New Rifle

[JayS]

Fleet Farm has a savage 30-06 package on sale this week. Looks like a pretty nice setup for the price. Anyone have any experience with this gun. I believe it is the model 111FXP3 with their AccuTrigger.

[northerndave]

they shoot.

famous for accuracy, but I've shot a sav 30-06 in a synthetic stock before.... kick like mule.

I shoot 30-06 in a featherweight winchester, Shoot .308 in the famous shoulder slapping win model 88, I shoot 300 wby, 450 marlin... I'm not afraid of recoil but that composite stocked 30-06 savage left an impression on me.

I'd urge you to look at a model with a wood stock & the 110-111's would usially sport a birch stock which may move around on you with the seasons & humidity... so I'd suggest looking for a model with a laminate stock.

but I do like the savage rifles.

good value, I'd buy a laminate unit or the classic american walnut model but not as a package, just a bare rifle, then I'd go & grab a stout set of affordable rings & bases like weaver grand slams & put about a $200 scope on it, 3-9 40mm, nikon, leupold, burris FFII or bushnell elite 3200. either will serve you well but if I were to rank warranty wise I'd go leupold, burris, nikon then lastly the bushnell.

I know that's easier said than done & the $$'s are the final determining factor, which is what makes the combo's look so attractive, but for a little bit more up front you will be done with it & not left wanting more for the set up, soon you may find yourself wishing you had a better stock, and wishing you had a better scope...

You should be able to put together a respectably scoped day in & day out reliable tack driver that's not a bruiser to shoot for 600-650 scoped & ready to go.

now that aint free but it's a far cry better than spending 700 on a rifle alone & topping it with that $200 scope.

and in the end it will do the job of your buddies Rem 700, Win M70, Browning A-bolt, Tika, kimber or what have you and truthfully, probably hold tighter groups.

my 2 cents, cause you asked.

[The Donk]

Unless you are shooting alot, (some sort of league???) the kick of a gun shouldn't have anything to do with a decision to buy a gun. When I see a deer I have decided to shoot, I have never felt an ounce of recoil whether I shoot a .243 or a .300. The savage is a good gun and worth the price Fleet is asking. I would concur, though to buy a higher buck scope though, that is as important as any rifle nowdays.

[northerndave]

I agree totally about the hunting recoil, you'll never feel hunting recoil.

But if you want to sit on a bench with that rifle & a box of shells & really see what she'll do, really see if she can clover leaf or rip the same hole at 100 yds.. well, a flinch isn't going to help you in that situation.

I've got a buddy who had one, synth 06 in a savage. I asked him how it shot, he said "not worth a shnit"

I was very confused & in disbelief because I hadn't come across a savage that wouldn't shoot. So, I had to see for myself. The recoil was noticable immediately but it didn't bother me like it had him & he had developed a tenderized shoulder from boxes of shells fired trying to get a decent group.

I held on true through the trigger pull on a couple of 3 round groups with that kicker & it tuned out she did shoot, she shot very tight groups, just not in his hands is all.

He swore off savage for several years even after seeing me shoot decent groups with it because of his persoanl lack of confidence with the rifle. some years later now I helped him do a mild custom on another savage, this time with a wood stock & in 25-06.

he does well with this one & I think it's because he's not affraid of it.

[boatfixer]

I got a Savage in a lefty version,7MM-08, wood stock, but instead of the package Savage offered, the dealer gave me the same deal, but with a Swift scope. I absolutely love the gun. Tight groups, good fit. Some say they ain't as purdy as a Browning or Remington, but purdy don't kill deer!

[Craig_S]

Take a look at Tikka. I just bought one for my son in .308. Very nice action and kind of purdy too. And for just a couple dozen dollars more than a savage.

But, My kid also has a .22 bolt Savage with the Accu-Trigger. I'm not sold yet, but it is very nice, crisp and light. Sort of an extra safety feature too.

For me, I don't think I could get used to the Accu-Trigger. On the .22, you can hardly feel it, but I can. And I wonder if it's just something else that will break?

Craig

[brassman]

I second Tikka. I got mine with an extra ( expensive ) clip but it was worth it. I personally only will buy a gun with a clip. I think I paid like 641 for the gun and extra clip. Thing shoots like a dream, if you like 30 caliber performance and not 30-06 kick, go with the .308. Also spend as much on a scope as you can, even if that means taking out a loan. The better quality the better off you'll be. overall I love my gun. I topped it with a Bushnell 3200 elite 3-9, that was the highest I could go without skipping a truck payment. One thing that sold me on the Tikka was the bolt, very very smooth.

[jlm]

Felt recoil is a VERY important factor in my opinion, so I have to side with NorthernDave on this one! Get something you feel comfortable with. Savage makes a great inexpensive gun and the accutrigger is a great selling point for the Savage rifles. I would have no hesitation in getting one if money is a factor. Good luck!

[USPENAMC]

i own one black synthetic in 30 06 had it for like 3 years now. shot a buck droppe in its tracks using core lockt 155 grains i think. For the amount of shooting ive done i dont think it kicks much.. youre shotgun kicks alot harder and you use it alot more.

synthetic is good because it does not shrink or change as does wood stocks which might change your point of aim.

the scope is good and the price is good when i took it to the range i had to move like to inches to the Right at 100 yards and maybe and that was all the adjustment i had to do.

this is only my opinion

[northerndave]

Those are encouraging words from someone who actually owns what you are asking about.

It's very possible that they may have changed the syn stock a bit in recent years, adjusting drop, adding weight? the one I've talked about was mounted in what I affectionatly referr to as a "BB gun stock"

[Muthagoose]

I own several savage rifles from 22 to 06 and they shoot fine. For the $ the are very accurate. The accu trigger took a little adjusting but once set works fine...

Many ways to tame recoil, most of all concentrate on the target. The last upgrade I used the new weaver style leupold rifleman rings, better than standard weavers..

[Bassboy1645]

BRASSMAN, ABSOLUTELY! the bolt on my tikka sold me too...whisper slick like a ghost runs it. I got .270 though...they didnt have the .308 or the .243 I wanted so my third choice was .270. I dont regret it one bit. topped with a nikon buckmasters 3x9x40 I got for free as b day gift. Shes a deer slayer!

[SMILEY]

I purchased the 06 package combo (just before the Accu-trigger came out) from Wally World. I got it for less than 300 bucks on clearance. So far, it has been a good rifle. I did replace the scope with a Weaver scope and replaced the mouting hardware. I'm averaging 1.5" groups at 100 yards with 165 grain Federal Premium Trophy Bonded Bear Claws. I did notice that some of the allen screws that hold the trigger assembly in place did need to get tightened down after the 1st time I sighted in. Also, the sling was cheesy. You should probably upgrade to something more comfortable. However, if you are like me and have a wife, kids and a mortgage payment, it's a very good deal. I know you get what you pay for for optics, but I think you can get a few seasons out of the factory scope.

[orangestew]

Try the Remmington managed recoil shells if your worried about the recoil. I tried some last year and they shoot like a dream. I believe they are 125 grain which was plenty enough to bring down 3 deer for me last year. Never had to track one of them.