Help with load development on Savage Model 12 FCV

Try Varget and 69gr SMK's in that 1:9 twist. 23-26grs with the bullets seated .015-.020 off the lands.

Ramshot has not been known for extreme accuracy, not saying it can't work......but if it did work.....more people would be using it.

My thoughts exactly. But I want to do this right so I'm gonna go through the paces anyway. Varget and 69SMK's will be next after this stuff if accuracy doesn't come up enough
 
You can't go wrong with Varget. I got a little better results with 68gr Hornady bullets than the 69gr SMK. That's my rifle though.
 
led sled = load development.
check rifle it self. bedding, free floating, crown, brass length, seating of the bullet, and so on.

I first load basic 40-50 rounds of differet bullets, grains, different powders to test. if i find the best out of those, then i tweek the rifle to see if i can improve by re-bedding and free floating. if the rifle performs better with same ammo you tested before, then i do another detailed loads but around 100 round on next. try to do around 10 grp shots to see what performs the best.
I do clean my barrel after different loads so the first shot of all the different loads do not count since it tends to fly different then others, but all depends on what your barrel likes. find out if your barrel likes to be shot clean or dirty. does your first shot of cleaned barrel tend to be equal with others or does it fly away 0.5-2" away with other groups? if that is so, shoot first round up the mtn and start with 2nd for target shooting.

I just have purchased 2 t3 lite in 300wm and 300wsm and wby accumark in 340 to test the rounds.
for 300wm i found a sweet spot after 15 rounds and now shooting .25-1" grouping depends on how i perform. 300wsm took me about 200 rounds and totally ripping apart for stock to free float and few grinds here n there, now it shoots about same as 300wm. accurate enough to take game at 700-800 yards but it take such a long time to know how your rifle performs.

if you found a perfect load for your rifle and want to start shooting longer and longer, Chrony to test FPS of your gun and calculate velocity to max distance and test it out on a target paper. make sure to find out how many clicks will hit bulls eye from short to long and write it down.

those iphone , android apps for velocity calculator does work in basic ideas but better to log and test your self for better accuracy.
 
led sled = load development.

Yup! And buy once cry once. That's what I did when I got the high end model of the Lead Sled. I've also got a Model 12 in 223 but in the 1:7" twist.

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I made two big posts about both bedding my Savage 12 and another documenting the 700 rounds of load development (mostly with 77gn+ bullets though).


Feel free to read them through and let me know if you have any questions.


For me, rule #1 in load development is LADDER TEST, and make sure it's done through at least one, if not 2 chronnographs. The velocity nodes you'll find are the most important results of the ladder test imo.


The Savage 12 is a great platform and I've seen better than 0.5 MoA 5 shot groups at 100 yards many times during my load development.
 
I read through your bedding thread, and thank you. It helped a lot. You guys all shared a lot of info in there that has helped a lot. I had the right idea, being new to any modern rifles at all my terminology has been wonky I'm sure. Mystic really cleared up my questions there, his videos did as well.

I'm getting closer to pouring epoxy now but I'm really taking my time. My action and stock in their current state have a lot of wobble. Can't wait to see what it shoots like when it is solid. There were lots of places where the side blocks don't contact. Also the rear pillar was making contact but not the front, I'm sure making the action supported there alone will make a big difference, let alone the rest. Will it be ok if I go about 2" ahead of the barrel nut with the epoxy or will that be too far?

Chrono is on my wish list, its snowing and work is busy so I will probably have one before I can get back into testing again.
Thanks again.
 
So while I'm in the mood for feeling like an idiot, the little spring that goes in the receiver, how does it clip onto the sear lever? It should obviously push the sear rearward but I cant figure it out. Fought with it for like 3 hours and just cant get it. Could someone take pics of how it is supposed to go? There is nothing on the internet anywhere I could find that shows how to put this together.
 
A quick update, took it out tonight. After bedding it shoots much tighter, close to 50% improvement in my groups. I shot off the rear bag but still using my bipod, have wait for payday again for a front rest. I'm getting some vertical stringing still so I'll start load development again once I get a front rest. I really want to try varget and the 69SMK's too. Thanks for getting me on track guys, feels good to get pointed in the right direction!
 
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