"Inexpensive" Elk/deer rifle

[ScouT6a]

Since I went on my first Elk and Mule deer hunt last year I have been tossing around the idea of putting together a decent Elk/deer rifle without breaking the bank. I ended up taking my .450 Bushmaster AR with me to Montana last year and did use it on one 100 yard shot on a Mule deer but I also had a borrowed .300 Winchester Magnum with me if a long range shot presented itself. (It did by way of a 301 yard Mule deer shot).
Well, a few weeks ago I decided to get serious about the new rifle since I started planning a Missouri deer hunt this Fall. I picked up a good condition, used, Savage 110 in 7mm Remington Magnum (pre accu trigger). I have known several guys that owned Savage bolt guns and I read a bunch of reviews out there and their reputation for accuracy proceeds them. Caliber wise, I was not set on any one caliber and there are many good ones to choose from. I mainly stuck with "common" rounds that could be picked up darn near anywhere such as, .270 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, .300 Win. Mag, 7mm-08 and the 7mm Rem. Mag. that I settled on.
After much research, I purchased a Nikon Prostaff 3-9-40 BDC to mount on the Savage along with Weaver rings and bases, Butler Creek Blizzard caps and a Limbsaver butt pad. I have also picked up one box each of Federal 150grain, Remington 140 grain, Winchester 150 grain and Remington 150 grain ammo to start seeing what flavor the Savage likes. Think I will also try some 160 grain fodder for Elk. Again, all readily purchased ammo off the LGS and chain store shelves.
I will give an update on the project after I get some range time with the Savage.

 

[threedhuntr]

Definitely sounds like a good plan. Please do keep us up to date with the testing. I have had nothing but good from savage bolt guns. Very good about out of the box accuracy. A factory barreled action can usually do wonders transplanted in a good stock and a good trigger. Good luck with your rig.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

7mm Rem Mag will serve you well! Nothing in North America that it can't put on the wall/table/freezer.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I dont think you will see much difference in accuracy between those rounds.... Savage's tend to shoot everything well. If your rifle doesnt have a heavy contour barrel, make sure to give a few minutes between each shot with the bolt open to allow the barrel to cool otherwise you will probably be disappointed in the accuracy.

 

[ScouT6a]

Thanks for the tip on cooling, Indygunworks. I remember reading that on one guys review. Said his 7mm mag tended to walk around a little if he heated up the barrel too much. Mine is a standard contour barrel resting in a black synthetic stock.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Also make absolutely sure that the tang on the savage is free floated. With the tupperware stock non-accubed models, contact with the tang and stock can and will create accuracy issues.

Dirty Steve

 

[IndyGunworks]

Also make absolutely sure that the tang on the savage is free floated. With the tupperware stock non-accubed models, contact with the tang and stock can and will create accuracy issues.

Dirty Steve

This will help also

Thanks for the tip on cooling, Indygunworks. I remember reading that on one guys review. Said his 7mm mag tended to walk around a little if he heated up the barrel too much. Mine is a standard contour barrel resting in a black synthetic stock.

Standard contour barrel, i would open the bolt and wait 5 minutes between each shot at the min.

 

[Hookeye]

A hunting gun might be shot more than once every 5 minutes
And letting everything cool down might not reveal an issue that could be corrected.

IIRC my 7 mag BDL got hot FAST, but it stuck 'em right with the first cold shot (free floated bbl, bedded recoil lug).
Never shot under 1", but with avg at 1.20".................that was fine with me.

 

[IndyGunworks]

A hunting gun might be shot more than once every 5 minutes
And letting everything cool down might not reveal an issue that could be corrected.

IIRC my 7 mag BDL got hot FAST, but it stuck 'em right with the first cold shot (free floated bbl, bedded recoil lug).
Never shot under 1", but with avg at 1.20".................that was fine with me.

Yes, but when sighting the gun in, and developing a drop chart, you want it to be based off data for the FIRST shot. Let the gun cool completely while you zero, and gather your drop data. once you have that THEN, if you desire, fire a few shots in quicker sequences at whatever distances you choose and record the effect so you can plan accordingly in the field. I would never develop data or zero a rifle off a hot standard contour barrel.

 

[Hookeye]

If you miss then what of that drop data?
Elk and deer............my guess is that most shooters will have some adrenaline factor, and shooter variable will be much larger than cold to hot shot variance (within a decent sized cluster type of group).
Pretty big critters too.
Sub MOA is a confidence booster but for stuff that big I bet 1.5" C2C@ 100 yds is good enough.
At 9K feet I bet most couldn't hold the crosshairs on the whole bull elk after boogying 30 yards to get into position.

 

[IndyGunworks]

If you miss then what of that drop data?
Elk and deer............my guess is that most shooters will have some adrenaline factor, and shooter variable will be much larger than cold to hot shot variance (within a decent sized cluster type of group).
Pretty big critters too.
Sub MOA is a confidence booster but for stuff that big I bet 1.5" C2C@ 100 yds is good enough.
At 9K feet I bet most couldn't hold the crosshairs on the whole bull elk after boogying 30 yards to get into position.

A miss doesnt change your drop data. But you always have to take a first shot. Might as well have the data and KNOW what that first shot is going to do.... Wont do you a lick of good if you develop a drop chart for a hot barrel because the first shot you take at any distance is going to be a cold bore shot.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

Sounds like you did good. Keep us posted.

 

[Hookeye]

If the barrel heats up so much that you have to let it cool for 5 mins or more between shots then your missed first shot (branch, flub or whatever) ................that cold shot derived drop table isn't going to be so precise.

The gun shoots around an inch @ 100, no real stringing, has a generalized cluster.............just pick the center of that group and calc from there.

My guess is the oh so terrible diff from cold to warm barrel, maybe even hot, might not be as big a deal as some think.

If there is a pronounced shift then one IMHO needs to get the rig worked on.

This aint benchrest, it's killing fairly large critters from field positions. Shaving .50" or less in testing methods might be great for bench and paper (there is benefit in elevating confidence level) but in the field my guess is that shooter variability will be exponential in comparison.

I wait maybe a minute between shots, cold to warm...............have had sub MOA groups from 3 Rem 700 .243's, a 600 and a Model 7. Plus my Axis in .243.
And my .300 mag was the same way. My 7mm was never under an inch, no matter what, but was sub 1.5" and I think that plenty for a big game rifle.......it didn't shift POI...................none of them did.

Really the only pronounced cold to warm, or even hot POI and or group issues I've had, was with that old minty 742 carbine. I did have a .307 AE BB 94.............but it was so horrible that I never did try to figure it out. My buddy tried various tricks and it still shot like crap (cold warm or hot).

I do remember my 7mm bbl getting hot by the 3rd shot, but it stuck 'em right with the others.

I do try to not shoot groups with things hot, might wait a fair while between going for groups. But I sure don't wait 5 minutes between shots when going for group.
Have done it, and the 1 minute deal on several rifles, has shown no real difference.

Think oil in a bore to offer more variability.

Add, all my bolt rigs have free floated barrels, most have the recoil lug bedded and some the action. So with that, maybe I just never see the cold to warm/hot differences others do.
I'd tweak on the gun to remove that variable, if it was present. Sure, test for it.................but if it is present don't live with it

I dunno, first thing I do with a new rifle is float it.

 

[ScouT6a]

I mounted the scope on the Savage today. I had picked up two piece scope bases marked for the Savage 110 but the rings set far enough apart that they wouldn't fit between the bells on the Nikon. I hit a LGS and bought a one piece base and was back in business. I got everything locktited, aligned, tightened and bore sighted the scope. I put the Limbsaver pad on and made adjustments on the trigger. Pull weight was 5 pounds and I adjusted it down to 3 1/2 pounds and took the creep out. I got all this done right before dark and had time to put a round through the new rifle to check recoil. Fired a Federal 150 grain PSP. The rifle tips the scales at 8 1/2 pounds. Combined with the Limbsaver pad, the recoil was actually quite pleasant. The muzzle blast however was very impressive. May get some range time tomorrow.

 

[ScouT6a]

double post removed

 

[ScouT6a]

Well, six months slipped past since my last post on this project. Hit the range today. (front yard) Went ahead and bore sighted it again at 50 yards. First round was within three inches. Made a quick adjustment and moved back to 100 yards. Next couple of rounds went about five inches high. I was going for a 200 yard zero so I knew I had to be about 2.4" high at 100. Made the adjustments and the rounds dropped right down into place. I then moved back to the 200 yard line and settled in. Had to adjust one click up and all was good. I was shooting some inexpensive Remington 140 grain Core-Lokt PSP rounds and the grouped right at 2 1/4" at 200 yards. I waited about a minute between shots on the first two groups. The third five shot group was fired all in less than a minute. The barrel got too hot to touch but the group size stayed the same.

 

[clayshooter99]

For about the last 15 years or so, I have thought that for the dollar spent, Savage was top of the line. I do not have any experience with all the entry line rifles from Ruger, Remington and such. I have shot multiple Savage rifles in a wide range of calibers that all shot atleast several kinds of ammo well in each gun.

 

[Mark 1911]

7mm rem mag is a great caliber, nothing on this continent it can't handle. A few trips to the range, try a couple different bullet weights and loads and see which one it performs the best with. I also like to let the barrel cool off a little between shots, and swab the barrel out with cotton swab between shots - helps with consistency.