So I own a model 12 Savage varmint which I bought in '04. I absolutely love the rifle and it has consistently shot excellent groups out to 300 meters to which it's the farthest I have shot this. I've reloaded for this almost since the time I bought it. My go to bullet is the 69 gr SMK, my rifle is rifled 1 in 9"
so the 69's are great. So I recently got stocked back up after being out for a while of the bullets and I acquired some new tools for case prep. So I was measuring the throat leade in the chamber ad have been astonished to find how long the leade is. I used to load the rounds to a overall
length just short enough to fit in the magazine. I know wanted to find out actually how close I was to the rifling and come to find out I was no where close. I don't have the measurements in front of me as I type this but I know that I loaded the rounds I shot today to an OAL of 2.40". I know they don't fit I. The mag well and I single
loaded them and they shot just as good as any others. I want to say my measurement to the lands was 2.76" and in order to get good retention on the bullet by the case I loaded these to 2.40". I noted though after I shot these the case neck got extremely dirty and stained with the gases from the fired round. The entire neck (exterior) was almost entirely stained black. Has anyone notes this before. Is anyone else finding these long throats in the Savages? I've searched this site and the web and others have states theirs were long too but looking for some comments. Thanks