I got one last year, a 10mlII stainless and I LOVE IT. I guess I am more of the "muzzleloader season=more hunting" group. I have been MZ hunting since they first opened a season here for them. I started with a CVA kit gun, it was all I could afford. My next MZ was an Investarms hawken with chrome lined bore. It shot great, but I had to have a Knight. I had an MK-85 Predator stainless next, that was the WORST shooting gun I have owned to date, and the most expensive MZ yet! Next was a BK-92 which I still own. Then I bought a wolverine for an extra. It is still here also. And FINALLY last year I had to try a Savage. The savage is by far the most user friendly rifle I have. My whole point is to show that I have been from one end of the scale to the other, and I will stay at the high tech end!
My advice would be that if you want a Savage get it now. I just have a bad feeling about their longevity in the market place. Too many people that I mention it to have never even heard that savage made a mz let alone a SMOKELESS MZ. If marketing doesnt change, the simple law of supply and demand will eliminate it from the marketplace. If savage wants to keep this gun alive they need to do more advertising and maybe sponsor someone, (me???) to do a hunting show strictly with the savage mz. These guns are very capable of harvesting ANYTHING at all ranges average hunters will shoot their smokeless cartridge rifles! With the right loads, a .375 H&H has NOTHING on these guns in energy, and with the right loads a 30/06 has nothing in velocity! The key is all in the loads chosen, and bullet weight selected.
My longest shot so far is a laser rangefinder measured 167 yards. This gun has been shot at game 7 times and brought blood all seven times. Im just now getting started good with it!