Bought My Second Lightweight Hunter

[dranrab]

I bought a stainless LWH in 223 a few years ago. It has impressed me. The worst it's done with handloads is about an inch and a half. The best crowded a half inch. It has two loads that are guaranteed to deliver .75 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards if I do my part. Today my LWH in 6.5 Creedmoor arrived at my FFL. I slapped a Leupold VX2 3-9x40 on it and headed to the range.

I did the look through the bore boresighting method and fired a shot at 50 yards. I made an adjustment and fired again. It needed one more adjustment. I made that one then fired two more shots. Together they made a single hole that you had to look hard to see where two bullets hit. Then I backed off to 100 yards. I fired a group that went about an inch. The groups started opening up a little after that. I suspect it needed cleaning. I shot factory Hornady GMX stuff. I finished that box off. From here on out it's handloads.

I have long been a fan of Ruger 77 and Hawkeye Ultralights. I own one in 257 Roberts and 7MM-08. They are heavier than Savage LWH by about a pound. In contrast they feel robust. They don't shoot as well though. I am happy when they will give me 1.5 inch groups. I am growing to like the Savage LWH rifles better than my long loved Rugers. I paid $529 for this one and will get a $100 rebate. It's hard to beat them in a hunting rifle. The recoil pads get the job done. Mine tipped the scales at 6.6 pounds.

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/services/mediarender/THISLIFE/004065324842/media/33438089868/medium/1509140057/enhance

[jpdown]

+1. Nothing to not like about my Savage LWH's in 6.5 Creedmoor and re-barreled 280AI as hunting rifles. I replaced the plastic BBR trigger guard and DBM with metal and get sub 1" accuracy with hand loads. Easy to handle and carry.

[J.Baker]

My special order 16 LWH in .250 Savage should be showing up in the next week or two. Still on the fence as to whether I'm going to leave it a standard .250 or open it up to an .250 Ackley.

[dranrab]

My special order 16 LWH in .250 Savage should be showing up in the next week or two. Still on the fence as to whether I'm going to leave it a standard .250 or open it up to an .250 Ackley.

I posted on another forum a few days ago that the LWH begs to be chambered in 250 Savage.

[Zerodur]

If you don't mind me asking what did they charge for the custom order, a 257 Robert's would also be nice

[J.Baker]

Sorry, best I can do is tell you it was more than a George Washington but less than a Grover Cleveland. :p

[dranrab]

As luck would have it, my rebate showed up on my birthday!

I am really surprised that the LWH rifles aren't gaining more widespread acceptance or acclaim. They are a joy to handle, and both of the ones I have are pleasantly accurate. I guess you could complain about the stock being flimsy, but it doesn't appear to negatively impact accuracy.

[Newtosavage]

Didn't realize the stocks came in that color. Looks nice. I will eventually own a LWH but it will be a wood stock version.

[dranrab]

Didn't realize the stocks came in that color. Looks nice. I will eventually own a LWH but it will be a wood stock version.

I have seen very few with the FDE/Tan stocks. I think it looks nice with the stainless. A stainless LWH in a stock finished like the Savage American Classic would look awesome!

[penna shooter]

Very Noice....Congrats

[USAF Vet]

My 16 LWH came with a camo 'tupperware' stock. That brown stock really looks nice!

[DBear]

I just get my hands on that same rifle two days ago . Tan 16 Lightweight in 6,5 Creedmoor. Mainly for deer hunting and possibly as a back-up for moose.

As a walking hunter , i much prefer those light rifles to full size heavy bangers.
I previously own a Ruger American compact in 7mm08 and another Savage, 11 Lightweight Hunter in 7mm-08 too, that now i regret to have sold. ( I could have switch stocks...). I still have a very nice Ruger 77 MKII Frontier in 300wsm.

I will reload for the 6,5 Creedmoor . My very first Creedmoor. I read a lot on that caliber but didn't found much infos on hunting loads on such short and thin barrels.

To begin with , i have SR Starline brass , Remington 7 1/2 primers , Hndy SST 140 , Berger VLDH 130 and Sierra Game changer 130.
Powders are : H 4350 , IMR 4451 , Win 760 and Superformance.

I know RL16 could be a good one too. Later , will have a look at Sierra Pro Hunter 120 , ELD-X 143 , Barnes LRX 127 and Lapua Mega 155. I like Accubond too.


Will be a great help if you can share your working ( or not ) receipe for that rifle.

Thanks a lot !

[jpdown]

My handload for the Savage 16 LWH in 6.5 Creedmoor is with Hornady brass, Fed 210M, H4350 and Hornady 143 gr. ELD-X bullets 0.005” to 0.010” off the lands. I get sub MOA 3-shot groups from a cold pre-fouled barrel. It wears a bedded Savage LWH walnut stock painted in woodland tan duracoat. A very durable protective finish. The plastic bottom parts have been upgraded to metal. It’s my go to rifle in the wooded knobs and small fields of central Kentucky. I’ve also owned Savage LWH rifles in 260 and 7mm08. I never could get the Remington Model 7’s l owned in 308 or 260 to shoot as well as the Savage LWH. But that may have been the shooter learning how to shoot a lightweight rifle for consistent 3-shot groups.

Too bad Savage is discontinuing the Savage 11/111 LWH models with walnut stock.

[charlie b]

I did the look through the bore boresighting method and fired a shot at 50 yards. I made an adjustment and fired again. It needed one more adjustment. I made that one then fired two more shots. Together they made a single hole that you had to look hard to see where two bullets hit. Then I backed off to 100 yards. I fired a group that went about an inch. The groups started opening up a little after that. I suspect it needed cleaning. I shot factory Hornady GMX stuff. I finished that box off. From here on out it's handloads.


If your accuracy is still off a bit then try cleaning out the copper. Some of the Savage (and any other mfg) barrels will accumulate some copper as the barrel breaks in. Some may even need to have some bore paste used on them to smooth out the machining marks.

Savage shows a break in procedure on their website FAQ.

[DBear]

Thanks for your input jpdown .
I will certainly try the ELD-X next spring.

Went to the range this afternoon. Among the six loads i tried , the Sierra 130 Game Changer with H4350 produce a 3 shots sub-moa group. Near max load was averaging 2730 fps.
This is something to work around for sure.
Temp was around 25 F with 10 to 15 mph wind from 6 to 8 o'clock.

Lot of fun to come.

[dranrab]

Savage is dumping this model LWH. I have seen deals online for $450 each. I have a hunch the patient prospect can sit and wait for Savage to hang a rebate on these jewels and be into one for $350-$400.

[futurerider103]

When I bought my LWH in 7mm-08 it was a plastic stock and it felt very nice and light. Unfortunately I never fired it because I just bought it to take it apart to use the action and bolt for my custom 7.62x39 build.

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

[Newtosavage]

When I bought my LWH in 7mm-08 it was a plastic stock and it felt very nice and light. Unfortunately I never fired it because I just bought it to take it apart to use the action and bolt for my custom 7.62x39 build.

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

What did you ever do with that barrel?

[futurerider103]

Sold it for decent money

[NFD9]

Savage is dumping this model LWH. I have seen deals online for $450 each. I have a hunch the patient prospect can sit and wait for Savage to hang a rebate on these jewels and be into one for $350-$400.
Where on earth have you seen this? I haven't seen anything close to that price! :rolleyes: