Rodfac
posted this
20 November 2015
Just a quick update: I tried RCBS' 358 Dia. FP which weighs 213gr with my alloy of WW + a pinch of tin and water quenched. Success came on the first try using 4759 clone from Jeff Bartlett using 18.0 to 19.5 grains. I'm estimating 1600 fps or a bit more. Groups ran from an inch to just under 2” for 3-5 shots at 100 yds, here on my farm range.
In testing these, I haven't set up a dedicated bench rest, using instead my porch rail with only a forward hand support which gives me the same point of impact as my deer stand hold.
I used the 19.5 gr. load to kill a 9 pt Kentucky buck at 50 yds here on our farm on the 2nd day of the season. Penetration was complete; breaking a rib on entry and another on exit and also clipping the bottom of the spine while in transit. The exit hole was the size of 50 cent piece, but I was unable to recover the bullet to check for deformation. Impact was about 5” higher than my hold and I suspect that the bullet nicked a branch sticking out of my burn pile of brush. Pretty impressive performance in my estimation.
I also loaded Hornady's 200 gr .358 RN over 47.5 gr of 748 and got similar results, albeit at 2200+ fps.
The rifle is comfortable to shoot with either prescription; with recoil similar to my .308 Sako with factory 180 grain Spitzers.
I finished the stock refinish, using Formby's Finish Restorer and 0000 steel wool to get back to bare wood. Two coats of Minwax “Gunstock” stain, followed by a number of coats of Minwax Tung Oil completed the work. Per suggestions from members of the Savage Collectors Forum, I used a small (1/4") neoprene “O” ring under the forend screw to minimize group drift as the barrel heated. This simple fix seemed to work well for me, as my groups were fairly circular, with no discernable tendency to string.
I replaced the scope mounted by the previous owner, with a venerable Leupold M8 2.5x long eye relief. This is the first rifle I've scoped with one of this kind of optics and it's a joy to use. The Leupold single piece mount fits it well and there's all kinds of eye and eye brow clearance. I'm a member of the perforated eye brow club; done it twice while shooting up hill with a .35 Whelen in one instance, and off the bench when testing a friend's Ithaca M37 Featherweight 12 ga in the other. Too, the M8 looks good on the Savage!
All in all, it's a heck of nice saddle and carry carbine with its straight stock and lever and shorter than usual 22” bbl. It's destined to be a Christmas gift to son #2, (but in the interim, I get to work with it developing loads!). BTW, fully loaded with sling attached it weighs 8-1/2 lbs. It's nicely balanced, though so the weight even after several hours of trudging around the local hills is not a problem, even at my advanced 69 years.
Best Regards, Rod (Pics forthcoming when I get this new laptop's programing finished.)