Rifle & scope review: Savage’s 110 Carbon Predator and Bushnell’s R5 riflescope keep it light

With the big-game hunting season now in the rear-view mirror, predator hunting is a great way to spend the winter months. It not only helps keep your hunting and shooting skills sharp, it can also make you a few bucks in the process through the sale of pelts. I purchased my first dedicated predator rifle in the early 1970s, a Remington Model 700 chambered in .22-250 Rem. It was a heavy barrel tack driver, and with the right ammo it was devastating on coyotes, leaving behind minimal pelt damage.

With its wood stock and heavy contoured barrel, however, my old Model 700 was no lightweight. And by the time I added a varmint scope, it was a tank to carry. Back then, accuracy trumped weight, but with today’s advent of carbon-fibre-wrapped barrels, that’s no longer the case. Savage’s recently introduced 110 Carbon Predator offers a case in point.

First released in 1958, the original Savage Model 110 quickly developed a reputation for its accuracy and affordability, which sustained its production through the years as one of the longest-running rifle designs in history. Boasting a Proof Research carbon-fibre-wrapped stainless steel barrel, the Carbon Predator is the latest variant. It’s designed to deliver the accuracy of a rifle with a heavy steel barrel, but at a reduced weight.

Among its features, the Carbon Predator sports a fluted two-lug bolt, matte-black carbon-steel receiver, ACIS detachable 10-round box magazine, and threaded muzzle, along with two-piece Weaver-style bases and two sling-swivel studs. It also has an adjustable Accutrigger for between 1.5 and four pounds—a 20-year-old trigger innovation that’s stood the test of time.

Another notable innovation is Savage’s Accufit stock, featuring various comb heights and spacers to customize the perfect eye-to-scope alignment and length of pull. Rather than securing the action to the stock with screws alone, it’s also worth noting Savage uses a rigid aluminum chassis that’s permanently embedded in the stock for the entire length of the action and forend.

TEST RESULTS

Testing this rifle was not without incident. First up, when unpacking the rifle, I immediately noted the rear baffle on the bolt had dislodged during transport. While I was able to reinstall it, it was a bit tricky, so I had to reach out to Savage for instructions. I then moved on to mounting the scope, only to discover the rifle’s Weaver-style bases afforded limited mounting options. Even when reversing the bases to shorten the mounting length, it was a snug fit that offered no adjustment for eye relief or an optimal sight picture. A rail (or a scope with a longer barrel) would have eliminated that problem. On the range, meanwhile, I discovered a head space issue that necessitated returning the rifle to Savage, where it was immediately corrected.

While those three problems were fixable, that doesn’t appear to be the case when it comes to the Carbon Predator’s 10-round box magazine. That’s overkill for a predator rifle this side of the border, not to mention heavy—when fully loaded, the magazine added 15 ounces to the rifle’s overall weight. It was also tricky to load and noisy, and it made the rifle uncomfortable to carry. I assumed Savage would offer a smaller magazine, but not so. Nor could I find an after-market option.

As for the positives, let’s start with the weight. On my postal scale, the rifle alone weighed seven pounds eight ounces, and nine pounds two ounces with the scope and mounts. That’s a full three pounds lighter than my predator rifle of yesteryear. One of the primary reasons I decided to test this rifle was its carbon-fibre-wrapped barrel; it promised the accuracy I was seeking in a predator rifle, but with significantly less weight than a heavy steel barrel.

The Accutrigger, meanwhile, was nothing short of perfect, breaking consistently at two pounds 14 ounces with no variation in pull weight, and with no detectable creep or overtravel. I also really liked the versatility of the Accufit stock, which allows for a customized fit.

Offering plenty of magnification options, the Bushnell R5 scope I used for this test proved to be an ideal match for the Carbon Predator. Its optical clarity and brightness also provided clear images for the kind of precision shots required on predator hunts (also see “The Bushnell R5” below)

When organizing the ammunition for this test, I took into consideration the rifle’s rather slow twist rate of one in 12 inches. As a result, I stayed away from any of the 60-plus grain weights to avoid any stabilization issues that could be associated with such heavier bullets. I kept all my handloaded bullets to 55 grains or less.

With an overall average of 0.771 inches, the factory ammo delivered the type of accuracy I expected. Not so with my handloads at 1.02 inches, at least not initially. Not only was the overall average shaky, but so was the precision, with nary a sub-0.5-inch group. At that, I decided to organize another round of handloads, this time using a variance in seating depths, powder, powder weight and bullets. The resulting 0.65-inch average was a notable improvement. As for which round would be my top choice for predator hunting, I’d go with the Berger 55-grain Varmint Match, with its 0.375 precision accuracy. It pays to experiment!

For the complete range test results, go to www.outdoorcanada.ca/110carbontest.

TEST RIFLE SPECS

• Calibre: .22-250 Rem.
• Total length: 42.25″
• Barrel length: 22″
• Weight: 7 lb 6 oz
• Trigger: Adjustable 1.5 lb to 4 lb
• Twist rate: 1/12″
• Length of pull: Adjustable 12.75″ to 13.75″
• Drop at comb: Adjustable
• Magazine capacity: 10 rounds

THE BUSHNELL R5 6-18X50 SCOPE

Bearing in mind that the kill zone on a coyote is not much bigger than a softball, the objective for my test was to find a lightweight scope that could deliver precision long-range shots. A value-priced scope, Bushnell’s R5 6-18X50 fit the bill. Among its technical features, these stood out: high-definition optical system for maximum light transmission, resolution and contrast; fully multi-coasted optics for maximum light transmission; glass-etched reticle; EXO lens coating that repels water, oil, dust and debris; waterproof and fog-proof construction; side parallax for easy focus at all ranges without adding length to the scope; and finally, the illuminated DOA LRH800 reticle offering drop points out to 800 yards, with a floating centre dot and five- to 10-mph wind holds. The scope also comes with an unconditional lifetime warranty and free ballistics app.

TEST SCOPE SPECS

• Magnification: 6-18x
• Objective lens: 50 mm
• Length: 12.6″
• Weight: 22.1 oz
• Tube size: 1″
• Eye relief: 3.9″
• Elevation and windage adjustment: 60 MOA
• Field of view (at 100 yards): 18′ at 6x; 6′ at 18x