If you’ve ever shopped for a gun, you’ve probably heard people argue, “This gun can’t shoot.” You’ll see comments on social media saying the same thing about certain guns. 

On the other hand, a common belief on the training range is that the gun is almost always capable of performing better than the shooter. So, is it the gun, or is it the shooter?

It's fun to have a hypothesis, but we decided to put it to the test with a Certified Used Savage MSR-10. The results were oddly predictable but interesting nonetheless. 
 

Table of Contents

Video
The Shooters
The Gun
The Optic
The Ammo
The Results
Conclusion

Video

The Shooters

A fair assessment would involve more than just me shooting a single gun. I’m a novice rifleman, having just started shooting and hunting a handful of years ago. I’ve been able to attend a couple of long-range classes with Outdoor Solutions, which set me up for great success. Still, I seldom get on the long range, especially compared to the time I spend on the shorter range testing concealed carry handguns.
 

So, I qualify as the beginner – someone with more than zero experience, but not able to step into a PRS match with any confidence of placing in the top 80 percent of shooters. To balance my beginner shooting skills, I turned to a couple of USMC vets. If I want to learn to shoot and be judged, who better to teach me than a Marine?
 

Paul Peterson, our managing editor, fills in as our “advanced shooter” for the test. As a Marine, he qualified multiple times with an “expert” award on the Corps' marksmanship qualification course of fire, using both iron and optic-based sights. Since his return to civilian life in 2015, Paul has attended a handful of long-range classes pushing out to 1,000 yards, but just like the author, long range isn’t part of his normal range routine. 
 

Finally, we turned to Jordan Rick, a former Marine Scout sniper turned shooting instructor, as our expert shooter. Since leaving the service, Jordan has helped thousands of shooters hone their long-range shooting abilities with his business, Apex Accuracy Outdoors. His company now provides the main instructors for the Highland Sportsmen’s Club in Cascade, Wisconsin, which has both a 1,000-yard range and a dedicated PRS course.
 

the gun
 

I decided to do this test with a Savage MSR-10 for a few reasons. First, Savage isn’t the cheapest rifle, but it’s certainly not the most expensive, either. Compared to the overall AR-10 market, most people would view Savage’s offerings as affordable.
 

Secondly, Savage is known for producing very accurate guns, mostly due to the barrels. That leads to my third point. I recently toured the Savage factory, and the company has a special process for “straightening” its barrels. I’ve never seen it before, but I think it’s one of the reasons why Savage barrels are considered so great.

the optic

For the optic, we turned to the Vortex Strike Eagle. An affordable yet high-quality optic like the Strike Eagle is a perfect pairing for the Savage. The 3-18x44mm scope gave us a ton of versatility, while the glass punches way above its weight class. We opted for the MOA EBR-7C reticle, which made getting on target easy. The whole setup had us zeroed in less than half a box of ammo and ready for the friendly competition. 
 

the ammo

Of course, we can’t have just the shooter, the gun, and any old ammo, as ammo can make a huge difference in accuracy. To that end, we sought out some of the best in Federal Premium 175-grain Gold Medal Center Strike Open Tip Match. It performed well in the Savage, and the gun ate it all up. 
 

Keep in mind, this is a Certified Used gun. Before I even fired a shot, I could tell this gun was never a safe queen and was regularly used. 

While we didn’t try any other ammo for this test – that’s another article altogether – we found the Federal stuff ran reliably and was accurate, without having a single malfunction.
 

the results

Results were predictable. Of course, Jordan should shoot better, all things considered, and he did. His group was undoubtedly the best, followed by Paul’s, and then mine. 
 

I made some rookie mistakes throughout the course of fire. I’m sure if we had stayed there longer that brisk day, we all would have grouped better toward the end. After all, the more familiar you are with the rifle, the better you’re bound to shoot it. 
 

Conclusion

Next time you think a gun can’t shoot, try giving it to a better shooter. They’ll likely be able to help you and show you it can shoot better. At the end of the day, I was the worst shooter in this group, but that’s okay, because I learned a lot from my mistakes. 
 

There are many ways to become a better shooter, but the best way is practice. The more we shoot, the more familiar we become with the firearm, and the better we will shoot. It's really that simple. So, go pick up a box of ammo, hit the local range, and train. It’ll make you a better shooter, and it’s fun!