Savage -VS-Marlin Bolt Action Rimfire Rifles

[wildcat]

Hey guys I am getting ready to either buy a Savage Or Marlin rimfire rifle. I don't know if I should go with the 17HMR or the 22WMR. This rifle will only be used for shots out to 150 yards. I have some questions for you guys before I make my decision; The model rifles I am looking at are the Marlin 917VS-CF in 17HMR or 22WMR or the Savage 93R17-FVSS or the 93FVSS in 22WMR;

1. What rifle is better; Marlin or Savage

2. What rifle is more accurate; Marlin or Savage

3. What Rimfire would you suggest; 17HMR or 22WMR

4. I only want to spend $400

I ve owned a Ruger bolt action 17HMR and loved it. I sold it and wished I hadn't. However, this time I don't want to spend that much money on a rimfire rifle, and I don't want to spend $800 to customize a rimfire to make it shoot good. I have heard both the Savage and Marlin bolt action rimfires are really accurate. However, I would like to here what you guys think.

I already have a nice Leupold VX-I for the rifle, so I just need to pick the rifle.

Jake

[Ridge Runner]

what you planning on shooting with it? I have a savage in 17 HM2 and it shoots awesome.
JS

[lovdasnow]

I have heard better things about the savage's, but don't have first hand experiance.

i prefer the 17hmr, but if you are going to be shooting a little bigger critters than I'd get the mag. I have shot both a lot, and the 32 gr v max bullets for the 22 mag sure do hit hard, and they buck wind a little better than those light 17 grainers.

both super fun guns, I love rimfires, but depends on what you want to shoot. I lean toward the 17, but thats my opinion.

[MachV]

1. What rifle is better; Marlin or Savage
<font color="red">No experience with a Marlin but my Savage 93R17HMR has worked flawlessly and the trigger is easy to rework lighter </font>

2. What rifle is more accurate; Marlin or Savage
<font color="red">Again no experience with the Marlin but the Savage has shot everthing I have loaded into it minute of prarie dog out past 150 yards.The POI changes but groups have ben consistant </font>

3. What Rimfire would you suggest; 17HMR or 22WMR
<font color="red">If you are thinking Coyotes I would or just a plinker I would go 22WMR(cheaper and hits harder).If prairie dogs or ground squirrels are the target the 17HMR is very hard to beat! </font>

4. I only want to spend $400
<font color="red">I baught the package gun from Cabelas for right at $200(cheaper than just the gun???)but replaced the BSA scope and cheap rings with Leupold. </font>

My lite barreled Savage shoots as good as a buddies bull barreled Stainless so I'm not convinced its worth the extra cost and weight??

[screech]

have a marlin in a 17hmr and I too have found poi to change but the groups are good. If you get the HMR I would only shoot the 20gr. xtp if it is anything bigger than a ground squirle. Have not tried on p-dogs for we dont have them here but the 17gr. vmax dosen't work very well on chucks. Just from what I have seen.

[wildcat]

Thanks, for all the info guys. I will be using this rifle for ground squirrels out to 150 to 200 yards. It looks like I am going to go with the Savage, I've heard excellent things about the Savage. I am thinking I might go with 22 WMR because it hits harder and the ammo is cheaper, however, I still have not made up my mind on caliber.

Wildcat

[blygy]

I went through this same decision..here's what I came up with..

17HMR with 17gr v-max @ 2550fps.
22WMR with 33gr v-max @ 2100fps..

the 22 mag won out here.. lose only 400FPS to double my bullet weight.. I'll do that everytime...

Marlin vs Savage..
I have one buddy with a Marlin 17HMR. I have a Savage in 22 mag and a buddy with the same.. Another buddy has a savage 17 HMR.

They all shoot very good.. the 22 mags really like the 33 gr remingtons. The 17HMR only has 2 choices a 17gr or a 20 gr there is not much choice there.
The Savage 17 had problems feeding the 20gr.

Now if you carry them much the Savage is the preference due to the 5 rd mag instead of the 7 rd as the 7 rounder will dig into your back worse.

So for me the choice was a Savage 93R FVSS.

If I was shooting gophers the 17 might win out. But I shoot lots of beavers and the 22 mag with the heavier bullets was the choice for me. It still works real well on gophers too.