DartonJager
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Messages
- 1,010
A little history first.
For a very long time I have been agenizing over which chassis rifle to buy to use as a dedicated long range platform to teach myself longer range shooting. I kept going back and forth between the Savage or Ruger precision rifle system. Well as fate would have it the choice was made for me by the laws of economics.
Three years ago I stumbled on to a deal so good on a 24" heavy barreled Savage 10 FCP with 5-R rifling, Savages propriety DBM Accustock and Accutrigger I couldn't pass on it. As in less than half of MSRP for a NIB rifle good of a deal. I have been longing for years to buy a dedicated long range rig to teach myself how to shoot well at longer ranges. I got the Savage 10 FCP as such a good price I bought it confident I could always sell it for what I paid for it if and when I finally made up my mind and bought a chassis rifle.
Well as things turned out in the last few years I spent so much money on other firearms, optics and reloading supplies a $1k-1.3k+ single use rifle just wasn't in the budget so I decided to give the Savage a try last summer.
Topped with a plane Jane Weaver GS 4.5-14x40mm and shooting some Generic Federal blue box Power Shock 150 and 180 grain loads all I can say is so this is what is meant by a "significant emotional shooting accuracy experience" at both 100 and 200 yards and this was with the cheapest ammo federal makes for 308 Win and about as cheap of factory ammo you can find for 308 Win. This rifle just flat out shoots great.
So accordingly I am very excited to see what this rifle will do with well made consistent handloads. I already have a Forster BR/MM bullet seater gifted to me by a friend who bought 308 Win dies before the rifle and decided to go 6.5 CM instead.
So what other dies will serve me best considering this is a 100% factory rifle I plan to make no upgrades or changes to besides a better scope, 20 MOA base and a rings. I am leaning towards what has worked well for me in my other factory rifles and buy a Redding Body Only sizing die and a Lee Collet die and possibly a 21st century expander die and 1-3 different sized to be determined mandrels. I'm looking to try to keep this a relatively simple and economical project as I sill have to spend a sizable amount of $$$ on a scope yet. I have several very suitable powders and Fed LR/M primers.
As far as bullets go will I be best served by Burger's 168 grn Hybrid Target or should I stick with the 308 Win standby of Sierra 168 SMK.
And unless someone can recommend to the contrary I will be going with standard LR primer Lapua Brass.
This rifle is to be my platform to learn and become proficient at longer range shooting and transfer this knowledge to using my hunting rifles for longer range shots on game if and when I reached an acceptable level of proficiency. I am trying to do this as economical (NOT CHEAP) as I can.
Thanks again,
Arthur.
For a very long time I have been agenizing over which chassis rifle to buy to use as a dedicated long range platform to teach myself longer range shooting. I kept going back and forth between the Savage or Ruger precision rifle system. Well as fate would have it the choice was made for me by the laws of economics.
Three years ago I stumbled on to a deal so good on a 24" heavy barreled Savage 10 FCP with 5-R rifling, Savages propriety DBM Accustock and Accutrigger I couldn't pass on it. As in less than half of MSRP for a NIB rifle good of a deal. I have been longing for years to buy a dedicated long range rig to teach myself how to shoot well at longer ranges. I got the Savage 10 FCP as such a good price I bought it confident I could always sell it for what I paid for it if and when I finally made up my mind and bought a chassis rifle.
Well as things turned out in the last few years I spent so much money on other firearms, optics and reloading supplies a $1k-1.3k+ single use rifle just wasn't in the budget so I decided to give the Savage a try last summer.
Topped with a plane Jane Weaver GS 4.5-14x40mm and shooting some Generic Federal blue box Power Shock 150 and 180 grain loads all I can say is so this is what is meant by a "significant emotional shooting accuracy experience" at both 100 and 200 yards and this was with the cheapest ammo federal makes for 308 Win and about as cheap of factory ammo you can find for 308 Win. This rifle just flat out shoots great.
So accordingly I am very excited to see what this rifle will do with well made consistent handloads. I already have a Forster BR/MM bullet seater gifted to me by a friend who bought 308 Win dies before the rifle and decided to go 6.5 CM instead.
So what other dies will serve me best considering this is a 100% factory rifle I plan to make no upgrades or changes to besides a better scope, 20 MOA base and a rings. I am leaning towards what has worked well for me in my other factory rifles and buy a Redding Body Only sizing die and a Lee Collet die and possibly a 21st century expander die and 1-3 different sized to be determined mandrels. I'm looking to try to keep this a relatively simple and economical project as I sill have to spend a sizable amount of $$$ on a scope yet. I have several very suitable powders and Fed LR/M primers.
As far as bullets go will I be best served by Burger's 168 grn Hybrid Target or should I stick with the 308 Win standby of Sierra 168 SMK.
And unless someone can recommend to the contrary I will be going with standard LR primer Lapua Brass.
This rifle is to be my platform to learn and become proficient at longer range shooting and transfer this knowledge to using my hunting rifles for longer range shots on game if and when I reached an acceptable level of proficiency. I am trying to do this as economical (NOT CHEAP) as I can.
Thanks again,
Arthur.
