best .223 load for savage mod 12

B

bob hardy

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Looking for load advice for my savage 12. Currently using 25 gr. varget with 68gr. Hornady Match and 69gr. Sierra MK. Results are OK, but looking to try something new. ATK recommends RL 15. Haven't tried it.
bob
 
I've got a Savage 12 that shoots bullets up to the 75 gr A-Max sub MOA. It wasn't a tack driver with the factory 1 in 9 twist barrel though.

With Reloder 15 start at about what you were using with Varget and got up watching for signs of excessive pressures. I've had very good luck with RL-15 in the .223/5.56.
 
12bvss .223

I've had 1/4" groups with 68 gr A-Max and 24.7 grs of Varget, GM205M primers, Lapua brass and a 0.015" jump. Ditto for 69 gr Sierra MK with 22.3 grs H322, GM205M primers, Winchester brass and a 0.015" jump. 24-24.5 grs of TAC was 1/2" territory. nhk
 
Never had real good luck with the 69 gr Sierra. But then, what are we looking for as far as good grps. with factory equipt. My Sav 12, factory brl. shoots 55 gr V max very well. Also now working with Berger 52 match flat base with 24.8 grs. of IMR 8208 XBR, CCI BR 4 primers, Lapua brass. Getting 1/4" 5 shot groups.
 
My best [5-shot] group with the Savage Model 12 VLP chambered in .223 Remington was .084".

I used 26 grains of Varget, Lapua brass, CCI BR4 primers, and Ronnie Check's custom made 63 grain flat base .224 bullets. Here's Ronnie link for bullets: http://www.rcheek.com/page2.shtml.

I shot them through a Stainless Steel, Douglas XX Air Gauge barrel, in 1:9 twist, 26 inches long.

The rifle was trued, timed, and barreled by Fred Moreo at Sharp Shooters Supply: http://www.sharpshootersupply.com/.

Good Luck. :)
 
WOW! Thanks for the quick responses and info. Now where do I start first???
Bob
 
I would second the 64-grain Berger flat base. I happen to use H-4895. This shoots in the 245-249, 2X-8X region on IBS/NBRSA 100 yard score targets, which at our club matches, is pretty good. This is a Savage, cobbled together from several rifles, but it is the 1:9 twist factory barrel.

I'd suggest that rather than trying other people's exact loads, you try several types of bullets (long and short flat base, long and short boattails), and several types of powder. Be sure to include at least 4895 (single-base stick powder) and a double-base powder, such as VV N-130, or whatever Reloader DB powder is appropriate. I specifically mention 4895 because it has done so well in so many .223s. By all means try another if you have it to hand.

As has been said so many times, when doing this kind of test (what doesn't work), 3-4 shot groups are enough. Three shot groups are enough to exclude something, except at my range, we get vertical for reasons some of us can't figure out. We do know it has nothing to do with the rifle/load. Therefore, I use 4-shot groups, and if one pops out the top, I don't throw it out just yet.

If you can team up with a couple of people, you don't have to buy all the bullets & powder. Still, 4 boxes of match-grade-but-still-commercial bullets (long & short in both FB an BT) won't set you back too much. It's the 100 grains of various powders that can be expensive to get; that's where sharing comes in.

Once you have a couple of promising combinations, it is time for the multiple 5-shot groups to dial in the rifle.
 
Charles E said:
I would second the 64-grain Berger flat base. I happen to use H-4895. This shoots in the 245-249, 2X-8X region on IBS/NBRSA 100 yard score targets, which at our club matches, is pretty good. This is a Savage, cobbled together from several rifles, but it is the 1:9 twist factory barrel.

I'd suggest that rather than trying other people's exact loads, you try several types of bullets (long and short flat base, long and short boattails), and several types of powder. Be sure to include at least 4895 (single-base stick powder) and a double-base powder, such as VV N-130, or whatever Reloader DB powder is appropriate. I specifically mention 4895 because it has done so well in so many .223s. By all means try another if you have it to hand.

As has been said so many times, when doing this kind of test (what doesn't work), 3-4 shot groups are enough. Three shot groups are enough to exclude something, except at my range, we get vertical for reasons some of us can't figure out. We do know it has nothing to do with the rifle/load. Therefore, I use 4-shot groups, and if one pops out the top, I don't throw it out just yet.

If you can team up with a couple of people, you don't have to buy all the bullets & powder. Still, 4 boxes of match-grade-but-still-commercial bullets (long & short in both FB an BT) won't set you back too much. It's the 100 grains of various powders that can be expensive to get; that's where sharing comes in.

Once you have a couple of promising combinations, it is time for the multiple 5-shot groups to dial in the rifle.
Click to expand...

Now that's a serious good answer right thar!

al
 
I've got the Model 12 LRPV, mine likes 52 gr Fowlers or 52-53 gr Sierra FB match bullets, best results are with 24.8-25 grs of N133, seated in Lapua brass, 7 1/2 rem or GM 205, seated jumping .065-.070

the wind is my friend,,,,,,,,,,,,

DD
 
I have about 4 Savage 223's and I've tried all sorts of stuff. I mainly stick with 40 grain VMax for shooting prairie dogs and 52 grain Zia bullets (Barts) for shooting paper. The new IMR 8208 seems to be working well with these bullets. H322 and H335 are also good choices of powder for the lighter bullets. I use any brass I can get my hands on and most of my primers are Wolf small rifle magnum or Rem 7 1/2. I see no difference between the two.

Adrian
 
Tried your load for the 12 bvss (1-9 twist) with H322 and 0.015 jump with a 69 gr. MK. It worked, but about 0.5" group. Still better than this rifle has performed in the past. I'm curious as to what COL you ended up with. Any other loads that work with Sierra bullets would also be usefull.
 
I used 24.9grs of H4895, Fed 205M primers, Sierra 69gr bullet, seated .010 from rifling. That load produced many sub .3 5 shot groups. H4895 produced much better velocity and accuracy in my Savage.
 
I've shot a few heavier bullets in my Savage 10 .223 with its factory barrel but not enough to give any advice. My AR with an 8" twist is using 75 gr Hornady HPBT's and liked RL-15 better than either H4895 or Varget at 300 yards which is the farthest I've shot it at. IMR 4007SSC is supposed to work well too with higher velocities than the other three powders, but I haven't tried it in either of my fast twist .223's with heavy bullets. The factory barrel on the Savage stabilized the 75 gr Hornady's with no problem, but your rifle might not.

Assemble all the components, load up ammo and shoot. Then you'll know what your rifle likes.
 
I've had really good results with the following [have Savage 12FCV 1/9 twist in .223] Nolsler pre-pred brass, 23.7 grains of XBR 8208 powder, CCI small rifle primer 450 magnums, Sierra Matchking 69 grain HPBT bullet, with an OCL of 2.360" For right out of factory box best, 5 shot group at 100 yds was 1/4 inch and 3/4inch at 200 yards. Have also found my Savage, for what ever reason, shoots extremely well, after the first 10 rounds. Before any match I always go to the range early and fire off that first 10 rounds. Conjecture on my part but think it may have something to do with the 'railroad tracks" in savage barrels filling and smoothing out with copper.
Gina
 
75 hpbt's yes. the 75 gr amax....is longer and may not.
Larry Elliott said:
I've shot a few heavier bullets in my Savage 10 .223 with its factory barrel but not enough to give any advice. My AR with an 8" twist is using 75 gr Hornady HPBT's and liked RL-15 better than either H4895 or Varget at 300 yards which is the farthest I've shot it at. IMR 4007SSC is supposed to work well too with higher velocities than the other three powders, but I haven't tried it in either of my fast twist .223's with heavy bullets. The factory barrel on the Savage stabilized the 75 gr Hornady's with no problem, but your rifle might not.

Assemble all the components, load up ammo and shoot. Then you'll know what your rifle likes.
Click to expand...
 
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