Is this a good way to spend my tax return?

[chickenfried]

What do guys think of this as my tax return purchase. Don't have a bolt action rifle yet just a few garands, an m1a, and a 10/22. The price shown is the dealer price. My dealer will do sell it to me for $849 + plus S&H ($15) + $50 (markup) = $914 + Sales Tax = $989.41. Don't really have a use for it just think it would be a cool rifle to have. Maybe do some varmint hunting with my brother, try out some competitions up in sacramento, hunting pigs or deer, or just making small little groups at the range. Mght be the only bolt action I ever buy. I was thinking of getting it in .308 but I'll admit whoever thought to start using the term magnum with guns, was a marketing genius. So a small part of me wouln't mind hearing your thoughts on the 300 win. magnum. Thanks for your help.

 

[El Rojo]

It really doesn't matter what I think. What do you think? I say go for it. The price is most certainly right.

 

[Black Majik]

Sounds like a good package deal to me! .308's would be a great round to fire w/o getting sore so quickly.

I think that is quite a good deal. Also makes me wonder why I'm building my first Bolt Rifle "package"...

 

[Lennyjoe]

. Don't really have a use for it just think it would be a cool rifle to have

If you feel like blowing that much on a rifle that you dont really have any use for than thats up to you.

I on the other hand would use that money wisely and buy something useful.

 

[Legionnaire]

I vote for the .308. With 175-180gr ammo, you'll be good out to 1000 yards. The .300 Win Mag will shoot flatter, to be sure, but if you're just doing long range plinking, the .308 will be far less expensive to shoot. Also, some ranges with steel targets won't allow magnums, as they tend to punch holes. If you only plan to get one, I say the .308 is the best bet.

But as been said, what do you think? Get whatever lights your afterburner.

 

[Z_Infidel]

If you do a search on Savage rifles in the forum, you will find they are thought of pretty highly. However, according to what I've read in some posts you may want to handle a similar Savage rifle to make sure you will be happy with the factory synthetic stock. Of course, you can always upgrade to a better stock later if you find it lacking.

 

[swingcatt]

Got basically the same thing. Different scope tho and no hard case.

Stock just sucks, be prepared to fix it or replace it, period.

Accutrigger is nice, really like it a lot. Light, crisp, everything they said it would be. It doesn't look like a normal trigger, but as long as that doesn't bother you, your good to go.

Rethink the .300 Win Mag unless you are planning to go big game hunting or have another good reason. I got it because I thought it would be fun to shoot, too. Nothing is farther from the truth. I am 6' 200 lbs and that rifle is an exercise in control everytime I shoot it. It's not something that you would just take out to the range for a fun afternoon, that's fer sure. I used to say that recoil is 25% physical and 75% mental, that is until I started shooting this beast. It's just too much for a "just for fun" rifle.

Go with the .308, ammo's cheaper, recoil's less, accuracy's probably gonna be better too, because you're worried about the shot and not the thing taking your shoulder off or giving you a shiner.

SC

 

[goalie]

Most of the .300 WinMag rifles that I have shot had, to me, more perceived recoil than my .375 H&H has. While energy-wise it should not be the case, I think it is a function of the speed of the recoil, kind of like a .45 compared to a .40 in handguns. The .300 WinMag will be a little "snappy" to shoot prone or off the bench for extended shooting sessions. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Steve Smith]

Might want to verify that the rifle will conform to the rules of the competitons you plan to enter.

 

[SapperLeader]

Thats a great looking rifle! The day im ready to set up a long range bolt gun, I will probally use asavage with acutrigger anyway, and that complete package seems to have everything needed at a darn good price. Only question is it something you want and could use? Or just want it? Either way, its your money and your call, but its definitly a good price for the package.

 

[Redlg155]

Nice guns and the accu trigger is really sweet!

I personally would buy the rifle seperately and add my own options. It doesnt' state what bipod is on the weapon other than the a Harris, but I prefer the Harris LRM. It's got the leg notches instead of a tension adjustment. You can also adjust for cant in case you are shooting on uneven ground.

Also, if you ever decide to sell the rifle a .308 will be much easier to sell. Lots of folks shy away from the .300 Win mag. Those who want magnums are goind to the "short" magnums offered by several companies.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[kimbernut]

Savage

Chickenfried, An excellent rifle- My son has one with the laminated stock and fluted stainless barrel in .308 Win.. The accu-trigger came set at 1.5 lbs.- in most rifles I consider that dangerous because it feels like a breath will drop the hammer but the accu-trigger take up lever is a modern marvel. The rifle must be fired to be believed. With a Springfield Armory 4-14x56mm scope it weighs in at just over 11 lbs. and will shoot .5 MOA and better right out of the box with factory R-P 150 grain PSPCL as long as he does his part. Reconsider that .300 Rem.Mag. though ,Bud. I can shoot .30-06 & .308 all day but five shots with the Rem.Mag.and I'm ready to go home.With a PAST pad I can go thru a box of cartriges but ,as was mentioned above,it is not a pleasant afternoon. I too am 6'+ @ 220 lbs.

 

[Smoke]

I say go for it!

I have the same gun in .300 WIn Mag, some thoughts:

308 will be far less expensive to shoot

A LOT CHEAPER!

Stock just sucks, be prepared to fix it or replace it, period.

I could not agree more. Fortunately there are lots of replacements available if you don't care for it.


Some one mentioned resale, I don't know that one may handicap you more than the other. It may depend on your area. Everyone here has to have a SuperCrazyButtStomperMagnum. Hell, I'll confess I bought mine to throw around some long brass. I'd much rather shoot my .308 regularly though. When I bought my 300Mag it took me two trips to the range to get it sighted in after being bore sighted at the shop. 10 rounds a trip was about all I wanted of that beast.

And ammo ain't cheap.

Smoke

 

[Shalako]

FWIW, I am a huge fan of Savage rifles, but I'm not sure that price is so great.

For example-----
My 10fp in .308 cost:
rifle $350
scope $200
SSS varmint stock $240
BT bolt handle $25
Harris Bipod $60
-----------
total $875

My 12fv in .223 cost:
rifle and scope combo $449
B&C Duramaxx stock $90
SSS trigger $95
-----------
total $624


They both shoot .5 moa with the right ammo

 

[Shalako]

On second thought, Cabela's lists that Burris scope for $350, and you get the rifle case. The accutrigger is nice, but you will eventually replace that flimsy plastic stock.....hmmm

Maybe it is an OK deal.

 

[dakotasin]

the savage stock needs to be replaced... so factor in the cost of a quality replacement, then look over the options... is a remington, ruger, whatever a better buy?

on caliber... i thoroughly enjoy shooting magnums. i have no qualms at all about unleashing a couple dozen rounds from the bench in a sporter weight magnum to work on drops at long range. cost? not significant if you reload (i do). the 308 is cheaper to shoot, regardless of whether you buy factory ammo or load your own, but if you handload, the cost isn't significant. if you load your own, go 300 win mag. if you are stuck w/ factory garbage, go 308.

in addition to magnum whatevers, i also have a heavy 308 (rem 700 vls)... don't kid yourself into thinking that you are going to go out and blow off a couple hundred rounds in a sitting... the 308 has recoil, too, and will eventually wear you out... probably get an additional 7-10 shots per session out of the 308 before recoil does you in.

 

[Werewolf]

Lennyjoe opined:

If you feel like blowing that much on a rifle that you dont really have any use for than thats up to you.

I on the other hand would use that money wisely and buy something useful.

DEFINE USEFUL... :banghead:

The only thing I do with my weapons is punch holes in paper - I have a lot of fun doing that but it's not terribly useful. I guarantee I'll keep doing it and enjoying it for years to come and wasting as much paper, lead and smokeless powder on a useless hobby as I can.

I suspect that there's lotsa folks who own guns they've never even fired - not much use in that - other than - say - the joy they get from owning them.

So what is USEFUL? And why is it important? Chickenfried obviously would derive great joy from buying that Savage as set up and just wanted opinions on whether or not he was getting a good deal not whether or not someone figured he was wasting his money because he wasn't gonna use the weapon the way another might.

So lighten up and let Chickenfried enjoy!

 

[Mulliga]

Fair price IMHO. Quite a nice package...but in my opinion it's more fun to build up stuff yourself .

.300 Win Mag is hella expensive compared to milsurp .308, but you get what you pay for.

26" barrel? Just don't ever carry it around.

 

[standingbear]

if theres a remote chance and you cant decide what to spend it on..how bout helpin me out some spend it on whatever makes you happy.

 

[chickenfried]

hmm if I just give my tax return to standing bear, would save me a lot of time deciding what to do with it.

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'll let you know if I go through with the purchase. Picking out my own equipment does sound fun, but just buying a package that's a good deal is also tempting.

 

[Werewolf]

dakotasin postulates that:

the savage stock needs to be replaced

Why?

 

[swingcatt]

Werewolf, the synthetic stocks on Savage rifles are their last weak link. They are very flimsy, so much that resting them on a bag or rest will push the stock into contact with the barrel, defeating the whole purpose of having a free floated barrel! And you might as well just forget about a bipod! (Which really sucks for the 10FP and 110FP stocks which give you an extra stud just for the bipod!)

Replacement is the easiest thing to remedy them, but they can be improved. I sunk a steel rod in mine then filled the whole cavity up with epoxy.

This is only for the synthetic stocks. The laminate ones like what's on the 12BVSS are very nice. And I haven't heard any bad remarks about the regular hardwood stocks either.

SC

 

[dakotasin]

werewolf-
swingcatt has my feelings pretty much wrapped up... their plastic stocks are so flimsy that in order to have anything approaching precision, the stock either needs replaced, or worked over pretty good (i've used carbon arrow shafts + epoxy, and pushrods + epoxy). the deal w/ filling up a stock w/ epoxy is that it adds a considerable amount of weight to the rifle - may or may not be a big deal - and it alters the balance of the rifle - again, maybe a problem, maybe not.

as for their hardwood stocks... i find them very uncomfortable. but, being as they are wood, they are altered easy enough, and cheap enough. one thing i noticed about wood-stocked savages, though: they sure seem to recoil hard! don't know if it is the way they fit me, or if the design is bad, or what, but geeze!

never worked w/ a savage laminate stock... i would hazard a guess and say they are probably pretty good if you are ok w/ the grip angle...

 

[Werewolf]

Swing, Dakota,

Thanks guys. That stock info is good to know because there's definitely gonna be a Savage FP10 in my future - probably sometime this year.