Browningguy
10-29-2011, 12:59 PM
I just changed out the barrel ( and I did it with no help) which is a pretty big accomplishment for someone with no mechanical skill at all. It is a 28" Lothar Walther, 8 twist, varmint contour, these are supposed to be taper lapped at the facotry. At the same time I added a 20 MOA base, the scope is a Weaver Grand Slam 6.5-20 which has been on it since new. The down side was I forgot to replace the 20 moa inserts in the ZEE rings so I was at +40 moa and could not get on the bullseye at 100. Luckily I noticed this bore sighting before I shot it so I wound up aiming at the letters on the bottom of the target and hitting at the top of the target. I've already gone back to the 0 moa inserts and bore sighted so one less thing to worry about next trip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/savage12fvLWbarrel1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/savage12fvLWbarrel2.jpg
I am very pleased with it so far. This morning I did a barrel break in ran some factory Federal 85 gr. SGK loads though it and some handloads I just threw together that used to shoot decently in my old barrel. I did go down 1 1/2 gr. of powder just to be safe. Over the next couple of weeks I'll work up some loads to see if I can get it shooting better.
The 85 SGK load is superb, I liked it in my factory barrel also since it would shoot around .8" pretty consistantly. in the LW the very first group was this one at 100 yards off the wobbly benches at ASC in Houston:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/LWSierra85Factory.jpg
For a weak Berger 68 gr. FB load this one shows promise, I'll keep working on it to find what it really likes.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/LW68Berger45gr.jpg
The barrel cleaned up really easy, I ran 2 wet patches to get out powder fouling, then one to get out copper, and the barrel was clean.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/savage12fvLWbarrel1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/savage12fvLWbarrel2.jpg
I am very pleased with it so far. This morning I did a barrel break in ran some factory Federal 85 gr. SGK loads though it and some handloads I just threw together that used to shoot decently in my old barrel. I did go down 1 1/2 gr. of powder just to be safe. Over the next couple of weeks I'll work up some loads to see if I can get it shooting better.
The 85 SGK load is superb, I liked it in my factory barrel also since it would shoot around .8" pretty consistantly. in the LW the very first group was this one at 100 yards off the wobbly benches at ASC in Houston:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/LWSierra85Factory.jpg
For a weak Berger 68 gr. FB load this one shows promise, I'll keep working on it to find what it really likes.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/jcm9371/Rifles/LW68Berger45gr.jpg
The barrel cleaned up really easy, I ran 2 wet patches to get out powder fouling, then one to get out copper, and the barrel was clean.