Savage 12 6br and 105vld

[Cory porter]

I know there is a ton of post out there with 105 vlds, but it seems there is not much with factory savages.

I have a stock savage benchrest 6br that shoots 105 amax great right at the lands. I will be shooting this at 300 yards 99% of the time and wanted to give the vlds a chance.

I will be using lapua brass and cci450 primers. I have imr 4895, Varget and 8208. Also I have read mixed reviews on vlds being jammed/at lands/into lands.

What's everyone's ideas on load devolpment.

 

[swadiver]

I had the F Class version of that rifle for a bit. i tried Varget and Reloader 15 with that bullet. it seemed to like a lower charge compared to the "standard" 30 grs of Varget load. try working up from 27.5 of Varget. the VLD's shot best for me jammed .015" into the lands. hope this helps.

 

[Barrel Nut]

I've had good results in 600 yd BR competition with the VLD Hunting version, which I'm told is the same as the VLD but with a lighter jacket which makes it easier to form a more perfect meplat. I usually shoot it with IMR 4895 just a bit warmer than published max (measured to the closest .02gr), bullets seated for a .010 jump in my 28" 1:8 twist Shilen Match Select Barrel on a Savage action. I use CCI 450 primers, Lapua brass, and a pretty light neck tension. Oh yeah, I moly coat my bullets using the "wet" method and point them as well.

In our monthly local matches, I frequently shoot smallest group or highest score with this recipe; sometimes both.

Of course, this means nothing to you except as a curiosity because you MUST test various powders, all possible charge weights, and various seating depths to see what works best for YOUR rifle. As you can see from the first two posts, you're getting various opinions already, both of which are valid for OUR rifles. swadiver likes Varget and RL-15, both of which I've tried, but IMR 4895 and CFE-223 work better in MY gun.

 

[Cory porter]

I've had good results in 600 yd BR competition with the VLD Hunting version, which I'm told is the same as the VLD but with a lighter jacket which makes it easier to form a more perfect meplat. I usually shoot it with IMR 4895 just a bit warmer than published max (measured to the closest .02gr), bullets seated for a .010 jump in my 28" 1:8 twist Shilen Match Select Barrel on a Savage action. I use CCI 450 primers, Lapua brass, and a pretty light neck tension. Oh yeah, I moly coat my bullets using the "wet" method and point them as well.

In our monthly local matches, I frequently shoot smallest group or highest score with this recipe; sometimes both.

Of course, this means nothing to you except as a curiosity because you MUST test various powders, all possible charge weights, and various seating depths to see what works best for YOUR rifle. As you can see from the first two posts, you're getting various opinions already, both of which are valid for OUR rifles. swadiver likes Varget and RL-15, both of which I've tried, but IMR 4895 and CFE-223 work better in MY gun.

Right, I think that could be due to the 6br shooting great with basically 95% of loads. 105 bullet 30g Varget or similar to the lands or close. It should shoot, I've just read where vld's can be tricky

 

[1raggedhole]

I know there is a ton of post out there with 105 vlds, but it seems there is not much with factory savages.

I have a stock savage benchrest 6br that shoots 105 amax great right at the lands. I will be shooting this at 300 yards 99% of the time and wanted to give the vlds a chance.

I will be using lapua brass and cci450 primers. I have imr 4895, Varget and 8208. Also I have read mixed reviews on vlds being jammed/at lands/into lands.

What's everyone's ideas on load devolpment.

I am shooting a Savage 12 LRPV converted to 6BR with Criterion bbl, and it really likes the 105 A-Max touching the lands. I've tried jumping them and the groups opened up significantly. CCI 450 and 29.8 Varget.

 

[HTSmith]

I'd start with Varget. Seating depth matters a lot with the VLD's. I'd start jammed and work your way back off the lands.

 

[ASbobcat]

I know there is a ton of post out there with 105 vlds, but it seems there is not much with factory savages.

I have a stock savage benchrest 6br that shoots 105 amax great right at the lands. I will be shooting this at 300 yards 99% of the time and wanted to give the vlds a chance.

I will be using lapua brass and cci450 primers. I have imr 4895, Varget and 8208. Also I have read mixed reviews on vlds being jammed/at lands/into lands.

What's everyone's ideas on load devolpment.

My Savage 12F factory 6BR loves Berger 105VLD's jumped .015". Target bullets are good, but the Hunting version is slightly more accurate and, as another member correctly pointed out, the thinner jacket makes it easier to point the metplats.
Try 33.5gr of RL17 between them and CCI450's. In my gun (factory 30in bbl) I see 2950fps and sub .25moa consistently with no signs of pressure in Lapua brass.

 

[RonAKA]

My Savage LRPV is limited to 80 grain flat base due to a 12 twist barrel. However, I have found with all flat base bullets (68-80 grains) it shoots best with a 0.010" jam. I avoid seating right at the lands, as I feel I don't have the loading quality control to consistently just touch the lands. Seems to me that normal variations in seating depth would end up with a mixture of bullets touching, just in, or just off, and that would contribute to variability in the point of impact.

 

[cs700]

My Savage 12 factory f-class model 6br likes Berger 105 Hybrids, jammed .005, with 29.2gr RL15 CCI450 primer Lapua brass AS 2820fps.

 

[walker2713]

A friend at our club's 300 and 600 yard benchrest matches is dominating the factory class with a Savage BR model using 105 vld's and 29 grains of H4895. YMMV.