savage mdel 12 223 shooting 77 SMK

i have the cabelas model 12 fv in 223, curious if anyone had any luck shooting the sierra 77gr SMk bullet.

Chet

Mine likes the 69 SMK and TMK, but nothing heavier/longer. Tried the 75 SMK but just would not stabilize in the 9 twist barrel, but I'm down around sea level whereas others living in mile high cities seem to have better luck.

Mine prefers the 40-50 gr stuff so far. IIRC, manual says the accuracy testing is done with 69 SMK's, or at least the 69gr weight bullet.

I have a 12 F/TR with a 1:7 twist. I can't even close the bolt without seating the 77's so deeply that I crunch powder.

My rifle- The SMK 69's work well and I found the Berger 73 non VLD to be best for me w. 22.6 gr Varget. SMK with 25.0 Varget. Nosler Competition 69's never shot as well as the SMK's for me.

I loaded 30 total of the 77's, three groups of 10 with a slightly different load in each group. My buddy and I were going to shoot 5 from each group to get an average group size. We both have 12fv's. Both rifles shoot half MOA with 69gr SMK's normally but with the 77's the best 100 yard groups were 1.5". I loaded them with Varget, but don't remember the powder weights right now.

Had a 10FP that would, but a few other 9-twists that wouldn't at the same speed. So YMMV.