The Savage Model 11F. Experience? Quality? Accuracy?

[mannyrock]

Dear Guys,

   I have never owned a Savage rifle before.  (I was always very biased against Savage, because when I was a kid in the 1960s and 70s, the only experienced I ever had with Savage was with their cheap double barrel shotguns, that just kept falling apart every 50 shots or so.  Word was: Savage makes a nice shotgun, if you can keep it together.)

   Ok, so maybe this problem never applied to their rifles, and I know that times have changed.  Here's my question.

   I am looking for a reasonably priced, accurate out of the box, sythetic stocked, bolt action deer rifle, in .308.   By accurate, I mean 1.5 inches, with 150 grain factory ammo, from a bench.   (I've had a few Remington 700s before, with wooden stocks, and all of them shot this well right out of the box.)

   In my opinion, though, the quality of Remington has fallen far and fast in the last 15 years, and the new sythetic models cost alot!  About 5 years ago, my brother and I were looking at brand new Remington Model 7s in the store, in  7mm-08.  Out of the 5 on the rack, 4 of them had barrels that were drilled so far off center, that you could see it by just glancing at the muzzles!  We walked away.

   It looks to me as if I could get a new Savage 11F, in .308, with synthetic stock, accu-trigger and iron sights, for about $450.  Does anyone have any experience with the overall quality/accuracy of these rifles??? (And, by the way, what happened to the model 110 Savage.  Discontinued?)

Thanks for all info.

Mannyrock

 

   

[mountainview]

Manny,
The 110 is alive and well and shoots as good as its Savage and Stevens brethren. One of our best rifles is my sons 11F in 7-08, it likes most any fodder we feed it and really shines with handloads. I would not hesitate to recommend Savage rifles.

[rickyp]

savage will not win any beauty contest but most of the will shoot right out of the box and if you find a load they like they can shoot really well.
I too have seen that Remington has lost a lot of guilty while still charging a premium penny

[LHitchcox]

Check out the Stevens 200 in .308. It is the preAccutrigger Savage in a cheaper gray stock. They are typically very accurate. The only thing is that it will need a trigger adjustment. Not too hard for the user if he has a bit of info. on how to. By replacing the round wire trigger spring with a lighter music wire spring, a nice hunting trigger can be had in the 3#-3.25# range.

This rifle is going for under $300.


Leon

[mannyrock]

Leon,

   Thanks for the heads up on the Stevens 200.  I have throroughly researched it, and it looks like it would be my choice over the current Savage 11, since:

    1.  I hate the black synthetic stock, and ventilated recoil pads, I see on the Savage 11.  The grey stock with solid recoil pad on the Stevens looks fine to me.

    2.  I don't need an accu-trigger.  I think that the Stevens can be adjusted to be a lighter pull by turning just one screw, and a 4.5 pound pull is fine for me.

    3.  I guess that I would have to pay a gunsmith to mount some iron sights on the Stevens, but I've already got the sights, so hopefully that wouldn't cost too much.

    4.  The Stevens is advertized in some places at only $279.00!!!  An unbelievable bargain!!  Perhaps the greatest bargain in bolt actions since the very cheap K-Mart prices in the early 1970s on the original walnut-stocked Remington 788s! (I think they were about $115.00)

   Now, IF ONLY both Savage and Stevens would stop engraving their names and emblems on the bolts.  (Boy that looks cheesey!!! )  :-)

Regards,

Mannyrock

[LHitchcox]

If you go with the Stevens and want to do the trigger job, PM me and I can send you a piece of music wire. A guy on Savageshooters.com sent me enough wire to do 8 triggers.

Leon

[mannyrock]

  Thanks,s

  M-rock