Ruger Hawkeye or Savage 110 with Accutrigger?

[BBQLS1]

I have a Savage 111 FCNS in .30-06 that I'm selling to a friend. It's a good rifle, it's the first rifle I've had to overlap holes with factory ammo. I'm really only selling it because I just don't like synthetic stocks. I just want something with wood.

I'm planning on buying what's basically the same rifle but with a wood stock instead of the accustock. It's the 110 Trophy Hunter XP package which comes with a Nikon scope and rings. If it shoots good and holds zero, I will likely not touch the scope until next season.

BUT!!! I like the action and safety of the Ruger Hawkeye rifles a little better. They just feel a little better to me in that respect. But, I'm more interested in accuracy than the other features. I'll take both if I can get it.

Anyone have any real experience with the newer Rugers and can attest to their accuracy? It seems that older models were always "accurate for intended purposes" or "hunting accurate" and that's not what I want.

 

[Flatbush Harry]

I was out shooting my Ruger 77RSI in .270 Win on Saturday to test some loads. I got 3-shot groups in the 0.6"-0.75" groups at 100 yards using my handloads with 130gr AccuBonds and H4831SC. I have 3 Rugers, two Mod 77RSIs and a No. 1A and love them all.

Good luck,

FH

 

[Smitty62]

The best 3 round I ever shot was through my all-weather M77 chambered in 223. Using varget and nosler 60 grain at 100 yards the hole was .250 in diameter. Normally gets .5 to .8 inch groups. As the day I did that everything just went perfectly I have never duplicated it. Love the Savage 116s too.

 

[jmr40]

The 110 Savage would be a step backwards over what you have. They are wood, but cheap , ugly wood. The synthetic you are selling is a better choice. If you want wood on a Savage that is comparable to the Hawkeye you'll need to buy one from the 114 series.

They are about $50 more expensive than the Hawkeye which comes with rings. You'll end up spending about $100 more for a Savage 114 once you pay for mounts.

Despite all the internet talk, I've not found a Savage to be anymore accuarte than any other gun and the accutrigger is nothing special. Most serious shooters who buy Savage replace them anyway.

Here are some Hawkeye groups. The top target is at 100 yards, the bottom is 2 groups while getting zeroed at 200 yards. These are typical of Rugers. I used to own a 280 that would shoot groups about 1/2 that size.

http://s1129.photobucket.com/albums/m513/jmr40/?action=view&current=013.jpg

 

[BBQLS1]

jmr40, that makes it look like I can have my cake and eat it too..... Plus, I can have a trap door, which I prefer.

 

[sixgunner455]

You could just put a wood stock on that 111 that you already have and like. Just sayin'.

ETA: I have learned through sad experience to never sell a gun that I like unless I absolutely have to, and NEVER sell a gun I can't seem to miss with.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

to me it would come down to whether you wanted a pretty rifle or an accurate rifle. Sure some rugers shoot, I wont argue that but your going to have better odds getting a good shooting savage. To bad there but ugly.

 

[TwoEyedJack]

I have Rugers and a Savage 12FV. I like them both, but I really like the Rugers better. Sometimes they take a little fiddling with load development or bedding, but in my experience, Rugers can be made to shoot. In the M77 line, I have a stainless synthetic .338 and a laminated stainless .270 that both shot very well out of the box. I have a #1V in .223 that has required some fiddling.

My 12FV .22-250 is a beast. Blows up ground squirrels at extended ranges, and ugly as a pipe on a fence post. For the same coin, I'll take the pretty one

 

[Still Shooting]

Savage vs. Ruger

I currently own 4 Rugers, and have for some time. When new, only my .270 M77 Mk II shot sub-moa at 100 yds; now 14 years later it still does. The .22 Hornet M77/22H carbine never shot well, and now after $238 worth of bolt pin, rechamber (K-Hornet), re-crown, and trigger job it is better, but still just "settling in." It will take more rounds thru it before I can say how much better.

I have an early (tang safety) M77 in .257 Roberts that was a disaster when new. I discovered that the fore end was bearing on the barrel at 8 o'clock (from shooter's position), and groups were 4-6" after a dead acccurate first round. I sanded out the barrel channel a little, and it got to about 0.4" best group.

My wife's M77 Mk II Ultralight in .243 couldn't do better than about 3 moa when broken in; turns out the fore end had the same 8 o'clock contact problem - the wood had taken a twist over time. It also had wood bearing on the barrel on the right side, about 3" forward of the receiver, and the barrel was "bottoming" in the fore end at the same distance from the receiver.

I just finished relieving the .243 wood except for a contact strip at the bottom of the barrel channel at the fore end tip, and it now punches one ragged hole for 5 rounds at 100 yards - tried it 2 weeks ago, and that was the result.

An old friend and fellow gun nut put it this way: "Ruger makes nice rifles, but you usually have to fuss with 'em a little to get 'em accurate".

My Savage Model 11 FHNS is a 7mmWSM. I replaced the "tupperware boat oar" stock it came with, with a B&C Tactical A2. With 140gr. Noslers, it's consistently good for 1/2" groups at 100 yds. on any day my 66-year-old eyes are up to it!

It seems to me that if you like wood, and you like the way the Savage shoots, you might just want to re-stock what you have with something from Boyd's.

 

[MAKster]

You can buy a wooden stock for your Savage from Boyds for under $100.

 

[lefteyedom]

Buy a laminated stock for your Savage

Laminates are a little heaver that plain wood but resist the swelling problems. You will stability of a synthetic and the beauty of wood.

I own and like Savages, very good guns for the money. That said hunt with the gun you like best.

If I could justify spending $4000 a rifle it would be a Montana Rifle Company Left hand rifle in 6.5X284 with a Zeiss 4-16x50 Victory Diavari FL 30mm Rifle Scope. Till then I will make due with $750 rifle, a 338 Win Mag Savage with a 3X9 Burris , and driving a $1500 Cherokee to elk camp.