Help with my Savage 12 Long Range Precision

[YOTE]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the site but have been using the site regularly to get load ideas for my 700 VSSF II in a .220 swift (still haven't quite got it where I want yet, but I will). Anyways my new Savage 12 Long Range Precision rifle in a 243 win (9.25 twist) will be here by the end of the week and I want to get started. Glass? I was thinking a Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5-30x50. I hope this is good enough. Load? I think Lapua brass is a must. Powder maybe H4350? The goal will be to kill a coyote at 1000......eventually. I would like to kill coyotes, rockchucks, and Pdogs from 600-1000 yards. I was thinking an 87 gr vmax. Will a 105 gr Amax pop a rockchuck? I want to know I hit it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[joseph]

What caliber is the new rifle? My Swift shoots under half inch at 100 yds. with .55 gr. bullets. The Swift is one of the easier rounds to get shooting accurate.

joseph

 

[YOTE]

243 win. I meant to get it in there. I think I fixed it. Whats your swift load? I would like to push 55 gr nosler bt varmints around 3900 fps

 

[sniperjwt]

Not sure that the 105 will stabilize in a 9.25 twist you might be able to get a 95g to work but any heavyer may be a problem. A 1000 yard shot with a 243 is possible but with a 87g bullet it is going to take a lot of practice and know exactly what the wind is because if you push the 87g bullet to 3200fps even with a 3mph cross wind will move the bullet 2 foot 6 inches at 1000yds. I would use the hightest bc bullet you can find that will stabilize in your gun. The 95g Berger suggest a 9 twist and might work in a 9.25 and has a .486bc (87 V max is .400)
As for powder 4350 will work fine for ya.
Good luck and keep us posted

 

[liltank]

Looks like from what I have been reading the 9.25 twist in a factory Savage bore will stabilize the 105's. Also from what I understand they will definitely leave a hole in things when you hit them. It would be a matter of finding a load and seeing what it does. As far as glass, the 6500 is suppose to be a nice scope, but I have used the Bushnell Elite 4200 Tactical and it is a very nice scope. I would also suggest Sightron SIII, Vortex Viper and Viper PST.

Tank

 

[johnnyk]

Yote,
I tried alot of the smaller grain bullets (65/70/75/85/87/90gn) in my .243Win (Win70 SA HVB) for groundhogs while living in VA and while I made quiet a few hits out to 400yds, my success ratio at longer ranges (500+) went up noticeably when I stepped up to the 95gn Ballistic Tip. My favorite load used 44.0gn of VihtN560 and BR2's. Velocity averaged 3088fps (in November) and accuracy averaged in the low .2's.
Heavier is definately the better way to go with the wonderful little .243! JohnnyK.

 

[YOTE]

Thanks for the advice fellas.
I think I might try a 105 berger. BC .532 I believe what do you guys think? I have a elite 4200 on my swift but will a 30 mm tube give me more adjustment for longer shots? And is a BR primer just a cci 200 that is made by their best guys, are they better, more consistent? Any ring and base ideas. I know I can spend alot on ferrels or something like those but is there a good one piece picatinny that will do the job that wont cost nearly 10% of my tuition? Also dies? for the swift I got a 3-piece redding type s set of dies. Is this necessary for the 243?

 

[Good]

I have experience with a couple different EGW one piece bases and like them.

a 30mm tube will have more adjustment than a 1" tube, but ideally you would select a MOA base that allows you to look through the middle of your scope near the ranges you will be shooting at, but in short yes, 30mm tube offers more adjustment and 35mm has even more adjustment.

 

[liltank]

Thanks for the advice fellas.
I think I might try a 105 berger. BC .532 I believe what do you guys think? I have a elite 4200 on my swift but will a 30 mm tube give me more adjustment for longer shots? And is a BR primer just a cci 200 that is made by their best guys, are they better, more consistent? Any ring and base ideas. I know I can spend alot on ferrels or something like those but is there a good one piece picatinny that will do the job that wont cost nearly 10% of my tuition? Also dies? for the swift I got a 3-piece redding type s set of dies. Is this necessary for the 243?

The simple answer is such, the better your equipment, the better your results. However do to my budget I have found equipment that works equally as well as the more expensive stuff. EGW makes a very solid, aluminum 1pc. base that I have been using for 3 years. They cost 39.99. Rings that I have used and work well are the Burris XTR, and Signature Z rings. I like both. I currently own a set of Weaver Tactical that are a lot sturdier than what they feel like when you are holding them in your hand.

As far as a 30mm tube having more adjustment? It depends on the company and scope. Generally the higher the magnification the less adjustment you have. Nikon's seem to have a lower MOA availability vs some others. Not sure why that is. Vortex, Millet, Night Force, IOR, and Leupold all have decent adjustment. The Millet LRS has somewhere in the neighborhood of 140MOA of elevation. It has a 35mm tube. Do some research. Usually scope manufacturers have data listed as to how many MOA are available in each model. Using a 20MOA base will allow the lower MOA count scopes to achieve most distances out to 1000yds.

Here is a good read on primers. Primers and Pressure Analysis by James Calhoon « Daily Bulletin

Competition primers like the 210M's and BR2's are suppose to be more consistent and tend to be a little hotter. However you just have to try different primers and see what happens. One primer may produce a flier, but changing primers with the exact same load will produce a consistent group. Reloading can be frustrating, but satisfying once you nail that perfect combination.

For dies, the competition are the best route to go. They offer more in the way of custom sizing. I on the other hand can't justify the cost of a micrometer bullet seating die. They make bullet seating easier, but with a little practice the regular dies work just as well. I do like the Lee and Redding dies.

Tank

 

[daniel brothers]

I'm thinking about getting one of these rifles in a 243, and was wondering if anyone has any updates on them.

 

[liltank]

I have an LRPV in a 22-250 w/ the 12 twist barrel. Couldn't be happier. Bug holes all day long with several different load combinations. They are just plain good shooting rifles.

 

[A Train]

I have one in .260. I am still working up loads but so far got it to half inch 5 shot group. Give the .260 some thought. I love mine.

 

[nwcp]

I'm looking at the Savage 12 LRP in .260 Remington. Great BC, flat shooting and very accurate rifle/round combination from all accounts I've read. The .260 has minimal recoil and outperforms the .243. You might want t think about going with the larger round. Ground hogs may hate you, but I think you'd enjoy the ability to put the hurt on them at ranges in excess of 600 yards without much effort.

 

[FEENIX]

lightbulbI hope that after 4+ years that the OP have his issue/concern resolved.lightbulb