RugerOldArmy
Member
I was lucky enough to take a day off today, and test some loads on a new Savage project gun. The plan is to skim bed, put a drop-in Pac-Nor barrel on, and a rifle-basix trigger. For now, it is bone stock, a fresh scope mounted, and it's first few shots.
Being that I planned on a replacement barrel, and that I had several boxes of light 40-Gr. Z-Max bullets, I figured I'd play with some high-velocity .22-250 loads. I never really used 40 Gr. bullets much in this cartridge, normally shooting 50-52-53-55-60 Gr. The Savage isn't ideal for them at 1-12", so I feared they might lose their jackets (especially with the IMR 8208 XBR loads...look at the IMR data for the velocity...).
I sighted the rifle in, and zeroed the turrets, and headed out to the 300 Yard range. I had five batches of test loads, and some Win Factory 45 gr loads to sight in. I was shooting East to West, with a 10-15mph wind going almost North to South, no wind flags, trying to get similar wind conditions by my bench.
From left to right, top to bottom:
Top
- 34.0 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- 34.5 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- 35.0 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- 37.0 Gr IMR 8208 and 40 Gr Z-Max
Bottom
- 38.0 Gr IMR 8208 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- Didn't shoot.
- Foulers and sight adjustment
Very nice for a stock Savage barrel!
I'm very pleased with how the light bullets shot, and the 34.5 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max load.
Being that I planned on a replacement barrel, and that I had several boxes of light 40-Gr. Z-Max bullets, I figured I'd play with some high-velocity .22-250 loads. I never really used 40 Gr. bullets much in this cartridge, normally shooting 50-52-53-55-60 Gr. The Savage isn't ideal for them at 1-12", so I feared they might lose their jackets (especially with the IMR 8208 XBR loads...look at the IMR data for the velocity...).
I sighted the rifle in, and zeroed the turrets, and headed out to the 300 Yard range. I had five batches of test loads, and some Win Factory 45 gr loads to sight in. I was shooting East to West, with a 10-15mph wind going almost North to South, no wind flags, trying to get similar wind conditions by my bench.
From left to right, top to bottom:
Top
- 34.0 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- 34.5 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- 35.0 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- 37.0 Gr IMR 8208 and 40 Gr Z-Max
Bottom
- 38.0 Gr IMR 8208 and 40 Gr Z-Max
- Didn't shoot.
- Foulers and sight adjustment
Very nice for a stock Savage barrel!
I'm very pleased with how the light bullets shot, and the 34.5 Gr N135 and 40 Gr Z-Max load.
