Just for the record- the rifle will be a 7mm wsm. Weight isn't a factor and niether is recoil, so a heavy rifle or a light one is fine. I am looking for stability in inclimate weather. accuracy, and reliabilty. this rifle will be used for shooting deer over bean and cornfields and for elk hunting out west specifically colorado washington and oregon. I haven't heard anything bad about either of these rifles. the savage is the 16FCSAK. And I as i said the tikka is the laminated stainless T3.