On the day before the official opening of SHOT Show, members of the media were invited to the Orlando Sheriffs’ Range to “test-drive” some of the latest offerings from major manufacturers. As precision rifles are AccurateShooter.com’s primary focus, two new guns from Savage Arms drew the attention of our Asst. Editor (and resident “hot-shot”) Jason Baney. After meeting with Savage Chairman/CEO Ron Coburn, and Marketing Mgr. Bill Dermody, Jason got the chance to try out Savage’s new .308 Palma Rifle, and the radical new, metal-chassis model 10 BAS Tactical rifle.
The handsome Savage Palma Rifle features a gray laminated stock with triple pillars. It boasts an adjustable cheekpiece, and adjustable length of pull (LOP) via spacers. Fitted with the Savage Target action, 30″ stainless barrel, and (4 – 12 oz.) Accutrigger, the gun promises outstanding accuracy. As you can see on the second half of the video below, Jason shot a 1/2″ group at 200 yards with the Savage Palma Rifle. Jason said the stock was ergonomic and the gun balanced well even with the long tube. The Savage Palma Rifle action is drilled and tapped for top or side-mount peep sights, so it can be fitted with either iron sights or scope. Savage is taking orders right now. MSRP is $1798, but the “street price” will be quite a bit less.
Bold & Black — Savage 10 BAS Tactical Rifle
The new 10 BAS is a radical departure for Savage. This wild-looking new bolt-gun features a blackened aluminum modular chassis, top and side Picatinny rails, a detachable box magazine, and not one but TWO adjustable (and removeable) buttstock configurations. One buttstock is similar to an AR15-style collapsing stock, while the other (on the BAS ‘T’ model) features a myriad of adjustments, and a straight, flat keel section on the bottom to ride the bags.
On this T-version stock, the buttplate adjusts for length of pull (LOP) and cant angle and the cheek-piece adjusts both vertically and fore and aft using a rail and a rotary locking knob.
What’s our take on the radical 10 BAS rifle? For police and military applications, the rails offer great versatility. For tactical comps, we liked the ergonomic grip, 10-round detachable magazine, and the easily-adjustable LOP. The 10 BAS will initially be offered in .308 Winchester only. Based on the model 110 action, the 10 BAS comes with a 24″ barrel and a proprietary muzzle brake. It even accepts most AR15 buttstocks. We don’t know of any domestic manufacturer offering a “tactical” bolt gun with all the features found on the 10 BAS. We expect this rifle to cause quite a stir when SHOT Show doors open this morning.
Savage’s Marketing team just sent us “sneak previews” of two new dual-port rifles to be released in 2009. The new Benchrest and LRPV (Long Range Precision Varminter) rifles feature a DUAL-PORT ACTION. There is a large cut-out on both sides of the action. This should allow rapid single-round feeding as you can feed from one side while the shell kicks out the other. We do have one minor concern — it appears both loading and exit ports are the same size. When you feed really fast this creates the possibility of tossing the round all the way through.
You can see that the “Benchrest” model has a new stock pattern. This stock has some drop in the toe, unlike the current F-Class stocks which are cut straight back from the pistol grip area. The current F-Class stock design will be unchanged, while this stock design is something new for the dual-port “Benchrest” model, which comes with a 29″ barrel and will be chambered in .308 Win, 6mm BR, and 6.5-284. Sorry, Savage hasn’t provided any more details about prices and shipping dates, but Bill Dermody, Savage Marketing Director, confirms “these are a ‘go’ for 2009, and, yes the Dual-Port action will be offered separately for purchase, as the Target Action is currently.” Bill also provided these answers to our questions:
Q: The “Benchrest” version — Is this going to be a new model? (As opposed to F-Class rifle).
Savage: Yes, this is a new model for us.
Q: It looks like the stock design has changed somewhat (vs. the F-Class).
Savage: The fore-end is sculpted a little bit differently than the F-Class, but it is mostly cosmetic. The bottom edge of the buttstock however is angled differently and narrowed a bit to help it ride a bag better.
Ace 600-yard shooter Terry Brady has been testing a box-stock, factory Savage 6BR F-Class rifle for AccurateShooter.com. This gun features a 30″, 8-twist barrel (0.100″ freebore), Savage Target Action, and heavy, laminated stock with 3″-wide fore-end. We know you guys have been eagerly awaiting the accuracy results. We’ll let the targets speak for themselves. Bottom Line: the Savage 6BR shoots… like a house on fire.
Savage Shoots under 1/2″ at 200 Yards
With Terry’s handloads (Norma 203B powder, CCI 450s, Berger 105s loaded .010″ into lands), the Savage produced three-shot groups well under 1/2″ at 200 yards. That’s right, TWO hundred. Measuring off Terry’s photos, using our target measurement software, one of the 200-yard groups was a measured .350″ or 0.167 MOA.
Orange target dots are 1″ diameter. Top row are 3-shot groups, center row (with 90gr factory ammo) are 5-shot groups.
Impressive Bugholes at 100 yards
At 100 yards, Terry had one 5-shot group with the Berger 105gr Match (non-VLD) that measured 0.140″ with our target measurement software. Measuring with calipers, Terry said this group was 0.279″ outside edge to outside edge. It’s interesting that Norma 203B shot tighter in this rifle than did Varget, as you can see.
Orange target dots are 1″ diameter.
Half-MOA or better with Lapua Factory Ammo at 300 Yards
The Savage 6BR also shot exceptionally well with Lapua factory ammo of two types, one loaded with 90gr BT Scenars, the other loaded with 105gr BT Scenars. Because Terry had a limited amount of factory ammo, at 300 yards, he shot three-shot groups. The 90gr ammo shot 1.490″ or about 1/2 MOA, while the 105gr ammo shot .780″, about 1/4 MOA. For comparison sake, Terry’s handloads (Berger 105s, 30.5 RL15) put FIVE shots in 0.650″ at 300 yards.
Complete Report Will Follow
We will provide a complete feature article on this rifle in the weeks ahead. That will include load data, more accuracy testing results, and Terry’s comments about the rifle. If someone in North Carolina can help Terry with a video camera, we’ll add video to the story.
So far Brady has been very impressed with the Savage overall, but he had two minor criticisms. First, he felt the Accutrigger spring weight is a bit too heavy, and second, he noted that the 1″-wide flat on the bottom of the stock at the rear is too wide for most bags: “It didn’t track well with my bag. I had to really hold the gun. Ideally you’ll want a bag with wider ear spacing.”
Overall, Terry gives the Savage an “A” grade: “For an out-of-the-box bench gun, it is well worth the money! I would recommend it to any shooter.”
In November, Savage’s Marketing Director told us to look for new rifles that were “right up your alley” in 2008. We’ve now received confirmation that Savage will offer the 6mmBR Norma chambering in at least two rifles in the Savage 2008 product line.
First, Savage will add a 6BR-chambered F-Class rifle, similar to the very popular 6.5-284 F-Class rifle. The 6BR F-Class gun will be in the same heavy laminated stock with 3″ fore-arm and wide flat in the rear. The barrel will be a 30-incher, presumably in 1:8″ twist. The trigger is the 6-oz. target version of Savage’s AccuTrigger. MSRP hasn’t yet been set, but we expect the 6BR F-Classer to sell for about $950.00 (street price), the same as the 6.5-284 version.
While designed for F-Class matches out to 1000 yards, the 6BR F-classer should also prove to be an excellent bench gun for varmint matches (200 to 500m), 300-yard matches, and 600-yard benchrest matches, and it should make an excellent long-range varminting platform.
But for Varminters and hunters looking for a lighter, more conventional stock, Savage will offer a 6BR Chambering in two versions of its Long-Range Precision Varminter (LRPV) Series–RBLP with blind mag, or RBRP with box magazine. This rifle features a stainless action in either Right Bolt, Left Port, or Right Bolt, Right Port configuration with a Detachable Box Magazine–something new for Savage. The LRPV comes with a high-quality H.S. Precision stock with an aluminum bedding block chassis. Like the F-Class rifle, the LRPV will have a target AccuTrigger adjstable from about 6 ounces to 2.5 pounds. The LRPV will have a 26″ barrel, and it is rumored the 6BR will have a 1:12″ twist rate, but that is not certain. The LRPV is also available in .204 Ruger, .223 Rem, and 22-250, along with 6mmBR Norma.
