Hunting & Fishing savage 110 predator too heavy for hunting? and other rambling

[oldschoolhdmike]

I have been reading a lot on these forums and have gained some good information. I have a few questions, and my brain is going 100 mph to try to make up my mind. I have a trusty but fairly cheap hunting rifle that I put together last year before season. I am pushing 40 and just started hunting in 2017. I had ar15's, and a 6.5 cm in a mdt chassis, but no "deer" rifles. I bought a mossberg patriot on sale at the local shop for $295, in 7mm-08. Put it in a boyds heritage stock, and put a vortex 3-9x50 on top. The rifle shoots pretty good. I am not expecting as much as I did from my chassis rifle. But now that I am pretty addicted to hunting, and I am use to higher end rifles I would like to upgrade. I do not want to buy something just to turn around and replace every part but the bolt/barrel like I normally do. looking at the savage 110 predator, in 6.5 creedmore, with the accustock. savage # 57004. My hunting scenarios are 95% whitetail, within 200 yards, and a semi-planned trip to Idaho for Elk next year. But this rifle weights just under 9lbs, with no optic. My walks into the woods usually are not too bad, maybe 15 minutes at the most. I was planning on a scope about 6-25x50, ffp in mil. So I guess without rambling on.

1. Will this rifle be too heavy?
2. Will a scope more suited for longer range suck at closer ranges, say 50 yds?
3. Should I just keep the mossberg my hunting rifle and spend my money on something else?

Also I am keeping my mossberg, so this rifle might see a little long range shooting at my buddies 1100 meter range. (which is why the optic)

A few side notes. I have a reloading station but I am generally too busy to do anything with it, which is why I like the ammo available for the 6.5. I am aware the the 7mm-08 is a great round but ammo for it kinda sucks around here.

 

[oldschoolhdmike]

also, I am very recoil sensitive due to a shoulder injury. My 7mm-08 is about the most I can handle on a decent shooting day. So the savage, I would add a muzzle brake. I had a dead air on my chassis 6.5 and it was amazing how it handles the recoil.

 

[CuTm]

I would not worry about weight of the rifle. I would worry about the weight of the elk or deer you shoot and if you’re pack and you have the ability to carry that out. 15 minute walk is not bad for a rifle under 20 pounds. The elk hunt however is where you could see problems . Elk hunting can be exhausting and if you’re in Idaho you’re going to cover some ground. Not all long range scopes are equal . However most with a lower mag range around 5x are going to be fine for 50 yard shots and closer . As far as caliber/gun choice I’m not opening that happy meal. During the year to stay prepared for hunting season I try to do a lot of hiking with elevation gains and weight to stay in shape. That’s all I got man . hunting is fun and addictive. Nothing more satisfying then frying up back straps

 

[45.308]

Since you asked, keep your Mossberg and spend your coin on a hunt. Put some time and extra nuggets in a hunt or three, You get more out of the hunts than a new rig. A few pictures of a new super high speed one off rig at a range with tiny groups Vs pictures on a hunt with an animal on the ground that lasts a lifetime.

That set up you are asking 110, to me is not a hunting rig, too heavy and bulky but OK for a range toy. But in my world. light is right, lighter is righter and lightest is rightest, I don't hunt from a stand in the south 48. I don't hunt from a wheeler. Its fly in then weight is still critical or hit the trail head on our legs sometimes 2 day hike just to get to the grounds with everything on our backs carried by our legs. Its not flat smooth terrain along a trail but steep and up and up on slippery rocky / grass terrain, When it is flat it has been described as walking on greasy bowling balls. Walking a few minutes weight is not a real concern until you are toting the rifle with meat. Ounces add up to pounds that transfer to the legs and back very quickly

But a 6-25x50 ffp, not a hunting optic. I prefer Leupy VX3i 2,5-8x scope, light and compact variable, In Alaska for decades with a fixed 3x and never once needed more. I also have 3-9s. Hunting is not about dissecting a target for smallest groups but putting the bullet in the engine room. Dialed up with magnification and your animal decides to walk, the field of view even at 6x is not for me in my experience. At 50 yards, 6x is going to limit your field of view to almost worthless. Can be it done, do hunters do it, will someone say they do, absolutely but you asked for opinions / experience and that is what I giving and its worth exactly what you paid for it.

good luck

 

[TexLuke]

Heres my 2 cents..

I’ll basically echo what 45.308 said above, sounds like good advice to me.

Skip the savage and 6-24 optic. And there’s nothing wrong with keeping what you have and spending money on hunting instead of acquiring new rifles.

The savage model 10 predator is heavy, particularly muzzle heavy. The stock isn’t great, nor the trigger, not the dbm, and the matte blued finish isn’t good for anything but range trips. My brother has one that started rusting on him, he ended up having it cerakoted but that doesn’t protect the bore. That savage is frankly an overpriced POS, which i think is true of a lot of savages these days.

Lighter is better in most cases for a real hunting rifle. Lots of options, but if you’re on a budget you won’t beat a Tikka T3X lite stainless in your preferred chambering. Browning Xbolts are said to shoot very well and available in stainless or coated models, or if you want to really step up to the Cadillac of LW factory hunting rifles check out the Barrett Fieldcraft.

Again I’ll echo what’s already been said, a
6-24 ffp scope isn’t ideal for most hunting scenarios. Id be looking at a Leupold (or similar) 2.5-8 or 3-10x40 duplex for a simple LW scope. If you really plan to shoot at extended ranges an need a more LR capable hunting scope take look at a used Bushnell LRHS 3-12, Nightforce SHV 3-10, or SWFA SS 3-9x42. You probably don’t need high magnification to hunt medium and big game animals, even at longer ranges.

All IMHO of course. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

 

[Tx_Aggie]

Personally, I wouldn't consider the Savage an upgrade over the rifle you already have. I agree with @TexLuke that you would probably be much happier with a Tikka, even if it means waiting a little longer to upgrade. The T3X lite Stainless in 7mm-08 would be an excellent choice. His suggesting of a Browning X-bolt would be another great option for a dedicated hunting rifle.

 

[smokinbobf4]

I would say that it wouldn’t be too heavy. Went on my first elk hunt this year and did a lot of tough walking. Had a rifle that was about 10.5lbs most of the days. One day I hunted in thick timber and didn’t need the long range ability of that gun and took my Tikka T3. That comes in about 8lbs I did notice a difference but not much. I shot better with a heavier rifle so I will shave weight elsewhere.

 

[les strat]

I own it. It's a great rifle and will shoot 1/2 MOA out of the box (even though I would still do a proper break-in). My trigger is set at under 2 lb and is as good as you ask for.... no creep or overtravel. Torque the Accustocks bolts in increments of 5 lb front to back, back and forth till you reach 40 psi front, 35 back, and it will not budge and is best for accuracy. The Accustocks are really good, especially this last year with the cheek risers and LOP spacers.

It might be a little heavier than a typical sporter barrel rifle, especially with a 6-24 on it like mine (Vortex PST 6-24x50), but it's not like lugging an aluminum chasis bench rifle around. If you're stalking, maybe not the best choice. Tree stand or shooting house? All day.

My advice is this, if you are only shooting a shot or two hunting, skip the heavy barrel and get a sporter. If you think you might end up spending time at the range like many 6.5CR folks do, the heavier barrel will be 100x better at not stringing shots once it warms up, and still be plenty for short to medium long range hunts

 

[sobrbiker883]

I’m running an Axis Hardwood (Boyd’s) 65CM sporter barrel I traded into for hunting. Damned if that thing doesn’t shoot! It puts old 140 Amaxes out at 2790 and 1/2moa. Timney trigger at 1.75# and an old 4.5-14 Buckmasters scope.
9#, but it’ll be going up to 9.5# as I have an FX1000 on the way (just can’t do SFP/BDC, it works but I’ve been thinking in mils and holding FFP way too long).

It will get a bull sporter x-caliber one of these days, but for a budget gun I’m gonna keep it as is for a while.