The Rifleman, Barnes, and his Savage
My friend,
Dwight Scifres, hails from Montezuma, Indiana, and often goes by
the handle of "Rifleman." Unlike most, ex-marine Dwight
has a strong background in long-range shooting and as a military
shooting instructor. Also, unlike many, Dwight works with a firearm
not to change things merely for the sake of change-- instead, he
works with a gun with a purpose in mind . . . that being getting
the most out of his firearm for his purposes, and his intended use.
After all,
it matters not what anyone else does with their equipment, what
matters is what you, yourself, can achieve. The rest is conversational
trivia. Dwight has taken a path with a goal in mind-- that of the
proper combination of scope, rifle, sabot, projectile, and powder
to allow for confident long range use assuming reasonable field
conditions. Dwight has achieved his goal:
Outfitting
his Savage 10ML-II blued model with a properly fitted and bedded
laminated stock, you can see the recent range results @ 300 yards.
You might find a sub-5 inch group at 300 yards impressive. It becomes
more impressive when you learn that it was shot with a gusty 10
mph crosswind, and Dwight actually made a sighting change after
the first shot. Though some may feel that a 10X scope isn't quite
enough tube at 100 yards, it most certainly is with an accomplished
marksman even at 300 yards.
For the record,
Dwight uses a 200 yard zero: translating to approx. 3-7/16 in high
@ 100 yards with this scope, bases, and rings-- and this rifle.
The combination of Vihtavuori N120, the Barnes Original 300 gr.
spitzer soft point, and the orange MMP .458 / .50 sabot has been
a good one in many rifles for me, and Dwight has adjusted it for
his own personal recoil comfort level. It is a dandy.
Action screw
torque is an overlooked but important item, as Dwight has discovered.
Courtesy of Fred Moreo at "Sharpshooter
Supply," here is the listing of recommended values for
Savage rifles:
ACTION SCREW LENGTHS
Short set....used
on the "F"( tupperware stocks)
front- 1.100"
rear- 1.510"
Long set....used
on the "G" & "B" (birch and laminated stocks)
front- 1.170"
rear- 1.570"
Note: The latest production Low-Profile stocks uses a
short front screw(1.100")
ACTION SCREW TORQUE SPEC'S:
Factory Synthetic
Stocks = 25-26 in/lbs
Hardwood Stocks = 45 – 65 in/lbs
Laminated Stocks = 45 – 65 in/lbs
Aftermarket Synthetic Stocks = 45 – 65 in/lbs
For the 10ML-II, Henry
Ball feels that 25 in/lbs is ideal, regardless of stock. That comports
closely to Rifleman's own findings.
Even the most carefully
manufactured rifles, using the most modern manufacturing steels
and techniques, still remain individuals. Most have a bit of trouble
accepting that; perhaps that is why all too often we are consumed
with "what the other guy" is using?
Marksman Scifres' example
should show that the potential of a true MOA 300 yard rifle exists
in the Savage 10ML-II, assuming you put in the requisite time and
develop the necessary shooting skills to go along with it. Who knows,
maybe you can do a bit better? If you do, Rifleman Dwight Scifres
is the type of individual that will be the first to congratulate
you-- but for now, congratulations to Dwight
for a job well done.
Note
for Mil-Dot fans:
one dot = 36 in. @ 1000 yards, 3.6 in. @ 100 yards (or per 100 yds.)
Same 200 yard zero, dropping to the 2nd dot elevates POI by approx.
21.6 in., equaling quite dead deer at 300 - 330 yards. Naturally,
you need to shoot your own rifle to confirm.
