

[simonkenton]

Congratulations on a good first day of shooting with your fierce Savage!

I am surprised that the 250 XTP is hard to load. This is one of the all time classic bullets for the Savage, I have not heard anyone complain of it being hard to load.
I too am a big fan of the 250 SST. I nailed one deer with this slug from my Savage last year, it piled that deer up. Most Savage guys get very good results with this slug.

Keep up the good work. Sounds like the deer will be in for a rough time this fall.