I'm shooting a Savage .308 with the Choate stock I purchased from Cabelas. Off sandbags it's an incredible rifle, shooting from a bopod however is an altogether different story. I'm using a Winchester knockoff for the Harris, legs are retracted all the way in and I'm maybe a foot or so off the bench (I'm shooting off a rock solid bench). Besides jumping around like an olympic high jumper after the shot, it doesn't seem to group well at all. I forward laod the bipod, yet still have trouble. Groups are about an inch or so at 100 yards. Off sandbags they're virtually touching. So - what say yee? Bipod NG? What if anything am I doing wrong?
- Thread starter mugsie
- Start date
Re: Savage .308 with Choate Stock
I had a Savage sitting in that same stock and I noticed the same behavior. I slid the bi-pod back a few inches to where it was probably 2-3 inches behind the front swivel studs. That shrank my vertical from well over an inch to less than .5 inches. The stock feels solid but I think the combination of plastic and aluminum makes a perfect spring for the forearm. Try moving the resting point back and see if your groups don't improve.
I had a 26" McGowen barrel hanging off mine so maybe that helped the springing action.
Good luck and welcome to the forums.
mike
I had a Savage sitting in that same stock and I noticed the same behavior. I slid the bi-pod back a few inches to where it was probably 2-3 inches behind the front swivel studs. That shrank my vertical from well over an inch to less than .5 inches. The stock feels solid but I think the combination of plastic and aluminum makes a perfect spring for the forearm. Try moving the resting point back and see if your groups don't improve.
I had a 26" McGowen barrel hanging off mine so maybe that helped the springing action.
Good luck and welcome to the forums.
mike
Re: Savage .308 with Choate Stock
You didn't specify which Choate stock you have. If it's the "Ultimate Sniper", I had the same problem. The best I could figure out was that the upward slope of the forend, where the accessory rail is, puts the bipod in the wrong position.
A Harris-style bipod really isn't very strong except in a straight up-and-down direction. Because the "Ultimate Sniper" makes the bipod lean backward to support the rifle, the force exerted by the weight of the rifle is coming at an angle. Hence, the legs tend to spring back and forth quite a bit.
My solution was to dump the "Ultimate Sniper" and look for a stock with a more conventional (and horizontal) forend profile.
You didn't specify which Choate stock you have. If it's the "Ultimate Sniper", I had the same problem. The best I could figure out was that the upward slope of the forend, where the accessory rail is, puts the bipod in the wrong position.
A Harris-style bipod really isn't very strong except in a straight up-and-down direction. Because the "Ultimate Sniper" makes the bipod lean backward to support the rifle, the force exerted by the weight of the rifle is coming at an angle. Hence, the legs tend to spring back and forth quite a bit.
My solution was to dump the "Ultimate Sniper" and look for a stock with a more conventional (and horizontal) forend profile.
Re: Savage .308 with Choate Stock
it has nothing with the stock
Its a combonation of position and torque on the bipod. drop down to prone w/ rear bag and check groups.
a good bed job would be in order
it has nothing with the stock
Its a combonation of position and torque on the bipod. drop down to prone w/ rear bag and check groups.
a good bed job would be in order
Re: Savage .308 with Choate Stock
My setup at the time was the newer McMillan style Choate Stock. I think they call it their "tactical" stock. I was using a Harris 6-9" non-swivel notched leg bi-pod on a concrete table shooting at 100 and 200 yds. I documented on my targets that moving the bi-pod back a little bit clearly showed improvement on vertical. Getting down and shooting prone may have changed the results as well but for me, sliding the bi-pod back just a few inches worked for me.
mike
My setup at the time was the newer McMillan style Choate Stock. I think they call it their "tactical" stock. I was using a Harris 6-9" non-swivel notched leg bi-pod on a concrete table shooting at 100 and 200 yds. I documented on my targets that moving the bi-pod back a little bit clearly showed improvement on vertical. Getting down and shooting prone may have changed the results as well but for me, sliding the bi-pod back just a few inches worked for me.
mike
Re: Savage .308 with Choate Stock
I have the choate tac stock also and works perfectly. I would probably invest in a little better bipod also. As for bedding the choate...its completely unnecessary. The Vblock eliminates any bedding. Now if it was an HS or similiar stock with the rounded aluminum bedding block then I would recommend a bedding job cause the action is more prone to move.
I have the choate tac stock also and works perfectly. I would probably invest in a little better bipod also. As for bedding the choate...its completely unnecessary. The Vblock eliminates any bedding. Now if it was an HS or similiar stock with the rounded aluminum bedding block then I would recommend a bedding job cause the action is more prone to move.
