Savage 12 VLP DBM 300 WSM

[Accushot]

I am looking to build/buy a new hunting rifle that would be suitable for cutting my teeth in on long range shooting. I have had many Remington rifles and like them quite a lot, but I know there are other great rifles out there. I had set my mind to buy a Remington Sendero SF II in 300 Win Mag, Then I was talking to a local gunsmith who priced out a custom rig on a 700 action for about the same price as a Sendero... Although tempting I am not ready to dive into the full custom rifle game. My goal with this rifle is to shoot MOA to Sub MOA groups out to 800 yards with intent of taking elk sized game out to 700-800 yards. After I achieve this I will dive a bit further into the long range game with a custom 338 of some sort for 1000+ yard shooting at SubMOA. I recently saw a Savage 12 VLP DBM in 300 WSM. It sells for about $850 compared to the Sendero's $1150. I am pondering the comparison of getting the Savage and putting an HS Stock on it and being into it about the same as a Sendero. I know it will come up that the Sendero would be 300 Win whereas the Savage is a 300 WSM, I do reload and am perfectly fine with both calibers and am only looking to compare the other aspects of these two guns. If anyone has any experience with the Savage particularly in 300 WSM I would love to here from you. I have heard plenty of great things about the Sendero. The only thing I don't like about the Sendero is the trigger. I know I could put a better trigger in there but I am trying to stay around $1200 for the rifle alone. I like the Accutrigger hence I am considering the Savage with an HS stock...
Any help would be appreciated...

 

[backwoods83]

Unless you are just against a laminate stock altogether, the vlp will be just as accurate in the factory stock with bedding under the recoil lug and tang as the 350 dollar HS.

 

[Accushot]

Thanks for replying, I know I am new to this forum.
My main objective for replacing the stock would be to take some weight off the gun... Any other thoughts?

 

[liltank]

I own the exact rifle you are looking at in the Savage. It is a very accurate rifle in that caliber. Set up properly it is easily a 1000yd rifle for Whitetail and 800-900 for elk with proper hand loads. My cousin currently is using my VLP stock with a factory Savage barrel in 300WSM. Mine started out as a .308, then reamed to a 300WSM. I have two kills at 605 and 648 on groundhogs with that caliber. The barrel my cousin is using is one that started as a .308 he owned. He gave it to me and I reamed that one to 300WSM also. When I went back to .308, we screwed his barrel back on his Savage action in my basement and he is shooting it now. He just scored his first long range hit at 839yds on a groundhog the other day. I highly suggest the rifle you are looking at. If you choose to have the VLP stock bedded, you only bed the action to the recoil lug. Savages like to have the rear tang floating a little. The HS stock would be a nice upgrade, but isn't necessary. If you want a light weight stock that will be strong and durable, look into Stockade stocks, or Manners.

Tank

 

[backwoods83]

Another good option is a bell and carlson medalist A2 about 100 cheaper than the hs and a little lighter with about 20 color options.

 

[Accushot]

liltank, It's good to know that you have had a good experience with the Savage. I will call Cabela's in the morning to see when they can get one in. How much does the laminate stock weigh on that gun? Savage's website says the gun weighs 10lb total. I would like the gun to weigh 8.5lb or less. Hiking up and down the Rocky's chasing elk motivates me to keep the gun at a reasonable weight. The Sendero weighs 8.5 pounds, if the barrel contours are similar I assume the extra weight of the Savage is just in the stock. I will look into Manners and Stockade stocks. I haven't seen any actual specs on the contours of the Savage Barrel on the VLP, is it the same as the Sendero?
backwoods, I will look at the Bell and Carlson Metalist some of B&C stocks I have seen I haven't been impressed with, but that was several years ago. I know I like HS stocks, but they are expensive.

 

[backwoods83]

Accushot the contour on every factory savage varmint I've had which is a lot falls between .830 and .845" at the muzzle, yours will likely measure .830 even though companies that sell aftermarket barrels for savage list the varmint contour as a straight taper to .800".

 

[liltank]

The stock is fairly heavy. I would suggest getting a synthetic. Another option would be the new Light Weight Hunter by Savage. It comes in at 6.5#. You could always put an aftermarket barrel on it if you want a heavier contour and length. That would still keep it right around 8#.

Tank

 

[Outlaw81]

I personally own a new Savage VLPDBM in 300wsm. Sweet *** gun. It sports a Super Sniper 16x42. Barreled action with scope weighs 9 1/2 lbs. The Bell and Carlson medalists weigh in at 3lbs roughly so you're not gonna lose weight even with a carbelite stock. HS is what is what comes on the sendero and I don't care what they say, the sendero still weighs **** near 10lbs. These are two precision guns that weigh that much because of the higher quality barrels. IMHO, my savage wsm shoots more accurately than my sendero .300 winny. The guns can't hardly be made lighter tho. humping either of these creatures around really isn't any harder than carrying my old thompson hawken rifle. I'd pick the savage just for the fact that for the bullets that matter (up to 210gr), it will out perform a 300winny with less powder. With a ten pound gun ur not gonna notice any recoil difference. I've carried plenty of 10 pounders around over the years and I can tell you it's not too bad.

 

[longrangehunter300wsm]

how good of groups were you shooting with your gun out of the box?
im thinking this might be my next rifle!