The Savage .17 is -$200, add optics you have a great shooter. I added a Nikon 3x9, 1" groups at 110meters. Savage offers a selection.
I looked at the Ruger they are $500 or so, opted for a stainless heavy barrel Savage. The Win 94 .17 is a great shooter, not 100% on the fit and finish/action as compared to a Henry Repeating Rifle (that is another awesome choice).
The heavy barrel marlin in stainless is also hard to beat, only thing I dont like is the way the clip sticks out. A little more costly than the savage but can shot 1 hole groups at fifty yards. As for the Savage of all the reports I have seen is the least accurate of the bolt actions. But maybe bias among gun writers?
Your gonna get chevy vs ford vs toyota vs dodge replies on somehting like this. For me, i love my marlin 17vs. Others love there savages. Go handle a marlin or savage (price isnt to much difrent in the two). and see wich one u like best. Both are great, affordable, and accurate. I cant recall the marlin v price but the savage blued is 183$ at wal-mart.
From what I've been reading accuracy in most of these rifels are very similar. Your best bet is to find the one that feels most comfortable to you. If you are comfortable and relaxed when you pull the trigger, you will be more accurate. I just got a Ruger 96/17 lever action for Christmas and it's one fun gun to shoot and very accurate at 50 yards without a scope.
Only problem on the Savage, so far, is the last round in the mag sticks, most of the time. Appears to launch the round at to great of an angle for the chamber. Other than that, it shoots just fine.
Ruger Model 77/17 VMBBZ, laminated wood stock, grey stainless barrel and action.
The rangemaster where I shoot has one of those and he let me shoot it. Forget all the rest, I am saving my pennies for a Ruger. That was a sweet shooter.
That SS Marlin with the laminated stock sure is pretty. However I have a 17HMR in a 14" Contender bbl. It is a shooter and I'd put it up against the rifles.
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.17 HMR
