One of the first rifles that I deer hunted with was my father's Savage 110 30/06. It was topped with a Redfield Wideview 4x scope. I really liked that rifle. Looking back, the only fault that I could find with the rifle is that the stock was somewhat blocky, and the trigger could have used some work. Also, it seemed pretty heavy. But it shot great, and I am partial to the safety position on it.

I now shoot a Browning A-Bolt 30/06. It does have a much better trigger, and it has an overall better feel to it. But I do like the fact that the safety is in the same place. The Browning is quite a bit more expensive, and it is absolutely disheartening the way that the beautiful stock has scratched up from use. On the Savage, you could hardly see the scratches, as it had a "plain jane" stock.

I think that the Savage is a wonderful starter or intermediate rifle for someone, especially if they are on a tight budget. They are very capable of some great groups, right out of the box. But I would definitely be cautious of the package deals, as they do have cheap scopes, and poor mounts.

The nice thing about Savage, is the fact that you can buy the rifle, plus a pretty descent scope and mount set for around the price of what you would pay for similar rifles made by their chief competitors.