Savage 10 FP pics and report

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robctwo

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Got the Savage 10 FP a few weeks ago. I must say that I was disappointed with the groups. Someone suggested that I get a different stock, and I saw the Bell & carlson DuraMaxx available through Midway.

I decided to go with the Natural Gear pattern. It arrived and I installed it. some minor scraping and sanding was required, and I'm not done yet.

Here's what it looks like:

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http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e186/robctwo/
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I took it out to the range this afternoon with some new Hornady 60 gr V-Max bullets over 24 gr of Varget @ 2.2 OAL.

Very nice. I liked the trigger on this gun right off, but didn't think 2" groups were all that great. Today the norm was all four rounds touching. I wanted to bring the targets home to photograph, but we had an honest to goodness thunderstorm and they disintegrated. We've had no rain in the Willamette Valley for a long time, so some rain was good. The lightening on the hill in back of the target stand was pretty cool as well.

I was curious if it was the new loads or the stock or both. Ran a bunch of the other loads that were not grouping well and they were all tighter. Not as tight as the V-Max, but much better with the new stock.

I've still got a slight bind somewhere. My trigger is frozen after chambering a new load on a regular basis. I need to cycle the action to get it loose. Not every round, but often enough to be a drag. I think I'll do a bit of sanding in the area where the trigger assembly goes through the stock in the morning.

I was really regretting not gettin the CZ with the Kevlar stock. It was @ Sportsman's Warehouse for $659. The Savage was $495 from a local guy. With the $135 + stock I'm about the same on price. If the Savage hadn't tightened up I was going to be pissed. As it is I'm pretty good.
 
Nice Lookin rifle

Though I don't really care for cammo stocks. Two inch groups even with the tupperware stocks that come on them is pretty awful. I now have 6 of the savages in various calibers and they all shoot around 1/2" or better for 5 shots most of the time. All mine have the heavy laminated wood stocks. I like em. You did't mention the caliber but it sounds like a 223 with your load. I too like the trigger althought the old ones realy weren't as bad as some would have you believe.
 
Brother in arms

I have
Savage 12BVSS in 223 pre accu-trigger 6.5X20 Leupold
Savage 12BVSS-s in 220Swift pre accu-trigger 6X18 Leupold
Savage 12BVSS pre accu-trigger that started life as a 308. I now have a barrel in 223 AI and a 22-250 barrel for it. It is currently wearing the 223 AI barrel and fixed 12 Leupold.
Savage 12 VLP in 204 Ruger with accu-trigger. Wears a Nikon Monarch 6.5X20
Savage 12 VLP in 204 that I have yet to scope. As soon as I can afford one this will also wear a Nikon Monarch 6.5x20 until then I may put a fixed 24 Leupold that I own on it.
If you were countin that is only 5 unless you count the 2 extra barrels. It was late and I forgot that I sold one.
Suggestion, if you are looking at Varmint/target type shooting get a 204. They are exceptionaly accurate and mild recoil. My first shiot sub 3/8" groups with my first reloads. If you don't reload a 243 might be a cheaper way to go. Just as an aside, I like the accutrigger so much that I was thinking of goin to Wal-mart and buying a 243 and pulling the action off it and selling it with my old action on it.
 
Obviously you reload

Went back and reread your post. Couldn't edit mine for some reason.:rolleyes:
 
Yes, I reload 9mm up to 300 WSM. From your name it appears you also are a cz 223 fan. What was your thinking on going so heavy with Savage? Is the Savage accutrigger that much better than the cz single set? Are you also as well equipped with the czs?

I'm looking at the 204 Ruger more now, especially since Dr. Lunde is giving it such a thumbs up. I went with the .223 because I already had the dies for my .223 Bushy. I'm using the old 3x9 Leupold on the .223. I put the 6.5x18 Nikon Buckmaster on the BAR 300 WSM. Might trade them out again after elk season. Might get another scope......

I'm not sure just how into the lighter bullet rifles I'm going to get. Wanted the Bushy because the govt said we couldn't have them set up the way mine is. Decided on the Savage to get better accuracy for smaller investment. Wanted something bigger than a .22 to shoot while the hunting rifles cooled down. For hours of shooting I'd rather shoot pistols.
 
I think it is beautiful. I doubt the CZ stock would look as nice. I would be very satisfied.
 
My 10FP .223 shoots best with 69gr SMK, followed by 68gr HTBP. Easily sub-MOA with Black Hills reloads, and 0.5MOA or better with handloads. I never tried 60 gr V-Max, but my groups with 62gr stuff were about 2", too.

The trigger problem is likely caused by the stock. Duramaxx was made for pre-accutrigger Savages. You have to give the accutrigger enough clearance.
 
I took it apart just a few minutes ago. There was a line of material at the front of the trigger well from the molding. Just a fine line of junk. I filed that down and reassembled and all seems well.
 
The trigger problem is likely caused by the stock. Duramaxx was made for pre-accutrigger Savages. You have to give the accutrigger enough clearance.
Click to expand...

they have been making the Duramaxxs accu-trigger friendly for some time. the one one the right is one I bought in January of last year.

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btw, congrats on the new rifle robctwo! as mentioned, alot of us Savage owners have great results with the heavier bullets. mine loves the 68gr BHM.

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You might already know this and if so my apologies. My 10FP in .308 started grouping considerably closer when I seated my bullets .005" from the rifling.
Please note that I use the Sinclair bullet seating gauge and the bullet comparator tool. The overall length although critical, is not as consistent as measuring from the ogive (major diameter) to the bullets base. Just out of curiousity have you tried any match grade commercial ammo? Mine gets sub 1/2MOA with Black Hills Match improving to .19 center to center (best ever) with my handloads.
 
I was wondering how long it would be

before someone thought that. I have 2 CZs me and my daughter those are our initials.:) As far as liking the the cz rifles or their handguns for that matter I think I probably will own the 527 American in 223 or 204 someday. I don't do any walking around style hunting so the bench rifles are just the ticket for me. As for why I have so many Savages, with an eye to purchasing more, they just shoot real well. I have sat down at the bench at our local club next to guys that had guns that cost 6 times as much as mine with scopes that cost 3 times as much as my Leupold and outshot them. I actually had a guy sit there once with his three thousand dollar rifle , which was factory guaranteed to shoot sub half inch groups (with appropriate ammo) tell me there was no way that I could outshoot him with my five hundred dollar Savage and I was pretty certain that I could. His scope cost something like $1500. I asked him if he was willing to put his money where his mouth was, he was really startin to irritate me, he said he was and asked me how much I wanted to play for. I got greedy and said "rifles, yours against mine" that set him back a bit and that was when he told me how much money he had invested in his rig. I told him I had $1300 hundred tied up in mine, which would have been true if I had bought everthing new at top dollar. I said if I won I would allow him to buy his gun back for $1300, that was fair right? Anyway, he was already to go for it, some people have more dollars than sense, when a friend of his and mine stopped him from doing something that he was pretty sure he would regret. Well he backed off a bit and so did I and then we sat down to do some friendly shooting. I proceeded to shoot 10 five shot groups resting after 10 rounds to allow the barrel to cool a bit. When I was done done not one of thse groups broke a half inch and I had sever that were closer to 1/4". His best group wasn't as good as my worst. Yes, I shot his rifle and I couldn't do better. He really was flustered and glad he hadn't made the bet. The best part came 2 weeks later when I saw his wonder gun at the local gun shop for sale. I asked the owner if the guy had ordered anything and, you got it, he ordered a Savage.:D
 
Good story. I needed to go to the Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday. It's about a 1/2 hour drive from where I live. Thought I'd pick up some of the heavier bullets. Got the Hornady 75 gr BTHP and 68 gr BTHP. I'll try them out under some Varget with varying loads between 21 and 24 gr. I am looking for the 1/2" groups.

I had a real problem leaving the CZ 527 Varmint in the walnut stock at the store. They wanted $495. I figured with the rings and scope I'd be around $1,000. Then I reminded myself I need a Les Baer .45. Also reminded myself that I generally do not buy more than one gun per month, sometimes not more than 2 per year.

Also noted that our gun club is having a gun show next weekend, which might change all the rules mentioned here.

That 527 is a sweet little gun.....
 
Believe it or not

Mine won't handle the heavier bullets. It was supposed to have come with a 1/9 twist like all the others but it has a 1/14 on it. I called the factory after I discovered this and they offered to replace it but it shot the 55s on down so well I didn't want to take the chance. I asked them if they would let me keep the old barrel but they wouldn't. So, I left it as is. I had to try, right? I found out later from a guy from Mass. that he had been to the Prarie dog conference with one of the guys from Savage and they had discussed puttin a faster twist barrel on their rifle so that it would handle the lighter bullets better. Apparently, they made a few prototypes and I got one by mistake. It turned out to be a good thing though cause I ended up buyin a crap load of 33 gr ballistic tips from Midway or Midsouth and they stay in the 1/2" area. They really tear up a P dog too.
 
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