Thoughts on Savage 12 F/TR in 223

C

calvados.boulard

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Hi everyone,

I've noticed an influx of Savage 12's on the EE lately. I've been eyeballing a Savage 12 F/TR in 223. What are your opinions on this rifle? Is it really as good as some customs like the Savage marketing says? I currently have a Savage 10 FCP-K in 223 that is a tack driver. I was debating turning the FCP-K into a PRS style rifle, (Chassis etc), and having the 12 F/TR for shooting groups.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Cal.
 
I think you've got a great idea going there.

I would loved to have built my 223 off the model 12 action but not being able to source one and model 11s being such cheap donors, I went ahead and built off the 11. I even managed to sell a couple of the parts for coffee change.
 
I have a Savage 12 that was a tack-driver out of the box - sub-0.5 MOA routinely. After about 2,000 rounds the groups started to open to about 0.7 MOA and it was rebarrelled. On the other hand, a shooting buddy who is also a Savage fan bought a FTR in 308 that he could not get to shoot. The replacement rifle also did not shoot. It now sits with a custom barrel in 260 that is a tack driver.

I think that the action is strong and I personally like the barrel retention system and the floating bolt head of Savage rifles. The barrels are the key and who knows the chances of getting a good one vs a lemon.
 
I picked up a Savage 12F/TR in 223 off the EE a few weeks back & it's been absolutely awesome!!!

I shot this 5-round group @ 100m with some 69gr TMK's (25.3gr Varget) I'd loaded up for a different rifle - just pulled & re-seated the bullets 0.020" off the lands.


With a 7 twist, 30" OE barrel, I wanted to work up a load with some heavier bullets. I didn't have much luck with Hornady 80gr Amax's, but I've got some 90gr Berger VLD's to try next!!!
 
Nice shooting QBall. Seems from what I have been reading the barrels are a bit hit and miss. Some people receive amazing barrels that drive tacks, others are full of chatter marks and spray into 2ish MOA. The number of 12's on the EE has me feeling that the latter may be more the norm?

Thanks,
Cal.
 
I just sold my savage 12 fv it was a tack driver, but i needed the cash. It was either that or my lpv 308 which i just bought a 6.5 barrel for
 
have a 12fcv .223 that i put in a mdt hs3 chassis and topped with a leupold mark ar 3-9 i absolutely love it! have ran cheap factory loads through it on days that i just wanna send a few down range and it'll still my most accurate rifle
 
Great rifle! Not a fan of 223... but a great rifle
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Curious,,what makes you no fan of the 223?,,,it is , cheap to shoot, no recoil, competes with the 308 to 1000 yds. available in fast twist factory offerings etc,,
 
liberty said:
Curious,,what makes you no fan of the 223?,,,it is , cheap to shoot, no recoil, competes with the 308 to 1000 yds. available in fast twist factory offerings etc,,
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Can't speak for him but for years I really didn't like the 223 either. So many other chamberings that do a better job made it hard to like.
 
I had a target rifle reamed for 223 90 gr Bergers. It was a blast to shoot out to 1000 yards and very accurate. Also reloading costs were much lower when you go through over a thousand rounds in a season
 
At the PRS match in Meaford Ontario in September, the shot spotter told me the first guy to hit the moose at 860 yards used a 223 with 75 grain Hornady ELDs at 2800 FPS.

At least 45 guys shot at that moose before hand with PRS rifles and missed, but the first guy to hit it that day used a humble 223 RPR with a factory barrel.

If you seat the bullets long with a long throat, which I assume the Savage will have, you will be able to do very well with it.

Hopefully you will jam the lands with a seating depth of at least 2.5 inches.... big difference from factory load with OAL of 2.25 inches.

BTW, the come ups at 500 yards for the load above are identical to a 30-06 with 168 SMKs.... 8.5 MOA.... verified side by side.
 
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