I AM IN THE MARKET TO BUY ONE OF SAVAGES LONG RANGE VARMIT GUNS BUT I AM UNDECIDED ON WHICH CALIBER TO GET.I WANT IT TO BE ABLE TO SHOOT GROUNDHOGS AT 500 YARDS.I DO NOT KNOW IF I WILL EVER SHOOT AT THAT DISTANCE BUT JUST KNOWING THAT CALIBER CAN HANDLE THAT RANGE IS GOOD ENOUGHT FOR ME.

-- DAVID DIGHT (david.dight@worldnet.att.net), November 17, 2003

Answers

I personally own a Savage 112 BVSS STS in .300 Win Mag. Last summer I killed 26 hogs at distances over 700 yards. I recently purchased a Winchester Model 70 Coyote in .300WSM. So far it has proved to be a good shooter, printing in three shot groups under 1/2 MOA @ 200 yards. No matter what tou decide to shoot, shoot it as much as possible. Getting comfortable with the machine of your choice is way more important than what ya might think about what the gun will do. Don't limit yourself at 500 yards, figure if you can see it ? YOU CAN HIT IT! Have fun and welcome to the world of frustration... long range shootin'!

-- Chuck de la Riva (countyoutlaw@yahoo.com), March 30, 2004.

Yep! .308. And particularly if you roll your own. Try to save up and locate a good quality scope. I.E. Leupold Vari X III 2.5 x 8 w/ B&C reticle, or a Leatherwood. The Savage 12FV is essentially the same rifle as their law enforcement/sniper models but a few bucks less.

-- James D. Pelikan (knightowl1966@yahoo.com), February 25, 2004.

Shooting extended ranges in any rifle/caliber combination will produce variables that the average shooter may not deal with! Savage rifles are no differant than say Remington or Ruger or whomever.That is to say that they offer standard twist rates like 1 in 14 for their 22 caliber rifles, which only stabilize up to 63 gr bullets! You need high ballistic coefficient bullets that reduce wind drift and bullet drops, and they require fast twist rate barrels like 1 in 8 or 1 in 9 for 22 cal projectiles. Honestly, super velocity is not the key here, long and heavy bullets are! So you can disregard their 22 caliber! Savages 6mm and 25cal offerings as any rifle manufacturers are subject to lack of bullet weights in these two calibers. The 6mm only offers up to 100gr bullets, while the 25 offers up to 117grainers- not good enough! So one is left with the 30 cal. And their 308 is the obvious choice! If you combine superior optics, like a Leupold 4x14x50long range on a tapered long range base, you will be able to blast away out to about 1500 yards using a 168gr A-max Hornady bullet! Also, Sierra offers their "Infinity" exterior ballistics software which if fed a bullets weight and B.C. number, will give you that bullets drop in inches out to 2000yards! And wind drift capabilities too...From there simple math is used to convert drop in inches to minutes of angle. I.E.= 7MOA to strike dead-on @ 300yards, 13 MOA @ 500, 23.5 MOA @ 800 and 32.5 MOA @ 1000yds to mention a few. These numbers are based on 2800 fps muzzle velocity w/ your rifle sighted dead on @ 100 yards. So ultimately the answer to your question extends beyond the rifles capabilities and pushes itself well into optic systems, heavy bullet weights and exterior ballistics! Yeah it can be expensive, hard work but mostly it's alot of fun! Good luck in your efforts! mkh

-- Mike Hinde (mike@jrharchitecture.com), February 19, 2004.

I am in the same boat...trying to decide which to get... .243 or 25-06. Is there a cost differenc in both rifle and ammunition? This could be a deciding factor? Both are very accurate @over 300yds.

-- werner hesse (w_hesse@hotmail.com), February 01, 2004.

I WOULD TRY THE NEW .243WSSM IT HAS A MUZZLE VELOCITY AROUND 4,000FTS. IT IS A VERY ACCURATE LOAD. THE ONLY THING IS THAT YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION TO WIND DRIFT!

-- clint guest (cguest@witexusa.com), January 07, 2004.

I shoot a Rem.Mod.700vssf 22-250,and I am verry pleased with it.For more info on what loads call me at 870-265-5651.

-- James Kelley (kelleyjetk@earthlink.net), December 19, 2003.

savage also makes a very good 25/06,and it does good out to 500,with a 100gr nbt makes a very explosive varmint round,but a 243win is also a good round and i have taken a lot of g.h's and coyote's with it,once you get a cal. chosen then you get to think optic's,takes prety good ones at 500yds on smallish targets in low light,bobby

-- bobby (bobbydickey@hotmail.com), November 27, 2003.

.243 is an excellent choice. Shooting a groundhog at 500 yards won't be easy no matter what you choose. Wind drift alone will be a problem. Anything with a MV around 3,000 fps. will get you to 500 yds. However, the .243 is big enough to handle the wind better than a .223, will push varmint bullets up to about 3400 ps.,and is still big enough for deer size game. I reload everything from 70 gr. to 100 gr. bullets in my .243. Factory ammo in those bullet weights is also widely available.

-- g.peterson (gsp@verizon.net), November 25, 2003.

Try a .243 Winchester ,or get more info on ballistics here http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.rifle-cartridges-ballistics.html

good luck!!!

-- LUKE (rhstec@usa.com), November 23, 2003.

i would have to then go with a .223

-- josh (trunks_1010@hotmail.com), November 18, 2003.

i would have to choose the .308

-- josh (trunks_1010@hotmail.com), November 17, 2003.