Savage rifles ... the most accurate out-of-the-box ?

[Mosin Bubba]

I haven't shot enough other rifles to say they're the best (I shoot offhand 95% of the time, target rifles aren't my game), but all the Savages I've seen shoot lights out.

 

[mjsdwash]

every Savage I have handles shot well. The most accurate rifle I have ever shot is a Savage, not sure the model, but it was $199 new a few years ago, 5.56, and shoots dime groups past 100 yards, unmodified, every time, with cheap reloads.

 

[someguy2800]

What does he use if he throws the barrel nut, the sorriest mounting system, away when he rebarrels?

Machine a shoulder on the barrel blank like everything else and torque it down.

The barrel nut is just to save time headspacing the barrel at the factory. I can’t see any disadvantages to it. Numerous factory rifles now use barrel nuts such as ruger’s, mossberg, and TC’s.

As for the accutrigger, they are good but not great in factory form, but by changing the springs you can get a superb trigger out of them with no aftermarket parts. If you don’t like the center blade just take it out, they work perfectly fine without it. The rimfire accutrigger is actually a much better unit.

 

[Charlie98]

If you don’t like the center blade just take it out, they work perfectly fine without it.

Hmmm... interesting. I generally don't like safety triggers like the Accutrigger, Glock, et al. I've gotten used to it, sorta, but would prefer a standard trigger.

 

[someguy2800]

Hmmm... interesting. I generally don't like safety triggers like the Accutrigger, Glock, et al. I've gotten used to it, sorta, but would prefer a standard trigger.

Just have to take it out of the stock, pull the pin out that holds it in place, pull the safety blade and spring out, and put it back together. Takes 2 minutes.

 

[Newtosavage]

Maybe over 5 years ago that claim was pretty shared on the interwebs. But I'm afraid that isn't probably the case.

Savages are up there. But the competition is so tight that any blanket absolute statements are very arguable.

Tikka, Bergara, weatherby/Howa, Ruger, and winchester are all producing great rifles in the same price range as Savage offerings that are shooting sub MOA on a somewhat consistent basis.

I would put a Tikka against a Savage. Maybe. Probably. Yeah sure. Haha

This.

I have owned a lot of rifles over the past 4-5 years. I have kept two - a Savage model 10 in 7.62x39 and a Tikka 7mm-08. Both are stock factory rifles in plastic stocks. No bedding, no extra work. Here's what they did for me today. You decide. Top is the Savage and bottom is the Tikka. These groups are not unusual either.

"Most" accurate out of the box? I don't know how to measure that but they are damn accurate for the money. I know that much.

 

[mshootnit]

If you want accurate and cheap try a TC Compass

 

[Newtosavage]

As much as I admire Savage for being able to consistently produce accurate affordable rifles, my "out of the box" winner is probably Tikka. I've owned three and they all shot sub-MOA very easily and often much better, with no gunsmithing work to any of them.

 

[will11]

Another vote here for Tikka. My T3 Lite has such a slick action and just a great trigger for an out of the rifle. And did I say it is so accurate the I would never think of getting rid of it. I may just buy another some day because I have a very nice Vortex Viper scope that needs a home.

Will

 

[Water-Man]

I'd put my money on Tikka, and I have.

 

[jski]

A friend of mine builds F Class, Palma and service rifle competition rifles. He throws the barrel nut away on the Savage rifles he rebarrels, says it is the sorriest mounting system for accurate shooting. It is used only as a cost cutting measure for Savage. Am I only down on Savage, no, that Stevens 200 was excellent even with the poor stock and trigger. I've had Marlin, Remington, Ruger and others that were just as bad and worse and conversely, much better.

Sorry, but this friend of yours sounds like a complete buffoon. Howa uses a barrel nut in the construction of their own brand of hunting rifles and the rifles they build for Weatherby. In case you're wondering, Howa doesn't use sorry mounting devices. BTW, nothing is more precise for setting the headspace than a barrel nut.

 

[Demi-human]

Savage rifles, most accurate out-of-the-box?

Yes.

Now, if that was all you needed, go get one!

 

[George Dickel]

Sorry, but this friend of yours sounds like a complete buffoon. Howa uses a barrel nut in the construction of their own brand of hunting rifles and the rifles they build for Weatherby. In case you're wondering, Howa doesn't use sorry mounting devices. BTW, nothing is more precise for setting the headspace than a barrel nut.

How many guns have you built? He builds winning competition rifles so I'll take his word over yours.

 

[Demi-human]

I guess I was under the impression we were discussing factory rifles. I am quite certain a custom gunsmith, competition rifle will be more accurate than a factory grade rifle. Though I quite like mine.

 

[George Dickel]

I guess I was under the impression we were discussing factory rifles. I am quite certain a custom gunsmith, competition rifle will be more accurate than a factory grade rifle. Though I quite like mine.

Never said anything about custom rifles vs factory, my comment was about how my friend, an accomplished gunsmith, considers the barrel nut to be a sorry idea that does nothing but reduce manufacturing costs and has nothing to do with enhanced accuracy. The statement about custom rifles was to show his competency as a gunsmith to make that determination rather than someone who parrots the advertising BS put out by manufacturers.

Many years back there was a Ford automotive commercial about how their testing showed that the door striker plate out lasted the door latch on the door of a Mustang. Instead of beefing up the latch mechanism to equal the striker plate they redesigned the striker plate to wear out at the faster rate of the lock, thus saving the buyer 50 cents on the price of a new Mustang. Wow, what a saving for the customer but at 50 cents per mustang it was quite a savings for Ford.

 

[AABEN]

I had some of the older Savages and I put the Timney triggers in them and shot sub 1/2MOA with them. That has been a wile back !! There is other guns going with the barrel nut ! I think Rem on it 783 I think that is the number on there cheaper gun and it shoots very good.

 

[Newtosavage]

Everyone has their biases, even the most accomplished and experienced people.

The fact is however that Savage led the industry in the barrel nut design, to produce affordable, accurate rifles. Ruger followed, then others. And guess what? Now it's possible to buy sub-MOA rifles from a variety of manufacturers for under $400 and sometimes under $300. And Savage started that trend. Just took the other companies a while to follow suit.

 

[mshootnit]

Sorry, but this friend of yours sounds like a complete buffoon. Howa uses a barrel nut in the construction of their own brand of hunting rifles and the rifles they build for Weatherby. In case you're wondering, Howa doesn't use sorry mounting devices. BTW, nothing is more precise for setting the headspace than a barrel nut.

I guess I never noticed if my Howa Weatherby Vanguard has a barrel nut. Is this the rifle you are referring to? I never cared as much I guess because it is a fantastic shooter. To me, only the Christensen Ridgeline has a smoother action than my Vanguard stainless.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

I have a cheapo Stevens 200 in 7mm-08, replaced ugly synthetic stock with walnut stock from Boyds. Now I have a beautiful cheapo tack driver. Love the Stevens 200, since discontinued by Savage...I wonder why ??

 

[adcoch1]

I have a cheapo Stevens 200 in 7mm-08, replaced ugly synthetic stock with walnut stock from Boyds. Now I have a beautiful cheapo tack driver. Love the Stevens 200, since discontinued by Savage...I wonder why ??

Stevens was Savage bargain brand, and when they wanted to launch the Axis rifle they discontinued a few products sold as Stevens.