Savage 10fp .308 need help

[Phantomblack]

Hey all this is my first post here..i just got a new savage 10fp .308 with the accutrigger..i need suggestions for the bells and whistles.

as far as what the gun will be used for...killing paper mostly and i would like to do some coyote hunting and (maybe some whitetails but not often enough to be a major priority in choosing gear)..as far as range 100 to as far as i can go as i get better with the weapon..majority of the shooting will be done from prone...as far as optics im pretty set on the bushnell elite 4200..i cant decide on the magnification so any suggestions please...i do need help on mounts and rings ive heard good things about the burris zee rings but mounts im clueless...

bipods: i know i want a harris with the swivel but i dont know which of the myriad of models would best fit my needs (mostly prone shooting) im a big guy im not sure how much if any difference that makes *6'7" 270lbs*

stock is not a big priority yet but i plan on changing it eventually probably b&c medalist

I hope ive not left anything else if i have please dnt hesitate to tell me if ive forgotten something thanks in advance for all the help

 

[Trevor300wsm]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

Base and rings really depends on your budget. There are some for every price range. However Zee rings would not be my first choice. If funds are tight go with Burris XTR's or TPS TSR series. Base, try a EGW 20MOA if your want low cost and plan to shoot past 600yds eventually. It's really endless options depending on your budget as I've already stayed.

Bipod....I'd recommend a Harris with leg notches and swivel in the 9"-13" range. If your a bigger guy then I'm sure you have a thicker upper body and chest which is naturally going to have you higher off the ground. The 6"-9" model won't be much good as the 6" notch will be useless for you unless on the flattest of ground and your still likely going to raise it some if not all the way up. Just go with the 9"-13" model and 9" will probably be close to right for you and you'll still have some elevation available for various conditions/terrains.

Stocks....I'm not even going to comment on that. It's all about budget and preference. Get what you like.

Things you forgot......ammo, ear protection, shooting glasses of some type, and maybe some cleaning supplies to get started.

Go out and shoot instead of worrying about making your rifle look cool.

 

[mwroseberry]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

Go with a first focal plane scope if you're going with variable power. If you don't go with a FFP variable power you will never be able to use your mil dots accurately because there will always be human error when using the dots to range a target. For most people trying to learn I usually recommend a fixed power scope.

Next week point on the savages is the stock. I'd do this next possibly with someone doing a bedding job for you that is used to working with savages.

Next I'd buy handloading equipment because you'll never be able to get the full potential out of your rifle unless you work up a load spacificly for it. Every weapon no matter the brand is a little different and needs it's own set of hand loads to make it as accurate as possible.

Feel free to PM me if you have any spacific questions.

Good Luck,
Merritt

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

I wouldn't worry too much about ffp if your mainly shooting paper on know distances. I do agree with the Bushnell 4200 scope, they are very good for their price. I'd say get 6-24x50. You won't really need to go lower than 6x power for anything and having that extra magnification on the top end is always a plus.

I think Trevor is right with a 9-13" bi-pod. I'm 5'7" and have a 6-9" and I use it at 9" when prone.

The B&C Medalist would be a good stock to go with. Just remember it isn't inletted for a DBM so if you have a DBM then I'd go with a Choate Tactical but only if it is comfortable for you.

 

[AXEMAN]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

EGW 20 moa & the burris XTR lows should work for you. the rest, you gotta decide on the stock. $200-$900 and beyond. x2 that for scopes. the 4200 should do fine. go mil/mil if you can. learn to reload. then shoot shoot shoot.

 

[Phantomblack]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

thanks a bunch guys.. my budget is <1000 i have about that much to play with right now but i dont wanna pay more for something than i have to you know? i know you get what you pay for but at the same time there is that line you cross where the price passes the function and your start paying for names and "tacti-cool".

trevor: the budget isnt so much tight as jus trying to get the most i can out of the dollar i pay you know? if something is more than i can afford im more than willing to save up and do it right the first time. what would be the virtues of the rings you mentioned? as far as the things i forgot i usually get ammo as needed the only ammo i stock pile is for my rommy (for now), ive got the ear protection glasses and cleaning things sorry i forgot to mention that.

merritt: the stock will probably wont get changed till next summer and ive wanted to get into some handloading its just a little daunting for me to think about loading my own ammo just quite yet without any on-site guiding. Also, please explain what you mean by FFP (sorry im a newb)

snipedogg: the only concern i have with about the 6x24 is ive heard the image quality degrades on some of the bushnells when u get to the mid to upper 20s but alot of those reviews were several years old so is that info still current? thats a very good point on the bipod i wasnt sure how much my size would affect it..do you know the model or would that be S ML?

AXEMAN: what would be the advantages of the XTR rings and is the egw mount 1 piece or 2?

 

[callen3615]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

I would second the ffp. If not get a fixed 10 or 16. Super sniper makes great scopes. Ive got a fixed 10x and its very adequate for north carolina. I dont see much over 600 yards here. You have to look for 100 yards. I had a fixed 16x super sniper and traded for the lower mag because I wanted to hunt. But you cant go wrong.

http://swfa-ss.com/

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

Not sure about the older Bushy's but the newer ones are great. The image will distort at higher magnification at long distances due to mirage and mirage will effect the most expensive scopes too. I use my 6-24 Bushnell Tactical on 24x most of the time I shoot it and it doesn't have any distortion or milkiness to it. I have a couple friends that also own 2 or 3 each and they've never had any problems either.

ffp means First Focal Plane. It is referring to which lens the reticle is placed. If it is ffp then the reticle will get larger with more magnification but the reticles ranging marks will remain true. If it is sfp (Second Focal Plane) then the reticle will remain a constant size but the ranging marks will only be true at one setting. You can find a lot about this in the optics section here.

You will also want to look into getting a scope with matching knobs and reticle. This is something else you can find in the optics section. You'll see mil/mil, mil/moa, moa/moa and so on. You can get the Bushnell in ffp and mil/mil for around $750. I as well as many others would recommend spending as much as you can afford to on optics. It makes a world of difference and you don't wanna learn that the hard way.

Bi-pod sizes will be 6-9", 9-13", etc.., just pick the size you need.

Here is the Google Snipers Hide search. This will yeild a lot more results for you: Snipers Hide Google Search

Hope this helps you

 

[Phantomblack]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

ok so i know how hard it is to get any kind of consensus on a forum but what ive gatherd so far is:

Bushnell Elite 4200 Tactical ~$640
Harris SL 9"-13" $97
EGW 20 MOA $40
Burris XTR $25

that about right? are there any model details or specifics i need to know about which to order

Now to the next question me the newb doin this myself or pay a gunsmith to do the whole deal and boresight? Whats a fair price on such a job?

 

[mwroseberry]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

A Bushy in that price range will probably be a Second Focal Plane like we stated before. So understand that your mildots will not be accurate. On the bi-pod. Savage stocks are not heavy enough to run a bipod. The forarm will flex and hit the barrel which will result in you throwing rounds all over the place. I would get a shooting bag instead and position it farther back, almost directly under the recoil lug when you shoot. This will keep the stock from hitting your barrel.

On reloading it really is very simple as long as you read a good reloading manual. It walks you through everything you'll need to do.

On a gunsmith there is really nothing special about mounting a scope. Get a scope mounting kit with two levels for about 20.00 and you're set. Also use blue lock tite on the scope base to reciever screws. If you lived closer I would just do the setup for you and do some custom work to your stock so you can use your bi-pod.

Good luck,
Merritt

 

[Phantomblack]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

amazon has bushnell 4200 3x-12 illuminated mildot ffp for 649 right now they have the 6x-24 for 605 but it says nothing about having ffp so i assume it doesnt...

what kinda work would have to be done to the stock so the bipod will work with it?

mounting the scope myself i just feel like thats one of those things id rather have a professional do ive heard horror stories about bent tubes...especially since i have 0 previous experience mounting scopes and have 0 equipment required no boresight either

 

[Kelly The Lionfish Hunter]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

This is what I'll be getting for my Savage. I don't know if it's out of your price range but I like it. It seems to have damned near everything I'd get on a $2000 NF for less than half the price, just probably not as well made. IDK though, sometimes the price tag isn't indicative of the quality.

http://swfa.com/Vortex-6-24x50-Viper-PST-30mm-Rifle-Scope-P44559.aspx

 

[AXEMAN]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Phantomblack</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ok so i know how hard it is to get any kind of consensus on a forum but what ive gatherd so far is:

Bushnell Elite 4200 Tactical ~$640
Harris SL 9"-13" $97
EGW 20 MOA $40
Burris XTR $25

that about right? are there any model details or specifics i need to know about which to order

Now to the next question me the newb doin this myself or pay a gunsmith to do the whole deal and boresight? Whats a fair price on such a job? </div></div>

for me, the XTR rings were stout and cheap. you have $25, thats for just one ring. they price them funny. i like optics planet. they may have everything and they do free shipping for orders over $30. the EGWs are all one piece. also, if you pay a little more you can get the steel HD one. if you want the lowest price for a Harris, try Triad Tactical. he is a site sponsor here. other than that, there is just this. give mounting the scope a try. its really easy. mount the base. take the rings apart, mount the bottoms as far forward and back as you can. set the scope in there. me, i use a layer of clear tape on my rings on the inside. i use wide tape and trim it to fit. call me crazy, do it if you like or dont. i used a 99 cent keychain pocket level from the hardware store. wheeler sells a pair of levels for this. some people use feeler gauges to level the scope using the flat of the base and the flat on the bottom of the scopes. you will be able to see if it fits and if its all lined up. put on the top caps and tighten evenly. you can use blue loctite on the scope rings cap screws. 12-15 inch pounds if you have a torque wrench. 20-30 on the rings to base. the lesser with steel / aluminum combo. steel on steel or AL on AL is not as critical. really man, thats simple stuff. dont let it get to you. save your money. you dont need a smith and you will need some of these tools around anyway. feel free to PM me if i can help you out

 

[Cascade Precision]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

Add me to the PM list if you get stuck.
I have the Savage 10 FCP HS model. Good stick. Mounting optics is super easy. Don't stress too much.

 

[Phantomblack]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

so got the optics mounted went with egw 20 moa rail, burris xtrs, and bushnell 4200 6-24x and i love it the rail was a little hateful at first no matter which way i tightend the screws one was always out of line..

now to the next step ive heard the factory stocks have problems with bipods? i love shooting from prone but im tired of trying different things as rests that become difficult after shooting for more than 40 minutes any feedback would help

also since having a reloading setup in my college studio apartment is kind of out of the question what are the best factory ammo for people who have 10fps pictures of groups would be appreciated

thanks all

 

[AXEMAN]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

if you have the factory stock, you can do what merritt did.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1727758#Post1727758

or buy one of the three A5 mcmillan stocks that is available at mcmillan now.

loads, you have to do that. i started at 42g and went up 0.2g at a time. you might have to do the same. i found nice groups all along the range. some at 42.2g others in the 43 and 44 range too. every barrel is different

 

[Phantomblack]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

thats alil more DIY than im comfortable with and the macmillan is out of my price range for now...any quick fixes until i can afford a new stock bags maybe?

 

[AXEMAN]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

find a used accu stock maybe. B&C or choate for $200ish. man dont sweat the work on that stock that i posted. you could use JBWeld in the channels. $20-30 bucks and you can get by for a while. if the stocks touching, you need to open the channel anyway. bags would be the same as a tripod unless you placed the bag closer to the trigger than the swivel studs. give it a shot. you gotta get a new stock anyway.

 

[mwroseberry]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AXEMAN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">find a used accu stock maybe. B&C or choate for $200ish. man dont sweat the work on that stock that i posted. you could use JBWeld in the channels. $20-30 bucks and you can get by for a while. if the stocks touching, you need to open the channel anyway. bags would be the same as a tripod unless you placed the bag closer to the trigger than the swivel studs. give it a shot. you gotta get a new stock anyway. </div></div>

Yeah take the plunge. Worse comes to worse just get a savage take off stock for $30 and replace it. Guys sell them on here and on ebay daily.

If this is the scope you are talking about:

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Illuminat...mp;sr=8-1-spell

It's a FFP and a nice scope so go for it. Variable power takes too long to set up in my opinion but that's just me. I like to lay down set focus and be done. Really you could do that with a variable especially since this one is a side focus model. Really it's a good buy just not my cup of tea.

Like stated before if you don't want to jump into the stock use a ruck/backpack with something soft in it and folded over in half. You can see picture examples of that in the stock modification post that axe put up. Then make or get yourself a triad tactical rear bag and you're set. Right now in the snow that's what I use. So I guess for now my suggestions with your comments would be.

The scope you have listed above.
EGW base 35.00
Burris rings 54.00
http://swfa.com/Burris-Xtreme-Tactical-30mm-Rings-P3674.aspx
Shooting rear bag 20.00
http://www.triadtactical.com/Triad-Tapered-Rear-Bag.html

Then all the ammo FGMM you can afford.

PM me any questions you might have.

Good luck,
Merritt

 

[Phantomblack]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

merritt ive already got the rings base and scope..and got it all mounted the bushy i got isnt the ffp one but after the hr and a half i spent behind it the other day i love it...i think im gonna try the bags next

the only thing i dont understand is if the factory stock wont perform with a bipod why the second stud on the stock from savage?

 

[mwroseberry]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Phantomblack</div><div class="ubbcode-body">merritt ive already got the rings base and scope..and got it all mounted the bushy i got isnt the ffp one but after the hr and a half i spent behind it the other day i love it...i think im gonna try the bags next

the only thing i dont understand is if the factory stock wont perform with a bipod why the second stud on the stock from savage? </div></div>

It might but it's a long shot. You can try this. Put the bipod on and get behind the rig. Put a little bit of forward pressure on the stock with your shoulder and have someone slide a piece of paper under the barrel and see if it makes it all the way to the recoil lug without touching. If it goes you might be ok. The main problem with the factory stocks is they aren't made heavy enough and they end up touching the barrel under normal shooting situations which will SERIOUSLY throw off your accuracy. If you're happy with your scope that's good just understand those mildots aren't dead on so don't try to use them to range or make turret corrections with them.

You can however use them for follow up shot hold overs as long as you don't touch the magnification ring between shots.

Good luck,
Merritt

 

[Phantomblack]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

thanks a bunch ill go try all the stuff and report back thanks again

 

[AXEMAN]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

the second stud is marketing. just an option to keep up with the rest. if it didnt have one people will be upset over just having one

 

[Utah Shooter]

Re: Savage 10fp .308 need help

Very informative guys. Thanks Phantomblack. I just got one of these too. Now I do not need to ask the question.