Re: New Savage BAT/S
Sadly, I got the rifle ~2.5 weeks before the match, so load development time was... rushed, to say the least. It would be more accurate to say incomplete. Therefore I didn't retain many test targets. The overall accuracy, out of the box, is around .35" for a 5 round group at 100 yards. This is for Berger 175 grain loads flying at reasonable velocities. For 155.5 grain Berger loads (jumping .075"), the accuracy may end up being even better, but I didn't have time before the match to fully wring out the load. At 600 yards (on a reasonably calm evening), 13 of 24 of the 175 grain shots were inside a 3" "X" ring, 7 others were slightly lower, in the "10" ring. Two shots were blown around 3.5 to 4.5" right, into the "9" ring, and the remaining two were about 4 to 4.75" low at 6:00.
The rifle is on the heavy side, especially with a 5.5-22x Nightforce on top, but the balance is not unreasonable, slung up in a kneeling position, the rifle is exceedingly stable. The Canadian match was heavy on weirdball position shooting; off rooftops, through windows, out of foxholes, even prone without bipod (sling only). I was quite happy with the rifle over the course of the 2 day match.
I can't wait to get back from England and Ireland to fully work up some killer loads for the rifle, although after 3+ weeks of shooting over there, I *might* be ready for a break.