savage 6br converted to 308

R

rsmithsr

Well-known member
OK this is to be an "accurate" rifle. but not a bench rest rifle
308 win 175 smk's or lapua 185's, lapua brass
something UNDER 1 moa out to 800 yards, 1/2 moa would be great but not required.
donor rifle was a 6 BR Savage Model 12 LRPV; Factory hvy SS 26" bbl w/1-12" T
bedded H S PRECISION stock.
bbl replaced with a lilja mk13 1/10 cut to 24", with a threaded muzzle, palma 95 reamer.
lapua 185's comes out to a tad under 2.83 at "touch", lapua palma brass. fed primers, n140 powder.
i have shot this powder and bullet in 308 before so i expect quick load development.
goal is under 1 moa out to 800 yards.
 
bbl back from SBN, all assembled.
bore sighted at 40yds and 2 shots
2 shots at 100 and good
then just one shot at 200 and good.
i was going to do a shoot and clean for 5 shots,
but the SBN is very HARD...LIKE A ROCK. so really no break in, just shoot it.
i did clean after 5 shots...no copper
i shot an 8 shot ladder at 200 yards( i have shot this bullet/primer powder before)

less than 1.5" spread for 7 of 8 shots. shot 7 was a flier....no known cause, velocity was on...probably the shooter
that was a 1.8 gr spread of powder. ran from just under 2500 to just over 2600 fps.
need to pick some spots and shoot some groups.
( i just cleaned the bore...8 shots...no copper..none)
no hiccups, brass looks good/primers look good, bolt ran ok
 
well 200 yard shooting produced three large groups and one small.
1.5-2.5 3 shot groups with a just over 1/2" for the winner.
need to back it up with some 5 shot groups, get some zeros.
i did one more mod...shortened the ejector spring, cases eject on the bench
and bolt closing is softer and smoother.
 
shot two 5 shot groups today at 200 yards. a little windier.
aver is 1.3 so .65 which is still inside my goal.( under 1)
now to load more and get some zeros
 
installed this scope
Leupold VX-3i LRP 8.5-25x50mm 30mm Side Focus TMOA Riflescope, Matte, 172345
and took off the vortex viper hs-t 6-24. nice improvement.

So the big news is i screwed up the loads for the previous data.
i used the wrong lot of primers.
for zeroing the new scope and establishing 100/200/300 yards zeros...the correct formula was used.
at 100 i have .63 but twice i did 2 shot groups at .101 and .120.
at 200 i have .528 which is .269 , this is up 2.5" from 100 and left .5
at 300 i have .824 which is . 275 , this is up 3" from 200 with no windage adjustment.
the cross hairs do not cross but with an open in the center. tuff for small groups at short range,
but fairly easy to center up on as the distance get longer.
the new scope fits the job very nicely.
the plan was less the 1 moa, with 1/2 being great.
life is good
 
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today was 600 yards at ben avery.
nice mild day low slo winds
no issues hitting 600 up about 1" from a projected 15.75 added about 1/4 to windage.
all in all not bad for a "target' rifle( less than a bench gun more than a hunting rifle)
 
I have the Savage 12 LRPV in 6mm Norma BR, and I also have the Savage 12 BR in 308. See my buttstock cut off in the Gunsmith thread. I've been through quite an adventure with the 6mm BR. Below is a post I wrote over on the Accurate Shooter forum.

Somewhere around 2015 I purchased this rifle for 400-600 yards at my hunt club target field. It lived in my safe for a couple years until I bought a new Leupold 35 X 45 scope which is perfect for my use with the rifle. Mounted the scope in nice solid bases and rings, purchased a $75 box of Lapua factory loads so I could use the brass, and off to the range I went.
I could not get the rifle to hit paper, and I was at a 100 yard range that did not allow targets closer. I boresighted and fired. No holes in the largest target I had. I went to a friends house where i could start with a target 25 yards away. No holes, Moved the target closer and finally got a hole on the left edge of a LARGE paper posterboard. Started adjusting the scope to the right and hit the stops as far as the scope would go, still 16 inches left!
Is the problem with the scope, drilled and tapped mounting off center? Crooked barrel? Finally took a chance and sent the rifle back to Savage. A couple months later I got the rifle back with a work order but no description what was done. Same thing. Rifle shooting so far left I could not get it to center. Frustrated and anti Savage by now, I called Savage and ask WTH was happening. I sent the rifle back again and they rebarreled and finally, finally, I can shoot center of target.
Now that the rifle is shooting, I loaded some new Lapua cases starting with 30.0 grains of Varget over a 90 gr Lapua scenar bullet, shot 3 shot groups of 1 1/4 at 100. Started sneaking up on the loading length to the lands and at 31.5 grains same load i was shooting 1 inch groups. I know the gun can do better, the length of pull is a little long for me, but give me some loads of some of your tight shooting groups. Its been a long backstory with this rifle, and sorry to make the post so long. I think this rifle has the potential to do better, not sure about the shooter. :)

PS I have several Savage rifles so I'm not anti Savage, but was a little frustrated.
 
My above post was to say I'm very interested in your results with 308 since I just bought the Savage 12 BR in 308. Maybe I should have went the route you did and begin with the 6mm and rebarrel. Believe or not the few times i've fired the BR, as heavy as it is, the recoil makes it difficult to get set for another shot. I didn't expect this, and I've begun thinking of rebarreling with a .30 BR. Thoughts?
Bruce
 
both rifles may work for club matches WITH THE RIGHT COMPONENTS.
lapua brass, target bullets from a bullet maker, not a retail company( minor exceptions)

if recoil is an issue go back to the 6br and look at 88/95 gr private label bullets.

you also need a repeatable solid front and rear rest
 
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