Cheap Savage
 

I am just getting back into big game hunting. I happily noticed the price of this guy. Why so cheap? Is it good?

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=2684986

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Buck, you may want to delete one of your posts. Basically asking the same question.

If you look back a ways in this forum as well as the "Guns" forum you will see quite a bit of talk about them. Probably not much specific to the 7mm.

I just bought one in 243 from WalMart and I am thrilled. Most who own them really like them, but as with everything, there are always those that don't.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Sir, I'll have you know, that gun your looking at is worlds ahead of another package gun, the Remington 710. That said, the Savage Package is an excellent deal, the scope, while not the best, has held up very well for me, and is very clear, I suggest going with that Savage, the only thing "cheap" about that gun is the price.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

That is the cost of the Savage package rifle. The cost is cheap compared to most other brands of rifles, but the rifle is a good solid rifle. The stock's aren't anymore than just utilitarian but the rifle works well and is reliable. The one caution I would give is if you really want a 7MM Rem. Mag. I would skip this gun because it only has a 22" barrel. In the 7MM Mag you need at least a 24" barrel to take advantage of the increased powder capacity of the Magnum case. If you like the rifle I would suggest buying one in 270 Win. or 30-06 Springfield. Both calibers are available in the same package gun for the same price from Wal-Mart.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

The Savage website says the 7MM Rem Mag has a 24" barrel.

http://www.savagearms.com/111fcxp3.htm

RE: Cheap Savage
 

One other thing I just noticed. It says that model does not have the Accu-trigger.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

The barrel for the Magnum chamberings is indeed 24",I MEASURED THE BARREL ON MY .300 WIN mAG SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TO MAKE SURE.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Savages are very good rifles. This package has a good rifle but without the acutrigger and it has a cheap scope. I would buy the gun alone and spend around 150-200 bucks on a fairly good scope.
But this gun will function and shoot as well as any gun out there. Not much to look at but who cares.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Another option you may consider is the Mossberg ATR 100 it coems in 3006, 270 and 308. The Gun is about $270.00 then you need a scope it's also avalialble in a combo but inthe Milwaukee arenobody seems to have it this way. Mine in 3006 shoots 2" at 100 yds all day with factory ammo. With hand loads I suspect it will do better. :):eek:

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Savage makes awesome rifles regardless of the price. The synthetic stocks are not the greatest by any stretch, but otherwise top notch. CHEAP is only really true for them in regards to the cost of shells you will have sighting in compared to other brands.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

I second that, my Savage Model 111 .300 Win Mag loves the Federal PowerShok ammo, it shoots about 3/4" at 100 yards with the 180 Gr. PowerShok.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

I've had excellent luck with my Savage 110. I'd recommend them to anyone.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

I have a model 110, and a 111. Both are serious tack drivers and touch holes all day at 100yd. Savages may not be the prettiest rifles but man they sure do shoot.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

If you want a cheap tack driver, Savage is your gun. Savage has been known for yrs for being one the most accurate bolt action rifles made. If you want a pretty gun, your afraid to bang around or drop. You better look else where. I own 2 Savage rifles, and wouldn't trade them for any other brand. You can't beat the accuracy of their bolts.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Savages are great rifles and at $339 with sscope, I don't know how you can go wrong. While this isn't their best gun, it will shoot as well as almost anything you can buy. Heck a better scope might cut groups a lot and reduce hassle.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

This gun is the same as the Stevens.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Savage are excellent; I've had two. Stevens is same, but diff stock and NO ACCUTRIGGER. I'd pass on 7mm mag, nothing that a 30-06 can't do cheaper & with less noise/recoil.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

I agree with you about the 7mm Mag, it has almost identical ballistics to the 30-06, and it is smaller!!! I don't like the 7mm mag cartridge, and never will.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Great gun, not so great scope/mounting system. I have the exact gun you are looking at and about 3 boxes of shells into it I noticed from the recoil of the 7mm it actually bent the screws that mount the rings to the bases. After $50 in Leupold mounting hardware and a $125 Simmons Aetec my gun is absolutley incredible. I would look to see if you can get one without the scope and save a few dollars.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Care to give some explaination to this statement using facts????

RE: Cheap Savage
 

I don't really like the 7mm mag because it gives up some killing power to the 30'06 due to bullet diameter, but it recoils more. It also is of beltted mag design so it can be tricky to make it headspace off the shoulder for max accuracy. I'm not sure it is bad, but there is just better available. For a do it all on north america with cheap ammo, my vote is 30'06 or 308. If you will reload and want to shoot farther, I'm fast becoming a 300 WSM or 270 WSM fan.

I would also give the 260 Rem a shot if this will be used on just deer and smaller.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

ahhh the old internet folk lore, gotta love it!

RE: Cheap Savage
 

I agree, if I want more killing power than an -06 I go with .300 Win Mag or .338 Win Mag, the 7mm mag just doesn't get it done for me.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Yeah, the 7mm mag is a very overrated cartridge for big game hunting, it gives up bullet weight and killing power to the 30-06 and bigger cartridges, and it has to move so fast to even get 100 to 200 more ft lbs than the 30-06.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Just doesnt get it done for you??? That is probably about the stupidest comment I've ever, ever heard reading these forums. First off do you even own one? Second off have you ever harvested game with one? And third off What part of propelling a 140-150 gr bullet at 3200-3400 fps doesnt work for you?? When will you guys stop believing all this crap you read on the internet and realize dead is dead!!!

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Ok, so would you take your 7mm mag and hunt polar bear in Alaska with it? Get over yourself, you are obviously a 7mm proponent, I want agun that I can take LARGE game with, not some pea shooter shooting 3200+ FPS and not even achieving greater killing power than a 30-06. I guess for a guy who hunts white tail deer 99% of the time its a great caliber. And my statment may have well been the dumbest, that is, until you posted. The only crap I believe is whatI have seen, the 7mm mag is a damn good white tail gun, I have seen them fail several times on elk, and big bears, while the 30-06 and bigger, have always had success. And if you want to continue this rant, I'll give you my phone# and you can come with me on my next trip to Alaska, and bring your little 7mm. We'll see how it does in the face of a grizzly. Very poorly, for sure, hell, you had to brag about your that little spike you killed not too long ago.:D

RE: Cheap Savage
 

And on top of that the 30-06 has less recoil.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

since when did this conversation turn into "Mossy said the 7mm was a great grizzly gun"????? My we switched gears real quick, going from it just doesnt measure up, to it just doesnt measure up on grizzly bears!!! I mean thats like saying a MustangGT isnt fast and then saying a MustangGT isnt fast against Dale Earnhardt Jr's Monte Carlo. I've never hunted a Grizzly, dont know anything about them, and if I knew this was a Grizzly bear conversation I would have stayed out of it, since you decided to make it one.

*oh and whats with the spike comment????

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Hahaha, you manipulated what I said, I said that for Large NA game, a 30. Cal. or over is better, because of higher bullet weights, and more power.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Let me presume we are all trying to get along and learn from one another. I said the 30'06 can have more killing power due to it's diameter. Yes thatt is true and many "stopping power" or "killing power" theorists have tried to show it's impact in the formula's. Now even I will agree that those formulas and ratings are all kind of supbjective. Frankly, WE, all of us, including you, don't totally know what equals stopping power and what equals killing power. Here are my reasons for bullet diameter:

1) If 2 bullets of equalconstruction, weightand velocity hit the same spot on the same animal, the larger diameter bullet slows down moreand expends more energy getting through the animal. Energy expended is creating the wound channel. Energy expended = shock(the quick stopper)This is why dangerous game rifles start at 458 caliber and go up to 600+. Velocity out the back is only a liability. It is no benefit.

2) Animals seem to bleed more out the exit hole in my experience. For a given weight and construction, larger diameter = larger hole. Larger hole = more tissue damage and quicker bleed out.

3) For a given bullet weightand case size, the larger the caliber the more velocity. For example- 150gr 30/284(30'06 equivalent) load, velocity = ~3040fps. For a 284 150gr load, velocity = ~2890fps. For a 6.5x284 150gr load, velocity = ~2680fps. See the trend. Study it yourself, don't take my word for it.


So, I will give you that the 7mm Rem mag and 30'06 are very close in killing performance, but can we agree the 30'06 has the advantage, even if it is so small that it ddoesn't matter all that much?

Now for why to get the 30'06:
1) Ammo available in Two Dot, MT factor. 30'06 ammo is available everywhere.
2) Generally,30'06 bullets will not blow up, even cheap ammo. Remember, need that exit hole.
3) 30'06 usually gives you a one round mag capacity advantage. I used to laugh athis, but now that I'm down to 2 in my 300 WSM, I wonder why it isn't a single shot!
4) Ammo is cheap infinate variations are available from 55gr to 220gr for non-handloader.
5) A 30'06 conld be used on Grizzly or other North American dangerous game with the 220gr RN loads. 7mm just doesn't have a big bruiser bullet available.

If you want the added point blank range of the 7mm Mag, get it. That is what the 30'06 gives up to the 7mm Rem Mag.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

nksm, I am not disagreeing with your conclusions you wrote, I guess what Im trying to say is for 95% of the hunters in the US the 7mm is not greater or lesser of a gun than a 30-06. I have quite a few "deer caliber rifles" and on a 120-180 whitetail most people will not see a difference in any of them. I just get tired of reading people say gun A has more killing/stopping/knockdown power than gun B when the guns are both very similar. Lets take my 06 and my 7mm for example. I load 180 partitons in my 06 for when I go bear and boar hunting, and I load 140 BT in my 7mm for whitetails. I could switch gears and do the exact opposite, and load a 139gr in my 06 and a 160 partition in my 7mm and achieve the same goals.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Fair enough.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

Back to topic please. I don't own a Savage but I am strongly considering purchasing one. I just put up a post looking for a review of the Accutrigger system. If I hear good reviews about it I will more than likely get one. The only drawback that I see from your sight post is that your looking at an outdated model. Just my 2 cent's worth.

RE: Cheap Savage
 

I agree savage great action hate the stock . I have a 110 in 270 it loves 130 gr. fed premium boattails. 1.5 at 200 yd zero. I had trigger worked on and contacted savage and changed the plastic trigger gaurd. mounted a 3 x 9 burris fullfield with ballistic plex. I am going to replace stock with a better synthetic. I bought the rifle for under 300.00 new.