Savage Manbun

[SmithRanchZ]

Load development is tough without a good bench or shooting platform.

Have you considered a piece of plywood, and then a shooting mat, in the back of the pickup? Add a bigger front bag and then a bunny bag in the back. Tends to limit the impact of different or variable body contact on the rifle.

Make sure the barrel extends beyond the bed sides to limit noise levels.

I try to tune out the vertical first. That's a challenge for me without decent front and rear bags.

[Wado II]

Yep, for load development and barrel tuner setting for rimfires you need a calm day and a good shooting setup. Also need to be in the groove and not get distracted. I used to shoot at El Campo Rifle and Pistol range and tried to be solo most of the time. I have a big bare spot where I shoot high power but those big red ants are everywhere when it heats up. I have a real sturdy bench here at the house I shoot rimfire off of right out of my shop bad thing is I have a 500 gallon propane tank just to the left of the building I usually get on the other side of it if I shoot something besides a 22 rimfire. I have a bunch of bags front and rear usually use an Atlas bipod in the front or Harris and a Protektor rear bag or a Caldwell in the back bunny or owl ear whatever they are called. I bought a real nice Fortune Cookie bag but it's more for barricade shooting. If I can get a good long range load for this Creed my neighbor has a range out to 1000 yards one day we are going to give it a try at 400 yards.

[Wado II]

Punched a couple of new loads out for velocity and accuracy testing. Only five of each the 130 grain Hybrids don't seem to be made anymore so what I have left of a box of 100 is it unless I find them somewhere I don't remember where I even bought these. The 142 Sierra Match Kings are here to stay and this rifle likes them although my velocity seems off. I went up one full grain of powder and got almost 100 fps less than the prior load I chrono graphed a few months back. Same scale same powder unless the humidity had something to do with the weight same brass too. Maybe the chronograph was off I will shoot it again and see. Anyhow, it shoots both of them pretty good one is 1/2 moa the other just over. The other hole was a .243 and I had to stop shooting that rifle an explanation coming in the .243 thread.

[Trouthunter]

My son's .257 Weatherby MK5 shoots a good group too. 3 shots, 100 yards.

[jimk]

Good shooting Wado...I don't load but my 270 really likes the Federal Sierra GameKing boat tail SP 130 grain.

[Wado II]

That Weatherby sends 100 grain bullets around 3500 fps that's getting it on. Quarter bore bullets go up to around 120 grains I have messed with a couple of .257 Roberts but they are turtles compared toa 257 Weatherby Magnum. The lighter bullets like 87 grain up to 3800 that would vaporize a prairie dog. Not exactly a plinking cartridge I bet it heats up the barrel.

[Trouthunter]

No kidding buddy, his ammo and my .270 Weatherby ammo is for killing not for plinking lol.

[jabx1962]

My son's .257 Weatherby MK5 shoots a good group too. 3 shots, 100 yards.

I'm having a custom Weatherby Backcountry made in 257 WBY. Picking it up in Sheridan WY in May-June.

[Trouthunter]

You'll love it. I'm looking hard at the High Country myself.