Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
05-19-2003, 08:29 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 300
Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
Hoping you can set me straight.
The problem, buying a 308 for the range that I also want to use for deer in the fall. Have a great deal on a SiGARMS SHR 970 in 30-06 but the stores up here say the barrel won' t last using it on the range. So here are the choices:
1) Savage 10 FP-LE2: Cheaper gun, law enforcement series, " hunting rifle style" synthetic stock, 26" Heavy Barrel, new accu-trigger, no detachable mag but can spend more money on the scope.
2) Tikka Sporter: More money, 24" Heavy Barrel, " competitive shooter style" wood stock, detachable mag, may have to put cheaper scope on for now and then switch later.
The purpose for this rifle will be for improving my shooting skills and not competitive shooting in any way. More of a fun rifle to spend time at the range with rather than bringing out the big magnums and spending huge dollars on ammo.
So what do you think? Need your help.
340,
The problem, buying a 308 for the range that I also want to use for deer in the fall. Have a great deal on a SiGARMS SHR 970 in 30-06 but the stores up here say the barrel won' t last using it on the range. So here are the choices:
1) Savage 10 FP-LE2: Cheaper gun, law enforcement series, " hunting rifle style" synthetic stock, 26" Heavy Barrel, new accu-trigger, no detachable mag but can spend more money on the scope.
2) Tikka Sporter: More money, 24" Heavy Barrel, " competitive shooter style" wood stock, detachable mag, may have to put cheaper scope on for now and then switch later.
The purpose for this rifle will be for improving my shooting skills and not competitive shooting in any way. More of a fun rifle to spend time at the range with rather than bringing out the big magnums and spending huge dollars on ammo.
So what do you think? Need your help.
340,
05-19-2003, 09:01 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gypsum KS USA
Posts: 1,289
RE: Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
You didn' t really mention if this is going to be a " serious" range rifle, or just a rifle you want to take to the range and shoot a lot, but will be accurate enough to not be embarrassing.
As far as the bbl lasting for range shooting, they are right, the .30-06 won' t last as long as a .308win, in theory, but as in all theory, it isn' t necessarily true for all circumstances. The .30-06 operates at higher pressures to get virtually the same outcome, so yes it SHOULD have faster barrel decay, but I don' t know that the difference would be truly noticeable. (Does that model have a heavy bbl? I wasn' t aware anyone was still putting out a heavy bbl' ed .30-06, if it doesn' t, then I' d get a .308).
Important thing to remember about serious range rifles, those guys have heavy bbls and synthetic stocks for good reason, and anyone getting into it should follow suit if they want to hang in there.
The savage is a good gun, not an amazing shooter always, but they' re a great starting range gun. The stock really isn' t worth much, so even being synthetic you' d probably still need to replace it soon, but if it shoots well enough for you, maybe you' d be able to keep it with just a bedding job. Heavy bbl? Their site won' t load for me right now...
The wood on the Tikka would have to go, first and foremost, spending any money to build/accurize a rifle is all for not if you keep it in wood. Buying a quality synthetic stock for it, such as an H-S precision, plus the bedding block/system, and having someone install it correctly is going to add ~$300-500 right off the bat, so that' s another thing to consider. The sporter isn' t a heavy bbl either is it?
Have you considered a Winchester Stealth? They aren' t terribly expensive, and are great on accuracy right out of the box. Or a Remington 700 of some sort (PSS would be my choice), it' s less expensive, and a great shooter out of the box. PLUS, check the " duty rosters" at 1000yrd shoots, most of them are built on Win 70 or Rem 700 actions, possibly for no other reasons than that they are good actions, and highly customizeable.
Guess just some food for thought, sorry I couldn' t really help your choice much, if you' re set on just those two options, I' d get the savage, IMHO, it' d be the better gun, but turning either one of them into a " WAY DOWN TOWN" precision rifle is probably going to cost more than just buying a more expensive model like the Win. 70 or Rem 700 right off the bat. (When I enquired about my 700PSS, the guy said if it doesn' t get 1.5MOA at a half mile=800yrds, I could bring it back, don' t know if that' s a real guarantee--I might think so since it' s a police issue arm--but at any rate, it was a great deal).
As far as the bbl lasting for range shooting, they are right, the .30-06 won' t last as long as a .308win, in theory, but as in all theory, it isn' t necessarily true for all circumstances. The .30-06 operates at higher pressures to get virtually the same outcome, so yes it SHOULD have faster barrel decay, but I don' t know that the difference would be truly noticeable. (Does that model have a heavy bbl? I wasn' t aware anyone was still putting out a heavy bbl' ed .30-06, if it doesn' t, then I' d get a .308).
Important thing to remember about serious range rifles, those guys have heavy bbls and synthetic stocks for good reason, and anyone getting into it should follow suit if they want to hang in there.
The savage is a good gun, not an amazing shooter always, but they' re a great starting range gun. The stock really isn' t worth much, so even being synthetic you' d probably still need to replace it soon, but if it shoots well enough for you, maybe you' d be able to keep it with just a bedding job. Heavy bbl? Their site won' t load for me right now...
The wood on the Tikka would have to go, first and foremost, spending any money to build/accurize a rifle is all for not if you keep it in wood. Buying a quality synthetic stock for it, such as an H-S precision, plus the bedding block/system, and having someone install it correctly is going to add ~$300-500 right off the bat, so that' s another thing to consider. The sporter isn' t a heavy bbl either is it?
Have you considered a Winchester Stealth? They aren' t terribly expensive, and are great on accuracy right out of the box. Or a Remington 700 of some sort (PSS would be my choice), it' s less expensive, and a great shooter out of the box. PLUS, check the " duty rosters" at 1000yrd shoots, most of them are built on Win 70 or Rem 700 actions, possibly for no other reasons than that they are good actions, and highly customizeable.
Guess just some food for thought, sorry I couldn' t really help your choice much, if you' re set on just those two options, I' d get the savage, IMHO, it' d be the better gun, but turning either one of them into a " WAY DOWN TOWN" precision rifle is probably going to cost more than just buying a more expensive model like the Win. 70 or Rem 700 right off the bat. (When I enquired about my 700PSS, the guy said if it doesn' t get 1.5MOA at a half mile=800yrds, I could bring it back, don' t know if that' s a real guarantee--I might think so since it' s a police issue arm--but at any rate, it was a great deal).
05-19-2003, 09:54 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 300
RE: Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
Hey Otis,
I was actually up at Ellwood Epps yesterday, they also recommended the Tikka T3. But the problem would be the same as the SiGARMS. It has a hunting barrel on it.
After comparing all the choices (with the exception of the Win and Rem - money being the factor), we ended up with the two listed. The Savage for price and the Tikka being a luxury buy.
Another customer with a fully decked out Win Stealth/Coyote was there and recommended it. But he also mentioned if he had to do it all over again he probably would save up and buy the Tikka Sporter.
340,
I was actually up at Ellwood Epps yesterday, they also recommended the Tikka T3. But the problem would be the same as the SiGARMS. It has a hunting barrel on it.
After comparing all the choices (with the exception of the Win and Rem - money being the factor), we ended up with the two listed. The Savage for price and the Tikka being a luxury buy.
Another customer with a fully decked out Win Stealth/Coyote was there and recommended it. But he also mentioned if he had to do it all over again he probably would save up and buy the Tikka Sporter.
340,
05-19-2003, 02:29 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,918
RE: Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
Vapodog, Don' t let Frizzellr hear you say Savage is not a gun.I know you' ll ruffle his feathers with that comment LOL.Savage are great rifles at very reasonable prices.Of the two mentioned it would be a toss up.Both are good rifles.Before deciding look at the Ruger M-77' s.Whichever rifle you choose save up and buy a quality scope from the get go.Youi' ll be glad you did.
Ruger Redhawk
Ruger Redhawk
05-19-2003, 05:32 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pulaskiville
Posts: 3,533
RE: Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
Vapodog...I' m sure that the 3 or 4 million deer that have been killed by Savage guns are glad to know that they' re not guns........................LOL
They' ve been dead all this time for nothin'
Savage makes one hell of a weapon. They' re not always the prettiest...but they' ll shoot as well as held. With $25 in trigger work, they' ll outshoot most weapons that cost twice as much.
They' ve been dead all this time for nothin'
Savage makes one hell of a weapon. They' re not always the prettiest...but they' ll shoot as well as held. With $25 in trigger work, they' ll outshoot most weapons that cost twice as much.
05-19-2003, 05:45 PM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toowoomba Queensland Australia
Posts: 57
RE: Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
I had a simular problem,I wanted a rifle mainly for range use but something that I could also take on the occasional hunt.
I ended up with a tikka continental in 7mm-08,so far i' ve put about 400 rounds through it at the range & I am extremely impressed,it has perfect balance,the detach mag is a dream to use & it feeds so well,its light enough to take hunting & the quality is very good.
I also looked at the tikka sporter but i' m glad I got the normal stocked one,its cheaper & lighter than the sporter the stock being the only difference.
My 7mm-08 is extremely accurate out to atleast 500 yards,it has the same trigger as a friends sako 75,cleaning is a breeze with no copper fowling at all & i' m sure the quality of the barrel would be a long way ahead of the savage.
Check out the tikka continental heavy barrel,one in 308 or 7mm-08 would be ideal for you & money well spent.
Good luck
I ended up with a tikka continental in 7mm-08,so far i' ve put about 400 rounds through it at the range & I am extremely impressed,it has perfect balance,the detach mag is a dream to use & it feeds so well,its light enough to take hunting & the quality is very good.
I also looked at the tikka sporter but i' m glad I got the normal stocked one,its cheaper & lighter than the sporter the stock being the only difference.
My 7mm-08 is extremely accurate out to atleast 500 yards,it has the same trigger as a friends sako 75,cleaning is a breeze with no copper fowling at all & i' m sure the quality of the barrel would be a long way ahead of the savage.
Check out the tikka continental heavy barrel,one in 308 or 7mm-08 would be ideal for you & money well spent.
Good luck
05-19-2003, 07:24 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pulaskiville
Posts: 3,533
RE: Dilemma? Which gun do I buy?
Dang Tumbo...I' m pretty familiar with the 7mm-08, and I' ve never considered it as a 500yd gun. It has close to 4 FEET of drop at that range...and that' s when it' s zeroed at 200.
You must have one hell of a scope!
You must have one hell of a scope!