An Elite Savage Jon R. Sundra
The Savage F/TR 223 Rem. as tested with a Sightron 16x42 scope in Warne QD lever rings weighed 14 lbs, 2 oz.
put more effort into establishing itself as being the most accuracy conscious than the folks at Savage Arms. Over the past fi ve years President Ron Coburn and his people have introduced more dedicated target/varmint rifles than any other gunmaker. And I’m not talking about the simple stuff that so many makers do to claim “new” – like a new camo pat- tern, a different stock fi nish, a change in barrel lengths, contour or chambering. No, the 14 models that comprise the new line of target/varmint rifl es – there are fi ve models in the Target series, and a choice of nine in Varmint – differ in many ways from the sporting versions of the Model 110 rifl e series. All, for example, are fi tted with
O
heavy barrels of varying lengths and contours, an extra long bolt handle, and a large grasping ball to make cy- cling the action easier and faster. Some have minimally-sized ejection ports in conjunction with solid-bottom receiv- ers for maximum rigidity. Others have right-side bolts and left-side ejection ports, while others have dual ports, one on either side, making them unique. Still others have target/bench-style stocks of laminated wood, injection molded poly- mer, or outsourced hand-laid graphite
Page 50 Spring 2012
f all our major domestic fi re- arms manufacturers, none has
Above is the bolt of the test gun alongside a standard- length bolt. Note the longer gas baffl e just behind the right-side locking lug that shortens bolt travel to match that needed for the 223 cartridge family.
reinforced fiberglass, all specifically designed for competitive shooting, var- mint or predator hunting. Some have thumbholes and ventilated fore-ends, others adjustable cheekpieces and pull lengths. In short, there’s a specialized model for just about any application, whether it’s 1,000-yard or benchrest competition on the one hand, or just erasing various and sundry varmints on the other. Of those 14 models, the Model 12
Precision Target series represents the company’s most sophisticated offerings. It’s all pretty much stated right there in the catalog: “Savage Target Series rifl es are the farthest place in our line from ‘beginner’ rifl es. With dozens of decisive world-class titles, these are elite rifl es for elite shooters.” The one we chose for review is
the Model 12 F/TR which is offered in two chamberings, 223 Rem. and 308 Win. Naturally, we chose the former, which comes standard with a 1:7" twist. Naturally, with this being the fastest twist offered in 223, this gun is meant to feed on the heavier 55- to 77-grain bullets, but there’s always going to be those prairie rat shooters who love the explosiveness and aerial displays that result from those 40-grain loadings that step out at 3,800 fps. Indeed, Hornady
now has a Superformance load with a new 35-grain bullet at 4,000 fps! Anyway, you realize this is a seri-
ous rifl e the moment you lift it from its box – it weighs 12.4 lbs., thanks mostly to its lengthy 30" spout that’s as close to being a bull barrel … yet not. It starts out at a full 1" diameter at the receiver, and tapers just 0.100" over its 30" length to a 0.900" muzzle. It’s hard to tell it’s tapered at all. This is an all-stainless rifl e and the
Savage folks were thoughtful enough to provide the gun with matching Weaver bases already installed. The “12” des- ignation of course tells us that this is Savage’s short action designed to handle cartridges of the 308 Win. family, which is unnecessarily long for the 223. To shorten the bolt travel the non-rotating gas baffl e that rides in the right-side lug raceway is lengthened by half an inch. By so doing, the rear surface of the baffl e contacts the bolt stop sooner, shortening its rearward travel by ½". As a member of Savage’s elite
Target series, the V/TR’s receiver has a minimal-size loading/ejection port, and a solid bottom, making it a single- shot rifl e. These two features make for a much stiffer receiver, which of course enhances the accuracy potential of the platform as a whole. The longer bolt
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212