My Savage gripe....

[Nimrod1203]

I know they're accurate, and popular, and cheap.....but for whatever reason, i've never liked savage rifles. The accutrigger, even though they're light, i can't get a feel for them. The rear of the bolt looks like it doesn't fit on the rifle. the barrel nut looks cheap, and the fit and finish has never been good. The bolt is rough, and i don't care for the safety. I know it's random, but i wanted to see if i was alone. This is just complete personal preference, and i'm a Remington/Tikka/Ruger fan. Am i alone on the fact that handling a savage is akin to scratching a chalk board with nails? I'm sure i am.....I just don't know if i'll ever change my mind......
Nimrod

 

[rinodods]

I agree on most points. They don't have the clean lines of the remington or tikka. Don't think the bolt is that rough though. They are still about the only rifle I own. May look ugly but the proof is on the paper and in the freezer. Easy to work on and I can shoot just about any caliber I like with a quick swap of parts and no need to pay a smith. There are kinda like an AR. Ugly but easy to tweak.

 

[hatfield954]

I believe it is from personal experience and frustration that is making you feel that way. I too feel like that, except in the opposite direction. I owned a remington before my savage and I wouldn't use that rifle for a boat anchor. It wouldn't shoot good groups, no matter how many brands and weights of ammo I wasted through it. I have the savage now and have been happy with it ever since I squeezed the trigger the first time. To me the savage is definitely a better rifle and I will not buy another remington.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

There are some models of Savage rifles out there (the cheap ones) that do look like a bargain basement, thrift store product. BUT, there are also those that look just as good as any Remy, I have two model 12's in 204 & 22-243 that are, beautiful. Laminated wood & polished stainless are hard to beat, I also have two other old models 110's that are custom builds w/o the barrel nut, makes them look a little more "conventional". I will say that my 204 is the smoothest bolt rifle I own, you can't hardly tell you're chambering a round it's that smooth... I do also own 3 custom Remingtons & 2 factory Rugers, the bolt on my 375 Ruger is pretty smooth no doubt.... my Remingtons are all expensive builds, with the most being somewhere north of 6k. Will it out perform my savages? oh yeah, but @ 3x the price?

The accu-trigger is a learning curve for sure, both my model 12's wear one & my two 110's wear rifle basix, if you're knowledgeable enough BOTH are user adjustable, only differences are the safety on the accu & the added cost of procuring the Rifle Basix.

 

[MHO]

I too agree but like the previous post, when it comes down to DOING ITS JOB, Im going with a Savage over a Remy. I think all in all they are better shooting rifles dollar for dollar.

 

[dig]

Same dog bit me. I would have never carried a Savage. That is until I purchased a newer unit and shot it out of the box starting with factory ammo into under .75 MOA then improved with Reloads. I still have some gripes about the looks but the Accutrigger is steller, the feed and bolt play has been better that factory Remmy's. I am now a fan, and the new stuff they are building is what the shooting community wants.

 

[Nimrod1203]

I completely understand your positives. And there is no denying a 1/2" group is a 1/2" group. I grew up with my father(Force Recon vet) and my uncle(Ranger vet) shooting 700s. We reloaded a 90 grain hollowpoint at 3600 FPS out of a .270 that shot dime size groups out of a factory, non-bedded 700. If i would have seen one that shot over an inch group, i might have a different taste in my mouth. Then i bought a Tikka m695(pre-t3) which is the base for my first custom build. the bolt is slick as owl snot. The factory trigger breaks like a Jewel at right at 2 lbs. My brother-in-law has a savage .204 and it's a shooter....but it just doesn't fit me like my remington. the stock is akward to me(his is the varmint version 110). I may need to give them another shot, they seemed to have went through a slight bit of quality control upgrade in the past few years, and being able to swap barrels at home would be great....but then my excuse to have another rifle wouldn't work with my wife anymore....as i said, I've been seeing alot of praise, but every time i work the bolt, i've never felt one that felt as tight as my Remmy's or especially my Tikkas....the bolt wobbles, the sound is odd(could be the hollow stocks) and the accu-trigger if adjusted VERY light(As is my brother in laws) is impossible to feel in cooler weather when the pad of your finger hits the actual trigger....again, just my .02.
Nimrod

 

[winmag]

No, you are most definately not alone.
I know a few folks that own them & love them. Heck there's some very credible shooters who are L/R/H members who swear by them also, some I'd even call friends. But for me personally, not a chance I'd be caught with an ugly thing like that. I guess I want it all, sex appeal, & accuracy. To me, one without the other, just doesnt do it for me. Sleek, smooth, & sexy, just aren't good adjectives for Savages. If I ever got a rifle that wouldn't group, it would be gone, No matter what brand or how sexy. But I gotta have both, even if I pay a bit more for it. Just my opinion..
I'll stick with my Winchesters. They can stick with Thier Savages. We can both be happy with our personal choices, but mines still sexy... Hehehehe

 

[Nimrod1203]

Thank you Winmag! Your a gentleman and a scholar. I understand that in the simplest definition of a rifle, the savage is exactly what it's supposed to be. Functional, accurate, and affordable. To me, it's the AK-47 of bolt guns. The ak can't be denied as being a popular, reliable, effective weapon.....it's just very crude to me. As i said, i respect savage for their accuracy, and a 1/2" group is a 1/2" group. That being said, i handled a savage at walmart to see if i could change my mind, and the bolt felt like it was sand paper lined. I could probably polish some of that out, but i'll probably just stick to buying guns that are straight smooth out of the factory. For me, these are mostly anything else but savage and stevens. It's kinda like some boutique European rifles. There are alot of $8k guns that don't outshoot even Remingtons, but the fit, finish, and beauty is what makes them desireable. Here is my Tikka m695 .25-06. You should feel the action on this thing....and easy on the camo...it's kinda rough(my first job)

Nimrod

 

[bigngreen]

I know what your talking about Winmag, if it wasn't for Savages I would never make it to the mountains, they dial down the raw appeal just enough to get out of town.

I've seen some real nice Savages, to nice to pack in the mountains nice. One of the local shops had 5 nice Savages on the shelf and like 4 Tikkas, Tikkas are still on the shelf a year later and it's no wonder why. Cheesiness is in the eye of the beholder I think!

Guns are over all just plain good, some just need the great brought out of them gun)

 

[winmag]

Everybody's got an opinion. I'm sure if Bigngreen reads my post Hell slap me for it Hehehehe. He does love his Savages, & he knows how to load for,& shoot em too. They treat him well, & he is not alone. I also love the idea of swapping tubes so easily.

But ya, smooth & sexy are almost as important to me as accuracy. So I feel your pian. However there's a catch. Too sexy, as in so nice you don't go places so you can avoid scratches, makes a rifle useless too. So while I can't quite convince myself to buy an accurate Weatherby Accumark and drag it over rocks & brush, nor can i go to the other end of the scale & buy an accurate Savage & be seen in public with it. It's just not my style.
I'm not on the prod here. I'm just set in my ways, & a very opinionated person. I'm still buddys with some Savage lovers. I forgive them, & them, me for our shortcommings & opinions

 

[winmag]

Crap! He beat me to it.
See what I mean
I knew he couldn't resist setting me strait.....again....haha. hope your doin good bng.

Nimrod, you've got class imo.
Just be very carefull wich direction your post goes. You may get more invites than you can turn away by the savage boys trying to outshoot you with Thier cheap guns. They come out of the woodwork on posts like this. & I'm in no mood to shoot against bigngreen. He'd probably sweep the floor with me, wich in itself wouldn't be so bad, but he'd do it with his Savage, & I would never be able to look myself in the mirror again haha.

 

[Nimrod1203]

hahahaha! thats what the sports all about, and thats why there are more than 2 rifle companies to choose from....Chevy/Ford. Remington/everything else..... jk.
Nimrod

 

[rinodods]

Personally I like that some of you guys don't like the old savage. That just leaves a few more on the shelf for me. I've toyed with getting a Remington but just can't seem to pull the trigger when a savage is on the shelf near by. lol I do love to tinker though so maybe one of these days one will follow me home if I can get a good deal used. I could always make my self feel better by getting a conversion barrel with a nut.