new savage model 12 range report

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r106

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Well I ended up getting a new savage model 12FVSS .223 with a bushnell elite 6500 2.5-16X42, I know it's not a great "target" scope but I like it and when I out grow it I'll through it on my 30/06. first trip to the range all I had for ammo was Winchester white box 55g FMJ and for cheap ammo I was getting 1"-1.5" groups. For the second trip today I was able to find two boxes of federal gold medal match 69g sierra BTHP. For someone like me I am impressed with what this gun might be capable of. These targets were 100yards, the only rest I had was my backpack. The first pic is my first four shots with this ammo. The second pic is my next five shots. I am a newb to shooting and have alot to learn. but I'm happy with this new toy. Thanks to all the guys that helped point me in the right dirrection :slap:


P.S. I'm glad that you guys talked me out of the savage 11g and model 25 and I blew my 500 dollar budget right out of the water:runaway: :D

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One of the flyers was totally my falt:D
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Looks good. A few thousand rounds down the barrel will definitely improve those groups (read trigger time). :D

Are you going to get into handloading for this rifle or shoot factory only?
 
I'm impressed not only at what the gun can do, but that fact that as a new shooter you are doing so well. Where abouts are you located? I'm going to make it my mission in life to get you to an F-class match and get you totally hooked!
 
Your going to love that rifle when you get a little time behind the trigger. I get to spend some time behind a 12fvss with a 6x24x50 bushnell and its worth every second;):D
 
Bed that action. Could get rid of those flyers.

Better rests. Support front and rear or as much of the stock as possible.

Trigger time, trigger time, etc.

I bet those groups shrink to around a nickel. Get into reloading to maintain that level of consistency without costing your too much money.
Jerry

PS keep a close eye on those rings and bases. Repeated shooting can allow slop to develop and then you will flyers with no solution. Big reason we use Weaver/Pic style bases and rings. Once installed properly, there is almost zero chance of shift.
 
Obtunded said:
I'm impressed not only at what the gun can do, but that fact that as a new shooter you are doing so well. Where abouts are you located? I'm going to make it my mission in life to get you to an F-class match and get you totally hooked!
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I'm in abbotsford, I'll have to do some looking into f-class as I don't know anything about it. I have been shooting pellet guns and 22's since I was a kid but only got my rpal less than a year ago. right now I probably can't hit anything over 300 yards LOL as I have never tried
 
PS keep a close eye on those rings and bases. Repeated shooting can allow slop to develop and then you will flyers with no solution. Big reason we use Weaver/Pic style bases and rings. Once installed properly, there is almost zero chance of shift.
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Thanks I didn't know that... they are leupold rings and bases I thought they were supposed to be good? I'll keep an eye on them
 
i love my savage 12. its the low profile with the heavy wood stock.

using hornady cheap 50 round box fmj i was getting about a 1 inch group at 100 yds, with my reloads ive worked it down to about the size of a dime (26gr rl19 69 grain sierra bthp, no signs of over pressure with a full cartige)

incidently the hornady fmj's (55 grain) at 200 yards made a group 1 inch wide and 4 inches tall. so a lot of vertical stringing.

great rifles and very accurate. my next gun will be the savage f/tr in 308 im sold on savage i think.
 
I am shocked/impressed. The rifle needs bedding and you are a new shooter.

I would ahve been impressed if I had such a good group from a new rifle.

The two of you can look forward to improvement.

Start handloading the 69, 75 and 80 grain match bullets. It adds to accuracy, reduces costs, increases shooting opportuniteis and adds to the interest and pleasure of the sport.
 
r106 said:
Thanks I didn't know that... they are leupold rings and bases I thought they were supposed to be good? I'll keep an eye on them
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I have the same rings and bases on my 7mm-08 because that was all Russell's had in stock. I don't like them, will be switching to a Weaver style before long.
 
r106 said:
I'm in abbotsford, I'll have to do some looking into f-class as I don't know anything about it. I have been shooting pellet guns and 22's since I was a kid but only got my rpal less than a year ago. right now I probably can't hit anything over 300 yards LOL as I have never tried
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Perfect!!! Keep your eyes peels to the Mission Rod & Gun club schedule in the early Spring. They have a Spring "UIT/ISSF" match that is shot at 300M. You would have a couple of ways you can enter... "factory" class in which you can use non-customized factory guns, or you can enter as F/TR (Both are shot "F-CLass, that is scope, bipod or front rest, rear rest, prone.)

Also, Mission has weekly UIT practices in better weather. I expect great things from you and that gun, come out and give it a try!!
 
r106 said:
Thanks I didn't know that... they are leupold rings and bases I thought they were supposed to be good? I'll keep an eye on them
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Like all things, good is a relative thing. For the average hunter, shot count is very low and pin point accuracy is not really a huge criteria.

For paper punchers, we would like every bullet to touch if possible. Any wiggle in that scope will cause our POI to shift. 1/8" at 100yds is of little consequence to a hunter but will drive a target shooter round the bend.

There are lots of moving parts which can loosen and wear. Not ideal especially when the change will not be obvious. I have solved a number of bad shooting hunting rifles by tightening up the windage screws to know it is a very poor design.

Also, the design allows bending forces to be transfered to the scope body. I prefer not to use the scope as a structural member.

Finally, if you don't center the rings properly or have a warped receiver, you will put rings marks into the scope body and likely bend the scope tube.

Really not sure how this ring style has survived given the number of very obvious short comings.

Maybe it is because it looks more sleek and pretty still counts for alot.

Jerry
 
I have a Savage Model 12 VLP chambered in .223, I absolutely love this gun. It is all factory haven't touched a thing on it other than putting a Elite 4200 6-24x50 scope on it, and a Harris bi-pod. I can get sub 1/8" groups with it at 100 yards using a 60gr. v-max with 25.0 grains of H335 powder. I can't wait to get some nicer weather to try it out at 300 yards. I have to agree the Federal 55gr. FMJ rounds do not work well with the gun. I bought 500 rds for some cheap shooting, but if i would have known that it was going to be nearly impossible to hit the broad side of a barn from the inside, I wouldn't have bought them.
 
Good ole Weaver bases and Burris Sig rings w/inserts (Zee rings). That'll work for 98% of shooters out there.

If you are a LR shooter, a canted base from Farrell or EGW is a good thing. You can also shim a standard one piece base and achieve the same thing for way less $$$.

The Burris rings with inserts are the bestt rings on the market. Even if you don't plan on shimming your scope, the '0' inserts will take up any twist in the receiver alignment and keep that scope tube true.

No rings marks and no torque on the scope tube. Awesome hardware too so you can really tighten them up.

The fact that the Weaver bases and rings are dirt cheap is just a bonus.

Jerry
 
aye. with my dime sized groups im useing a (albeit cheap) bushnell scope a 6-24 dusk till dawn, weaver steel bases, and burris rings. solid as a rock. ive never liked the windage adjustable scope rings, unfortunetly ive seen a couple 700's out there where the scope mount holes are drilled crooked, and they needed the windage adjustable rings to get on the bore sighter.
 
any weaver bases or just the one pease. I would like to stick with a two pease base because it makes loading much easier.
 
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