Comments on: favoright of cheap bolt actions?

By: ink_slave_1

ink_slave_1 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:17:50 +0000

i would have to say that the Savage 10 in 308 cant be beat as far as bang for your buck!! i purchased a new one in 308 with a scope which was a Simmons 4-9 and it shoots better than i can easy.75 groups at 150 yards.. needless to say its dropped everything i shot with it in their tracks… not bad for a combo that took 425 out of my wallet

By: reblwocause

reblwocause — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:55:38 +0000

The Stevens is made by Savage, so the two perform about the same, with more fit and finish and features on the Savage. I have yet to hear of a Savage that will not shoot well, so I would guess the Stevens would be the same. That said, Savage did buy the original ugly tree and they are still making stocks out of it. They also have the barrel nut, which some say is ugly. It is a great system that is great for accuracy, and makes it easy to swap barrels at home. I like the look of it, and have yet to have a deer or coyote close enough to see it laugh about it. They can be had at Dick’s sporting goods or similar in your price range.

I have a pawn-shop Savage 110 (pre-AccuTrigger) that I got very lightly used for $225 (it was a kit with a Simmons 3-9×40 and see-through rings) that will shoot as well as I can. The first thing I did was dump the see-through rings and the cheap scope and put better optics on it. It will shoot .75″ at a hundred with about anything I feed it, which is all the better I have ever been able to shoot with most guns.

My bottom-line opinion: Try to find a used in good shape Savage or Stevens. They are out there. It will be about the same price as the new Mossberg, but wood and features. Put a decent scope on it. I would not be afraid to put either a Burris or a Nikon on it, and I have one Swift that I have had good results with. Don’t skimp on the rings. Go with Leupold or Millet or some other high quality brand. I fought a .30-06 for the better part of a month trying to get it sighted in before figuring out it was the cheap rings. Resist the urge to get see-through, as the geometry makes it easier to get askew and the height makes it tough to get your cheek on the rifle the same way every time. If you can’t find a used Savage that gives you the warm fuzzies (and can’t afford a new one), the Stevens would work, as would the Mossberg.

Wal-Mart was closing out Remington 700s for $300-350, but they are probably all gone by now. Any model 700 is good, but the new 770 is NOT the same gun and I have heard unhappy things about them.

As for caliber, I would need to know what you plan to do with it. Except for fur hunting, a .308 will do anything a .243 will do and will do things a .243 won’t. even on coyote, a .308 with 110 gr. bullets will do the job. There is also the surplus ammo, which is still $.50/round or more. I reload much better for less than half that and could get down to .15 per if I used surplus bullets. Also, with the Savage, thebarrels can be switched at home and the .308 and .243 use the same extractor so only the barrel would need to be switched.

Most of all, be safe and enjoy yourself. If you haven’t had a safety course, take one. If you think you might enjoy loading your own ammo, you can save money and get a better product than store-bought. Start reading about it now.

By: BaltTigger

BaltTigger — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:27:18 +0000

If you want a great setup that will last you until you decide to upgrade, and then some. Try the Savage 11FCX3P from WalMart. See the link below. You can print that page out and take it to any Wally World that deals in weapons and they will order if for you. It includes the scope (Burris I believe) and has the Savage Accu-Trigger (I LOVE this trigger). Friend has one in .243 and it filled his freezer last winter.

Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with the Mossberg 100ATR, but also take a look at the Mossberg 4X4 in .270. That being said, I’d still go with the Savage.

By: METROPOLIS1

METROPOLIS1 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:16:38 +0000

The Mossberg would be an excellent choice! —- Also If your on a budget then consider the price of the ammunition….. 243 can be $20 a box on up. For me thats enough to take the fun out of shooting —- Mossberg just came out with a 100 ATR Night Train – Included are a scope and a bipod and the price is around $500 or less… Yes its more than the $350 but remember your getting a scope and a bipod! .308 can be had in bulk lots for decent money so consider that! —- See the below link!