Pastor Dave

[Pastor Dave]

Best Regards to fellow Savage gun owners. I just purchased a very nice but used Savage Model 12 Shark .308. I'm hoping someone here can tell me something about when the rifle was manufactured, and if you have any experience with this gun, the big question is: Is it very, very accurate? My plan is to load mixed brass with 168 SMK's, 43 grains Varget, and Federal BR primers. How about my gun, guys and gals....anyone know anything about it??? I would be appreciate it greatly. I have scoured the Savage catalogs from 1998 up and I can't find this rifle listed. It has the accutrigger, laminated stock, "Tiger Shark" below the pistol grip, Model 12. Let me know please. Thanks.

[Hotolds442]

I remember seeing one in Cabelas somewhere about 2006. It was I believe called the Mako, and was chambered in 223. It still had the hang tags so I assume it was a current production item at the time. Google shows a lot of information on the Savage Shark, and Savage Mako, you might do some digging there.

[darkker]

Yep, sounds like a distributor special.
As far as accuracy, no one but YOU can answer that. Some Savages are dogs, some are rockstars. Other than shooting and finding out, no one knows what you have.

[Pastor Dave]

Ok...thanks. (Some are dogs....You're scaring me!! Aren't all the Savage Model 12's super accurate? I'll find out.)

[darkker]

Well, No they aren't. They are a mass produced item, so there are always variables.
I've been pulling Savages apart and morphing them for several decades, Some really interesting garbage, some phenominal beauties.

Within the past year-ish, MZ5 bought one of the Dogs new. Barrel truely looked like corrugated sewer pipe! How in the Deuce that one "slipped" the QC department....

[Pastor Dave]

Ok, Darkker....I will shoot the gun and be sure to let you know. Tell me something...that is quite a "Handle" and picture you have on the postings. May I politely inquire....does this pic and name have a special meaning, perhaps a philosophical view? Let me know if you have a chance...these things really interest me. thanks.
Pastor Dave

[sharpshooter]

The "Sharks" were made for the Talo Buyers Group, a sort of co-op distributor. They came out in 2006. Although the stocks look different and interesting, I found them very difficult to shoot off bags.

[darkker]

Philosophical motivation sounds like what the Spanish conquistadores did to the Aztecs...

Neither my name nor avatar hold any hidden agenda, their explanations are unrelated and not terribly interesting.

[Pastor Dave]

Ok. Thanks. What is terribly uninteresting to some is very interesting to me. I'm listening. Thanks for your comments, all.
Pastor Dave

[rjtfroggy]

Pastor Dave I have 2 Mako stocks 1 is on a 223 I built with all factory parts mod. 12 action with a factory fluted barrel 1:9 twist all ss, shoots .25- .30 5 shot groups all the time with 60 gr. Sierra bullets, using stout load of IMR 4895.
The other one is a mod. 12 single shot with a 308 CBI heavy barrel that I am using 135 Sierra's not quite as accurate but I put it away to play with a few others so it still needs a little load developement . It is under .5 as it sits but I'm trying for better. These are all 100 yard groups off of bench rest and built for score comps. I personaly don't have a problem on the bench with them but I pulled the swivels out so they don't hamper the way they react to my rest.
These are heavy stocks and definetly not made to carry around for a day of hunting.
IMO with a good load I wouldn't worry too much about the accuracy. Just be aware as far as I know these are all 4.25" stagger feed stocks.

[wbm]

Pastor Dave be sure and let us know how the rifle shoots.


Philosophical motivation sounds like what the Spanish conquistadors did to the Aztecs

LOL! Oh yeah.

[Pastor Dave]

Ok...Thanks for the tips and info. I will be shooting the Savage "Tiger Shark" 308 this week, hopefully. Dies, brass, bullets all on the way. I'm using one of the Caldwell "The Rock" front rests, and a bag with big ears on the rear of the stock. I'm supposing this will work out for me. I've told by several shooters that this gun is tough to use "on the bags".

It is a heavy gun with what looks like a 27 inch barrel. I have a nice shooting Remington Mohawk 600 in .243 sitting under a Burris Black Diamond 6-24 Side Focus Mil-Dot ...probably over scoped, but anyway, the darn little thing shoots. I sit in the tree stand with that gun...easy to carry. This big Savage 308 was just too nice a gun to pass up when I saw it. Now...if it shoots....??? My .223 CZ Varmint under a Burris 8-36 easily shoots one hole at 100 yds using 69 gr. SMK's and 24 grains Varget. I can break eggs all day at 200 yards with the CZ. I hope the Savage comes close.

Thanks, Semper Fi "Always Faithful" wbm. I appreciate your service. I'll be sure to let you know how this big Savage shoots. Blessings, Pastor Dave

[Pastor Dave]

I hate to seem like a bonehead, rjtfroggy, (I'm a bible guy and that's enough for eternity, but doesn't help much with this) but what ever is a 4.25 stagger feed stock???

[rphguy]

I hate to seem like a bonehead, rjtfroggy, (I'm a bible guy and that's enough for eternity, but doesn't help much with this) but what ever is a 4.25 stagger feed stock???
stagger feed is the magazine. Savages can be stagger feed where the bullets are staggered in the clip and "push feed".
They can also be "center feed" where the top bullet in the mag is fed to the center of the mag instead of off-centered.
Another option out there is "controlled round feed" which many people demand to be way superior, although I am not convinced, but I'm certainly not an expert.
With the staggered and centerfeed there is a difference in the stock. they are not interchangeable as far as I know.
the 4.25 refers to the spacing between the action screws that the stock bolts onto. The other option is the 4.41.

I believe generally that the 4.25 staggered is found in the older Savage models and the 4.41 centerfeed is found in the newer rifles.

[Pastor Dave]

Thanks for the explanation, rphguy. Now I know. I'll have to check out the rifle.
Best regards!

[243LPR]

For best accuracy you should separate your "mixed" brass into groups of at least the same headstamp. You can take it even farther and weigh them,using only the ones that weigh within a grain of each other. Or buy new Lapua and use them in just that gun.Just my 2¢.

[Pastor Dave]

Thanks for asking about the Savage Model 12 in the Talo "Tiger Shark" laminated stock. I'm getting 3/8's inch groups with SMK's sitting on 41 grains of Varget. I did not get anything but one inch groups with 43.5 grains of the Varget but who knows why?? The Moly A-Max shot about as well sitting on 43 grains of Varget. Noslers did the one inch trick. At the Ridgway Rifle Range the day I bench shot the rifle, it was quite chilly and just a little breezy. Shiver-shooting is not my cup of tea, but anyway....the gun does shoot. I thought the 43 grains of Varget would be best, but a lesser load, for whatever reason, shot better. Any thoughts? Thanks! Pastor Dave

[Pastor Dave]

I didn't have a ton of trouble shooting from my front rest with the Savage "Tiger Shark" stock. Did you ever hear of using a bipod on the front of the rifle and using the adjustable shooting rest (I have a Caldwell "the Rock") on the rear of the stock?? I don't know how that would work? Let me know if you have a thought. Pastor Dave

[olddav]

Every rifle (barrel) has a frequency where it shoots best. Even though I learned this a while back it was illustrated when I performed my first ladder test. You might find it interesting to read about, should answer some of your questions.

[GaCop]

For best accuracy you should separate your "mixed" brass into groups of at least the same headstamp. You can take it even farther and weigh them,using only the ones that weigh within a grain of each other. Or buy new Lapua and use them in just that gun.Just my 2¢. +1!