Model 12 Long Range Precision

I just rounded this Model 12 Long Range Precision Rifle up Friday, and I believe it is a keeper.
It is Chambered in 6.5CM. It has a 26 Inch Heavy Barrel that is Fluted. It has an H&S Precision Tactical Stock with a Saddle Cheek Piece. This model also came with the Savage Target Accu Trigger.

For a Scope, I have a Leupold MK3-HD 8-24X50 TMR-P5 Scope mounted on a 20MOA Base on it. The Scope has a Anti-Cant Device (Bubble Level) offset on the left side of the scope tube in front of the Turrets. This scope has the Tactical Milling Reticle, and adjusts in .1 Mil Clicks. The P5 Elevation Knob has the Zero Stop Feature. The Glass is Excellent on this scope.

For Ammunition I am shooting reloads consisting of: Hornady Brass, Federal Large Rifle Match Primers, RL17 Powder, and Hornady 120 Grain ELD-M Match Bullets. My load is clocking 2,994.47 FPS from the 26" Barrel. This load is shooting very well considering I did not work this load up in this rifle.

I have been building a Log Book for this Rifle. I am using the same Tactical Taylor OD Green Log Book Cover that I have been using for 30 years. Between furnishing Log Books for LE Sniper Classes and for my own use I have ordered several over the last 30 years. So far I have only completed the Drop Chart Log Sheet. I have Come-Up's from 100 yards thru 875 Yards. Why you ask did you stop at 875 yards. The simple answer is the way my sheet is set up. The Left Column goes from 100 yards to 475 yards in 25 yard increments. The Right Column starts at 500 and goes to 875 yards in 25 yard increments. This has 100 yards and 500 yards side by side on the same line. This system has 200 Yards and 600 yards again on the same line. The 100 yard Lines are all in Bold and Underlined so that they stand out. As I get time to retype Charts I will have a Drop Chart, Mill Ranging Chart, Table of Known Object Size Chart, Wind Chart, and a Round Count Chart. These charts are all contained in a 3 Ring Log Book Binder cut down to fit the Tactical Taylor log Book Cover. The cut down edges are taped with 100 MPH Tape.

This afternoon I decided to check the accuracy of my Drop Chart. I shot steel at the Range at 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 yards. The steel was all freshly painted White with a Red Aiming Dot. I fired one round on each Steel Target. All rounds impacted either on or extremely close to the Aiming Dot's. All rounds were under MOA from the aiming point. Our old Sniper Match Silhouette had a Head Shot Scoring Zone for the adventurous willing to take a chance. All rounds from 200 thru 600 yards were close enough to the Dot's Center to have scored on the old Sniper Target's Bonus Shot. Very Impressive accuracy indeed. I do have other rifles that are capable of this accuracy. They are all custom builds with barrels by Brux (223 Rem) Mike Rock 5R (308 Win) Snider P5 (338 Lapua). The Savage Model 12 Long Range Precision was ready to drive tacks right out of the factory Box. Something I could not say about a couple Remington 700 PSS Sniper Rifles I bought over the years chambered in 308 Winchester that needed triggers changed before you could even try to shoot a bug hole group.

This Model 12 Long Range Precision is a keeper, along with the Leupold MK3-HD 8-24X50 TMR-P5 Scope.

Bob R

Nice rifle Bob!

Sounds like a nice one! I snagged a like new Mod 12 LRPV in .223 of an auction site two months back. 26", unfluted 1:7 heavy barrel, right bolt, left port,
I have to say that I'm absolutely smitten with this particular rifle already even though I havn't gotten around to load developement yet. I thought for sure I'd be replacing the trigger but found the factory (red blade) match trigger to be excellent. ( A HUGE improvement over the factory trigger on my mod 12 BVSS.)

A Savage 12 LRP was my first 6.5mm CM rifle and it also was a very accurate shooter out of the box.
It is the only one of my 7 Savages that leaves bullet contrails from about 25 yards to the target.
Lots of people at our range have taken photos of the contrails. They, like me, had never seen anything like that.

My 12 LRP has the Precision Target red blade trigger that came from the factory at 10 oz. and still is mounted in the HS Precision stock it came with.
Mine shoots most bullet weights well but seemed to prefer bullet weights from 140 to 147 grains.
The most accurate bullet was the Berger 140 gr Hybrid.
ELD-Ms (130, 140 and 147 grain bullets) shot great in it, and 142 SMKs and 130 TMKs shot well.
It even shot the 143 ELD-X hunting bullets accurately.
It didn't like the old design SMK 140s that have been around for many years before the 6.5mm CM came on the scene.

Unfortunately, that rifle has over 4,000 rounds down the barrel, so I am considering replacing the barrel.
I also have a 12 FV in 6.5mm CM that cost only $320 new on sale. Fortunately, the 12 FV liked the same bullets at the 12 LRP and shot almost as accurately.
I bought as a reload testing clone so I could save the barrel on the 12 LRP and the 12 FV had about 5,000 rounds down the barrel when I recently replaced the factory barrel with a Shilen Select Match 28-inch 416R SS 1:8 twist barrel. The Shilen barrel improved my average 5-round group size from in the mid .3s to the mid .2s.
I am now considering changing the barrel on the 12 LRP as well after seeing the improvement that the Shilen barrel made.
The 12 FV stock was replaced by an Oryx chassis because the cheap factory stock in the 12 FV didn't have an aluminum rod stiffener and twisted from the recoil.

Both 6.5mm CMs liked H4350 and IMR 4451 Enduron powders. Both are temperature insensitive powders and performed well year round.

Tacoma said:

Sounds like a nice one! I snagged a like new Mod 12 LRPV in .223 of an auction site two months back. 26", unfluted 1:7 heavy barrel, right bolt, left port,
I have to say that I'm absolutely smitten with this particular rifle already even though I havn't gotten around to load developement yet. I thought for sure I'd be replacing the trigger but found the factory (red blade) match trigger to be excellent. ( A HUGE improvement over the factory trigger on my mod 12 BVSS.)

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I have an older LRPV i tried to convert to the target red blade trigger , but Savage wouldn't sell one to me
.

Paddyd I was seriously considering changing the trigger on a Trail Hunter Lite. While looking I found a source for the Savage RED Blade Target Triggers. Do a search using you advanced Googlefoo. You can probably find the trigger source.

CFJunkie I have not checked the pull weight on the Red Blade Target Trigger on my rifle so far. It is perfect as is. It is as good or better than the Jewel Triggers on a couple of my Remington 700 Tactical Rifles.
My first 6.5CM is a Nosler M48 NCH Bolt Action Center Grip Handgun. It launches the same load listed above at 2,630.75 FPS. The 120 ELD-M is getting plenty of velocity for deer out of the handgun's 15" barrel. I also have a Contender G2 in 6.5x30 JDJ that I use this same bullet in. So far I have not experimented with heavier bullets.
My Range only goes out to 600 yards off the Benchs. We do have a Tower and a Berm at 700 yards and a Berm only at 800 yards. Running the numbers in a Ballistic Calculator I did not see a huge improvement in wind drift of drop to 600 yards comparing the 120 ELD-M Bullets to the 140 ELD-M Bullets. I would need to load some heavier bullets to see how they group. They might group better.

Bob R

All my other Savages have Varmint / Target triggers that limit the lowest setting to 1 lb. 6 oz. I had my 6 other Savages set at 2 lbs. to keep away from the lightest setting.
When you get to the light trigger pull level, it tends to get overly sensitive to side pressure and locks up, a design feature to keep the trigger from releasing and firing if the rifle is dropped or jostled.

The Precision Target Trigger (red blade) can be set to 6 oz.

With the LRP set at 10 oz., I was really happy with it, but at that time, I tended to shoot two different Savages during a session, and the differences in the trigger between the LRP and the other 6 Savages caused me problems with which ever trigger I shot second.
I eventually adjusted the LRP a bit heavier to a point at which I couldn't feel the difference ( 1 lb. 2 oz.) and never had the problem with the different triggers.

Over time, two of my Savage Varmint / Target triggers tended to get lighter with wear (around 3,500 to 4,000 rounds) and got close enough to the lower limit adjustment that they became overly sensitive to side pressure on the trigger. I adjusted them back to 2 lbs. and the problem went away.

Not to divert the thread but does anyone know when these were made with a smooth ( vs fluted) barrel?

Mine was purchased in March 2017 and it has a fluted barrel.

Tacoma said:

I thought for sure I'd be replacing the trigger but found the factory (red blade) match trigger to be excellent. ( A HUGE improvement over the factory trigger on my mod 12 BVSS.)

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I now have three target triggers, they are my favorite!!

Edit to add: Yes, the target Accu-trigger is available thru Gun Shack. You can purchase the target trigger assy and target sear, however, these parts are 'as produced' not fit and tuned as they would be in a production rifle equipped with the target trigger.

Something to be aware of if you decide to purchase!

I have a LRPV in .204 Ruger. So old I can't remember the exact year I bought it. It has to be well over 15 plus years and it has the smooth barrel. My buddy bought his only a year or so later and his was fluted.

I didn't think the target accutrigger was available aftermarket. That might be a game changer for me. I replaced the ho-hum std accutrigger in my mod 12 BVSS with an Elftman. The elftman is poorly designed and pure disapointment IMHO. It might be time to replace that one with a target grade Accutrigger.

Alguapo said:

I have a LRPV in .204 Ruger. So old I can't remember the exact year I bought it. It has to be well over 15 plus years and it has the smooth barrel. My buddy bought his only a year or so later and his was fluted.

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Thanks, that's helpful. I just purchased mine in 2024. It was used/as new but I suspect it was older production. I've actually emailed Savage for a production date on this rifle ( as well as my mod 12 BVSS)

Its a great shooter , very accurate. Love my Savages.

There is a difference in the LRP and the LRPV.
The LRP is usually manufactured in calibers of 6.5mm and up from what I've seen. It has a removeable Savage mag.
The LRPV is a single shot rifle with no mag. It also has the action opening on the left side of the rifle to make it easier to single load. I believe it is primarily manufactured in .223 and lighter calibers.
My LRP and the LRPV rifles that I have seen have been really accurate shooters.

Both modern versions come with HS Precision stocks which I really like, although they are a bit short in the pull length for my long arms.
All of my target rifles were switched to Oryx or MDT LSS chassis because they are stiffer and heavier and the length of pull can be lengthened by up to an inch.
With its new 28-inch 416R bull Shilen Select Match barrel, the 6.5mm CM now weighs in at 15 lbs. in its Oryx chassis. The barrel weighs 6 lbs. all by itself. Not something you would want to carry around when hunting.

About 8 years ago I thought about getting into long range shooting. My goal was 600 and 1000 yds.

At my age back then (73) I wasn't sure if I could do it. I was looking at Tikka, Browning and Bergra rifles. Didnt want to spend $2-$3K for a gun and scope.

I was working a Gander Mountian in the gun department and someone brought in a Savage Model 12, chambered in 6.5CM. w/ heavy varmint barrel and a 12X Leopold scope for a trade in.

I bought the gun and the price was right. Reloaded some Hornady, 140 ELD's with H4350. Did my ladder testing and found a node at 2875 FPS. Swapped out the stock for a Boyd's AT-one, bedded and pillared the stock and put a Vortex,5-25 PST II.

Went to the 600 yd range and did my thing on steel at 350, 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600.

I was hooked and started down the rabbit hole. with the factory setup I was shooting 1/2 MOA at 600 yds.

After shooting out the factory barrel I went to a Ragged hole pre fit barrel. I shot out 2 of them and ended up with a Brux barrel.

After some more load development I ended up getting 7" groups at 1000 yds.

My second gun was a shot out Axis in .308. Swapped the barrel for a 6mm CM Kriterion, Boyds stock and a Vortex 20-60 Golden Eagle.

Ended up shooting 5" groups at 1000 yds.

My 3'rd Savage is a 6mm BR, with a Savage Custom action a Palma stock and Crietrion. barrel. Still getting load date for this gun.

It has been a looong rabbit hole (and expensive too), but the fun of the testing to find the load and the node is satisfying.

I am glad I stuck with the Savage actions as they are easy to work on and swap out barrels when needed.