I recently purchased the savage predator hunter MAX-1 with a 1 in 9.25 twist. I know it should be able to handle 95 grain bullets, but have not been able to get a good group with any bullet. I have tried nosler and berger but can only get a .70" group no matter what distance from the lans. I would like to stick with IMR 4350 powder if possible since it is what i use for my other .243. Does this varmint barrel like a lighter buller? Should I be trying a 87 grain v-max or lighter. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

quote:

I have tried nosler and berger but can only get a .70" group no matter what distance from the lans

May I ask what groups you think you should be getting?

This gun should be able to get a .5" without much effort. I have taken more effort than I probably should to get this thing tacking nickles. The scope has been leveled (elite 4200 4 X 16) and barrel has been broken in correctly. Didn't think that a half inch group was too much to be shooting for. If anybody would have a recipe for the 87 grain v-max, I would give it a try, thanks for an info.

Nothing wrong with .7 out of the box.
Have you bedded the action?

This particular gun comes with the accustock. I have taken it down and checked all points to make sure it is bedded properly the way savage states. although I did have to replace the sear pin as it was slowly working loose after a few shots.

If it was me....I'd be delighted with the .7 groups....having said that let me suggest that you get some bullets in the 70-90 grain weights as follows....Ballistic tips, SSTs, Sierra matchkings, V-max, A-Max and maybe a few others.....Also get some other powders....I would suggest H-414 and varget along with the powder you now have.

You are starting with a good shooting rifle and it leads me to think that improvement is a matter of just trying other loads...

Only your gun will be able to tell you.

WOW, that is a bunch of stuff to try. I will be getting some 87 grain V-max, and some 85 grain innerbond to try. I will try the 4350 first and see what I get. If I still am not able to get .5" groups I will go to a different powder. This is the recipe I will start with....If anybody sees a problem, please let me know. 39 grains of 4350, CCI primers and .020 off the lands.

quote:

Originally posted by Got_rut:
WOW, that is a bunch of stuff to try. I will be getting some 87 grain V-max, and some 85 grain innerbond to try. I will try the 4350 first and see what I get. If I still am not able to get .5" groups I will go to a different powder. This is the recipe I will start with....If anybody sees a problem, please let me know. 39 grains of 4350, CCI primers and .020 off the lands.

You're on the right track.....ya gotta pays yer dues!

FWIW....the most accurate bullet I've ever fired is the Berger.....the rest a very close second.

I have no problem with paying my dues, I enjoy it. Just thought that with this caliber and gun someone has already done it. If someone has....please advise. Thank you for all the input Vapo

"harboring intelligence is a race.....harboring wisdom is a lifetime"

I happen to use the 90gr Nosler BT with RL19. Burn rate close to 4350. I'd look at 414 as well.

39 grains of 4350, CCI primers and .020 off the lands with a 87 grain V-max, and some 85 grain innerbond is a good place to start. Many shooter would be happy to average .70" groups. Sorting brass by weight if Rem. or Win. can help. Bushing dies are great also. Uniform flash holes might help. Berger bullets work well for me.

Thanks for all the help guys...I think I am giong to go with the following. Since the 95 grain VLDs were just too long for me to get a good group, I will try the 90 grain berger target bullets. They are a much shorter bullet and shouldn't have to jam them into the rifling in order to group. I will also work out a load the the 90 grain nosler ballistic tip. I will stay with the previous recipe, unless someone else has a better one with these particular bullets. Thanks to all.

This is what I use for .5 MOA 3 shot groups from the bench at 100 yds and deadly on coyotes.

243 Win 4064 37g HORNADY 100 g SP
WLR RP cut 2.035 oal 2.615

I'd be happy with a true .7" group. If I were searching for a load for a rifle and found one that shot .7" groups, I'd probably stop there and quit searching, but I will list some loads that have really been good for me:

90 gr Nosler ballistic tip pushed by 43 gr of IMR 4350 using Winchester LR primers.

65 gr V-max bullets with 38.5 grains of Varget using Winchester LR primers.

I have found that the IMR 4350 works better for heavier bullets and Varget works better with lower weight bullets.

Did the 90 gr. ballistic tips like to be pushed into the rifling, or did they like a further distance? I would guess they like somewhere around (.03--.04) off the lands. Thanks for all the information.

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The accuratereloading people, nor the staff assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information. The 90gr Berger HPBT-IMR4831-45.0gr-CCI Br2- COL 2.770" not in the rifling, plenty of jump. (single shot bolt rifle) may be to long for you. 1-10 twist bbl. 5 shot groups @ 300 yds-.894"-.978"-2.431"-1.763" The wind got me on the last 2 groups-1 bullet drifted out of each group. Using all Bench Rest prep on brass-Redding Bushing Die-Seat with standard RCBS die. Rifle is a Remington 40XB Rangemaster with a 27 1/4" factory barrel with a lot of throat erosion.

That will be real close to being too long for me, but I will check. I am not sure I want to push that kind of juice through my 1:9.25 twist. I will get some 90 grain berger targets and try the 4350 for my 24" barrel. What was the length or the barrel you were using?

probably the all time greatest accuracy load in a 243 is 41.5 gr 4350 and the 85 gr sierra BTHP. not a very fast load. however if you're getting .7 from an out of the box guy i should think you would be jumping for joy

I am happy with the .7 group out of the box. In fact all 3 bullets I tried I could get somewhere in the 7's. I am sure I would get that with a 5 shot group as well. BUT, this gun will perform much better than that without all the little tweaks needed to shoot flies. My .280 will hit a baseball every shot at 400 yards. This is done with no effort and is an absolutely devastating whitetail gun. The problem with my .243 is I have been trying a whole lot of things and I have not obtained a 1/2 inch group. It is leading me to believe I burned the rifling during breakin, but hope not. I appreciate all the help and information and I will give it all a try when my new bullets are in my mailbox.

quote:

Originally posted by Got_rut:
I recently purchased the savage predator hunter MAX-1 with a 1 in 9.25 twist. I know it should be able to handle 95 grain bullets,

If the twist is as you say it is you are right you should be able to handle even the heaviest bullets.
If you send me your E-Mail address I'll send you over 300 loads I have tried and documented.

Win, I have some 90 grain bergers coming in on Friday and will try your recipe. I am a little aprehensive though, sounds pretty hot for yotes. Bartsche, I will gladly send you my email for the kind of help you are offering, by the way it is a 1:9.25 twist. Someone told me that the varmint barrels like lighter bullets though....is this true.

Intelligence is a race....wisdom is a lifetime.

quote:

Probably the all time greatest accuracy load in a 243win is 41.5 gr IMR4350 and the 85 gr Sierra BTHP.

I use 42.0 Gr. Shot it in many factory rifles over the years, but Berger bullet are more accurate. IMO

I tried the same rifle in 22-250. I wouldn't shoot either. Got rid of it.

quote:

Originally posted by Got_rut:
I recently purchased the savage predator hunter MAX-1 with a 1 in 9.25 twist. I know it should be able to handle 95 grain bullets, but have not been able to get a good group with any bullet. I have tried nosler and berger but can only get a .70" group no matter what distance from the lans. I would like to stick with IMR 4350 powder if possible since it is what i use for my other .243. Does this varmint barrel like a lighter buller? Should I be trying a 87 grain v-max or lighter. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This may be splitting hairs...
I assume the 95 gr bergers are VLDs since the heaviest Varmint bullet they make in 6mm is 88gr. The Berger website suggests that your barrel has a slightly lower twist than suggested for the 95 gr. Trying the 88gr varmint or the 90 VLD might solve the problem.
BTW, if you e-mail Berger they will send you load data for specific bullet/cart combos.

quote:

Originally posted by Got_rut:
it is a 1:9.25 twist. Someone told me that the varmint barrels like lighter bullets though....is this true.

My VLP probably has about the same barrel that
your Predator has. It shoots both 70gr Match
Kings and 105gr A-Max's accurately, the 70gr
with H4350 and the 105's with RL17. Have gotten
1/4" groups with both.

The bergers are VLD and are just too long for my gun to handle. I will be trying the 90 grain varmint bullets along with the 90 ballistic tips from nosler. I did contact berger and they sent me a recipe that my gun did not like very much. Bartsche just sent me a huge list of combinations he has documented over the years. I will be utilizing this and adding my recipes for this along with what kind of gun liked this combination.

I have had great success using 42.8 gr of H-414 with an OAL of 2.83 in my 243 T3 lite (10 twist)
I had received an E-mail from Walt recently stating that they are now producing 87 gr VLD's for the 243 / 6mm
Should be perfect for most of those factory 10 twist tubes out there.
My T3 lite is anxiously waiting for their arrival.

Just wanted to say thank you to all that gave advice and recipes. I worked a load on Saturday and shot a 3 shot .36 group @ 100 yards. This was using 4350 and 90 grain ballistic tips. I then went out the next morning and dumped a 40 pound coyote at 235 yards.

Thanks and happy hunting.

Congratulations:

Sounds like a load similar to the one my gun likes.