Just tooting my own horn a little...

I just got done mounting the scope on my latest toy, a Savage bvss in 22-250. I expect to take it to the range on sunday and wring out some test loads, 50 gr vmax'a with varget and h-380 powders. I'll post back what results I got and if it liked any of the test loads.

I'd post pictures if I was smart enough...?

It's got a nikon 6-18 on it with burris signature rings and bases. I hope to turn it into a prarie dog widow maker

Lets see if I can get these pictures to work:

Nice rifle...for a savage.

I have a twin, chambered in 223..

accurate right out the box.. not finicky on handloads and shoots bullets from 30 grains to 80 grains with no problems and top shelf accuracy...

on savage's web site, I just noticed that they listed action by themselves, more options than just the intial left port, right handed etc..

you can pick up a Stainless action, with a magnum, 223 or 308 bolt face in a varmint action, sporter action etc...price was about $460.00 list.. which means that maybe can be had for under $400.00...with accu trigger of course..

was looking at that to build an F class rifle possibly....

also noticed that they are chambering the 6 BR in several models as a factory chambering...

Hey Slim, Sure looks like a fine outfit to me. Maybe Dr.Lou has had to shoot "against" some of them to see who buys Supper.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

Hey seafire,

I must admit I'm still really tempted by the 12F they show in 6.5x284. I haven't seen one in person (thankfully!), but from what I can see of it in pictures, it looks like they really used their heads on putting that stock on it. I think it'll shoot off the rest and bag very well.

If it wasn't for the stock on the 12F, I would probably do the same thing, get the action and build one with a shilen or hart bbl, but hmmm...

What to do?

For now at least I can play with the bvss and have some fun poping dogs!


Hot Core,

I don't worry about it. I used to badmouth savages also. They sure aren't pretty (accept for MY bvss! ), but they sure do shoot great. I don't care if someone else likes different guns, that's cool with me too.

Hey Slim,

I have intimate knowledge of your cute beast there.

Three of the guys that go pd shooting with me have them and my grandsons dad has one also.

I have worked on all of them, and can say they are very accurate. The three guys that I shoot with are very happy with the BVSS and are shooting the Sierra 1360 on pds. All I have done to all of them is bed them into the stock. They will shoot well with out it, but they shoot even better with bedding of the action.

The one my ex son in law has is incredible. It will consistently shoot with my Krieger barreled 22-250. He is shooting the Sierra 1330. We are all loading IMR 4350.

When my Krieger is shot out I will order a Savage and put in in one of my stocks and never look back. Excellent choice.

Jim

Slim,

Good looking rifle!!!
In addition to H-380 and Varget, try some Benchmark powder. Benchmark and Varget are THE two best powders for my 22-250.

Don

Slim,
Congratulations on the new gun. Looks like a great setup. Aren't new guns wonderful--they have a look, feel, and smell better than a new car.

Looks nice! When you shoot out this barrel you better go for a hotrod cartridge.

Hot Core, I hear they shoot as well as my Sakos. It's just the big, cluncky action that I can't get past. However, they're somewhat better looking than they used to be.

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lou:
Hot Core, I hear they shoot as well as my Sakos. It's just the big, cluncky action that I can't get past. However, they're somewhat better looking than they used to be.

Dr. Lou, the action is the thing that's kept me from buying a Savage too. It just doesn't pass the beauty test...
But, everyone who owns one raves about their accuracy...

Don

Congratulations Slowpoke. Brilliantly beautiful!

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lou:
Hot Core, I hear they shoot as well as my Sakos.

Spoken like a man that had to buy a number of BBQ Suppers for Savage shooters.

quote:

It's just the big, cluncky action that I can't get past. However, they're somewhat better looking than they used to be.

Hey Dr. Lou, I've heard those Sako rifles are pretty nice now that they have cut the weight down on them. Back in the early `80s you either had arms like Hercules or got them after toting a Sako. Of course, that was long before they began selling the Sako "Exploding" Model a few years ago and their Management refused to acknowledge the problem for about a year. Needless to say, the Sako Management has left a lasting impression on me.

As long as you are happy with them, I'm all for you. Just have "Cash" available when you approach a guy with a Savage - I do!
-----

I had a young secretary that asked me to take her husband Hunting. He showed up with a M110 that had the old "dried chocolate milk" stock finish and was all down in the mouth about it "only being" a Savage. I asked how well it shot and that perked him back up. Also told him that there is often some beautiful wood hidden under the (at that time) factory finish. And that the grip could be reduced in size. He made some fine Kills that year and we worked on his rifle after the Season was over. Great rifle that he had no reason at all to feel bad about. And as a nice comforting thought - had no reason to think it "might" explode.

Best of luck with your Sakos!

Guess the Savage not passing the beauty test is sort of like the old southern analogy about an ugly wife...

She may be ugly, but she sure can cook!

Ok, made it to the range today with some test loads. I started with the 50 gr hornady VMAX seated to 2.350 for starters, and a couple of nosler BT 55 gr's also. Mostly the VMAX, as I only had 100rds of brass.




I started with federal match primers and cci benchrest primers loaded with both varget and h-380 in .5 gr increments. Each group is a 5 shot group, shot consecutively, without letting the rifle cool between shots.

So far, the best performers have been loads #5 and #6 on target #1, which are:

#5 = cci br primer, varget powder charge of 35.0 grs

#6 = cci br primer, varget powder charge of 35.5 grs

And on target #2, loads #3 and #4, which are:

#3 = federal match primer, h-380 powder charge of 38.0 grs

#4 = federal match primer, varget powder charge of 34.5 grs

First impressions are good. I like the gun. The trigger is better than I hoped. The gun (or the shooter) seems to want to throw the first shot out to left, then group the next four. I don't know if that's me or the rifle, but I'm betting it's me. I have just shot the gun off the rest and bag, and let the front of the gun do whatever it wanted, not trying to hold it down, only squeezing the rear bag for elevation. The rife pushes back and does want to torque a little under recoil (only a little, but I let it do it). The first shot could just be the butt settling down in the rear bag?

Here's the pudding:





And:

Oh and so far, the nosler's have been the biggest groups, the big patterns on the targets are the BT's with varget and h-380 both. Will have to try different powders and/or primers for those puppies.

Slim,

Good shooting.

Forgot to mention, the 52 gr. A-max shoots very well in all of "ours" also.

Jim

Hot Core, other than on AR I don't know anyone who owns one. But if I did and it out shot me and my Sakos, I would gladly buy them dinner and drinks.

Hey Dr. Lou, I have had to buy - on occasion!

After fiddling around for thirty years with this and that the most accurate rifle I have ever owned is a lowly Stevens in 223. Cost less than the scope I put on it but it blows the center out of the bullseye.

A few more meanderings about the rifle:

I had ordered a single shot follower from the sinclair website for the rifle before I got the rifle. It stated it was for "all short action" savages. It doesn't work with the internal box of the bvss.

I was bummed about that, until I looked closer at the feed lips of the mag, it looked like you could use the tops of the feed lips as a kind of "feed rail" for single shot use. I tried it and it works pretty well. I just drop the cartridge on top of the mag feed lips, and close the bolt. Not quite as good as a single shot follower, but close.

Does anyone make a single shot follower for the bvss?

I had wanted a single shot bvss, called a bvss-s, but they stopped making that one. Too bad.

quote:

Hey Dr. Lou, I have had to buy - on occasion!

Hot Core, Yes, I have had to buy a few times, but, unfortunately it wasn't the rifle's fault.

Off to the range again in the morning to try some more loads, and to re-shoot the "best" from the first outing. Will post more evidence and results...

Well, a young man shooting @100 yrds. near me at my club this Saturday had a near new Savage 12 BVSS 22-250 and showed us his targets. He had a BSA scope and was shooting amazing 10 rnd. groups. He claimed he was not doing as well as last week when he kept his groups with a thumbnail size. I didn't have a camera.

I will say this. You could not put any any hand lapped match custom after market barrel on that rifle and shoot better. For $1K--rifle and cheap scope---impossible to beat.

That SDavage BVSS is a handsome rifle and you would be proud to own it.

Craig Boddington put one together at the Savage factory and I'm looking forward to his review in G&A/