[bwivada]

I am thinking of getting a 12VSS Varminter, that's the one with the Choate stock. I have heard that there is not enough room in the breech to load long bullets. A modified bolt is sometimes needed. Is this a known problem?

Is this the best varminter in the Savage line? If I am going to get benchrest type stock, it would be nice to know if the 12VSS shoots like a br gun.

 

[wwb]

Just like any factory rifle, if the O.A.L. is within SAAMI specs, it will work just fine. Often, you can shoot a longer cartridge by single-loading them, easing the nose of the bullet into the chamber with the head slightly elevated. The caveat here is that you'd better have a long ogive on the bullet to prevent it from engaging the rifling before the bolt is fully closed. Otherwise, the bullet will be forced back into the case and a compressed load will result, with possible nasty effects on the pressure. Also, check the rate of twist in the barrel you're considering; odds are it's not going to work worth diddly-squat with longer bullets.

With any rifle, you'll find that it has a preference for some loads and a distaste for others; as a handloader, you can get the best out of any rifle because you can fine-tune the loads.