new toy showing promise

[the shotty]

So I have been on this site almost daily for the past 9 months learning everything I could. After months of research I found the savage 12 lrp in .260 on their website. After the 4 month wait I finally received the new toy in late april but due to weather just been reloading a bunch of combinations of ammo to try. I got some 130 gr AB, 140 gr amaxes, 140 gr bergers, and some 100 gr b-tips to try out. I had some RE15 and some H4350 so I just made up a bunch of recipes. I got bored with black on black so I decided on a paint job last night using some krylon I had laying around . so here's some specs:
Barrel- 26 inch 1:8
Savage target action and trigger
detachable 4 round mag
H-S stock skim bedded with jb weld by me
Leupold vx III 6.5-20x40 1 inch tube with AO and target turrets
burris tactical rings
EGW 20 moa base

pics

I was sighting in with my coyote loads of 43 gr RE15 behind a nosler b-tip, after 5 shots to get zeroed I decided to do a ladder test on the NABs I had worked up. I use new Rem brass at max recommended length and used RE 15 with 215m fed primers. I don't have a chrony right now but there's one particular load of 37 gr that did quite well . range was 114 yards and the gun was semi broken in. total round count is 50

this is my first real attempt at any of this, I've reloaded for my ar15, 45 lc and .454, and my 300wsm but really feel like this has come together the best and easiest.

 

[liltank]

Very nice! I like my Savages. Is the barrel a Savage barrel? Good looking rig. Keep us posted.

Tank

 

[WyoElk2Hunt]

Nice paint job, looks like your getting ready.

 

[brentc]

I've got a similar gun in a fast twist 22-250. Mine is the standard stainless VLP. They will shoot for sure. I love mine.

 

[tt35]

Nice paint job. The group look good too! Should make you an excellent LR rig.

 

[johnnyk]

Nice, professional looking paint job. I would have thought it was a factory job. Overall, that's a nice looking rig! From your group photos it doesn't look like you'll need much of a barrel break-in for it. What height are your Burris rings?

My stainless 112 in 6.5-284 Norma started life as a BVSS configuration but after 200 rds I swapped stocks with another forum member. Now it's glass bedded and rides a VLP laminate. The first three bullets I shot from it were 100gn Ballistic Tip reloads and they produced a .3" group at 100yds. I really expected the groups to hover around and inch for the first 50-100 rounds, which in the past is what I have experienced with "Big Green", while doing barrel break-in.

This Savage "hit the ground running". I have found several powders that this rifle likes and right now I'm loading 58.5gn of RL25, BR2's and 120gn Ballistic Tips at 3225fps. This produces consistent sub 1/2" at 100yds and my best 500yd group, so far, of 1.5". That's great for a factory rifle with absolutely zero mods.

Good luck with yours and keep us posted on load development. JohnnyK.

 

[JeffP40]

Looks pretty good so far. A couple of things at first glance. Your scope rings are too high for your set-up. Too much clearance over the barrel makes your cheek weld unstable because you have to raise your head up to see thru the scope. Get at least the next lower set of rings, you should be able to sell these to recoup at least most of your expense.. As long as the scope is not touching the barrel, the lower the better, usually. With the relatively low comb on that stock, you may even need a riser or stock pack to get your head up where it needs to be. You may be used to shooting your AR up high, but you will be surprised how much easier it is to shoot consistantly when things fit right.
Where was your point of aim with the ladder? If it was all for the center bull, you are getting a lot of horizontal stringing. That is usually from inconsistant shooting technique, probably from that cheek weld thing, the make-shift rear rest, maybe trigger pull, probably all three. Get a good small rear bag, it will make a big difference. Also, "load" the bipod slightly. Put a little forward pressure against the legs to get a consistant feel
Now, as you go along, get rid of the two shot groups, they don't tell much. I would be willing to bet that the you can't replicate the 37gr group again. It shows promise, but that is all. Just because they were that close, doesn't mean it will be that way all the time. Use five shot groups to give you a better idea of what you and the load can do. Once you get better at the shooting part, repeat the ladder at distance. Go at least 3-400 yds. any closer, and you will not get results that are meaningful, too hard to tell load dispersion from shooter error.
Good start, you will have fun learning and shooting at long range. Once you think you are getting it down, something else will rear it's ugly head, and you will have to figure it out. (like wind).
Let us know how your are coming along, and read a lot on these forums, there are a lot of guys who have already done the things you are getting to do to start out.

 

[liltank]

You can use low rings in the XTR's. I use to have a set w/ my EGW base and a 1" tube.

Tank

 

[the shotty]

the barrel is the factory savage. I was reloading the NABs to do more of a test of what the max load would be with max published load of 38.3. In hind sight I should have done A. load in .5 increments rather than 1 gr increments. and B. load at least 3 rounds per test grouping for accuracy. Rings are a bit tall but they were the shortest one I could get a hold of, I am planning on doing a bag or something to bring the cheek weld up a bit and make that situation better. the poncho in the pictures was only used for the pictures, I had a backpack but you couldn't see the gun as well. My plan at this point is to do a number of loads in ,2 gr increments from 36.8-37.6 to really pin point my best accuracy. On another side note, I talked to somebody today were I hunt and they watched both a 200+ black bear and a good size cougar yesterday on the property! I can't wait till August when season opens!!!

 

[the shotty]

also, in shooting from the bipod I do have a slight preload in pushing forward with my feet. in the target I aimed for the outside bullseyes then the 3l and 2r at the top of the target.

 

[Eaglet]

So I have been on this site almost daily for the past 9 months learning everything I could. After months of research I found the savage 12 lrp in .260 on their website. After the 4 month wait I finally received the new toy in late april but due to weather just been reloading a bunch of combinations of ammo to try. I got some 130 gr AB, 140 gr amaxes, 140 gr bergers, and some 100 gr b-tips to try out. I had some RE15 and some H4350 so I just made up a bunch of recipes. I got bored with black on black so I decided on a paint job last night using some krylon I had laying around . so here's some specs:
Barrel- 26 inch 1:8
Savage target action and trigger
detachable 4 round mag
H-S stock skim bedded with jb weld by me
Leupold vx III 6.5-20x40 1 inch tube with AO and target turrets
burris tactical rings
EGW 20 moa base

pics

I was sighting in with my coyote loads of 43 gr RE15 behind a nosler b-tip, after 5 shots to get zeroed I decided to do a ladder test on the NABs I had worked up. I use new Rem brass at max recommended length and used RE 15 with 215m fed primers. I don't have a chrony right now but there's one particular load of 37 gr that did quite well . range was 114 yards and the gun was semi broken in. total round count is 50

this is my first real attempt at any of this, I've reloaded for my ar15, 45 lc and .454, and my 300wsm but really feel like this has come together the best and easiest.

Beautiful! I guess it just doesn't get better than that!!! Right on the node

 

[Jinx-)]

I did some load testing on the same LRP in 260 if it helps you here what I had:

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I must say thats a good looking paint you did. I personaly would stick to the H4350 or H414. I will get you faster speeds than the R15 in my experience. I got 2950fps out of my 260 with 140g AMAX and H4350 same twist rate but I had an inch more barrel.

 

[Jinx-)]

Forgot to mention it, I used 139 gr Lapua Scenars, they got really good BC, I think like .600, I also tried H4350 and H4831CS, but I think RL-15 grouped better.