Savage Weather Warrior Series

[Walker1]

I have been thinking of getting one of these rifles in 7mm RemMag. Model 116FHSS – with AccuTrigger™, AccuStock™, and Hinged Floorplate.

Is this a good rifle to start for long range out to say 800yrds? Any other suggestions?

[magicofmt]

Yes, if you practice to 800 yds, the gun will shoot that far. I have one in 300 Win Mag and have been practicing to 600 yds and it's doing well, almost 1/2 MOA. I shoot handloads, you need to shoot quality bullets.

[Auto-X Fil]

Originally Posted by magicofmt

almost 1/2 MOA.

If that's true, it's not the norm. I have two, and while they've each punched 1" 5 shot groups at 200yd, they don't do it reliably - and I take a lot of time and spare no expense on my handloads. Expect 1 MOA or a little worse from a stock Savage barrel, if you're talking 10 shot groups. A stock WW is good for 400, maybe 500 yards on deer, but probably 6-700 on something like Elk with bigger vitals.

The really nice thing is you can easily change the barrel at home, and have a true 1/2 MOA gun for another $300. It also gives you more caliber selection: 338 Edge, 300 RUM, whatever you want.

[magicofmt]

It will be the most accurate factory gun you can get, in my opinion, I own 3 Savages and they are great.

[goose]

I just got the same gun you described. I am still working on break-in, but I am pleased so far. It's my first Savage, and my first rifle with a brake. Other than optics, I bought an adj. cheekpiece, and don't see the need for anything else right now. It seems like a very capable rifle for long range hunting if you want a factory gun.

[jcoop]

I have had 8 diferent savages over the last few years and have worked on or built loads for almost a dozen others. Of the 8 I owned only 2 would not shoot less than .75moa (shot about 1moa) and 4 are .5 or less (with hand loads) . I shot a deer last year at 737 yards with a stock barrel. One thing I have always done is change the stock. With the new accustock this does not seem necessary. I think with savage the stock was the weak link not usually the barrel. Savage button rifles their barrels unlike most other manufacturers. They do seem to copper foal easer than my match barrels as they are not lapped and are harder to clean but some of them shoot just as well.
This is just my findings with the ones I have worked with.
I think that is a great place to start.

[Auto-X Fil]

I'll chime in again since I've put many hundreds of rounds down the pipe of my new 10PC since I last posted:

The barrel does foul badly. There is one spot near the muzzle that gets copper'd up right away, and takes a good effort to clean it out.

The ergonomics of the stock were only okay, but the Accustock is nice so I just added a Karsten cheek piece to fix that.

It shoots very well. Most people would claim it's a 0.5 MOA gun because I've shot a fair number of groups that size with it - I say it's 1 MOA because I fired 5 ten-shot groups at 100 yards and they were all 1" or less.

I've been shooting a Borden (not mine) as well lately, and the Savage is sure no Borden. But, under field conditions, I have yet to hit a target with the Borden that I'd miss with the Savage.