What's the M4C consensus on Savage rifles?

[30 cal slut]

I'm just curious what the M4C readership thinks.

What immediately comes to mind is an entry level to mid-grade rifle for hunting.

Maybe a step up from (newish) Remington and Ruger stuff quality wise. Obviously can't touch the custom builders.

I've found fit and finish to be ... ok. Actually not bad for the price. But this was just gleaned from handling a few at the LGS.

How is accuracy and shootability? Why would I want to buy one?

[OIPactual]

I bought one of the model 10 "hog" rifles. It has done everything i have asked it to do. It's not as smooth, or accurate as my 700, but for 1/3 the price i can't complain! For the money they are a great working man's rifle.

Both chambered in .308 the savage will average about .8-1" groups with 168gr match hand loads. The 700 is almost always under .5" with the same load, as long as i do my part!

Like i said, for the money, it's hard to beat.

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[Pork Chop]

Plenty of people will be along to bash them soon enough, but I'll offer this:
If you want an out of the box shooter that doesn't need EVERYTHING upgraded to make it usable and one that has a decent barrel & trigger to begin with, Savage is your friend.

Not as much aftermarket support and some people don't care for the design of the action.

I've had great luck with mine, for a budget shooter. <$1200 invested total setup.
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[Joe R.]

Accuracy on the Savage rifles is normally good to very good. The downside is that as you have noticed the finish is normally just okay and the actions are not the smoothest on the market. Pricing is usually very good. For a working gun that you have no problems dragging trough the woods or a truck gun they really can't be beat.

ETA: The triggers (accutrigger) are usually more than acceptable right out of the box. The same can not be said for many of the Remingtons I've handled in recent years.

[30 cal slut]

So as a better alternative to Remington and Ruger off the shelf, I guess this brand is rightly a mid-tier/value brand.

[Pork Chop]

So as a better alternative to Remington and Ruger off the shelf, I guess this brand is rightly a mid-tier/value brand.

If I were on a budget (I am) and going to shoot it bone stock, out of box, and leave it that way, I'd personally take a Savage. If I had plans to do more down the road, probably a Remington or even a Tikka.

That's just an opinion, but even savage haters generally admit they have pretty acceptable barrels & triggers bone stock.

Ymmv.

[C-grunt]

Ive owned a few Savages and all of them were good to great shooters. I do prefer Remington though but that's mostly a personal thing. I may buy another Savage as a hunting gun.

From what Ive read here is the "Savage bashers" are mostly critical of the action design. Some say it wont last as long as a Remington or Winchester action. I have no personal experience with that as my personal Savages had maybe 1000 rounds fired between the three of them. Also they say that the Accutrigger design is susceptible to failure which locks up the trigger system. Again I have no experience with this.

[cwgibson]

I've killed many a deer with a savage with a redfield scope mounted on it. If you want to hunt and its all you can afford it will serve you well.


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[Mr blasty]

Also they say that the Accutrigger design is susceptible to failure which locks up the trigger system.
Like the Remingtons aren't? Haven't seen savage on dateline.


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[TurretGunner]

The only thing savage has going for it is user switchable barrels.

Tikka is a superior rifle in every way for the same price.

[Averageman]

The only thing savage has going for it is user switchable barrels.
Tikka is a superior rifle in every way for the same price.

Thats a pretty broad statement and doesn't take in the availability of used guns. I haven't seen a used Tikka anywhere lately, I do run up on gently used Savages pretty often.
I bought a used Savage Model 11 for less than the price of a 10/22 new, sure it isn't perfect, but I do feel it was money well spent. If I use it a half dozen times over the next ten years hunting deer, I will count it as money well spent and perfectly capable of getting the job done.

[Ridgerunner665]

The Savage action is solid....ugly...but solid.

It is not as refined as a Winchester...but none are :D

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[TexasGunNut]

I've bought three Savage rifles in .308 since the accutrigger models came out. I got them as backup/pickup truck guns that my boys could lug around and we could loan out if we needed to. My oldest son got on a kick with the heavy barreled one and worked up a load that shoots lights out. Horn 165, R15 if think, anyway - for the money they have been the most accurate, durable, uncomplicated guns I've owned. I've got more money in glass and rings than I have in Tupperware and steel. I park good scopes on them and they tend to stay :)
They're kind of like an old Ford 8N tractor. Not pretty, but will probably still be doing the job fifty years from now.

[c3006]

There's a ton of bench rest shooters using savage and as someone above said cosmetics is there only failing,there strength and function are spot on.

[Leaveammoforme]

Like the Remingtons aren't? Haven't seen savage on dateline.


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Plus, I'm pretty sure Savage fixed that issue by making it to where you couldn't adjust actual trigger to lower pull than trigger safety. People slamming the bolt around on super low trigger pull settings would have ND'ed but Savage saved the day by simply locking up trigger.

[sudo4re]

Love my LRPV in 22-250... It's heavy and is not something that I would want to carry around in the woods but from a rest, it'll do clover leafs all day. I don't think the ground hogs around here like it much though.

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

While me personally, I would take an SPS Tactical 700 over most Savages, Savage makes an all around good rifle. The thing I love about them is the ability to easily re-barrel one or change calibers. The Savage model 10 FCP is one I do like however. Savage makes an accurate rifle. My preference is just that I grew up on 700's and I kind of stick with what I know. I don't think you would do wrong by owning a Savage though.

[agr1279]

Savage has a following in the "F" class shooters. You get a good gun for the price. As others have said the gun isn't pretty but it will shoot.

Dan

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

agr is right. I see more and more Savages now. I have a pre accu trigger 30-06 in my safe, to be honest other than the pencil barrel(heats up fast), it shoots great. It seems to have more felt recoil than my 700 30-06. Nothing a Limbsaver wouldn't take care of. To be honest , even though I prefer a 700, it is hard to beat a Savage for the money spent.

[C-grunt]

Plus, I'm pretty sure Savage fixed that issue by making it to where you couldn't adjust actual trigger to lower pull than trigger safety. People slamming the bolt around on super low trigger pull settings would have ND'ed but Savage saved the day by simply locking up trigger.

I wasn't talking about them firing. I was talking about them locking up when they get dirty. Again this never happened to my rifles but it is something to be mindful of.

[blade_68]

I ordered a Savage in 308 back in 96, pre accu-trigger 26 in target barrel, long action so if not up to my liking I was going to re-barrel in 300 Win Mag. No complaints with it. I'd not want to carry it on a stalk hunt anymore....heavy. It will out shoot me even if I do my part. My scope cost over 3 times what the rifle did. Nightforce scope the best scope I've ever owned still. I should have got second NF instead of ACOG. The scope base and rings cost almost as much as the rifle.
It's more accurate than the M24 I had in Army.