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H&R Survivor .308 Rifle accuracy question
harkbroke
Member Posts: 60 ✭✭
I'm looking for a .308 rifle that will deliver some decent accuracy and being on a tight budget I am considering the H&R Survivor rifle in .308 caliber.
I see that it has a 22" bull barrel with a recessed muzzle which comes drilled and tapped for scope sights and being a single shot rifle I thought it would have all the characteristics of being a potential tack driver. However, some of the reviews that I read indicate that this rifle possesses only mediocre accuracy at best.
These reports of mediocre accuracy are disappointing to me and I am having a difficult time understanding the poor reports on this rifles accuracy.
I have always been taught that a single-shot locking block breech rifle is inherently more accurate than either bolt action or semi-automatic action rifles, so I figured that this feature on the H&R Survivor coupled with a heavy 22" bull barrel with recessed muzzle would possesses the ingredients of a sub MOA rifle.
Is it possible that the mediocre reports of accuracy possibly stem from the fact that the barrels are just poorly made mass produced tubes, and much better accuracy could be experienced with a custom made barrel from Shileen for example?
I want a rifle that will bring out the best of the .308 round and was hoping that the H&R Survivor could deliver. I'm not expecting the Survivor to print one hole groups off the bench at 1000 yards but something remotely close would be kind of nice.
I would like to hear from those who have had experience with this rifle and the kind of accuracy you have experienced.
Thanks!
I see that it has a 22" bull barrel with a recessed muzzle which comes drilled and tapped for scope sights and being a single shot rifle I thought it would have all the characteristics of being a potential tack driver. However, some of the reviews that I read indicate that this rifle possesses only mediocre accuracy at best.
These reports of mediocre accuracy are disappointing to me and I am having a difficult time understanding the poor reports on this rifles accuracy.
I have always been taught that a single-shot locking block breech rifle is inherently more accurate than either bolt action or semi-automatic action rifles, so I figured that this feature on the H&R Survivor coupled with a heavy 22" bull barrel with recessed muzzle would possesses the ingredients of a sub MOA rifle.
Is it possible that the mediocre reports of accuracy possibly stem from the fact that the barrels are just poorly made mass produced tubes, and much better accuracy could be experienced with a custom made barrel from Shileen for example?
I want a rifle that will bring out the best of the .308 round and was hoping that the H&R Survivor could deliver. I'm not expecting the Survivor to print one hole groups off the bench at 1000 yards but something remotely close would be kind of nice.
I would like to hear from those who have had experience with this rifle and the kind of accuracy you have experienced.
Thanks!
Comments
All rifles are individuals and some shoot better than other. Almost all will shoot better with ammo loaded just for them. The only 308 I ever liked was a 700 BDL. I think one piece stock rifless shoot better than 2.
"Is it possible that the mediocre reports of accuracy possibly stem from the fact that the barrels are just poorly made mass produced tubes, and much better accuracy could be experienced with a custom made barrel from Shileen for example?"
Some of the H&R rifles I've shot also showed variance due to such little things as how hard you snapped the action closed. Mine are also quite susceptible to POI shift if using a tight sling to steady holding in field positions.
They're a serviceable, economical firearm but shouldn't be expected to rival a good bolt action with a solid one piece stock.
What's "decent" enough for me to hunt deer may not be decent enough for you to shoot competitively.
quote:These reports of mediocre accuracy are disappointing to me and I am having a difficult time understanding the poor reports on this rifles accuracy. I think you have to take any such reports with a grain of salt. Accuracy depends on many factors, including fit of ammo to a particular gun, and individual gun. EG. For any number of reasons two otherwise identical guns made by the same manufacturer on the same day may not display identical accuracy.
quote:I have always been taught that a single-shot locking block breech rifle is inherently more accurate than either bolt action or semi-automatic action rifles,In theory that "might" be true, but in practice, I think most of the most accurate shooting in the world is done with specialized bolt action rifles.
quote:Is it possible that the mediocre reports of accuracy possibly stem from the fact that the barrels are just poorly made mass produced tubes, and much better accuracy could be experienced with a custom made barrel from Shileen for example?Yes and yes. IMO, its completely unreasonable to expect that a cheap mass production hunting rifle will deliver the same accuracy as a specialty match grade barrel, that's been hand fitted/tuned.
Edit, that said, IMO it would be foolish to spend the money on a high end match grade barrel for something like an H&R rifle. Not that such a barrel wouldn't/couldn't help. . .I'm sure it would. . .but if you're going down the route of "customized match gun", you probably will get better results starting with a platform designed for accuracy (rather than low cost/ease of manufacturing). I'd also suggest some trigger work. . .again a different issue/question.
quote:I want a rifle that will bring out the best of the .308 round I don't think there is anything wrong with an H&R Survivor rifle *for what it is*, but IMO, you're looking in the wrong place for that. You don't head to the racetrack in a stock Buick.
quote:I'm not expecting the Survivor to print one hole groups off the bench at 1000 yards but something remotely close would be kind of nice. Yes, it would be nice if your Buick would deliver the same performance as a Corvette, but not, its not really reasonable to expect that.
http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=495133905
It is a tack driver.
Neal
"You get what you pay for, sometimes less."
Both are very accurate. Sub MOA. The .357 liked handloads on the heavy side, and my Blackout shoots great with Remington factory ammo.
Sadly I lost my .357 to a young hunter who needed a rifle to shoot his first white tail with. 180gr XTP dropped a buck in it's track, and I lost a rifle. Kid wouldn't let it go after that. [:D]
They can be sensitive to the amount of torque applied to the screw that holds the foregrip in my experience.
The triggers are very workable, if your handy with a punch set. If not, much can be gained from 'force breaking' it.
The only thing I would be concerned about is with dangerous game, such as bear, a second shot will be slow to get on target. If your not sure of your marksmanship, and knowledge of where to best place the shot, you'd be better served with a repeater.
One of the things that nobody has mentioned is that a Handi rifle is significantly shorter than a bolt or semi-auto, due to the action length. That's one of the things that makes them so Handi.[;)]
I have had two Handi rifles. One in .357 mag, and my current one in .300 BLK.
Both are very accurate. Sub MOA. The .357 liked handloads on the heavy side, and my Blackout shoots great with Remington factory ammo.
Sadly I lost my .357 to a young hunter who needed a rifle to shoot his first white tail with. 180gr XTP dropped a buck in it's track, and I lost a rifle. Kid wouldn't let it go after that. [:D]
They can be sensitive to the amount of torque applied to the screw that holds the foregrip in my experience.
The triggers are very workable, if your handy with a punch set. If not, much can be gained from 'force breaking' it.
The only thing I would be concerned about is with dangerous game, such as bear, a second shot will be slow to get on target. If your not sure of your marksmanship, and knowledge of where to best place the shot, you'd be better served with a repeater.
One of the things that nobody has mentioned is that a Handi rifle is significantly shorter than a bolt or semi-auto, due to the action length. That's one of the things that makes them so Handi.[;)]
The OP's question concerned the long range accuracy potential, of his Survivor Handi-Rifle. My feeling is that what you have used your Handi-Rifle(s) for, is what the manufacturer intended. They were made and sold, to be 200 yard deer rifles. Not 1000 yard tack drivers.
. . .I have always been taught that a single-shot locking block breech rifle is inherently more accurate than either bolt action or semi-automatic action rifles . . .
That's an Internet myth. Go to any Benchrest or Hi-Power match and count the number of single-shot rifles on the line. I can tell you what the number will be. Zero, zilch, nada, none!
Buy an ENCORE frame and stock.
Save some more money and order a BULLBERRY 308 barrel in Medium contour 24" long.
You can thank me later.
Both Bullberry barrels I have owned have been tack drivers. Going from a factory TC .308 barrel to the Bullberry cut the groups by 2/3's.
If you want cheap AND accurate, buy a Savage 110 series with heavy barrel and accutrigger.