FA 2008? Nosler Freedom?

[COBrad]

Done a lot of hunting with my FA .454 the past several years; turkeys, marmots, prairie dogs, a couple elk. Got a marmot at 212 last year. That's my longest shot and using a Vortex Venom the light and contrast have to be just right for me to even see them. Been considering a FA .357 with a scope but keep looking at the FA 2008 as a better longer range handgun. Would like something capable of stretching past the 300 yards I was hoping to reach with the .357. Recently read about the Nosler Freedom. Similar cost to the FA, but sounds like a couple pounds heavier. From what little I've read it sounds like it might make a half moa gun with load development. Any experience to share on these would be greatly appreciated.

 

[COBrad]

Took a look at gunbroker. Is a savage striker a comparable gun accuracy-wise?

 

[yorke-1]

Took a look at gunbroker. Is a savage striker a comparable gun accuracy-wise?

I'm a big fan of the Savage Stikers, I've had 5 of them and still have 2. In factory form they're capable of being very accurate; all of mine were quickly rebarreled to more interesting chamberings though. The stocks on the Strikers aren't great and the triggers are a little rough. Both issues can be fixed with a little time and patience.

The two Strikers that I still have are in 284 Win (McGowen 19" barrel) and 338/375 Ruger (Benchmark 18" barrel) and both are capable of .3 MOA or better if I do my part. The 284 has been my go to long range gun out to around 1200 yards for a couple years and will keep up with any rifle. The 338/375 is primarily a hunting gun but it's just as capable of target shooting out to 1200+ yards.

If you're starting from scratch and want a high performance, mid-grip specialty pistol, I think the Nosler is a pretty good option. My only real gripe with the Nosler is the barrel length and limited chambering options. I'd love to see a short mag option like the 6.5 PRC or one of the WSM cases.

The difference in fit, finish and overall feel between the Nosler and a Savage Striker (or Remington XP-100) is pretty significant. If you're willing to put in a little extra time, you could build a very nice custom XP-100 for under $2500. If you're happy with the stock on the Savage Striker you can throw a new barrel on there for $400 and be ready to roll. I'd plan on closer to $3000 to build a custom mid-grip specialty pistol though.