First one-hole group!

[Newtosavage]

Been reloading since about November, and during that time I've reloaded about 1000 rounds for my .308, 7.62x39 and my 7x57. Lately, I've spent most of my time with the 7 Mauser because it is a finicky beast, but the time has paid off with sub- 0.6" groups at the range yesterday.

But I always bring along the other guns to shoot while that pencil thin Ruger 77 barrel is cooling, so I worked up some new loads for my .308 for the session.

When I got to the load using Benchmark and 150 grain Hornady SST's... holy cow!

Bullets just kept going through the same hole. I sent five rounds through a hole that measured no more than .5" edge to edge. And with just a 2-7x scope. I gotta admit, that's pretty darn fun.

The 139-grain Hornady SST's don't shoot worth a darn out of my 7x57, and the 150's don't do well at all out of my 7.62x39, but my .308 has always liked the 150 grainers. Just shows you how much of a difference finding the right powder and bullet combination can make in a particular rifle.

Incidentally, they were traveling 2770 fps.

While I was at Bass Pro the other day, I found some 160-grain Hornady FTX (flex tip designed for the 30-30) and have been wanting to try those in my 7.62x39. I'm thinking they are designed for slower velocities and may expand better on game than a standard SST. I wasn't expecting them to group so well, but they sure did. Both my 7.62 and my .308 loved them. I shot sub-MOA with those 160 FTX's out of both rifles. I think the .308 is pushing them a little fast unless I load it down, but they should be ideal for the 7.62x39, at around 2230 MV.

 

[Lr_athlete32]

Very nice indeed!
I too have just begun reloading and am still searching for that perfect combination you have just found. It's exciting to see one ragged hole at that distance.

 

[Patocazador]

I handloaded for over 30 years before I got a 1/4" group and that was with a .35 Whelen. (200 gr. bullet over 61 gr. of Re 15)

Congrats on the early success.

 

[Newtosavage]

Thanks! It is pretty exciting. I hadn't realized how happy I'd be about it, but it's hard to stop shooting when they keep going through the same hole!

And I give a lot of credit to Savage for making rifles that seem to shoot well with whatever you feed them. Both of my Savage bolt actions (one model 11 and one model 10) eat everything better than most. Even my worst loads are still better than what I see coming out of a lot of people's guns at the range. So I think a big part of it is just the rifle.

 

[Conservidave]

You do know that without a picture it didn't happen...right?
Otherwise, great job!

 

[Potatohead]

Conservidave beat me to it. Its all just a figment of our imaginations til we see some proof. lol

 

[Newtosavage]

Okay, okay. I'll get a pic up tonight.

 

[Newtosavage]

Incidentally, this is the first time I've used my FL .308 die to "neck size only" and I sized about 3/4 of the neck, leaving a slight bulge before the shoulder like some people recommend. Not sure if that made a difference, but I'm going to try it again.

 

[macgrumpy]

I was always taught that groups are measured center to center, not edge to edge. With a .30 cal bullet and a .5" edge to edge group you actually have a .2" center to center group.

 

[griff383]

Ive reloading for about 8 years now and it took some time to get that first one hole group so congrats on the early success!

Also, I use my FL dies to partially size my rifle brass in bolt actions. I bump shoulders 0.001" so that they are consistent every time and have had great luck with that. I did get an annealer a while back too and I think that helps as well.

 

[Newtosavage]

Macgrumpy, I agree with you. I never even tried to measure it. Just estimated the entire hole was about .5" - so you're correct - about a .2" "group" give or take.

Griff, I have so much to learn...

Now that I have my two primary hunting rifles dialed in, I can play with my .308 a little bit. I had planned to hunt with it, but my 7x57 has taken it's place as my deer rifle, so that means the .308 will "ride the bench." I dropped it in an accustock with the full bottom metal and heavy bolt handle, which took it from 7 lbs. up to nearly 8.5. Sure makes those full loads smoother to shoot.

Now that I have a dedicated deer rifle, I am going to find a fixed 10x scope for the .308 to use at the range. Working up loads to repeat that one-hole performance should keep me busy, but more importantly, force me to learn more about handloading. And I'm looking forward to that. I always enjoy learning a new craft, esp. when it involves shooting.

 

[Reloadron]

Congratulations, it really feels good when that happens doesn't it? It's like all those reloading efforts just came together.

Ron

 

[morcey2]

I get one-hole groups all the time. It's that stupid second shot that messes things up.

 

[Reloadron]

I get one-hole groups all the time. It's that stupid second shot that messes things up.

That was good! Have to hand it to you, that was funny.

Ron

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Congrats. Looks like a good load.

"I get one-hole groups all the time. It's that stupid second shot that messes things up. "

Never fails. Lol

 

[Newtosavage]

Okay, not the best photo, but here it is.

 

[Newtosavage]

Here was my best group to date with my 7x57 Ruger Hawkeye. It was a good evening of shooting!

 

[Conservidave]

That group is the result of a great load and a surgical trigger pull..... Nice Job!

 

[Ifishsum]

You missed the dime both times

 

[Hardtarget]

Those nice little small .5" groups are worth saving! They are special. In the past year, all the testing various loads for my AR, I've shot ONE...and darn proud of it! A three shot, 100 yd, shooting Hornady 55gr. My rifle has a Bushnell 1.5-4.5 scope. I refused to try for a five shot...knew I'd mess it up!

Mark

 

[Newtosavage]

Gonna kill that dime next time!

Hardtarget, that one-hole group started out as a 3-hole group and I couldn't leave well enough alone. So after walking to the target and back to the bench, I threw two more rounds downrange and was pretty ecstatic to see the result. There is no doubt that combination is the best I've found yet out of that particular rifle.

I had one very close to it a few months back using W748 powder and the same 150-grain SST's. I shot a .4 and a .6" group with that powder.

Pretty good for a rifle that started out as a Bass Pro package gun.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Very nice...but i agree, you did miss the dime!

They look so much better on paper than just a number posted in a forum.

 

[Newtosavage]

I'm sure some folks would want to try to measure that group, but it was a plain piece of printer paper on a soft backboard, so the hole got folded and opened up a little bit. I just kept firing. LOL. I have no idea what it would measure and I really don't care. Just tickled to have found that particular load, and to have managed to make five good shots.

I seriously thought about stopping at 3, but I knew if I didn't try for five, I'd always wonder...

I wasn't impressed with Benchmark powder in some other loads I came up with, but I should have checked my notes. If I had, I would have easily seen how much this particular gun likes those 150-grain SST's. I don't think I've shot over an inch with them yet, over any powder.

 

[spitballer]

Great thread, motivating me big time. Think I'll try bucking the breeze in the morning.

 

[Newtosavage]

Spitballer, it's funny you say that since I nearly didn't go to the range the other day due to the wind. But our range is fairly well protected by trees, and by the late afternoon, the wind had died down to probably 8-10 mph. By the time I left, I was really glad I went. Some days you learn a lot at the range, some days you feel like you just wasted a lot of time and money on components. On Tuesday, I felt like I learned more in 2 hours than I have in a month. A very productive session indeed.

Getting that outstanding group from my .308 and the best group to date from my 7x57 with the factory ammo helped me make some decisions I've been struggling with for a little while now. That's always a good feeling.