Savage MSR15 .224V or not?

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cropdude

New member
I am going to be getting into the thermal game soon and would like a AR platform rifle to run it on. I currently use a .22 Creed bolt action rifle for my day hunting. I love it but have been told to run an AR platform because the thermals such as the Pulsar Trails(I am hoping to get into a TrailLRF 2) mount on them much nicer. That being said, I am leaning towards a .224V, and the Savage MSR looks appealing. Do they shoot well? Do they function well suppressed? I am also considering building a lighter weight complete rifle or just an upper with a carbon fiber barrel if the Savage has poor reviews. If the Savage MSR's can shoot/cycle worth a crap I would start with one.

Also what are some favorite projectiles in the .224V? The 80gr Bergers and 75gr ELD-m's out of the 22Creed are kind of destructive on the fur LOL.

Thanks!

 
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Was just shooting my stag 224 today. It’s pretty decent with 60g federal. Shot a 1.7” group at 190 today after sighting in. It’s generally sub moa with that ammo. Not my most accurate AR but not bad. Need to try some heavier rounds. Can’t speak to the savage.
 
I second the Stag-15. I've got one in .224 Valkyrie and it shoots very well. I've taken ground squirrels, to coyotes, to an antelope with it.
 
Looking through this forum it seems that the .224V is not nearly as popular as the 22Nosler???? .224V ammo looks cheap, and readily available. I am in South Dakota so we cannot night hunt with anything over a 22 caliber. If to do over again would you stick with the "V"?
 
Where is the gain by the 224V or 22 Nosler. compared to a 223? 200 FPS only amounts to an inch or two less drop when shooting the same bullet. For coyote doesn’t seem like it’s a game changer.
 
The only gain you will really see on the 224 is with the heavier bullets. Even then, it is hard to get them to shoot. Mine is an 8 twist and the 80 grain is the heaviest I can get to shoot good. I know a few people with a 7 twist and they still don't get the 90's to shoot good. As for the lighter bullets, you will gain a couple hundred FPS but it will also take more powder than the 223 to get it. If I ever shoot out my 224, I will not get another.
 
Another option is an AR-308.

You could get 125 grain Nosler Balistic Tips going 3050fps with out pushing terribly hard.

My App says sighted in at 50 yards, that would be a 6.4 inch drop at 300 yards with a MV of 2237fps. (1389 ft-lb)

That is dang flat, fast and powerful.

Sounds like thermal heaven to me.

It is what have been considering. I have the rifle, have not tried the 125's or a Thermal just yet though.
 
Originally Posted By: arlaunchAnother option is an AR-308.

You could get 125 grain Nosler Balistic Tips going 3050fps with out pushing terribly hard.

My App says sighted in at 50 yards, that would be a 6.4 inch drop at 300 yards with a MV of 2237fps. (1389 ft-lb)

That is dang flat, fast and powerful.

Sounds like thermal heaven to me.

It is what have been considering. I have the rifle, have not tried the 125's or a Thermal just yet though.



I would love to just use the AR-10 I already have in 6.5 creed. But night hunting in South Dakota is limited to .224 caliber and smaller. I could buy a 22 creed upper because I have them in bolt rifles, but I want preferably want something that I do not need to reload and chase brass. I reload every rifle I shoot now, would be nice to be able to go to gun shop and buy a couple cases of ammo and have fun.
 
Savage MSR 15 in 223 has been good for me. MOA WITH 69gr SMK bullets. I can hit 500 yd steel in calm conditions and it is great on PD field with Fiocchi 50gr Vmax. No experience with the new 22s
 
I don’t usually spend much time with factory AR’s, other than fixing/tuning, and rebuilding them, but I do some shooting with a guy who has one of the Savages. Despite some bad luck I’ve heard elsewhere with the Federal 90grn loads, his was sub-moa to at least 500, which is the farthest I have ever shot his. Nothing I’d lose sleep over not owning, but very good for a factory rifle at its price point. No suppressor on it, so I can’t comment to that - but it’s pretty well understood, if a rifle is running right without a can, you’ll need more mass or less gas when you stick one out front.
 
Originally Posted By: yoteblasterWhere is the gain by the 224V or 22 Nosler. compared to a 223? 200 FPS only amounts to an inch or two less drop when shooting the same bullet. For coyote doesn’t seem like it’s a game changer.

The gain is huge with the 22 Nosler. 200 fps more than a 223? Where are you getting that number? My handloads are closing in on 22-250 performance. Close to 3700 fps with a 50 grain pill........try to get that out of a 223. In my opinion, the 22 Nosler perfectly fills the gap between the 223 and the 22-250.
 
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Originally Posted By: yoteblasterIs that out of a 20 inch barrel ? An where are you getting your load data? I don’t see any data that lists it that high. That is out of a 22" barrel. My "load data" came from my load development. Published "load data" is a good source for a SAFE starting point, but beyond that, it's pretty much BS. I learned that after seeing a max powder charge, in one manual, listed as the starting charge in another manual. I should mention that the discrepancy in the starting and max charges, was NOT in 22 Nosler data.
 
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Originally Posted By: cropdudeLooking through this forum it seems that the .224V is not nearly as popular as the 22Nosler???? .224V ammo looks cheap, and readily available. I am in South Dakota so we cannot night hunt with anything over a 22 caliber. If to do over again would you stick with the "V"?

I bought the 224V as a combo predator and deer upper. Impulse purchase. If I was only doing yotes, I think the 22 nosler is flatter shooting which is nice at night when it’s tough to range without spending big bucks. I am building a 204 just for that reason although I hope to get a thermal scanner with range finder next season.
 
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