RE: Ruger or Savage hunting rifle
If someone were to give me a Savage rifle, I would try to sell it for whatever I could get for it (probably not much), and buy just about any gun on the market but another Savage.
I have owned Ruger rifles for over 20 years and love the look and feel of them, but they kick worse than any other rifle that I have ever owned or shot due to a poor stock design. The fit, finish, and accuracy have never been an issue, but I have a M77 270 that kicks worse than a 375 H&H that I used to own.
I saw someone suggested looking into a Tikka, and I will agree with that suggestion.