HuntingNet.com Forums - Savage Hammer

Many gunsports people like beauty in their firearms and will pay as much, or more, for the wood in the stock as others pay for the entire rig, scope and all. Having grown up apprenticing under my father, as a clock maker, I appreciate practical things. The current offerings from Savage Arms are just that, very practical. As when you by a hammer and select a brand name tool, you will get an effective hammer, when used within the parameters of the weight and design of that tool, so too with Savage rifles.
I recently sold an FN varmint rifle that I had owned for many years. The walnut stock had beautiful grain. The FN supreme action was butter smooth and the bull barrel would constantly deliver one ragged hole at 100 yards from 22-250 handloads, if I did my part. The other day, I picked up a Savage 12FV, in 22-250, and was able to range test the rifle. The entire rifle is black. No pretty wood or gleaming blue job here. The action was not butter smooth, but if thrown with authority, worked flawlessly. The accuracy?....well, if anything, the Savage outshot my FN on the FN's best day!
Bottom line; if you appreciate fine tools and are not concerned with "pretty", buy a Savage that is chambered to accomplish the intended task and use the money you save to buy the best scope, rings and mount that you can afford. Chances are, if you are wise, you will spend more on the scope then you will spend on the Savage rifle and end up with a very effective firearm. Very effective, indeed.