I am new to rifles, but not firearms. I own a Hipoint .40S&W and a Mossberg 500 12ga. I was looking to get a .308 rifle, and as funds are a bit tight right now, I am leaning towards the Savage 111FCNS. I will be using it for plinking to start with, until I feel ready to go after some varmint (and of course for SHTF situations). For a beginner how is this rifle?
If you are OK with hunting loads in the Mossy, you should be OK with the 308. All the same, I'd recommend a 22 for learning the art of the rifle. It really is a different discipline than handguns and shotties.
Shotguns are pointed, not aimed. Rifles are aimed, not pointed. (There's more to it, obviously, but some coaching at the range is worth the time to find a coach.)
I am a big Savage fan because you can do most of the work yourself when you want to upgrade the rifle when funds become available. Savages are also neat because you can swap barrels and change your calibers very easily. Just some simple tools and you are in business. The 308 is a good choice since there are tons of factory loads if you do not reload. The 308 is also pretty cost effective and can are still able to reach out past 1,000 yards with that caliber. The Accutrigger is better than factory triggers, but I don't like it nearly as much as my SSS trigger.
Cool. Not into reloading. So to change calibers, I just change barrels? To any caliber, or only certain ones?
The Savage is NOT a simple "Switch-barrel" proposition - there is more to it. If you aren't mechanically inclined, it'll need a gunsmith. But it IS a lot easier than most rifles. Rifle marksmanship is a discipline that requires different skills than a shotgun. Reading wind (you are shooting a greater distance), learning to breath properly as you shoot, holding steady...... A good .22 rifle is a required part of the well-rounded shooter's gunlocker - it is cheap training and fun!
I have a couple Savage 110's in different calibers. Good guns - especially for the price. They're pre-Accu Trigger rifles, though, so I can't give you any feed back on the AT. You can't go too far wrong with a Remington 700 either. I just picked up a SPS Tactical in .308 Win and am building it into a long-range (600-1000+ yards). Quality seems good for the price ($559 after $40 rebate) and everything operates smoothly.
Weatherby VAnguard2's are below $500 and guarantee sub-MOA accuracy. 'course, you gotta still get the scope and probably match bullets and know your stuff.
If you can change your windshield wipers, you can rebarrel a Savage. Even if one is not mechanically inclined it's still easy. You act as if it requires a PhD to unscrew the old barrel off...get go/no go gauges and tighten on new barrel. Give people some credit. Some calibers use the same go/no go gauges IE 243, 260, 308 use the same gauges, so if you want those calibers you only need to buy one set of gauges. Those calibers also use the same bolt face, so only a barrel swap is required. If you decide to go from 308 to say 223...you will need to change the bolt face along with the barrel.
Not to come across argumentative, but it really ain't THAT easy. Need a couple special tools (Barrel nut wrench, the proper gauges, a padded vice), and then knowing how to set the head space. A bit more than a simple 'swap'. Change caliber base - say .308 to .223 - need new magazine too! If you've done a motor job, or changed the Doohickey in a KLR650 - should be a no-brainer.
I for one Like Savage... I still own and use an old 110 in 30-06... Kind of old school, true, but so am I... Yes the Vanguard2 is a nice weapon... the reason they went to a version 2 was because of all the recalls on the first gen Important Safety Notice Regarding Weatherby
My 300w old 112FVSS shoots under a minute. IMO, Savage has always sold one of the best values for the dollar when purchasing an accurate rifle.
Savage/Stevens Just a note to say that in my opinion, you can't beat a Savage or Stevens rifle for value, and 99.9% of the time accuracy!..I currently have a Stevens 200 in 223 that will with reloads, shoot one hole groups , gun has an after market trigger...all else is stock....I have rebarreled three others myself, a 260 AI, a 6XC pac-nor bbl, and a 6.5x284 with Kreiger bbl. Other than a vise, and the bbl nut wrench, i have only used a go gauge on the first, the 260AI. For the money, i don't know of a comparable deal on rifle that shoots that good. For more info, go to savageshooters.com...they have guys there that have forgotten more than i know (not all that much!) Just my opinion....rsbhunter
it is not rocket science to swop barrelson a savage. now it takes even more to do a remington 700. things like a lathe(in my garage) and other SPECIAL tools and tooling(also in the garage) are needed. a end mill is also sitting in the garage. i have rebarreled remingtons,winchesters,rugers(i believe are the junk of the rifle world if you own a m77 markII. if the saftey is on the tang your good) and manymorn. for the money savage is the way to go. best bang for the buck. easy to change barrels on and change the bolt head if needed. you'll have to make sure your not trying to put a long action round in a short action action is really the only thing you need to be careful of. i have the go/no go and field gauges for almost every caliber you can think of. i also have chamber reamers that range from bill calfee's .22lr match chamber all the way up to a .458 mag. to change the barrel on a savage you need a barrel vice, a action wrench, and a nut wrench. you'll need the go gauge and my favorite way of doing it is use the go gauge and put a thin piece of scotch tape over the rear of the go gauge. if the bolt closes with the tape it isn't ready. you want it to close on the gauge with no tape, but not close when the tape is on. snug up the barrel nut without moving the barrel and your ready to shoot. pretty simple and straight foreward. my savage model 26 with a mcgowan heavy barrel in a 1:12 twist my .300 win mag on a 111 action with a rifle basix trigger set at 6ozs. it is wearing a shilens select match grade barrel. here is one i chambered and machined myself. it is my .22lr match rifle. i used the bill calfee chamber reamer and finished reaming it by hand. the barrel is a 4 groove lilja tight bore of bill calfee design. the action is a hall action. right bolt left port in a don stith stock. the savage .308 is wearing a weaver t36 scope. i removed the night force from the hall and put it on my 6ppc.
wonder if i've built a rifle or two in my life time? you bet i have!!!! anything in the 6mm-6.5mm caliber is a tack driver from get go.
