Picked up my "Free" Rifle today...

[WapitiBob]

I've posted this a cpl times when Savages get talked about. I don't own one but do own a Rem 700. 200 shots thru the 700 to get it figured out and it still isn't close to a LRH. I hope yours shoots as well as this one. A Cabelas/Savage 6.5 will be my next rifle purchase.

200 yards from the LRH:

7015img00268-20120307-1431.jpg

The full story:
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforu...l#.USJe52fijDc

[ChadH]

I've posted this a cpl times when Savages get talked about. I don't own one but do own a Rem 700. 200 shots thru the 700 to get it figured out and it still isn't close to a LRH. I hope yours shoots as well as this one. A Cabelas/Savage 6.5 will be my next rifle purchase.

200 yards from the LRH:

7015img00268-20120307-1431.jpg

The full story:
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforu...l#.USJe52fijDc

Isn't that something? I see posts like that a lot, peoples Savage rifles that shoot great. That pretty much reflects what all of mine shoot as well. My .270 weather warrior shoots 3 different factory offerings just like that (that gun doesn't seem to care what bullet you put in it, it just shoots it and watches you smile afterwards). My sons .243 shoots Federal Premium Game Kings sub MOA (I never tried another load once I saw how well it shot), the other .243 I bought shoots great, and the 99 that I have (grandfathers deer rifle) shoots great and it was made in the 1940's. Personally I have never really understood the "yea, but they are SO UGLY" crowd... I don't think they are ugly (with the exception of the wood quality on some of the 70's and 80's guns... but the early 70's wasn't a real great time frame for "craftsmanship" in the wood category from other gun makers either). And to be honest, even if they were ugly, shooting GOOD is the number 1 requirment for me. I've had several "pretty" guns that didn't shoot well... I no longer own them, and I can't even remember their names.

[ChadH]

So, how many Savages would you take for the Kimber? I'm a big Savage fan myself but I like the pretty ones too! Nice choice on the LRH!

Bob

Thanks Bob....

How many Savages do you have to offer

In all seriousness, I never posted that about the Kimber to try and trade it here... I think it would be to big a hassle to do out of state and all.... but it is kind of redundant and those Savages do shoot SOOO good, it's hard to stay clear of them. Then again, my other love affair is the pre 64 model 70.... truly I only ever bought the Kimber because it belonged to a guy who was having some financial troubles and needed the money. He had never shot it and it was still in the box. I wanted to try and help him out before he took it to Cabelas and tried to sell it for half what it was worth (if that)... I really didn't need it or want it at the time, and now it just needs to go bye bye... I'll come across someone locally one day that has something I like and we will make a trade. To bad I don't still live in MO Bob.... we could spread out the trade blanket ourselves. How is the Show Me State these days?

[Halo]

Gotta love the Savages, I have a 116FCSAK in 30-06 and love it. Accu-brake works great, no change in point of impact, still sub moa. When I drew a Wyoming bison tag last year I ran out and bought the bear hunter in .338 Win Mag and a Leupold 4&1/2-14X50 CDS. After beaking in and trying a ton of different factory rounds I found a couple that shot great, the Federal Premium with the 210 grain Nosler Partition and the 225 grain Barnes bullet, both sub moa. That accu-brake really shines on the .338, I would much rather shoot 30 rounds through it with the brake open than 3 rounds with it closed. Not much of a difference in the noise level open or closed, fairly loud both ways. A much bigger difference in noise level open or closed with my 30-06.

[ChadH]

Well CC,

I don't have your years of experience but I have broken in a few rifles. While I agree that shooting works out minor barrel imperfections, and barrels shoot their best after some "breaking in," I think that cleaning rituals are mostly voodoo. It seems that even the big barrel manufacturers can't come to an agreement about it. I have done the frequent cleaning break-in, but now I just clean after the first 20 rounds, and clean as needed from there. I haven't ruined a barrel yet with that method, but that's me.

I kind of have "My Own Method"... which is basically what you just said Matt. I do think it takes a bit for the "rough spots" to work out of a barrel, but have no empirical data to prove that.... I saved this article from Gale McMillan some time ago, and filled it in my "Shooting and Reloading" file. I found it interesting:



How to Break-in a Barrel
-- A Dissenting Point of View

Gale McMillan, of McMillan Stocks fame, was one of the finest barrel-makers and benchrest shooters of all time. Here he argues that elaborate barrel break-in procedures do more harm than good.

Comments collected from Gale's Gun Forum postings.

As a barrel maker I have looked in thousands of new and used barrels with a bore scope and I will tell you that if every one followed the prescribed [one shot, one clean] break-in method, a very large number would do more harm than good. The reason you hear of the gain in accuracy is because if you chamber a barrel with a reamer that has a dull throater instead of cutting clean sharp rifling it smears a burr up on the down wind side of the rifling. It takes from one to two hundred rounds to burn this burr out and the rifle to settle down and shoot its best. Any one who chambers rifle barrels has tolerances on how dull to let the reamer get and factories let them go longer than any competent smith would.

Another tidbit to consider--take a 300 Win Mag that has a life expectancy of 1000 rounds. Use 10% of it up with your break-in procedure. For every 10 barrels the barrel-maker makes he has to make one more just to take care of the break-in. No wonder barrel-makers like to see this. Now when you flame me on this please [explain] what you think is happening to the inside of your barrel during the break in that is helping you.

Consider this: every round shot in breaking-in a barrel is one round off the life of said rifle barrel. No one has ever told me the physical reason of what happens during break-in firing. In other words what, to the number of pounds of powder shot at any given pressure, is the life of the barrel. No one has ever explained what is being accomplished by shooting and cleaning in any prescribed method. Start your barrel off with 5 rounds and clean it thoroughly and do it again. Nev Maden, a friend down under that my brother taught to make barrels was the one who came up with the [one shot one clean] break-in method. He may think he has come upon something, or he has come up with another way to sell barrels. I feel that the first shot out of a barrel is its best and every one after that deteriorates [the bore] until the barrel is gone. If some one can explain what physically takes place during break-in to modify the barrel then I may change my mind. As the physical properties of a barrel don't change because of the break-in procedures it means it's all hog wash. I am open to any suggestions that can be documented otherwise if it is just someone's opinion--forget it.

It all got started when a barrel maker that I know started putting break-in instructions in the box with each barrel he shipped a few years ago. I asked him how he figured it would help and his reply was if they shoot 100 rounds breaking in this barrel that's total life is 3000 rounds and I make 1000 barrels a year just figure how many more barrels I will get to make. He had a point; it definately will shorten the barrel life. I have been a barrel maker a fair amount of time and my barrels have set and reset benchrest world records so many times I quit keeping track (at one time they held 7 at one time) along with High Power, Silhouette, Smallbore national and world records and my instructions were to clean as often as possible preferably every 10 rounds. I inspect every barrel taken off and every new barrel before it is shipped with a bore scope and I will tell you all that I see far more barrels ruined by cleaning rods than I see worn out from normal wear and tear. I am even reading about people recommending breaking-in pistols. As if it will help their shooting ability or the guns'.

[BobT]

How is the Show Me State these days?

Things are still pretty good here I suppose.

I spent a lot of time with a LRH in .300 Winchester last year, it belongs to my son-in-law. It responded very well to the 180 grain Accubond and H1000. I have always had good luck with the Savages, some are better than others just like any other brand but I've never gotten a lemon.

Bob

[Brady]

Gotta love Cabelas points!