NGD: Savage 110 Predator 6.5 Creedmoor

[les strat]

One of the biggest key's to the savage accustock is torque tuning the rifle. My 6.5 model 10 would shoot inside 1/2moa easily after torque tuning the action to the stock. .75" 5 shot groups at 300yds. Not .75 MOA but .75" Sub 2" groups at 500yds all from a bone stock rifle with a beast 2pc brake which also can be tuned by moving it in out and from the 12 o'clock position to 10 to remove some of the twisting effect.
I used the burris signature tactical rings and put 25 moa into the rings. I'd also consider peterson brass. ADG and then lapua. I used Rl 26 to get my best groups and single digit ES. I did a 130 shot string over the crono and even with leaving the rounds in the chamber for up to 2 minutes for data I saw a 57fps swing in outdoor temps in the 32-36 degree. 4955 showed promise but it wasn't as good in the short amount of testing I did. Rl 16 had more speed than h4350 but it shot best at the same speed h4350 with large rifle brass did. RL 26 would really shine in longer than 24" barrels whereas the 4350's and Rl 15/16 as well as cfe223 is amazing in the shorter barrels. The 120 class shot very well in the cold with 100V. I shot 120 and 123 serria's into one hole groups using that powder. It was a nice load that had the same 0 as the 125gn winchester deer xp load. The new owner of that rifle will be using that this fall for whitetails in New england so I hope to get a report as to how that works for the people who need a good factory load for their creeds. It holds sub moa out to 480(as far as I have shot that before selling the rifle)

Man your posts are making me lick my chops for this rifle. It didn't come in at my LGS. Monday hopefully.

A friend shot the rifle and had to have it. Best thing for both of us was the fact it shoots everything you put through it. I had 3 different seating depths for different velocities and cold bore.
All with the 147 with danzac coating
2.855 2.840 and 2.820. I ran the 120's with the seater set for the 2.855 147 load don't remember the coal but it was with the boat tail out of the body for sure. I wish I shot more than the 100v with the lighter bullets for the sake of data. It shot so well I just couldn't make the time nor wanted to. Very first handloads were with that bullet and it went into hole at 100 in near zero temps in the mid 2800's fps. It was 1 grn off the top of the hodgdon data online in norma brass. Which is also very consistent

Hope mine is that consistent. I do not reload.... yet. That is my next venture.

Congrats on the Savage Predator. I have played with 5 savages. 3- 22-250 predators and 2- 6.5 creed in LRHs . All are shooters. Just adjust the trigger and proper torque of stock and all shoot under 1/2 MOA with factory ammo.
Not sure if you took the bases off yet that came with the predator rifles but they are a bear! not sure how they put them on in the factory but the screws are cheap and heads of screws strips when trying to remove them. I had to carefully drill the heads off the screws and pull the base off and then back the rest of screw out with pliers. Maybe I am unlucky but everyone has done this for me Installed rails on them after getting the garbage bases off! There are some things I don't like about the savage engineering but all that I have played with are very good shooters.

Lord I hope I won't have to go through all that to get those weaver mounts off! I've also heard stories of them barely being tightened lo. Thanks man!

I saw the article from team savage on the Bulletin. I went in 5 in/# increments ended up 35 front and 30 back for the first 100-150 rounds. I started to get a flier every now and then so I tried again and ended up fiddling around with 40 25 37 27 40 30 and ended back at 35 30. The flier issue ended up being bullet sorting. I had been very meticulous for the first couple hundred rounds then I was putting together so much ammo I stopped and the eld-m's just are not as consistent as the bergers or serrias. I love they way they shot in the gun so I sorted the 6 boxes I had left and the fliers went away. The 142's I had never sorted and they just shot well but in the wind let's just say my wind skills are not like they use to be.
I bought a 308 to replace that 6.5 just to reacquire myself to paying attention more. I know right away when I don't now lol

Thanks so much. I will try your method for sure. You seem to have it down to a science lol!

 

[les strat]

Thanks to all that have commented. The Predator didn't make it to the LGS as of yesterday.

Right now, I'm hashing between a good TPS steel picatinny tail and some TPS or Seekins rings vs a DNZ Tactical Game Reaper one-piece rig. I have had great luck with the DNZ on my 30-06. So little to go wrong with those units with less areas to fail. I am big on steel, but aluminum rigs have come a long way. I just want it locked down and stable.

 

[les strat]

Well, it came in today. Great feeling rifle! Perfect weight without being obnoxiously heavy, yet still having a substantial barrel. I adjusted the accutrigger down to the lowest setting until my new spring comes in. Will be a few days before I mount the scope. I've ordered the DNZ Game Reaper Tactical (4 screws per ring) one-piece rig for my 1" tube Monarch until I go up the a 30mm tube higher powered scope, then I will probably go all steel Seekins. Or as money allows, lol. Thanks for all the great input.

 

[Gregger]

I have the 110 tactical in 6.5, great shooter. I really like the looks of your stock, looks sharp.

 

[les strat]

I have the 110 tactical in 6.5, great shooter. I really like the looks of your stock, looks sharp.View attachment 108513

Nice rifle!

I went back and forth between these two and the black version of the tactical for over a week. I wonder if mine can take the same 10-round mags?

 

[basinman]

I just prefer a one-piece picatinny rail.

I don't know about the Savage but my Ruger American Predator in 6.5C came with a 20 moa and it works great from 100 to 1000 with a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44.

 

[les strat]

I don't know about the Savage but my Ruger American Predator in 6.5C came with a 20 moa and it works great from 100 to 1000 with a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44.

When I get some more $ saved for my next scope in 30mm, I will definitely go with a 20mm steel rail and some good steel rings.

 

[les strat]

Got the Nikon on today and tuned the stock incrementally the way CaptRB mentioned. Going to do the break-in tomorrow.

 

[Capt RB]

Looks good best of luck

 

[les strat]

Looks good best of luck

Thank you.
Here's a couple of my 5 shot groups @ 100 yds during barrel break-in. Has many all touching and holes in holes. Fed Americans Eagle 140gr. I ended up having it zeroed ~2" high at 100. The only thing holding the rifle back is me and that 25mph wind last Saturday lol. That politician sign my target was on was a moving target haha. Can't wait to take it out to 200 and beyond. Fun stuff.

 

[Capt RB]

I used that same eagle stuff for break in. Because it shoots well in your rifle try this for your reloads. Take one of these rounds and put that in your shell holder. Now run this up to it's highest position in your press and then run your seater down so it just touches your round. This will be a great starting point for any bullet you choose. The coal will be different for different bullets but the base to ogive should be the same. This should let you do your powder ladder test in one day. If it's not a one hole single digit sd you can then do a .002 different coal for that bullet to get that one hole again quite quickly in the node. Best of luck with your new stick!!

 

[les strat]

I used that same eagle stuff for break in. Because it shoots well in your rifle try this for your reloads. Take one of these rounds and put that in your shell holder. Now run this up to it's highest position in your press and then run your seater down so it just touches your round. This will be a great starting point for any bullet you choose. The coal will be different for different bullets but the base to ogive should be the same. This should let you do your powder ladder test in one day. If it's not a one hole single digit sd you can then do a .002 different coal for that bullet to get that one hole again quite quickly in the node. Best of luck with your new stick!!

Thank you. I have not gotten into reloading yet. That is my next venture. As much as I have been shooting, I need to. I've kept all my brass.