Which Savage Bench Gun ?

[500 Stroker]

I would like to start shooting 600 & 1000 yard benchrest and I have given up on building my own rig for now.
Which Savage model and caliber should I stick with to start out with in this great adventure?
I dont plan on being super competitive right out of the gate but on the other side of the coin I dont want to be laughed at either.
Any comments from some experienced bench shooters would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance

[500 Stroker]

Come on nobody has an suggestions. What the ....?

[Stockrex]

The skinny,
do you need an all factory gun?
Savage benchrest stocks have a thicker non-standard butt stock, so you will need a wider rear bag,

nobody will laugh at you, go out and have fun, I shot my first NRA high power with a Saiga AK with factory tigger vs some custom ARs with Gisselle/high dollar trigger worth more than my complete gun.

What I have learned von here:
Trigger is it

Before you commit, go out and try a target accu trigger, I like the accu over a lb but set lower, I need to get used to it, maybe I am just spoiled by all the CZs with set triggers.

Caliber: 6 mm br will do the job, cheap to shoot, long barrel life (per shot barrel cost), efficient cartridge.

Here is the shot list:
1. Lapua brass
2. Wilson seater
3. bushing neck dies.

Buy a factory savage with the target action, in your choice caliber or with correct bolthead if you are going to switch barrel.

Hope that helps.

[sharpshooter]

Stroker...Have you ever been to a 600 or 1000 yd match?.... Not trying to be a smartass, but you will get lots more good intel from other long range shooters at a match than you will here.

[500 Stroker]

Stroker...Have you ever been to a 600 or 1000 yd match?.... Not trying to be a smartass, but you will get lots more good intel from other long range shooters at a match than you will here.
I have been to two 600 yard IBS matchs. Everyone was shooting High $$$ custom rigs, no Savage factory rifles.
o

[500 Stroker]

The skinny,
do you need an all factory gun?
Savage benchrest stocks have a thicker non-standard butt stock, so you will need a wider rear bag,

nobody will laugh at you, go out and have fun, I shot my first NRA high power with a Saiga AK with factory tigger vs some custom ARs with Gisselle/high dollar trigger worth more than my complete gun.

What I have learned von here:
Trigger is it

Before you commit, go out and try a target accu trigger, I like the accu over a lb but set lower, I need to get used to it, maybe I am just spoiled by all the CZs with set triggers.

Caliber: 6 mm br will do the job, cheap to shoot, long barrel life (per shot barrel cost), efficient cartridge.

Here is the shot list:
1. Lapua brass
2. Wilson seater
3. bushing neck dies.

Buy a factory savage with the target action, in your choice caliber or with correct bolthead if you are going to switch barrel.

Hope that helps.

Just what I was looking for - Thanks
And that is my plan is to have fun.

[Stockrex]

stroker, if you dig a little bit you will find out why savages are rare.

There was actually a thread with the above topic, and the answer was pretty much "total cost" and conclusion was you are better off getting an off the shelf tricked out action/trigger e.g. Farley action with Farley trigger.

As our resident savage guru, Fred, pointed out do some intel here or at some matches, carefully check out the each part of the system, barrel, stock, trigger, bags, front rest, rear...

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12BENCHREST

I would suggest the 6mm br in 8 tw

[limige]

Savage 12 LRP 6.5 creedmoor

[500 Stroker]

stroker, if you dig a little bit you will find out why savages are rare.

There was actually a thread with the above topic, and the answer was pretty much "total cost" and conclusion was you are better off getting an off the shelf tricked out action/trigger e.g. Farley action with Farley trigger.

As our resident savage guru, Fred, pointed out do some intel here or at some matches, carefully check out the each part of the system, barrel, stock, trigger, bags, front rest, rear...

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12BENCHREST

I would suggest the 6mm br in 8 tw
I have spent the last 6 months researching building a custom bench rig and came to the conclusion that I can justify th $ cost. To build a custom actioned 6br with a good bench stock you are in the area of $3000.
I can purchase a Savage Model 12 F-Class rifle from Bud's Guns for $1300.

[psharon97]

If it were me, I would start with the Savage Model 12 F-Class EGW 20 MOA base, good rings, and the nicest scope you can afford. If you're going to shoot just 600 and 1000 yard matches, there really isn't a need for first focal plan scopes IMO. You're not ranging your target. Some of the most popular scopes on the forums are Vortex Viper PST, Sightron SII, Sightron SIII, Leupold, and Nightforce, For the features, the Viper PST is hard to beat, but scopes are heavily opinionated. I prefer Vortex, some prefer Leupold, and others won't buy anything but Nightforce. Get what you like. They'll all do the job superbly.

[Mike Vegas]

Savage 12 LRP in 6.5-284. There's a 80+ year old dude I shoot with here locally and he is kicking everyone's ass including people with 5k plus rigs lol. Experience + good rifle = win

[Patch700]

Don't be blind to the facts especially if you don't already have the savage target action... There is an excellent probability that you are going to have to replace the factory barrel rite off the get go , a factory barrel capable of consistent 1\2" that fouls terribly and when cleaned may need 7-10 shots to get back in the groove of things won't cut it.. So factor in the cost of a good barrel and smithing , now you are up to around 2-2200 bucks and you still haven't touched the action... Granted , barrels are a commodity that gets used up just like powder you still need a good one to play the game.

If you crunch the numbers honestly they won't lie.... Checkout what a turnkey used custom is going for with glass and dies.. You might be surprised.

[sharpshooter]

You really don't want an F class gun to shoot bench rest. My advise would be start out with a model 12 BR dual port in 6 BR. I have found that the barrels are too long @29", and they will shoot and handle better @ 26". The stocks could be improved, as they tend to be too wide at the rear for conventional bags, but Protector makes one just for that rifle. As you get more experience, you will then see what your upgrades need to be.

[basshawg42]

a model 12 LRP im shooting 1\2 MOA

[Delaware_Ken]

Good Afternoon,

My Savage Bench rest gun started life as a Dual Port LRPV in 6BR. I shot it for two years in Factory Class BR (check your local club rules to make sure they will let you shoot it in Factory), and did very well with it. I shot many sub 3" 5 shot groups with it at 600 yards. It now has a CBI 6 Dasher barrel and a bedded Dog tracker stock from SSS, and have shot many sub 2" 5 shot groups with it at 600 yards. The rewarding part is that I did all the work myself, and if the operator does his job, she will hang with those $5000 custom rigs any day of the week.

Ken

[Stockrex]

Ken, are you shooting the factory target accutrigger? if yes, what is it set to?
what is your brass prep and what seater do ya use?

[Delaware_Ken]

Ken, are you shooting the factory target accutrigger? if yes, what is it set to?
what is your brass prep and what seater do ya use?

I pulled out the accutrigger and installed a Riflebasix Savage2 Trigger.

Brass Prep: Deprime, Anneal every third reload, Ultrasonic Clean, Brush necks, Prime, Resize, Trim if needed, Load.

Whidden seater die on a Forster press.

Ken