Savage Walking Varminter (new Model 25 variant)

[grandviewranch]

When Savage announced the new Walking Varminter at the 2011 SHOT Show, I was psyched. I'd been looking into selling my old varmint gun (an A-Bolt .223 WSSM that was totally impractical for prairie dogs and still overkill on coyotes) and was looking for a reasonably priced .223 Rem.

I managed to sell my A-Bolt for a small profit and waited for the Walking Varminter to show up on dealers' racks. The problem is - it never did. The Savage site claimed "most stocking dealers" would have the rifle in early March. I clicked the link for "buy it now" (by then it was mid March) on the Savage site, and the dealer had none. I searched GalleryofGuns through the link on the Savage site, and they had none.

After a little bit of research, I read that Savage sometimes waits until June 1 to release new guns because the March date is when they begin taking orders. Today, I hopefully took to the web, checking online gun stores for the new rifle. Same old, same old. :banghead:

So my question is: Is Savage actually going to sell this gun? Is this really how they do business with their new releases? I really want a .223 Walking Varminter, but if I have to wait until 2012-13-14 for a "2011" gun, I might just get something used from GunBroker. I mean, there's a lot of happy prairie dogs in the meantime, right?

 

[SN13]

Dude, call savage, ask them for a release date. Then ask them what distributors will receive it first. THEN call a dealer and see if they buy from the distributor and have them order it the day it's released to the distributors.

That's how I got one of the first 111FCNS with the Accustock.

 

[grandviewranch]

"End of July"

So I called Savage, and they said they'd start shipping out the rifles in late July. That's only four months after their website claimed they were on dealers' shelves! They need to get their crap together and sell their product when they claim they're selling their product.

Nevertheless, I'll just wait it out and buy the rifle when it's actually for sale. Savage may not have a great product release policy but I hear they make awesome rifles.

 

[Dr T]

On the other hand, I just looked at Bud's and they have this in stock:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...om/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/52965

However, it is about 1.35 lbs heavier...And a mite more expensive than the Walking variation (at least when you compare MSRP).