Help me choose a rifle - Savage Model 14 Classic Blued or 10 Trophy Hunter XP or ????

[trimore]

My total budget is $900-$1000 with accessories/scope. I am new to center-fire rifles.

The purpose is a general sporting rifle that I can enjoy shooting at the range on occasion, use for hunting and have for many years to come. I want a wood stock (not laminate) but it seems today that there just are not that many options in wood unless much more is spent. I don't have any interest in a project gun although if it makes alot more sense, I guess I could consider a replacement stock but that seems to just drive the cost up.

I thought I was set on the Classic but once I get it ($785 to my door), add a scope, get a few accessories and a few boxes of ammo.... I am well beyond my budget.

I started to look at other models and really only found one, the Model 10 Trophy Hunter XP ($540 to my door) that might meet the goals but it appears to be a new model and comes with a scope that I would likely want to replace but may be something to start with. Can't figure out if the barrel is free floated as that appears to be something that I should be looking for. Not sure if I have been able to figure out any other differences that are noteworthy.

I will consider other brands but prefer to stick with "main-line" guns that won't be odd or difficult to find parts for in years to come. Therefore, I have tried to look at popular guns like the Rem 700, Winchester Model 70 and Savage Model 10 line....

Have any thoughts or other ideas that I should be considering.

Thanks

Matt

 

[Moparnut]

I say the model 10. For the price you can put a good scope on it for about another 250 and still have enough left over for ammo.

 

[jmr40]

My #1 recomendation for a quality walnut stocked rifle is the Winchester Featherweight. They can be found in the $700-$800 price range. They are probably the best quality overall USA made rifle right now. A lot of gun for the money and something that will appreciate over time and be something to pass on to the grandkids.


http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=001C&mid=535109

With glass that might be over budget so a Ruger Hawkeye is my 2nd choice.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/..._id/72367/Ruger+77+Hawkeye+.270+Win+SatinBlue

Since they come with factory rings it will save you a bit more leaving more money for optics and other accessories.

If you want a classic good looking rifle that will also work these are the 2 I'd look at.

 

[Kachok]

I would spend the extra on the 14 GREAT looking rifle, I love my savages they have all been good to me, but my new Winchester 70 featherweight feels like a much higher end rifle for about the same money, now mind you I have handloads for my two Savages that blow the 70 out the water but I have the feeling that once I tweak the 70 that much I will be hanging right there with them at the range, it shoots factory core-lokts right at an inch which is a very respectable performance for a light rifle. You could not go wrong either way....I love choices like that

 

[trimore]

Thanks for the comments. I decided to go with the blued classic. Even though the price on the stainless classic was tempting, I did not like the look of it. In the end I was debating over an amount of money that I will forget about soon but if I skimped or got something that I did not like, that would not be easy to forget...

 

[Dentite]

I would think you could get the 14 Classic for a better price. I bought one a couple years ago and I spent much less for NIB...less than $700. I do agree the Mod70 is a prettier rifle and may be a better quality rifle but my 14 Classic in .223 has produced 5 shot groups of less than 1/2 inch with handloads so I'm not about to trade it in.

 

[trimore]

I did end up getting it a little less but not much. I could only find buds and gun genie to have any stock and I did not want to deal with used this time and was not finding any anyways.