Just brought home my new (first) Savage 12BVSS. I'm looking to shoot heavy bullets out of it, particularly the 69 grain Sierra Match King.

Those of you who have one, what is the heavyest bullet you've shot so far and how did it work out?

I was thinking of trying the Hornady 75gr match or the 77gr Sierra Match King also.

Given the 1 in 9" twist, do you think I could shoot an 80gr out of it? Has anyone out there tried?

I'm looking forward to shooting it after hearing many good reviews.

Thanks.

[ 10-26-2003, 08:02: Message edited by: GLC ]

Have a couple Savage BV 223s, s/shot and repeater. Tried 75 A maxs, decided 69 SMKs were as heavy as I needed to use in the 223 1/9 twist. The heavy 80 grains need a 1/8 twist, and more powder capacity than a std 223. My favorite bullet is the 55 Nosler BT. Hopefully the posted pic comes up. You'll like the BV 223. Fred at SSS in Ohio can help you out with trueing, machined recoil lugs, etc if you want. I like the BT bolt handle on my Savage rifles. Its a big ball handle, easily replaced.

BV 223 repeater...nicknamed 'Laser...by Savage' for a good reason. Shown is BT big ball bolt handle, available in Blue or SS. Scope is Burris FF2 6-20. Yes...ice pack on chamber area.

You didn't say, but obviously your 1-9" 12BVSS is in .223. The .22-250 version has a 1-12" twist. It comes in other calibers, as well.

Sorry, it is a .223.

I'm looking forward to shooting it.

Thanks.

When I got my .22-250 12BVSS I really wanted a .223, but one wasn't to be had locally without special ordering it. I'm happy with it in .22-250, and actually my favorite load for it is giving high-end .223 ballistics with a 55 grain bullet. The Accu-Trigger is a bit quirky. I was incorrectly blaming the many false releases my son-in-law and I have been getting (he gets way more than I) on the safety lever dragging in the trigger slot (it is a little rough), but finally determined that it was from touching the trigger below the center. I normally tend to finger triggers near the bottom tip. That won't work with the Accu-Trigger, as the pad of the finger will touch the tip of the trigger and release the sear before the central safety lever is fully depressed. The secondary safety sear catches the striker and lets it down slowly as you release the safety lever. Result: Click. You have to lift the bolt to recock and aim again. But the Accu-Trigger design let them get away with selling a trigger factory adjusted to about 1 1/2 lbs while keeping the company lawyers happy. You just have to learn to keep your finger squarely in the center of the trigger and also be very careful to keep it straight parallel to the face of the trigger during the squeeze, lest you touch the side of the trigger before the safety lever's all the way down.

Good advice, I'll keep it in mind. I have played with the trigger a little and it is different from anything else I own (mostly Remingtons.)

I have ordered scope bases and should have them Monday. I have a 6-20 Leupold to put on it. I hope to shoot it this week.

Savage has a excellent reputation for out of the box accuracy but a pooor one for their standard triggers, which has prevented me from buying one before now. This is my first Savage, and the Accutrigger was the selling point for me.

Thanks again.

GLC:

The 69 grain Sierra will work fine, as will the 75 grain Amaxes. I have a like for the 75 grain Hornady HP myself.

The 80 grain Sierras have done okay, but the 1 in 9 twist seems to throw the 77 grainers of any make, all over the place. Go figure?

Nice gun, especially with the laminated stock, over the synthetic stocked one.

One more thing about the 12BVSS: The scope bases you ordered will probably be wrong. Every list of scope bases I found in a store or on the main online gun related sites was wrong. They list bases for the pre-2003 Savages, which use a different base for the front and the rear. I'd gotten bases that didn't work, and the dealers kept checking the lists and telling me they were right. I finally found a site somewhere that listed a new recommendation for the 2003 models, both being the same. They still didn't work on a scope with a big bell. Too low. I forget the numbers right now, but of the two bases listed for the old Savages, they're now recommending two of the lower ones. When that didn't work I got two of the taller ones and they do work, but they have flat bottoms mounted on a round receiver top.

Savage needs to get the word on changes like this out to their dealers better!

I ordered my scope bases through Brownell's and the listing they had specifically mentioned that they were for the new Accutrigger receiver. I tried Cabela's first (on their website) and their listing for Savage bases had a warning that they would not fit the new Accutrigger receivers. I agree, Savage does needs to get the word out that this rifle needs specific bases.

Thanks again.

Sounds like you got 'em right. Have fun with it, GLC, it's a sweet little rifle!

My Savages have shot the 80's into an inch but I've admittedly done no load workup. Just for S&G's one day I fired some match loads I had on hand.

Now the 75 Hornadys are a different matter! They SHOOT! So do the 69 Sierras but I haven't shot any in several years.

Don't worry about the Savage! It's up to the task.

Redial

GLC, what're you gonna use that rig for targets or varmints??

sscoyote-

Targets mostly, plus some long range shots at groundhogs in PA.

Varminting groundhogs in PA is not like prarie dogs out west. Depending on where you hunt, you might only get (on a real good day) a handful of shots at groundhogs.

I shot prarie dogs in Wyoming once several years ago with another .223 and it was great fun. Burnt up about 500 rounds in one day. I'd love to try it again if I can manage another trip out there.

Mostly I like to target shoot at my club's range, we have points out to 500M to shoot at. I like to experiment and think shooting heavy bullets in 223 would be interesting. The highpower crowd seems to do well with it.

WOOOOHOOO!

Just got my bases from Brownell's and mounted the scope (6-20 Leupold.) Looks like I'll be shooting soon. I'll let you all know how it does.

GLC, you may want to join us highpower shooters with your Savage. They make awesome match rifles for not a lot of money, if you buy stuff wisely.

Maybe you need another 12BVSS. This one rigged up with aperture sights, a handstop rail, and a clip guide for NRA highpower.

Abandon the bench and assume the position.

Finally shot it today. I haven't loaded any heavies yet so I used some Sierra 52 MK's over H322 in new Winchester cases that I had lying around from one of my AR-15's.

I shot two rounds at 100 yards to zero the scope (I had already boresighted it) and then began breaking in the barrel on a target at 200 yards. I shoot one round and clean for the first 20 rounds, then start load development with five round groups.

It was fairly windy today but I managed to put 14 rounds into a cluster measuring 1 1/8" at 200 yards, again, following my break in method with each round out of the clean, cold barrel. I only managed to shoot a total of 16 rounds today but the rifle shows promise.

I have several boxes of 68 grain Hornady's, 69 grain Sierra's, and 75 grain Hornady's waiting to be loaded.

I'm happy so far.

I've used the 69gr. MKs and the two 75gr. Hornady match bullets in my savage without a problem all the way out to 1000 yards. At six hundred the rifle shoots the 75s with such precision it gets boring. The savage kicks the 75s out at just over 3000 fps.

I have my M12, an FLVSS, set up in a McMillan Anschutz prone stock and fitted with both aparture and tele. sights. For cheap shooting try the NEI .224-71-gc. .6 moa groups at 2400 fps. I shoot about 3000 of these a year.