My choice of a new Savage, help me decide??

[cdherman]

Here's the scoop: I have/had a Savage 12FVSS varminter in 270WSM (26" fluted heavy barrel, stainess). Bought about 2 years ago and I could NEVER get it to shoot with handloads less than 1.5" group. This past spring I finally bought some premium factory ammo and the groups went to 4" I contacted Savage and to make a long story short, at the end of the day, they are offering me a new gun, my choice since that gun is no longer in production.

They sounded somewhat flexible -- I'm sure if I choose a model with a $2000 MSRP, they would balk, but I think I good to go with most guns in the under $1000 range. And if pressed, I think they would allow me to go with a more expensive gun if I chipped in some $$.

I could stick with the 270 WSM (#500 rounds brass and premuim dies already in my loading room), or depart from it if you all want to talk me into something else.

To keep the 270 WSM, I'd have to settle on their Weather Warrior series, which has a lighter, shorter (24") barrel. But it does have their new accustock, which is well thought of. They no longer have any heavy barrel guns in 270 WSM

I want to hunt long range with this gun, but I'd also like to at least carry it without too much trouble -- so their 10lb low profile heavy varminter in various other calibers is not interesting.

Perhaps I should be looking at their new Long Range Hunter, which has some interesting offerings of 6.5x264, 7mmRemMag, 300 WSM and 300 WinMag. They are heavy, though no heavier than my 12FVSS was. The problem I see with them is the extreme length they have, with 26" barrels and muzzle brake.

Finally, part of me wants to stay stainless, as the scope for the gun is a Silver Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x50. I don't really want to part with the Zeiss and I don't really want to spend all the $$ for a black scope either. And zebra guns bother me a little..... Dillemma.....

Well, whadythink.....

 

[geargrinder]

I'd ask for a Dual Port Target action and a Model 12 Palma Stock, no barrel.

Then have some custom swap barrels made.

I'd have one in 223, 243, 7mmWSM, and 338 Edge.

 

[bigngreen]

I'm just getting the barrel worn out on a 270 WSM in a 12FVSS, it was very picky about what it liked but when it liked something it was very, very good!

I would go with the Low Pro in a 300WSM, I've played with a couple of the LRH models and I just can't seem to warm up to them. Any of the lighter models may leave you looking for a heavier barrel for long range work, tough choice. If it were me I would try to talk them out of a Model 110BA without a stock

 

[XWrangler]

Sounds like a good problem! Having to decide is kinda like the candy store story!
Just a quick update on the results of my LRH in 6.5 X 284. I just got finished with a months worh of guiding elk and deer hunters here in Utah.
I was lucky enough to have my daughter draw one of the public tags for elk on the CWMU that I guide on. She got to break in the new 6.5 on a great 6 point Bull at 100 yards. I am using the 120 gr. Barnes TTSX and was a little leary about such a light bullet for elk but with the results I have had the last 15 years shooting Barnes I decided to give it a try. It was the typical one shot kill. Her shot was broad side at 100 yards and it broke both front shoulders and lodged in the off shoulder. Bullet recovered weighs 119 grains! Cant ask for more than that.
The next week I had a client take another good 6 point bull at 335 yards and this time it was quartering towards us. Not exactly the shot your looking for on a big bull. It broke the left shoulder and the passed clear into the stomach area before coming to a stop. The bull only traveled 35 yards before going down. Bullet weight on this one was 120 gr.
Last week I had a client take a 182 mule deer at 440 yards with the same bullet and the same results.
Dont worry about barrel length because the 26 inch is including the muzzle break. The gun is a little on the heavy side but not bad.
I have to admit this is the funnest gun I have shot in a long time and I have not even personally killed anything with it yet. Hopefully that will change in the next couple of weeks.
Two of these kills were made by guys who had never pulled the trigger on this gun before and at ranges they had never taken game at. This gun and the Huskemaw scope are a great combo.
Good luck in your decision making and hope this is of some help. Hope everyone has a safe and successful season!!

 

[Dr. Vette]

There are brand new rifles like yours still available on the 'net, for one thing.

If you like yours, any chance that they'd just rebarrel it and see if it shoots better? Odds are that it's not the action or stock that are the problem, and I can't believe it would be that difficult for them to rebarrel it, or send you a new barrel to have installed at their cost.

Just thinking...

 

[RockZ]

Go for the 110BA!
I have a few buddies with them and those rifles are all shooters from the 308 to300win to 338Lapua.
In fact the Savage outshot my buddy's AI 338 Lapua that costs about 3 or 4 times more.
He is a police sniper and he was not very happy about that!LOL

 

[cdherman]

There are brand new rifles like yours still available on the 'net, for one thing.

If you like yours, any chance that they'd just rebarrel it and see if it shoots better? Odds are that it's not the action or stock that are the problem, and I can't believe it would be that difficult for them to rebarrel it, or send you a new barrel to have installed at their cost.

Just thinking...

They actually already rebarreled it and it still would not shoot. I'd be fine if they wanted to mess with it, but I think they think the receiver is off and their policy is to melt those. Or so I am guessing.

They offered to take a new heavy barreled varminter in 300 WSM and rebarrel it to 270 WSM.

If I really was in love with the 270 WSM , I'd take them up. But since they sort of offered me some leeway, I have got to thinking and I figure I may as well explore my options.

 

[3006savage]

I would go with the LRH in 6.5-284. There are so many great high BC 6.5s out there to try out and the LRHs have been getting good reviews for accuracy. Brass would be another reason to go 6.5-284 with norma and laupa offerings.

 

[cdherman]

I would go with the LRH in 6.5-284. There are so many great high BC 6.5s out there to try out and the LRHs have been getting good reviews for accuracy. Brass would be another reason to go 6.5-284 with norma and laupa offerings.

Yeah... I like that idea, except I am in the process of having a custom 6.5x284 built on a 700 BDL action that I have. The 700 BDL was given to me by by father 30 years ago and it does not shoot well (a 25-06). Nor is 25-06 really a caliber I like too much. It tries to be a varmint round that can shoot deer. Ends up doing both with compromises......

I am currently leaning toward a stainless Weather Warrior with muzzle break in 300 WSM or 300 WIN MAg or same choices in the LRH. The LRH is very long....

 

[whopperstopper]

I have a new LRH 25-06 and it is a copper magnet beyond your wildest dreams, getting ready to fire lap it, also the recoil pad is crumbling away. Muzzle brake gets stuck occasionally of course then again maybe I just got a bad one,( I would of never thought in a million years that Savage would let this scrap metal out of their shop) then again maybe just a bad one!!!!

 

[CRNA]

Man, I have been doing my homework for the past year on my first LR gun. I finally decided on a Savage. I am going to get the model 111 FHNS in 7mm Mag. I am going to have the barrel immediately replaced with a Shilen 26" bull barrel for greater accuracy because I couldn't find a factory savage with a barrel that I liked. You might want to consider the action you want and then sale the factory barrel and purchase a drop in Shilen. These Shilen drop ins go for about $375. Just a thought. Good luck.

 

[robotman]

I have an 11 FCNS 270 WSM that likes Noslers and RL22. BUT I also have a 7 mm Rem Mag in a 12 BVSS. I like the 7 mag better because the recoil impulse is slower... The 270 is casually accurate however. I mean to say that whatever I shoot in it. it is about 1 MOA. The 7 Mag likes you to try a few different powder weights for each bullet before it will shoot. I have been loading all the bullet types in both guns "on" the lands or maybe 2-3 thou short.

The impulse thing is this... the recoil on paper is LESS in the 270 WSM and I have it in a 20 pound benchrest stock. It kicks worse than the 7 Mag, at least it feels that way. From an engineering standpoint it is worse because it happens so fast compared to the 7 MAG. Even in the heavy stock it "stings" your cheek compared to the long mag. For hunting, the 270 WSM hands down. In the factory plastic stock it shoots 3/4" 3 shot groups from sand bags with 130s and 140s loaded at about 10% off max. It is light as a feather in that configuration. Those are the only 3 shots you will want to take that day though! LOL

For benchrest, I like the 7 Mag. Better bullet selection for one thing...

I vote for a 7 mm Rem Mag. The Secret Service can't be all that wrong?