Sweet New Tool

[Dcoy]

Well been doing a little shooting with a new rifle.Its a 'semi custom' factory Savage mod 10 Predator in 22-250.I say 'semi custom' cause it has a slightly different barrel and is left handed,which isn't offered otherwise in that model.As to the rifle,I love it.Hell of a buy for the $$.The best detachable box mag I've ever seen,nice camo,the Accu trigger is fabulous,and it shoots.As good as any custom I own or have owned except one.And thats with a load I hadn't anticipated would shoot well which gets me to why I'm posting in this forum.
I have hundreds of loaded 40 gr Nosler BTs in that caliber.They are pretty 'hot'and work/shoot well in a Blaser barrel I have(24 inches) plus shot well in a standard 700 Rem 26 inch barrel.I had them primarily for fox hunting some years ago but thought I'd try them during 'break in'if pressure signs didn't appear.No pressure signs so eventually shot some groups.Wow.Sweet.So sweet I've decided I'll shoot em up on yotes and then swing over to 50s.Maybe.(1.75 inch group at 200 with my old,retina detached eyes off a padded car hood)
Here's the issue/question.This Savage has a 22 inch barrel.With the 24 Blaser and the 26 Rem I was getting almost exactly 4000fps.(38 grs of IMR 4064)With this barrel,I'm getting 3970 at 10 feet from the muzzle.What gives?Shouldn't it be less than that?Not bitching,just a little surprised.

[lyonch]

Dcoy while doing some of the researching on the internet about what i want for a new barrel and custom parts on my own rifle, i saw a few posts on other sites where the guys were commenting that with the same load they shot out of the same gun with the only difference being barrel length they found that the shorter barrel produced higher velocities than the longer barrel. It was a 28" versus a 24" barrel if my memory recalls me correctly.

[Pilgrim]

I'm not a practitioner of such a thing but Chris's post agrees with load reporting I've seen. 30 fps sounds reasonable.

Not even unusual for a shorter barrel in a short-action caliber to produce higher velocities, but not the rule. Weatherby and other high powder capacity magnums are a different story.

What I've seen is someone will chrono a load 5 to 10 times from each different length barrel and average the velocities. From what I've read a 22-250 shouldn't show much disparity from 20" to 22" to 24". Law of Diminishing Returns may be at play over 24".

[jaybic]

Dcoy,

That is fantastic!

I am a lefty also and was just whining to the Savage sales rep yesterday that the Model 10 doesnt come in a lefty version and she said call our special order line and they can make it for you. Would you be willing to part with the details on what it cost and how long it took for them to make you that rifle? If not thats cool too. Its just funny that the exact rifle I would like to get built for me, you just got.

Just hoping to learn from your mistakes. Either that or benefit from your wisdom.

Thanks,

Jaybic

[Dcoy]

Jaybic,
Yes,I'm very happy with the rifle,will send you a PM with all the details shortly.Had planned to meet a buddy in NoDak today,then remembered its our anniversary.Wow that was close! Near fatal slip up.
Anyway I'm doing the anniversary stuff and then heading out early AM but will get the info off to you before I leave.

[bucksnbears]

d-coy, have a fun night

[Coyotehunter]

Any pictures of this gun.

[Prairie Ghost]

C'mon decoy get out of the duck blind and get a picture posted!!

[lyonch]

I think he is in the deer stand chasing another addiction Poor guy might need some company Maybe we should hold a tournament at Dcoy's deer stand and go out from there

[Jeff Rheborg]

Dcoy,
If you don't mind me asking, what twist is your barrel? I shoot the Model 10 Predator (22-250) as well and I have pretty good luck with the 65gr Sierra. Sub 1/2" at 100yd and under 1" at 200yd, I am only pushing them about 3300fps...

Jeff.

[Coyotehunter]

wow that is pretty good. when I was a kid a savage was considered a cheap entry level gun. that is not the case now a days.

[Prairie Ghost]

Ya Savage has really came a long ways

[Jeff Rheborg]

At the Jamboree this year in our stock gun finals, 12 of the 16 were Savage. We also have a young lady (14yrs old) who shoots in our 600yd matches, she holds the Stock Gun Score record and is in the top ten overall with a Savage. They are a pretty good gun to say the least...

Later,
Jeff.

[Dcoy]

By god,whats the world coming to?Can't even fail at deer hunting anymore without someone bugging you. Just to update Bucs,Lyonch,Levi and others,went after my dream buck today.Been days since everything was right or I was around to try.In the tree at 6AM in a mini snowstorm.(sunrise at 7:50)Got there w/out blowing out anything which ain't easy in this spot.About sunup had a parade come off a hayfield but only one small buck.About 9:30 I'm wet and cold and a NW wind is picking up so dreams of hot coffee are getting tougher to put aside.On top of that,I'm in a slightly tilted stand about 22 ft up(much higher than I like)and its getting slippery.Decide to give her 20 more minutes and then turn around and look back out into the hayfield.Here come 3 shooters together(never ever seen one of them).'My' deer is number two in line and he's about 10 yds behind the first one.About 100 yds out they start angling away in a direction its dam near impossible for me to shoot.I quickly pull the grunt call and let 2 rip.They do the stop/stare deal and then by god the last turns and starts right toward me.When he's about 30 yds 'my' deer starts toward me as well.(at this point even I know this is gonna get dicey)The lead one hits my access track and stops.(once again proving rubber boots are good but still leave scent)Good news?'My' deer keeps coming.At 35 yds he stops head on.Anticipating a turn,I come to full draw,lead buck 'makes me' and takes 2 jumps.Now all 3 are on full alert and after a painful minute or so lead buck starts stiff legging away and much to my surprise 'my' buck starts toward me again.I let down now thinking this is going to work and then 'bang',the whole thing blows up and all 3 are 'white tailing' it away into a crp field.A field that tomorrow at this time will be surrounded by orange coats seeking chinese birds.As a neighbor kid says,'shit,fart,poop'!!!!Likely the end of 'my' dreamer unless by some miracle he gets run onto my land.Should have shot that first smart ass sumbitch!!!Oh well,think I can get one like him yet this year so.....
As to the Savage,its very accurate and I love it but the action can frustrate you at times cause its not the smoothest,most reliable 'feeder'.The accu trigger I think is great but,for me,is not the answer for runners so I have a Rifle Basix' replacement I need to get installed.
Jeff,if memory serves,mine is a 1 in 12 but it was a sort of 'built' lefty so it could have been a 10.Will try find out.
I'm too chilly to go get my camera out of the truck right now but will get and post a pic later today.

[bucksnbears]

to bad on the buck dcoy. sounds like you had the perfect plan work untill the last second i've also been noticing the bucks are still hanging in group which is a bit strange as they usually start breaking up in mid sept -early oct. . hope you get another crack at him but we know the odd's are not in favor of it at least not on my end. i seldom even see a big buck again if i miss and earlier oppertunity let alone get him in bow range again. keep us posted. oohh yeah, savage rifles are a great gun not the most handsome things or real comfortable but they seem to shot great. about the accu-trigger i disemmbled mine because it really sucks when in a hurry or shooting at running animals