Hi everyone, hey I just picked up my new Savage model 12 F/TR .308 today. I have also mounted my new NightForce 12x42x56 benchrest scope a top this rifle. I will be shooting this in stock form this my first season. Any suggestion on get the most out of this stock set up ?? thanks in advance . rottenronnie 8)
New to the F/TR shooting sport
- Thread starter rottenronnie
- Start date
Welcome to the sport, an your new rifle will suit you just fine. That's the same one I started out with.
Since you are shooting it in its stock form here is what I learned from mine:
A good set of bipods there is an abundance of choices I personally use the ones from GNergy he is a forum member.
Ensure your cheek piece suits you an you are comfortable with it. I opted for the kydex one where its more of a DIY.
A good rear bag, since your stock has a more sporter style than a flat style, I would flip mine 180 degrees so it would ride better.
Your chamber is short, most savages are if I remember correctly mine was 2.775. I left mine alone an loaded to mag length 2.800 an it shot great.
The trigger is easy to get carried away as far as adjustment from the factory my was set at 12 oz. I added weight to get comfortable with it.
I eventually replaced the stock to a Master class stock for the adjustment features.
But for now get to learn the sport an ask as well as watch others. An adjust your best to suit your needs.
Memo
Since you are shooting it in its stock form here is what I learned from mine:
A good set of bipods there is an abundance of choices I personally use the ones from GNergy he is a forum member.
Ensure your cheek piece suits you an you are comfortable with it. I opted for the kydex one where its more of a DIY.
A good rear bag, since your stock has a more sporter style than a flat style, I would flip mine 180 degrees so it would ride better.
Your chamber is short, most savages are if I remember correctly mine was 2.775. I left mine alone an loaded to mag length 2.800 an it shot great.
The trigger is easy to get carried away as far as adjustment from the factory my was set at 12 oz. I added weight to get comfortable with it.
I eventually replaced the stock to a Master class stock for the adjustment features.
But for now get to learn the sport an ask as well as watch others. An adjust your best to suit your needs.
Memo
Erik Cortina
Team Lapua Brux Borden Captain
Your current setup should work well to get started. A lot of guys here think I'm anti-Savage, but I'm not, here's my advise. Learn to shoot the factory trigger, do not try to get it so light that it slam fires. Do not fall for the lift kits, aftermarket triggers, action truing, or none of that. The only thing I would change is the barrel if the factory one does not shoot well in the first couple of hundred rounds. Bullets are the most expensive thing you will buy, so don't waste them shooting them through a bad barrel.
If you get serious about the game, save up and build a custom rifle on an action that will can use a Jewell trigger. Good luck and welcome to the forum.
If you get serious about the game, save up and build a custom rifle on an action that will can use a Jewell trigger. Good luck and welcome to the forum.
I will second what Erik said as well. For FTR and a decent hold, the factory trigger in 2 years has never failed me. A prefit Shillen and a Kick Eeze buttpad and your life will be easier!
You can even send Shillen some sample rounds and they can throat the barrel to them. Best money I have spent yet was on the Shillen barrel
You can even send Shillen some sample rounds and they can throat the barrel to them. Best money I have spent yet was on the Shillen barrel
XTR
F-TR obssessed shooting junkie
I've had any number of guys shooting Savage FTRs kick my arse.
There are surely things you can do to improve it, but it will shoot 10s, if you get the wind right, and for a while, you may not.
Shoot it, a lot. When you have 2000 rounds on the barrel and are looking at getting a new one, then look at changes.
There are surely things you can do to improve it, but it will shoot 10s, if you get the wind right, and for a while, you may not.
Shoot it, a lot. When you have 2000 rounds on the barrel and are looking at getting a new one, then look at changes.
Alexander-M
Gold $$ Contributor
RottenRonnie
First of all, you have taken the absolute best first step – joining this forum!
Read it as frequently as you can, and you will not regret it. But beware, as what I say under my signature, below, is very true and sometimes frustrating.
Late in 2013 I started F-T/R by shooting one match with a DPMS 308 Panther Long Range rifle, which allowed me to score 280-8x (30 rounds), and I was hooked. I bought a Savage 12 F-T/R, just as you did, made a stock extension to suit me, installed a Karsten Model A adjustable cheek-piece, a Nightforce NXS 12-42x56 .125 MOA NP-R2, a Centershot bipod (later a Duplin), and was good to go.
I shot several more matches like that, and it was fine, but the angle of the stock contacting the rear bag bothered me as it required more realigning that I cared to do after each shot. So the next modification was to level the bottom of the rear portion of the stock. I believe these may be available commercially as ‘rear bag-riders’, but I decided to roll my own. The bag-rider I made works just fine, the rifle tracks better, and corrections between shots are easier. Since I use the Duplin bipod (also true of the Centershot), I can make any required final elevation tweaking with a minimal bag squeeze.
Late last year, after about one year shooting the Savage and thoroughly enjoying it, the (red)blade of the AccuTrigger started bothering me. I don’t know why, but it started distracting my trigger pull. Anyway, after a lot of searching, I decided to replace the AccuTrigger with a Sharp Shooter Supply competition trigger. I did the replacement myself, and although not difficult, it was a bit tedious; especially the adjustment so it would not slam-fire. I had the AccuTrigger adjusted to about 14-oz pull, and ended up adjusting the SSS comp trigger to about 10-12 oz, which is just fine for me. I posted a thread on this forum of the trigger replacement.
I shot my last match last year with the new trigger and did OK; 1170-42x, which was good enough for the Master classification, and was just 6 points shy of High Master.
BTW, I use Lapua brass with just simple full-length resizing and length trimming, 168-gr SMK, and 45 grains of Varget.
I will probably shoot a couple more matches with the Savage, and then hope to start using a new rifle, which should be ready in a month or two.
Good luck!
Nando
First of all, you have taken the absolute best first step – joining this forum!
Read it as frequently as you can, and you will not regret it. But beware, as what I say under my signature, below, is very true and sometimes frustrating.Late in 2013 I started F-T/R by shooting one match with a DPMS 308 Panther Long Range rifle, which allowed me to score 280-8x (30 rounds), and I was hooked. I bought a Savage 12 F-T/R, just as you did, made a stock extension to suit me, installed a Karsten Model A adjustable cheek-piece, a Nightforce NXS 12-42x56 .125 MOA NP-R2, a Centershot bipod (later a Duplin), and was good to go.
I shot several more matches like that, and it was fine, but the angle of the stock contacting the rear bag bothered me as it required more realigning that I cared to do after each shot. So the next modification was to level the bottom of the rear portion of the stock. I believe these may be available commercially as ‘rear bag-riders’, but I decided to roll my own. The bag-rider I made works just fine, the rifle tracks better, and corrections between shots are easier. Since I use the Duplin bipod (also true of the Centershot), I can make any required final elevation tweaking with a minimal bag squeeze.
Late last year, after about one year shooting the Savage and thoroughly enjoying it, the (red)blade of the AccuTrigger started bothering me. I don’t know why, but it started distracting my trigger pull. Anyway, after a lot of searching, I decided to replace the AccuTrigger with a Sharp Shooter Supply competition trigger. I did the replacement myself, and although not difficult, it was a bit tedious; especially the adjustment so it would not slam-fire. I had the AccuTrigger adjusted to about 14-oz pull, and ended up adjusting the SSS comp trigger to about 10-12 oz, which is just fine for me. I posted a thread on this forum of the trigger replacement.
I shot my last match last year with the new trigger and did OK; 1170-42x, which was good enough for the Master classification, and was just 6 points shy of High Master.
BTW, I use Lapua brass with just simple full-length resizing and length trimming, 168-gr SMK, and 45 grains of Varget.
I will probably shoot a couple more matches with the Savage, and then hope to start using a new rifle, which should be ready in a month or two.
Good luck!
Nando
Thanks everyone for the great advice, I will be breaking in the barrel this up coming weekend.. Can't wait. thanks everyone ... rottenronnie.
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