# The mountain rifle



## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Every year, this seems to happen to me after hunting season. “You killed an elk and a deer. You’re good on rifles”. That lasts for about a week or two after the hunts are over, and then suddenly, I find my mind wandering in that post-hunt lull.

I think I want to get a rifle specifically for backpacking hunts I plan to get into. My requirements would be fairly simple - lightweight, absolutely durable, reliable, 22” barrel (though 20” would probably suffice), and something I’d be proud to own. Caliber wise, I’m pretty fond of 7mm-08, so something along those lines would be ideal.

Anyway, I can’t imagine I’m the first to have this debate. I’d love to hear your thoughts and recommendations.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Savage Axis? You certainly wouldnt have to worry about scratches lol.


-DallanC


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Remington Model 7 .308


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

DallanC said:


> Savage Axis? You certainly wouldnt have to worry about scratches lol.
> 
> -DallanC


That checks a lot of boxes, but certainly not the part about it showing pride of ownership. Haha


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Oh man. How much you want to spend? That is the real question. There are some sweet “mountain” rifles out there with carbon fiber and the like. But you’re talking closer to 10 grand than 1 grand.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Vanilla said:


> Oh man. How much you want to spend? That is the real question. There are some sweet "mountain" rifles out there with carbon fiber and the like. But you're talking closer to 10 grand than 1 grand.


I know the sky is the limit when it comes to something you want for a specific purpose. But I'd much rather stick closer to the 1 grand than 10, if at all humanly possible. I just had my first kid two weeks ago so I'm probably out of my mind even bringing up this topic.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I have a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker with a 20" barrel in 7mm-08. It's my primary hunting rifle, though I don't know if it technically qualifies as a mountain rifle because it weighs 8.5 lbs. with scope and sling. The short throw on the A-Bolts is awesome, though. I love the action. 

Maybe a Browning A-Bolt Micro, Remington Model 7 or Tikka T3 if you want something lighter?


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Tikka T3X in 7mm-08. I’ve got one and it shoots great with every type of ammo I’ve shot out of it.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

proud to own is pretty subjective. i'm proud of all my firearms, especially the ones with sentimental value.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

and fwiw, when i try to go expensive/higher end firearms... they get about half of an off season of use or just long enough for load development and a drop chart. about a month before hunting season one of my trusty tikkas will make a reappearance and the expensive gun will sit in the safe looking pretty.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Why wouldn't you be proud to own a Savage?? I own quit a few, and I'll tell you they are a great rifle. Some guys with guns seem to try and look like the "GQ guy" on the mountain with a fancy brand rifle and optic, brag about the thousands of dollars they spent, etc. I brag about how much I saved. 


My opinion on a "mountain rifle" is they aren't worth it. Shorter barrels (unless its carbon wrapped) Now the price starts at 1K minimum. If I'm hiking in, 2-3 pounds of rifle weight isn't making a big difference. The rifle is going in the pack, not on my shoulder. Light rifle = heavy recoil. Depending on the caliber of course. When I think of a "Mountain hunt", I see 300+ yard shots, unforeseen crosswinds, thermals, and changing elevation and weather. I want a MAG caliber in this situation with a heavy bullet. 


I'll stick with a rifle I know and have great confidence with that has and will make a longer shot if needed.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

My favorite are the ones made by Kimber. Close second is the model 7. These are what I consider in the reality price range. You can spend much more and not get a whole lot for your money. 

In my opinion, hunting guns need to shoot sub-MOA and be very repeatable on cold shots. Most people aren't shooting 3-shot groups at a deer's vitals. 3/4 MOA will easily keep you in the kill zone out to 600 yards. .308 and 7-08 would be my choices.----SS


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

taxidermist said:


> Why wouldn't you be proud to own a Savage?? I own quit a few, and I'll tell you they are a great rifle. Some guys with guns seem to try and look like the "GQ guy" on the mountain with a fancy brand rifle and optic, brag about the thousands of dollars they spent, etc. I brag about how much I saved.
> 
> My opinion on a "mountain rifle" is they aren't worth it. Shorter barrels (unless its carbon wrapped) Now the price starts at 1K minimum. If I'm hiking in, 2-3 pounds of rifle weight isn't making a big difference. The rifle is going in the pack, not on my shoulder. Light rifle = heavy recoil. Depending on the caliber of course. When I think of a "Mountain hunt", I see 300+ yard shots, unforeseen crosswinds, thermals, and changing elevation and weather. I want a MAG caliber in this situation with a heavy bullet.
> 
> I'll stick with a rifle I know and have great confidence with that has and will make a longer shot if needed.


2-3 pounds doesn't make a difference? Yer talkin to a guy that cuts the handle off his toothbrush, carries 7 squares of toilet paper per day, not a roll. My tent doesn't weigh 2-3 pounds. I sleep in a woman's sleeping bag, saves 3.26 ounces.

Are you just saying these things to get on the top of the page? :smile:


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

taxidermist said:


> Why wouldn't you be proud to own a Savage??


Perhaps I misspoke. I love Savage rifles. I own two of them. Technically 2.5 since my dad and I went in on a 243 together back when I was a teenager. I picked up this beauty as my first big game rifle when I turned 21. No more using dad's gun. It's a Savage 114 American Classic stainless in 7mm Rem Mag that I stole from Cabela's for $550. In the near decade that I've owned it, it has accounted for just over half a dozen animals taken, including a 6 point bull taken at 500 yards last year that filled my first ever any bull tag. It's printed 3 shot groups that were touching with whatever ammo I've put through it, from the light 139gr I started out using to the 160gr Trophy Bonded Tips I use now.

As you can probably surmise, this is one rifle I'm incredibly proud to own. I love that rifle and I've shot it well from the get go. It is my go to anytime I know I might have to make a long or difficult shot, because I know it's capable if I do my part. I love it so much, in fact, that I decided to buy the same rifle in 7mm-08 to shave a little weight off for my deer hunts, and for my son to have when he's of age.

All I really meant by my comment about the Savage Axis is that I'd feel like I'm backpedaling big time, going from what I consider some of the best looking rifles Savage has made to probably the ugliest. However, now that I've sat on it for the last couple days, I do see the value in a throw around gun, especially for my purposes. As one of the above comments stated, it is hard taking your prettiest rifles out hunting.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with either of the big game rifles I own. I'm just getting to the point where I'm venturing further and further into the backcountry every year and having better success. Between the deer and elk hunts this year, according to my Fitbit, I put 98 miles on the boots. Mind you, these are all on day hunts, hiking in early morning and coming out well after dark most days. I just got into backpacking early last spring, so at this point, I say why not just hike in and pitch a tent somewhere? Neither rifle is particularly overburdensome, but neither are what I'd call light. The 7mm is about 9.5 pounds and the 7mm-08 is just a bit over 8.

If I could accomplish near to the same that these rifles have been capable of, but on a lighter platform, and in a package that can handle the abuse of being thrown in a pack for 3 days at a time and in possible inclement weather, I say why not? I'm set with the rifles I own for my day hunts, but if you don't think 3 pounds makes any difference, I can politely assume you don't hike as much as I do. Haha.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Springville Shooter said:


> My favorite are the ones made by Kimber. Close second is the model 7. These are what I consider in the reality price range. You can spend much more and not get a whole lot for your money.
> 
> In my opinion, hunting guns need to shoot sub-MOA and be very repeatable on cold shots. Most people aren't shooting 3-shot groups at a deer's vitals. 3/4 MOA will easily keep you in the kill zone out to 600 yards. .308 and 7-08 would be my choices.----SS


This is good perspective to keep in mind. I think people get carried away with the magical 3 shot group. It is nice to see at the range but no one I know takes a bench and sandbags when they hunt.

Do you have any experience with the Kimber Hunter by chance? They seem a lot more reasonably priced than most of their other offerings.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Are you just saying these things to get on the top of the page?








Nope, just at the top of the mountain. If I'm lucky, (because of my heavy rifle) I don't beat the speed demons to the top. I let them BOO the critters down the hill to me. 


I sleep in a woman's sleeping bag.
I do to when she's with me.  You don't ware a skirt do ya?? LOL. Sorry Goob, I couldn't resist.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

moabxjeeper said:


> This is good perspective to keep in mind. I think people get carried away with the magical 3 shot group. It is nice to see at the range but no one I know takes a bench and sandbags when they hunt.
> 
> Do you have any experience with the Kimber Hunter by chance? They seem a lot more reasonably priced than most of their other offerings.


I helped a friend with a Kimber Hunter in 280AI. It was a great gun and shot well. He ended up with a load that shot 140 Nosler Accubonds at about 3150fps. Accuracy was more than adequate as long as we let the barrel cool sufficiently. -------SS


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Since groups were brought up, I shoot 1 and 2 shot "groups". To conserve ammo and time, all I need to know is how the rifle shoots cold bore and 1 follow-up if need be. Over several sessions it tells me more than shooting multiple 10 shot groups from a bench. I tend to shoot prone, off hand, kneeling and tree supported. 

Back to the rifle...i chased the lightweight mtn rifle for a while. What I learned is that some things were too important to compromise on, depending on the purpose the rifle is built for. Too light and further ranges the gun magnified my flaws. It also highlighted the fact that ultralight guns weren't meant to fit average to larger men. They work great for kids and women though, provided it's a mild caliber.

I wanted to stay under a certain weight but be able to hunt to medium ranges with a turret scope. For this I grabbed a tikka 6.5cm with a new trigger spring, cut the bbl to 20", screwed on a suppressor for my ears, topped it with a tract scope in sports match rings and started to develop a drop chart since my first few range sessions yielded touching holes with 3 types of factory ammo.

Kimber didn't fit me well at all and required a lot of work to get the gun to shoot. There's even a "pre-flight checklist" for all the common problems with kimbers. Mine had several to fix. And don't even attempt to use kimber's warranty department. 



Fwiw, a non magnum caliber will be lighter weight than mags. For long distances I like magnums. You'd do well with 270, 308, 6.5 or the 7mm-08 for the less than 350yd ranges you want to hunt.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I just remembered, I have a Rem Model 7 in 300 WSM. I've backpacked with that thing a number of times, killed a number of elk with it. Wonder where it's at? ha


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

I think you have an option of a slightly heavier rifle (1lb more) which is cheaper and a lighter scope which is more expensive. The Kimbers are good, weighs just over 5lbs, and cost $1,300. A Mauser m18 is good, weighs just over 6 lbs, and is $450. That leaves an extra $1000 to spend on optics/rings/slings. 
The only reason I do not own a Mauser is I am a snob and like wood stocks.

Browning Micro Midas is probably worth a look. I shoot an older Remington Mtn rifle in 280. It is an easy carry. The one thing I have noticed is I shoot a 6+lb rifle (plus scope) better than a 5lb rifle. That extra lb helps in my accuracy. 

..


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

I've got a Kimber Mountain Ascent in 6.5 cm and a Browning Micro Midas in 7mm-08. Both great choices my $.02's. Some guys have issues with Kimber (more so the early models), but mine has been a great shooter. The Browning Micro Midas is a cool little gun and you have to love the 7mm-08 versatility.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the replies so far. You’ve given me a lot to think about.

Does anyone have any experience with a Savage 110 Lightweight Storm? Found one for a really good price. Might check a lot of boxes off for me.


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## NH Hunter (Feb 4, 2008)

*.280 Rem 700 Mtn Rifle*



Packout said:


> I think you have an option of a slightly heavier rifle (1lb more) which is cheaper and a lighter scope which is more expensive. The Kimbers are good, weighs just over 5lbs, and cost $1,300. A Mauser m18 is good, weighs just over 6 lbs, and is $450. That leaves an extra $1000 to spend on optics/rings/slings.
> The only reason I do not own a Mauser is I am a snob and like wood stocks.
> 
> Browning Micro Midas is probably worth a look. I shoot an older Remington Mtn rifle in 280. It is an easy carry. The one thing I have noticed is I shoot a 6+lb rifle (plus scope) better than a 5lb rifle. That extra lb helps in my accuracy.
> ...


I've got a 700 Mtn in the same caliber. Nice rifle to carry and a decent shooter. A little heavier than a Model 7 but a lot lighter than my Model 70 .338 Mag Stainless Classic. The 280 stays at home most elk seasons but I start to miss it around day 4 of lugging the .338 around. I got it for a great price in 1988.... $299 at Woolworth's. Yes, that Woolworth's. The scope cost more than the gun. Good balance, shoots well and is an easy carry. It fits right in with the rest of my oddball guns. Remington 600 Mohawk in .308, Savage Model 99E in .308, a couple S&W Model 57 .41 Mags., Nylon 66 .22. My gun safe looks looks like the Island of Misfit Toys. :smile: There's your holiday season reference.....


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Well, forgive the pun, but I jumped the gun and bought a Savage 110 Lightweight Storm in 7mm-08. It seemed to check most boxes - 5.6 pounds, stainless barrel, and best of all, I found it for a fraction of the price of some of the other models I was considering, making it much easier to justify. $580 with a $75 rebate. I maybe would have preferred a 22” barrel but I don’t think I’ll get much velocity loss in a 20” barrel. I’m sure the stock will be nothing to write home about but for a beat around backpacking gun, I think it will be perfect. If anyone is interested, I’ll write up some initial impressions when it gets here.

Now to scope it. What would you recommend for a lightweight setup? I’ve done some looking around and a VX3i 2.5-8x36 sounds about ideal, although I wouldn’t write off the 3.5-10x40 either. At the same time, I keep finding Burris Fullfield II scopes for really good prices and wonder if the Leupolds are really worth double the price. $300-ish would probably be my budget. I grew up shooting with a $50 Tasco and shot a lot of deer with that so anything above that feels pretty “premium” to me.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

That's awesome! Sounds like a perfect match. I have no good input on quality scopes, but I look forward to your review.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

That 3i should serve you well. I prefer a bit more magnification myself. I like something in a 4-12 or even 4-16 but don't care for an objective bigger than 42 or 44mm because I like shorter rings and a more compact overall package.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

moabxjeeper said:


> Well, forgive the pun, but I jumped the gun and bought a Savage 110 Lightweight Storm in 7mm-08. It seemed to check most boxes - 5.6 pounds, stainless barrel, and best of all, I found it for a fraction of the price of some of the other models I was considering, making it much easier to justify. $580 with a $75 rebate. I maybe would have preferred a 22" barrel but I don't think I'll get much velocity loss in a 20" barrel. I'm sure the stock will be nothing to write home about but for a beat around backpacking gun, I think it will be perfect. If anyone is interested, I'll write up some initial impressions when it gets here.
> 
> Now to scope it. What would you recommend for a lightweight setup? I've done some looking around and a VX3i 2.5-8x36 sounds about ideal, although I wouldn't write off the 3.5-10x40 either. At the same time, I keep finding Burris Fullfield II scopes for really good prices and wonder if the Leupolds are really worth double the price. $300-ish would probably be my budget. I grew up shooting with a $50 Tasco and shot a lot of deer with that so anything above that feels pretty "premium" to me.


I've had a few burris ff2's and no complaints so far. Leupold is light as well but I don't see them doing anything better than the other guys. Their low end scopes can be hit or miss. Well, same goes for the higher end too but to a lesser degree.

Did you mention if you were going to use a bdc or turrets?

There are some good options out there for both but for the price/budget it's hard to beat the burris. Just make sure you're getting the one you ordered. Some websites, like dvor.com/optics planet, have terrible descriptions. They often send an item different than described, shown in pics or even the wrong model number. Happens with sale items mostly.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

APD said:


> I've had a few burris ff2's and no complaints so far. Leupold is light as well but I don't see them doing anything better than the other guys. Their low end scopes can be hit or miss. Well, same goes for the higher end too but to a lesser degree.
> 
> Did you mention if you were going to use a bdc or turrets?


Thank you! That's the exact feedback I've been looking for. I love Leupold scopes and they're definitely top tier quality wise, I'm just not sure if paying twice the price of a Burris would equate to a scope that's twice as good. In fact, I'm heavily leaning towards it not working out that way.

BDC is what I'm most familiar with so that's what I would probably seek out first. I looked and Cabela's has a Fullfield E1 for $150. I'm just not sure I like the reticle. It doesn't look like the crosshairs go to the end of the scope which I find kind of strange. I'd be interested to know if anyone has used that and what their impressions are. Honestly I'd probably opt for the simpler Fullfield II with the ballistic plex reticle over the E1.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

moabxjeeper said:


> It doesn't look like the crosshairs go to the end of the scope which I find kind of strange. I'd be interested to know if anyone has used that and what their impressions are. Honestly I'd probably opt for the simpler Fullfield II with the ballistic plex reticle over the E1.


I have the E1 on my muzzleloader and love the smaller reticle!


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Well, i can't seem to find much of anything anywhere. Cabela's says they have this in stock. Any thoughts? Appears to be the latest in the Fullfield line. https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/burris-fullfield-iv-rifle-scope


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

The e1 and now e3 reticles are nice. You get used to it and you have windage built in. I like a clean reticle but this never really got in my way. I haven't used the newer e3 yet but should be fine if they are still an etched glass reticle.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Not the greatest picture, forgive me, but this is the complete build. I caved and with my wife’s blessing (it’s great to have a wife who has your back) went with the Leupold. I was all ready to buy the Burris but I just wasn’t that impressed with the Fullfield IV when I saw it in person. The big fat Made in China sticker was a turn off. Had they had a Fullfield II in stock I likely would have bought that. I’ve handled those and they seem great for the price.

When all was said and done, I was still under $1000 for the build, and the rifle weighs right at 6.6 pounds. I think it will be perfect for what I’ve wanted to do with it. I really feel that Savage has come a long ways with their synthetic stocks since we bought our first one some 14 years ago.

If anyone is interested, I will do a sort of mock review when I’m able to get it out and see how it does at the range.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Sharp looking rig - good job!


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Not sure if anyone is interested, but I've been out testing the new rifle a few times. As of right now, I'm going to call it "hunting accurate" over "bench accurate". This is perfectly acceptable to me and falls in line with my expectations for the gun when I got it. I figured physics wouldn't allow the shaving off of a few pounds without any repercussions, and this was evidenced at my first couple range sessions. 1.5" is about the best groups I've been able to pull off so far, with no group any worse than 2".

It was strange - the first two range sessions, I'd fire a shot, and it would be about where I'd expect it, then fire another shot, which would string probably 2" from the original (usually high), and then fire a third, which would be within .5" of the first. This was consistent and happened regardless of ammunition, and I tried 4 different loads out. I'd more expect the first two to be together and the third to string with that light barrel heating up, but this wasn't the case. I came home after the next session, gave the gun one hell of a cleaning, pulled the action from the stock, applied some blue Loctite, re-torqued the action screws, and did the same thing with the scope (I realized what looked straight to me wasn't that straight when verified with a level - thanks Cabela's scope mounting). After that, the third range session went a lot better. This is when I was able to pull off 1.5" groups with some regularity. The second shot "stringing" was still present, but was noticeably tighter this time around.

It didn't seem to matter what loads I shot through it, all 4 different loads shot about the same grouping, the point of impact was just a bit different. I sighted in 3" high at 100 yards with 140gr Remington Core Lokts since that's what I have the most of at the moment. I decided to call that good enough for now. We all know ammo isn't easy to come by and I blew through a LOT trying to figure this thing out.

It would be nice to get a bit tighter groupings on the bench, but as mentioned before, I was hoping this rifle would at least be "hunting accurate", and it certainly is. It's clearly not meant to be a high volume tack-driving bench shooter, but even so, I have no hesitations on shooting this setup out to its MPBR of about 300 yards. I hope to squeeze out to 400 yards using the duplex post if necessary, but I've been completely realistic with what I really need on this setup, and so far, it's hit every mark. I've got some Federal Premium 140gr Accubonds sitting in the safe I've yet to try with this rifle. That would certainly be my preference if I decide to take this setup after elk, but I'm hesitant to use up the little I have with the ammo shortage, unless any of you fine folks could spare a box or two. Otherwise, I may just have to make the Core Lokts work.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Nice rifle for a very reasonable price.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

moabxjeeper said:


> Not sure if anyone is interested, but I've been out testing the new rifle a few times. As of right now, I'm going to call it "hunting accurate" over "bench accurate". This is perfectly acceptable to me and falls in line with my expectations for the gun when I got it. I figured physics wouldn't allow the shaving off of a few pounds without any repercussions, and this was evidenced at my first couple range sessions. 1.5" is about the best groups I've been able to pull off so far, with no group any worse than 2".
> 
> It was strange - the first two range sessions, I'd fire a shot, and it would be about where I'd expect it, then fire another shot, which would string probably 2" from the original (usually high), and then fire a third, which would be within .5" of the first. This was consistent and happened regardless of ammunition, and I tried 4 different loads out. I'd more expect the first two to be together and the third to string with that light barrel heating up, but this wasn't the case. I came home after the next session, gave the gun one hell of a cleaning, pulled the action from the stock, applied some blue Loctite, re-torqued the action screws, and did the same thing with the scope (I realized what looked straight to me wasn't that straight when verified with a level - thanks Cabela's scope mounting). After that, the third range session went a lot better. This is when I was able to pull off 1.5" groups with some regularity. The second shot "stringing" was still present, but was noticeably tighter this time around.
> 
> ...


I love my Savages. If you have a Wheeler torque driver you may be able to tighten up them groups a bit. Does it have a Accutrigger. I have a little trick that can lighten and smooth out the trigger also. PM if your interested.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

with those results i'd be looking at bedding the rifle if you've already ruled out the scope, mounts and action screws. based on the previous post it appears you have checked screws but have you swapped scopes? leupold has been know to have a lemon from time to time.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

APD said:


> with those results i'd be looking at bedding the rifle if you've already ruled out the scope, mounts and action screws. based on the previous post it appears you have checked screws but have you swapped scopes? leupold has been know to have a lemon from time to time.


Yeah, I pulled everything apart that could be torqued, re-applied blue Loctite, and re-torqued everything. I also adjusted the trigger to as light as it would go (it does have the Accutrigger). I'm a bit stumped at what to do at this point. I don't know if it's the ammunition I'm using or what. I was getting some strange accuracy issues from my last Savage 7-08 as well until I started using Federal Premium ammunition. I don't believe it's the scope. It wasn't even on paper at 100 yards when I first went to sight it in, but once I figured out where it was pointing, I made the appropriate adjustments and it moved to within an inch of where I wanted it.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Those savages can be really accurate. I have 2 Savage Lightweight barrels and both are very accurate, but it took some work reloading with different bullets and powder. If it has an accutrigger, you can get a target spring for about $4 that will reduce the pull from about 2.5-3lbs to 1-1.5lbs which is an upgrade I do on all my accutriggers. Also, for torque, I like 60 in-lbs on the front screw and about 20-25 in-lbs on the back screw.

I picked up this savage lightweight 20" 6.5 Creed barrel off of ebay for $120 and put it on an old savage action. I removed some wood on the butt and the forearm of the stock to reduce the weight by about 1.5lbs. This is my build and it ended up being $390 for the gun build and with the leupold scope, weighs in at 6lbs 7oz total. I have it shooting a 100gr BT with a light powder charge (for my kids) at under .5moa. Here is a 100 yard target and they all look just like this one. We had a chance to use it to drop this buck at about 100 yards for my daughter with 1 shot last fall.


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## american_jackal (Mar 1, 2017)

Tikka t3 is a great choice. Love the look, and very lite.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

moabxjeeper said:


> APD said:
> 
> 
> > with those results i'd be looking at bedding the rifle if you've already ruled out the scope, mounts and action screws. based on the previous post it appears you have checked screws but have you swapped scopes? leupold has been know to have a lemon from time to time.
> ...


Check barrel float, magazine contact points, recoil lug engagement and bed it. I've not seen many extremely picky barrels from savage.

What weight projectiles are you trying? What twist rates is the bbl?


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

APD said:


> Check barrel float, magazine contact points, recoil lug engagement and bed it. I've not seen many extremely picky barrels from savage.
> 
> What weight projectiles are you trying? What twist rates is the bbl?


Barrel is fully floated all the way to the action. Everything seems as it should be. It seems like the more I shoot this rifle, I squeeze out a bit more accuracy each time. Change in technique working, or maybe the barrel is "breaking in"? I don't know.

Barrel is 20" 1 in 9.5 twist. I've posted a couple of the groups I've shot below. These are with 4 different loads while I was testing to see what the rifle shoots most accurately. 140gr Remington Core Lokt, 139gr Hornady American Whitetail, some cheap 140gr PPU ammo, and unknown grain Winchester loads I got in a purchase.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

If it's stringing up, think heat. Something is heating and changing your impact. I'm a gunsmith and have chambered many Savages. I've never seen one I couldn't get to shoot well. Check your action torque. Here's a method I use to dial in action torque on Savages that are giving me trouble. https://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/savage-action-screw-torque-tuning/ As ugly as they are I love chambering and truing Savage actions because they are simple and the machining is usually better than most companies.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

I think those targets show your gun can shoot just fine. Your 2nd target it looks like a lot of horizontal stringing. In many cases, vertical stringing is your gun and can be helped by bedding, horizontal stringing is most often your load. Most of these factory loads were developed with 22" barrels with more mass, your 20" light barrel has different harmonics. I would keep trying other loads, I have had very good results in my 7mm-08 with 120gr bullets if you can find any factory loads with the lighter bullet. You may also get better results with a factory load that has a different seating depth.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

there may be some issues to resolve with the gun but it's pretty amazing to see a load come together with a change of just tenths of a grain. when you reload, they targets will speak for themselves. in the absence of that, get another shooter to verify your gun.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

longbow said:


> If it's stringing up, think heat. Something is heating and changing your impact. I'm a gunsmith and have chambered many Savages. I've never seen one I couldn't get to shoot well. Check your action torque. Here's a method I use to dial in action torque on Savages that are giving me trouble. https://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/savage-action-screw-torque-tuning/ As ugly as they are I love chambering and truing Savage actions because they are simple and the machining is usually better than most companies.


This is interesting and I may have to give it a go. I just looked online and it said to do a flat 40 inch lbs front and rear, so that's what I did. Do you have a ballpark on what's considered "optimal" torque in the rifles you've seen? Ammo is in short supply and I don't have enough to shoot 8 different 5 shot groups. It would be nice to have a good setting to start with.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

moabxjeeper said:


> This is interesting and I may have to give it a go. I just looked online and it said to do a flat 40 inch lbs front and rear, so that's what I did. Do you have a ballpark on what's considered "optimal" torque in the rifles you've seen? Ammo is in short supply and I don't have enough to shoot 8 different 5 shot groups. It would be nice to have a good setting to start with.


One way to see if it's heat that's causing your problem is to slow-fire your gun. And I mean let it cool to ambient temp before you shoot the next round. If POI doesn't change then heat is your problem and you'll have to diagnose why. You said you bedded it. Did you bed the chamber and maybe a little past that? Chambers expand then they heat up and can raise your POI. Sometimes it makes a difference and sometimes it doesn't.
The Savages I've had to mess with the action torque on have all been different. Most just shot well with the recommended 40lb torque but the ones that responded to different torques ended up being different from each other. It's just one of those things where you have to experiment. Start with 20/25 lbs on both screws and see how it shoots. With a hot barrel, increase 5lbs at a time on the back screw first, then go to the front screw. If it's an action torque issue you will find a sweet spot. Write down those torque specs.
Another thing, I've seen this before, you shoot three shots and they shoot great then the fourth or fifth shot your bullets start to wander or string. Check your barrel clearance when the bullets start to go off and see if the barrel is touching anywhere. There's a lot of internal stress going on inside metal and heat or relieving metal changes that. I've turned a straight bull barrel down to varmint weight (not sure why he wanted me to do it) and it came out looking like you could skip rope with it.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

longbow said:


> moabxjeeper said:
> 
> 
> > This is interesting and I may have to give it a go. I just looked online and it said to do a flat 40 inch lbs front and rear, so that's what I did. Do you have a ballpark on what's considered "optimal" torque in the rifles you've seen? Ammo is in short supply and I don't have enough to shoot 8 different 5 shot groups. It would be nice to have a good setting to start with.
> ...


Someone suggested I bed it, but I haven't got quite to that point yet. I think I need to try what you're suggesting and maybe a couple different loads including some Premium stuff so we'll see what route I go after that.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

I've also seen a factory savage barrel that was magnetized. It shot minute of elk but that was it. Not sure how it happened but it's definitely not normal. I'm pretty sure my friend sold that rifle.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

moabxjeeper said:


> Someone suggested I bed it, but I haven't got quite to that point yet. I think I need to try what you're suggesting and maybe a couple different loads including some Premium stuff so we'll see what route I go after that.


Good idea. I have a friend who has a Savage 112 that tried a lot of different factory ammo. Some were high dollar rounds. His gun shoots gangbusters with low-dollar 30-06 Federal Power-shok 150gr ammo. No matter what lot he buys it shoots great. Bonus!


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

APD said:


> I've also seen a factory savage barrel that was magnetized. It shot minute of elk but that was it. Not sure how it happened but it's definitely not normal. I'm pretty sure my friend sold that rifle.


I've had killer luck with Savage rifles. My 7mm Rem Mag is an effortless 1MOA or better shooter, doesn't matter the ammo. I think this one is just a combination of getting used to such a light rifle and figuring out what loads it likes.

I'm optimistic I can squeeze a little more accuracy out of it, but it's already achieved what I'd call "practical accuracy". I know I'm going against the grain a bit here, but none of the groups it's shot are worse than 2" even using whatever random ammo I've been able to get a hold of and as the pictures indicate, it's certainly capable of better. If anything it's helping to keep me honest with my goal of staying within 400 yards. Even 2" groups will keep me well within the kill zone of a good buck. Don't get me wrong, I hope to see better, but with the ammo shortage and not knowing if I'll be able to replace what I shoot, "good enough" is really going to have to be good enough.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

3 shot groups at 2moa would be tough to swallow for some. if you were to shoot 10 rounds i bet you'd easily double to 4 moa. would that be acceptable for out to 400 yards? 


fwiw, i don't shoot many groups. typically it's one shot and a follow up, usually at 400 or so. that gives me my practical accuracy in many different conditions. after shooting like that for over 10 sessions i've burned one box of bullets and got a whole lot of info for not much wasted ammo. my DOPE book keeps the info and i'll average it out for an accurate drop chart. i'm not saying you need to do this but it is one way to get data without spending a lot on ammo. besides that a good dry fire session is in order. when i'm rusty dry fire shows some flaws in form or execution.


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## 67015 (Jan 29, 2021)

i have a tikka 7mm08 as well its a hammer with about everything, its the stainless flutted model and i put it in a mdt lss chassis, i also have 2 custom built rifles both chambered in 27-7mm08 ACKLEY IMPROVED, essentiall i get a 708 brass neck it down to 270 fireform it to be ackley improved, im getting 270win velocity in a 22" barreled short action rifle with about 14 grains less powder 8) both have a 7.5 twist so i can shoot the 170 bergers or the new 165 nosler accubonds, although so far the 145 eldx has been the best bullet ive had on game.


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## american_jackal (Mar 1, 2017)

I have a Tikka t3 in 270wsm. It check all the boxes you described. I absolutely love it.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

So all you Tikka folks are telling me to sell the Savage and join your cult? 🤣

I have yet to hear someone who didn’t love their Tikka.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

moabxjeeper said:


> So all you Tikka folks are telling me to sell the Savage and join your cult? &#129315;
> 
> I have yet to hear someone who didn't love their Tikka.


I've never shot a savage so I can't compare the two, but my Tikka shoots sub-MOA with factory ammo. It's been awesome so far.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

moabxjeeper said:


> So all you Tikka folks are telling me to sell the Savage and join your cult? &#129315;
> 
> I have yet to hear someone who didn't love their Tikka.


i have both savage and tikka. what i don't have is a rifle that won't regularly shoot moa with an easily obtainable load, factory or otherwise. (sentimental firearms are an exception). if all the initial troubleshooting is done and the results are still not satisfactory then it's time for a new home for that finicky rifle. only you can say what satisfactory is... but ammo isn't cheap.


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## MrShane (Jul 21, 2019)

Just cycling the bolt, without even firing a shot, of a Tikka will make your wallet jump out of your back pocket and land on the gun counter.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Moab - do you handload (or know anyone who does)? While it may not be the easiest time to load, I wouldn't throw out hope for that rifle. Some factory loads just won't work for every rifle. 

Like others have mentioned, I wouldn't be satisfied with 2 MOA once distance starts to increase. I've owned a couple Savage rifles and they've shot great- this one may just be a little picky.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

MrShane said:


> Just cycling the bolt, without even firing a shot, of a Tikka will make your wallet jump out of your back pocket and land on the gun counter.


:mrgreen: i know what you mean. i was at scheels for the 2nd time since march and cycled a christensen mesa. that thing turned my stomach and made me thankful for the rifles sitting 3 feet away...trusty tikkas. to each their own though.


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