Improving Accuracy on Savage 12 F/TR

[Dennis]

I have also found that high caliber rifles especialy msgnum rifles shoot better groups out at 200 yards than at 100

I site in at 100, then go to 300 on Mag calipers! I can get better groups at 300 vs 100!!!!!

[Quinny]

When you are doing your prep work before reloading are you checking the head space of the shoulders on your brass, are you weighing your brass and bullets for consistency? All this might sound a little anal but it all does factor in, it could be the difference between a .5 MOA and a .25 MOA shooter. I have also found that high caliber rifles especialy msgnum rifles shoot better groups out at 200 yards than at 100.

Just a thought


I do weigh my brass and bullets for consistency, but I don't neck turn the cases, check for concentricity etc - I don't have the tools to check headspace etc.

I plan on doing a side by side test of the 175s and 168s this weekend - same day, same shooter, and see what happens.

[leadzinger]

As already stated by Dennis, give 300 a try and let us know. Boattails in an upper caliber love to stabilize better at longer distances.

[barthmonster]

check the article on 6mmbr.com from the competitive shooter under .308. He said to back off loads from full-power. His loads with 175's are nowhere near max and he's using Varget it says how many grains....

I have the F/TR also but it's not 'set up' yet in the optics dept so I don't know how it shoots. The rifle is absolutely HUGE too...

[Quinny]

I am considering putting a match barrel on the F/TR as well as bedding the action. I am wondering if anyone has done this with an F/TR and share their results - i.e. was there a noticable improvement in accuracy?

[Luckus]

I use 175 smk's in same rifle. I quit weighing them but do measure the length to ogive on every bullet and sort them accordingly. You will find different lengths, sometimes .020 difference. They must be sorted and seated and oal to ogive checked again. Also get a runout indicator as a previous post said it will make a better handloader out of you, I know it did for me. I use 42.8 gr H4895 behind the 175 smk's for 3014 mv. I know it sounds hot, but I haven't had any problems. You must work up loads slowly to see if your rifle will handle them.

[That1guy]

To the OP: How far off the lands are you seating the bullets ? What primers are you using ?

[Luckus]

I must correct myself. The 42.8 gr load with the 175 smk is at 2832 mv not 3014. I confused it with a different rifle and load. They are 3.152 coal with a Sinclair nut, and I use Winchester WLR primers. I would have to check my chamber again as there is approx 2500 rounds thru this barrel and there is some throat erosion, but around .005-010 jump. Sorry for the screw up. Luckus

[GaCop]

I must correct myself. The 42.8 gr load with the 175 smk is at 2832 mv not 3014. I confused it with a different rifle and load. They are 3.152 coal with a Sinclair nut, and I use Winchester WLR primers. I would have to check my chamber again as there is approx 2500 rounds thru this barrel and there is some throat erosion, but around .005-010 jump. Sorry for the screw up. Luckus


I'm so glad you cleared that up. I was trying to figure out how the he"" you got that kind of speed out of a 308! LOL

[Quinny]

To the OP: How far off the lands are you seating the bullets ? What primers are you using ?


The bullets are approx 0.020" off the lands, I did some testing with various seating depths and that is what worked best. I am using CCI-BR primers and Lapua brass.

It is currently at the gunsmith to bed the action properly, will see how things go after that. Hopefully early in the new year I will get a match barrel put on.



I must correct myself. The 42.8 gr load with the 175 smk is at 2832 mv not 3014. I confused it with a different rifle and load. They are 3.152 coal with a Sinclair nut, and I use Winchester WLR primers. I would have to check my chamber again as there is approx 2500 rounds thru this barrel and there is some throat erosion, but around .005-010 jump. Sorry for the screw up. Luckus


3.152 OAL is huge for a .308, the bullets must be barely being gripped by the case. I know that with a 155gn projectile, my max OAL is 2.880, anything longer would not chamber as the projectile hits the lands. The 175SMK is much shorter than the 155s, so I have no idea how you managed to get it out to 3.152...

[Luckus]

That measurement includes the Sinclair nut, which is about .95 inch.

[Quinny]

Bit of an update here. I got the action in my F/TR glass bedded, and torqued the action screws to 35/35/25 in-lbs. At first, the results did not seem to be any better.

I ended up redoing my loads for the 168gn Sierra MatchKings, in the end going up by 0.1gn (to 45.3gn) made all the difference. I entered a 700m competition, and I shot 94.1 out of 120 in very windy conditions. My score was quite comparable to most of the other guys - many of whom are much more experienced and using some pretty expensive gear.

Also, out at my local range, I shot a 3 shot group of 0.19" at 200 meters (220-ish yds - that's 0.08 MOA). I stopped at 3 shots because I didn't want to stuff it by trying to get another 2 in there. Also shot a 5 shot group at 0.78" at 200m, but I know I can do better than that. Will be trying my hand at 10 shot groups next time.

All-in-all, I couldn't be happier. I will give it another 1000 rounds, then look at rebarrelling to 6.5x47 Lapua.

[davemuzz]

Sounds like it's working out good!! Glad to hear it. ;D