Mossberg MVP Scout Rifle; Where I'm at so far

Hello

I picked up a new Mossberg MVP Scout about eight months back and have been ringing it out at the range trying to figure out what it likes to shoot.




It’s scoped with a Redfield 2x7 and Leupold AR mount.

Velocity data was taken with an Oehler Model 33 chronograph. Skyscreens centered 15’ from muzzle.

Data on targets from top down;

Average velocity fps

Velocity spread fps

Standard Deviation

Ambient Temperature F°

Factory ammo shot pretty well. Here is a breakdown of all the factory ammo I’ve tried so far;


PMC Bronze 147gr FMJ…….. https://postimg.cc/gallery/1r35uwhl6/

PPU 145gr FMJ…………. https://postimg.cc/gallery/222p82lfu/

Federal American Eagle 150gr FMJ…… https://postimg.cc/gallery/tnjujrbe/

Remington 150gr CoreLokt……. https://postimg.cc/gallery/1tzqveney/

Winchester 150gr Power Point….https://postimg.cc/gallery/1qorhhsei/

Federal 150gr Soft Point…… https://postimg.cc/gallery/26ieth7uy/

Federal 165gr Fusion………. https://postimg.cc/gallery/16ekeqiq2/

Federal Gold Medal Match 168gr Sierra MatchKing…. https://postimg.cc/gallery/oqeqxblm/

Federal 180gr Soft Point…….. https://postimg.cc/gallery/1atiulqpm/

Some interesting notes;

150 grain loads.. I shot the Rem, Win, and Fed load the same day. Temperature only varied one °F.

Velocities varied over 100 fps. They all shot fairly well though.



I shot the Federal 168gr Gold Medal Match and the Federal 180gr Soft Point at the same time. I was expecting a nice group out of the Match load.. The next weekend I shot another group and that was more representative.





The Federal 180gr Soft Point was a nice surprise, although I was expecting a little more velocity from a Federal factory load.. Very nice group though.

The American Eagle FMJ load was having a hard time.. This gun refuses to shoot FMJ ammo or handloads I’ve been finding out,.. Except for the PMC Bronze 147gr FMJ.. For some reason that is the only FMJ ammo this gun will shoot half decently..

Most of these targets are 3” circles, a few are 4” and everything was shot at 100 yards..

Now for handloads;

I went about this using standard RCBS dies and standard non-match primers. I wanted to see how far I could get this way.

The gun will shoot most anything with mediocre results. The groups I would call excellent were few and far between, but what it likes it likes well. The gun will serve the purpose for which I bought if for nicely.. It’s not a long range gun.

Here are the loads the gun likes the best;

https://postimg.cc/gallery/i2r5yvdm/

Here are links to picture galleries by bullet;

147 149gr FMJ……… https://postimg.cc/gallery/2l3mj32ve/

150gr Nos BT….. https://postimg.cc/gallery/la5p72a2/

150gr Sierra Spitzer…… https://postimg.cc/gallery/2ny2jj03u/

155gr Berger VLD… https://postimg.cc/gallery/2fngqb68a/

155gr Hornady Match… https://postimg.cc/gallery/1k062cbbe/

165gr Sierra BT……. https://postimg.cc/gallery/29slpk7ka/

165gr Speer Spitzer…. https://postimg.cc/gallery/1s6n16wqy/

168gr MATCH seconds…. https://postimg.cc/gallery/3gez7bpe2/

168gr Nosler BT… https://postimg.cc/gallery/wnxqyr7u/

175gr Sierra ………. https://postimg.cc/gallery/hcgmuwsa/

180gr Sierra spit BT…….. https://postimg.cc/gallery/eq4jd6be/

I got the 168gr Match Seconds from Midway. These weren’t really seconds, more like failures..

This gun seems to have an acute dislike for Nosler Ballistic Tips..

And as you can see the gun dislikes the FMJ bullets. I did shoot some decent groups from time to time, but could not repeat them.

Well, that’s where I’m at so far.. Most likely take a break for the winter. Pick it up again next spring.

RDub. Welcome to Mossberg Owners from E TN.


And congratulations! You win the award for the Most Detailed and Best Illustrated First Post Award for November. I loved it.

Thank you Scoop.. Oops..I believe I landed this in the wrong slot.. Should have been in 'MVP' Bolt Action..

No worries. I put it in the right spot now.

Just curious, what size are the above groups?

Other than a few shotguns and some old training rimfire rifles, this MVP is perhaps the only Mossberg gun I would buy and try.

Hope your experience is a wonderful one.

Hey Terry
I haven't actually measured these groups with a ruler.. Haven't been all that excited about what I've been seeing... But the target circles are 3" so you can get a rough idea.
I've come to the conclusion that this gun desperately needs the recoil lug glassed.

Very nicely done.

Man, I watched Nutnfancy's 75hr long video about his 1/3moa and really considered getting the 308 Scout MVP vs the Savage 11 Scout but this makes me worry lol... I don't wanna have to do work to the action to tune it. The draw to the MVP is they have a Vortex Package with a 2-7 mounted. The Savage comes bare bones with Irons. But I haven't heard anything other than excellence from the Savage crowd. ..too be continued..

Well I glassed the recoil lug and took it out for a few groups.. Nothing really changed. It still shoots the first two close, then #3 flies..



Either the ammo doesn't like the extended free bore of the 7.62x51 chambering, or there is a lot of stress left in the barrel from cutting the rifling.. Or both.

I submitted a service ticket with Mossberg and showed all the targets I've shot so far. The response I got first was.. Did I know what the torque settings on the action screws was.. ?? I said yes I did.. Did you want me to change the settings? They said no.. The person said they would consult the 'tech' and to stand by... Hmm.

Definitely less us know what happens.

I never use any match bullet for anything other than pest's or shooting small group's. SMK is my choice for match bullet's. In hunting rifles I simply want the rifle to shoot 1" or better. I think that is possible with most bolt actions. If a rifle put's a load down around 1/2" with a hunting bullet, fine. If a SMK gives me over 1/2" I keep on working, they are better than that. Probably, depending on what your rifle like's most match bullet's will shoot fine if your not only willing to do the loading to find it but also the bedding work that may be needed. For a match shooter, I doubt anyone wins a lot using hunting bullet's and if using match bullet's, probably still don't without a full house bedding and truing job by a good gunsmith. Without it you may get a 1/4" group now and then, that won't win many match's! I think the best thing a reloader can do is to realistically Try for what his rifle should be doing. Even an unbedded rifle should go 1 1/2" at 100. A well bedded rifle should go 1" or less. At 1" of less I really doubt the 1 1/2" rifle won't shoot just as much game as the 1" rifle. If you go for the 1" rifle, there are days it will go under 1", sometime's well under. That has less to do with the rifle and more to do with the shooter. Even the best shooter's have good day's and bad. Something to consider about that little group from your hunting rifle is the accuracy the rifle really has when you shoot your best! The best group I ever shot was with my 25-06 and 100gr SMK. I was just fooling around as I really don't have a use for match bullet's in that rifle, mod 700ADL. But on that day I used the same data as for my 100gr Hornady load and put 5 shot's into what appeared was a target completely missed. Through the spotting scope I could only see one hole. Shot ome more down and to the right and what do you know, there was another hole! Went down there and when I was right on the target, I could see just barely enlarged hole. Got it home and measure it and the group was .009". That rifle shoots a lot better than I can. I could not do that again I don't think so I put the SMK's up and haven't used them again in that rifle. The most unreliable part of shooting is the shooter!

Just for shits and giggles, have you thought about shooting 5 shot groups? Granted, a flyer is a flyer, whether it's the first middle or last shot, it still kills a group. I understand chasing group size, I've gotten myself wrapped up in it. And load workup is part of the fun of shooting. I've had to make myself step back, and focus on accuracy instead of precision. For what I'm shooting, the first cold barrel shot is more important than a group size.

I very much appreciate the work you're putting into pushing the limits of the platform. An MVP in .223 is near the top of my wants list.

I bought a patrol in 5.56. Liked it so much I got another in .308. I also have not been 'blown away' with accuracy, but it is a very short barrel.

I noticed yours is sporting a flash hider, as my 5.56 does. I have been wondering if its worth it? Also, unless careful some say they can cause damage to the muzzle, what with not being able to clean it properly. I have wondered if accuracy would be better without it, though not tried that yet.
Any thoughts?

My scout shoots 3 shot touching groups,at 100 with the Vortex scout scope like 6 plus inches from from my face.

My gun loves 168 Serria MK and Game Kings. Have you measured your chamber and free bore. Maybe opening up the COL a little.

Also it liked Hornady ELD and ELD-X loaded factory ammo.