My rig is a Savage 12fv in .243 with the stock 26" barrel (1:9.25" twist). I use a Mueller 8.5-25x44 AO Mueller mil dot scope sitting on a single-piece Ironsighter base. I recommend all of the above hardware unless you have more money. The scope is a pleasant surprise; just $150 and the glass is pretty decent. It goes dark long before my brother's VXII, though.

I went to the range for about 5 hours to test my handloads. It was about 70 degrees, sunny, with a pretty constant 5mph wind from the left. All shots were taken off one of those cheapo rubbery rests.

1. The Hornady claims are correct - I would recommend avoiding the 105-grain A-Max bullets. I loaded some with 3 different powders and they all shot multi-inch groups at 50 yards. At least the bullets didn't go in sideways. Take that, Phil. :P

2. Hornady 75-grain V-Max bullets do just fine. All of my 4-shot groups were sub-moa; the best was just north of .25" at 100yds. The formula was Remington brass, CCI (regular) primers, 75-grain V-Max bullet seated just off the lands, and 38.0 grains of Hodgdon Varget.

http://www.orummi.com/kyle01/savage/hrnd75vrgt38.jpg

Good looking groups 3cl. I shoot two different 243's, a Ruger #1 and a Rem 700 VLS. If your rifle likes light bullets you might try some of the Nosler 55 grain Ballistic tips. I'm shooting them behind H414 at 3950 fps and it's one of the best coyote stoppers I've ever shot and I'm getting pretty good groups with them.

Thanks! I just might give that a try; that kind of speed sounds tantalizing. My twist rate might be a bit fast, though. I've shot some 58-grain bullets that printed well, but not as well as these heavier bullets.

I'm shooting them in a 1 in 10 Ruger and the Rem is a 1 in 9 3/4 twist and your right they don't group quite as well as some of the heavier bullets, but boy do they kill well. Ground squirrels are just a blue haze out to about 150 yards.

This is three shots at a hundred yards with the 55's.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Preditor%20masters/Targets/100_6149.jpg

what power range is your brothers vxII? that mueller at it's lowest setting (8.5) will only have a exit pupil of 5.1 and goes down from there. if you're comparing it to a scope with a much lower power range yea the other scope is going to be brighter in low light conditions unless you crank the other scope up to at least 8.5 and then compare. muellers are a decent buy for the money and rich takes care of any problems you might have. i had the eradicator on my model 12 before i sold the rig a couple years ago.

http://shootersforum.com/C:\Documents and Settings\Jim Carr\My Documents\6cmtarget.gifA Savage Model 12 action, a 6mm 1-7 1/2 Krieger barrel chambered by David Bruno in 6CM. Farrell 20MOA base with Leupold PRW rings and a Weaver T24 scope. Shoots .243 Winchester brass to fire formed with Sierra 107s on top of 46.0 gr. H1000. Then the fire formed brass is loaded with DTAC 115s over 49.0 gr. H1000 with CCI BR2. This is in a Bell and Carlson Medalist stock. This rig shoots better than I can and still competes. I shoot it 600 to 1000 yards. It was reasonable to build and is reasonable to shoot accurately and has great barrel life(past 3500 Rounds). I think I have $1500.00 total invested. Thanks Joe Hendricks for the 6CM. 200 yard fireforming group with 46.0 gr H1000 and 107 SMK.
Shoot Strait teele1 http://shootersforum.com/C:\Documents and Settings\Jim Carr\My Documents\6cmtarget.gif

3cl, I have a Savage 12fv also in the same caliber 243, and although it seems to like 75-80 grain bullets best I have given the Nossler 55 gr a try and they seem to group decent. Here is a common group I can normaly get if I do my part. 100 yd sand bag.

http://shootersforum.com/C:\Documents and Settings\Jim Carr\My Documents\6cmtarget.gifA Savage Model 12 action, a 6mm 1-7 1/2 Krieger barrel chambered by David Bruno in 6CM. Farrell 20MOA base with Leupold PRW rings and a Weaver T24 scope. Shoots .243 Winchester brass to fire formed with Sierra 107s on top of 46.0 gr. H1000. Then the fire formed brass is loaded with DTAC 115s over 49.0 gr. H1000 with CCI BR2. This is in a Bell and Carlson Medalist stock. This rig shoots better than I can and still competes. I shoot it 600 to 1000 yards. It was reasonable to build and is reasonable to shoot accurately and has great barrel life(past 3500 Rounds). I think I have $1500.00 total invested. Thanks Joe Hendricks for the 6CM. 200 yard fireforming group with 46.0 gr H1000 and 107 SMK.
Shoot Strait teele1 http://shootersforum.com/C:\Documents and Settings\Jim Carr\My Documents\6cmtarget.gif

I'm surprised Bruno didn't try to get you into a Bat, would not have thought he would even fool with a Savage.

I do like those Krieger barrels, they are amazing. I've shot a few groups at 500 yards not much bigger than yours with a heavy Krieger in a tuned Remington action. Am currently drooling over a Surgeon action and saving my pennies.

"I'm surprised Bruno didn't try to get you into a Bat, would not have thought he would even fool with a Savage.

I do like those Krieger barrels, they are amazing. I've shot a few groups at 500 yards not much bigger than yours with a heavy Krieger in a tuned Remington action."

Well Bruno got sent my action to install a barrel and he did a great job on it. "Trued Remington action" mine was in a BONE STOCK SAVAGE not having spent hundreds of dollars to fix a Remington. Thats a reason I'd like to sell the few Remingtons that I have. Want a 300 RUM Sendero?
Good Shootin' to All
teele1

Yeah; we did a little comparo one evening. I seem to recall that his scope was brighter at 12x than mine was at 8.5x. Gotta say, though, I am really happy with the Mueller.

I'm shooting them in a 1 in 10 Ruger and the Rem is a 1 in 9 3/4 twist and your right they don't group quite as well as some of the heavier bullets, but boy do they kill well. Ground squirrels are just a blue haze out to about 150 yards.

This is three shots at a hundred yards with the 55's.


Dang. Nice group. Those ground squirrels must look like little furry bombs detonating.

3cl, I have a Savage 12fv also in the same caliber 243, and although it seems to like 75-80 grain bullets best I have given the Nossler 55 gr a try and they seem to group decent. Here is a common group I can normaly get if I do my part. 100 yd sand bag.


Hahaha!!! I like your watch pocket quote. Nice group with the 55s. I'm definitely going to give them a try.

BONE STOCK SAVAGE[/b] not having spent hundreds of dollars to fix a Remington. Thats a reason I'd like to sell the few Remingtons that I have. Want a 300 RUM Sendero?
Good Shootin' to All
teele1

Bone stock? Then why did it need a better barrel? Seems to me you spent money to fix a savage??? Even more confusing, why would you send in an action if all you wanted was a chambered barrel? Did you actually spend money to have someone screw a barrel into an action and tighten a nut?

"Bone stock? Then why did it need a better barrel? Seems to me you spent money to fix a savage??? Even more confusing, why would you send in an action if all you wanted was a chambered barrel? Did you actually spend money to have someone screw a barrel into an action and tighten a nut?"

NO sir. You can't get a 6CM any way else except for having a barrel chambered for one. BONE STOCK was in regards to the action. No, I'm smart enough to stop buying Remingtons so I surely wouldn't spend money to have someone screw on a barrel and tighten a nut. Seems that at least you know how to change out a barrel on a Savage or change the caliber instead of sending a Remington out to have a barrel put on. Any way I think everybody should shoot what ever brand rifle that floats their boat, but as for me it will be Savage over Remington from now on unless something changes drastically with one or the other.

No, I'm smart enough to stop buying Remingtons so[/B] I surely wouldn't spend money to have someone screw on a barrel and tighten a nut. Seems that at least you know how to change out a barrel on a Savage or change the caliber instead of sending a Remington out to have a barrel put on. Any way I think everybody should shoot what ever brand rifle that floats their boat, but as for me it will be Savage over Remington from now on unless something changes drastically with one or the other.

I'm well aware of the 6mm Competiton Match chambering. I'm also well aware that the parent case is .243 so I can easily guess that you did in fact have a barrel screwed into a bone stock action and the nut tightened....capiche. All the chambering work can be done for the 6mmCM without ever laying eyes on the action if it's for a Savage.
I have in fact changed out Savage barrels but it's so easy to do that most shooters do it themselves. BTW, look at all those Remingtons you own, you'll see they don't have barrel nuts as your statement implies. With a Remington, you do in fact need the action to correctly set the headspace. Just so you know, I build my rifles myslef, don't send anything out. I have a Remington barrel nut wrench of my own;)

Lumberjack,
Joe won't sell a reamer to chamber a barrel, so I have to send the action to have it setup. This barrel has been moved from a repeater to a single shot Savage action. I love the non angle sear engagement and the articulating bolt head of a Savage. I like my bolt lugs contacting both lugs when locked. At Manatee Gun Range in FL this year, Savage has won 4 of 5 shoots this year. Those guys can't stand that.:mad:
Have fun and shoot what makes you happy, I do.
teele1

Lumberjack,
Joe won't sell a reamer to chamber a barrel, so I have to send the action to have it setup. This barrel has been moved from a repeater to a single shot Savage action. I love the non angle sear engagement and the articulating bolt head of a Savage. I like my bolt lugs contacting both lugs when locked. At Manatee Gun Range in FL this year, Savage has won 4 of 5 shoots this year. Those guys can't stand that.:mad:
Have fun and shoot what makes you happy, I do.
teele1

Oh and we just hate to get beat by a Salvage:D I figured there was a snag with the tooling, reamers and gauges aren't out yet but I figured that was because it was a fairly new chambering. I read an article on the 6CM some time back but I guess I didn't pay that much attention. Is Hendricks going to keep it proprietary?

I don't know what Joe will do with the reamers or if he will eventally sell them. Mine shoots so good I won't be without one. His cartridge, loading information and cleaning method are producing accuracy past the 3500 round mark. He set two National Records last year with a barrel with over 3500 rounds thru it. I believe it is on a TUBB gun. I really like the setup of the Savage action with the varmit Accutrigger set to 1 1/2 lbs. I feel the full lug contact is critical to accuracy which a Savage has. Good Shootin' to ALL. teele1