Range report - Savage Model 12

[Red Tornado]

As planned, I collected every kind of cheap .223 ammo I could find in anticipation of getting my gun show goodie to the range. It's a heavy barrel Savage Model 12, pre-accutrigger, with a BSA 3x9x40 scope on it. No pics, sorry, but it's not that pretty anyway.

I set up a target at 50 yards to get the scope on the paper, and since I anticipated the Norinco ammo being the worst, used that to get a rough zero. I got it close with relatively little effort and moved it back to 100yds.

The various ammo and results were:
CHEAP AMMO:
Norinco FMJ (55gr) - Absolutely terrible (as anticipated) Couldn't get it to group less than 3".

Wolf FMJ (55gr) - That's better,(NOT!) I got less than 3"...barely. Nowhere close to 2".

Barnaul SP (62gr)- This was the only ammo I found around here that was heavier than 55gr, so I grabbed it. I got a 1 in 9 so I can shoot other stuff. Also terrible, under 3", but not much more.

Winchester White Box FMJ (55gr) - Not bad at all. It was very close to an inch, but couldn't quite get under 1". However, good enough to shoot again, especially considering price and availability.

Remingon (UMC) Green Box FMJ (55gr) - Almost the same as the WWB, perhaps a bit better, but very close to the magical MOA.

UMC Yellow box (Remington) JHP (45gr) - This was the only other cheap ammo I had that wasn't 55gr, and it did amazingly well. Under 1", I was surprised that the 45 gr worked so well with the 1 in 9, and I think this stuff in a 1 in 12 would be great.

And the surprise winner in the cheap ammo category:

PMC 223A FMJ (55gr) - Wow! I didn't have high expectation but this was in the 3/4" range all day.
PMC was the clear winner, with the WWB, Rem, and UMC almost too close to call, but still all good. Russian, Chinese, bad ammo, bad ammo. Plus stinky!

GOOD AMMO: Pictures below
PMC Silver HPBT (69gr SMK) - This is the Sierra Match King bullet Savage uses for testing, in a PMC loading. After the cheap PMC was so surprising, I thought I'd just try some. It performed very well, as shown in the picture. Groups were around 1/2"

Federal Premium Gold Medal BTHP (69gr SMK) - This is supposedly the ammo Savage uses at the factory, and I see why. The target on the right (+5) I was still adjusting the scope. The other target (+4) is also 3 shots, with 2 through the same hole, and the 3rd shot stretching the group to about 3/8". Not bad for a bad shot like me.

I just got a new 6x24x40 scope, and I've got room for improvement. I anticipate shooting the rest of the Federal SMK's through the same hole.
RT

 

[Topgun]

I've got the Varminter with the Accutrigger. Mine shoots FAIR with GI ammo. About 1.5" 100 yards.

I have so many rounds that I am gonna hafta go BUY some ammo just to see what the ...GUN.... can do.

 

[nipprdog]

Nice report.

I have a pre-accu 10FP that I bought slightly used.

heres a recent pic. with the Duramaxx stock.



I shoot the Black Hills 68gr MHP. Blue box. its a 'remanufactured' load, but very accurate, and very popular with Savage shooters.

and costs less than the Fed. about $20/ box of 50.

when I do my part, it will do 5shot 1/2".

what brand is your new scope?

after you get it mounted, post some pics of your 5 shot groups.

join us over at http://www.savageshooters.net/forum/

check this out as well;

http://www.varminthunters.com/tech/savage110trigger.html

 

[Red Tornado]

Howdy Nipprdog, the "help, my Savage won't group" thread you predicted didn't quite materialize, but I am still testing ammo. However, that cheap foreign stuff is amazingly inaccurate. I'm going to have to test my SKS with something besides Norinco and Wolf now. It may not suck as bad as I thought.

Anyway, the new scope's also a BSA, but 6x24x40 at 100 yards it should be great. If I ever get a longer range to shoot at, I might upgrade, but this should be enough of an upgrade for now.

Thanks for the Black Hills tip, I'll order some and give it a whirl.

In the future I'll try to shoot 5 shot groups, but I might lose count. That seriously opens up a lot more room for shooter error. How about a 10 shot group, and I circle the best 5 out of that? Golfers get a handicap, shouldn't shooters?

"What's your handicap?"
"Best 5 out of 10."
"Mine's best 5 out of 6."
"Wow, you must be a great shot!"


Thanks for the links. I did the trigger adjustment when I got it, but got it too light and had a slam fire. I tightened it back up, but haven't been back to the range yet. It's either tomorrow or next weekend since the range closes for Winter after that. Hopefully the wind will stop blowing before next week.
RT

 

[Red Tornado]

I made it to the range this weekend, and managed some 5 shot groups. As expected, it introduced some more shooter error.

The Federal Gold Medal is still great (Ignore the target on the right!) and since all I had left was WWB, I zeroed my scope in for that, just in case I get to go shooting this winter. It was a bit over an inch, but part of that was me, so it does pretty well.

I still haven't ordered any Black Hills, but I will before I shoot again.
RT

 

[nipprdog]

I made it to the range this weekend, and managed some 5 shot groups. As expected, it introduced some more shooter error.

good shooting!

don't sell yourself short. the flyers are not likely shooter error. 5 shot groups in the 1/2" to 3/4" range with an unbedded factory stock using factory ammo, is about as good as it gets. in most cases, with most shooters.

and is some good shooting.

if you want 'one ragged hole' groups, you'll probably looking at loading your own ammo, so you can taylor a load for it.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have seen good reviews of the WWB 45 gr JHP. Can't say for sure because I handload my rifle ammo, but that is what "they" say on the Net.