Tack Driver - Looking for a New Rifle

DonasaurusRex

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Banned !
Minuteman
Apr 29, 2021
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Blue Ridge
Dear friends,
I'm in the market for a new rifle. If you were going to buy the best set up possible for under $1200, what would you buy? Rifle, scope, bipod, the entire rig. I'm open to any and all suggestions. Please feel free to elaborate on why.

What is the best rifle available for the money? Should I explore a market place section at this website or another? What is the best bang for the buck and what route would you go?

Thanks.
 
Like a PRS gun? Long range hunting rig? Basic 0-400yd hunting rig?
Either way Id start witg a Primary arms GLx 4-16 scope with mil dot reticle ~$650, in Warne Maxima low 30mm rings, total $700. That leaves $500 for a rifle and bipod, if you get a caldwell, then you'll have around $500, which puts you firmly in used Tikka territory or new Ruger American, various models of Savage, with room to spare ish. Although you'll have to buy and optics base so you'd have to figure that in as well
 
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In the current market, you're not gonna find a long-range system worth spending only $1200 on...and even if you did, you're not going to find or afford the quality match ammunition necessary to maximize its performance.

If you have to absolutely spend money and $1200 is all you got...

Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor $549

Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 with free rings from SWFA: $350

Cheap-ass Caldwell bipod $50

Magpul Hunter American stock $219

Magpul MLOK bipod adapter $19
 
Used RPR should be maybe $800-850 EDIT EVERYTHING I JUST NOW FOUND WAS $1100-1500

then no need for the aftermarket chassis stock for long range
True story, found one of these at gunbroker for $800 with just a few minutes to go. Asked you about the price and a plethora of bids came in.

Guess I should be careful what I post and ask around here.
 
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For under $1200 rig I would recommend a Ruter American predator 6.5CM and either a vortex hst 4x16 or striker eagle or Arken or athlon. The predator can do 1000 yards easy. Add a kysex cheek riser. Also look at savage 110 tactical
But if you can stretch a bit on budget, a Bergara HMR would an excellent option as well
 
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just checked completed items on Gunbroker. RPR;s that were sold were bringing $1400 to $1600 used. All calibers. Not one that I looked had any problem meeting the reserve price. Not one that I found was no saled.

So, As much as I like my RPR, I can’t recommend ti for a 1200 dollar budget. I suppose depending on use, a base model Weatherby Vanguard or a Ruger American would be my recommendation. Both should shoot well and both allow some room for expansion if that is desired at a later date.
 
Look for a Tikka T3X or a Howa 1500 (Howa Bravo would be ideal), in 6.5 Cool Motherfucker or .308 Oldchester, either can take you far enough to pick up something fancier off a prize table one day. You might be able to find a used one out there with a scope like a Diamondback or the like for ~$1200-1500.
 
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In the current market, you're not gonna find a long-range system worth spending only $1200 on...and even if you did, you're not going to find or afford the quality match ammunition necessary to maximize its performance.

If you have to absolutely spend money and $1200 is all you got...

Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor $549

Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 with free rings from SWFA: $350

Cheap-ass Caldwell bipod $50

Magpul Hunter American stock $219

Magpul MLOK bipod adapter $19
Hi boiler,
Thanks for the information, you've been very helpful across a couple different threads for me. I've thought about your warning concerning not being able to find or afford quality match ammunition all day. Fair point.

I visited the local pawn shop this morning and walked out with a Savage 110 Tactical rifle in .308. What do you think? What direction do you think I should move in next?


I got it for $775 otd. Good price or did I get hosed?
 
Hi boiler,
Thanks for the information, you've been very helpful across a couple different threads for me. I've thought about your warning concerning not being able to find or afford quality match ammunition all day. Fair point.

I visited the local pawn shop this morning and walked out with a Savage 110 Tactical rifle in .308. What do you think? What direction do you think I should move in next?


I got it for $775 otd. Good price or did I get hosed?



Hate to be that guy. But you asked.



Check online prices before impuse buying. It took me 2 clicks to find them for $650. That means I can likely find them cheaper. Even with tax, shipping and transfer fee, I'm still not at 775.



You started off good by posting and asking for direction. Then go out and impulse buy. Maybe that shitty plastic stock spoke to you or something...idk. I've been there. Impulse buys get all of us once in a while.


I don't know nothing about savage or the one you bought aside from I owned a savage for about a month and that was 30 days longer than I wanted to. Same scenario. Found a rifle that checked my blocks but didn't have the price tag. I got it. And it was a flaming pile of poo.




You have lots of options. But not sure how stuck you are with the gun you bought. Personally, I'd beg the guy at the shop to return it. Go in with a fat lip and bloody eye and tell him your wife is furious.

My hang up on savage is there aren't a ton of aftermarket options. And 775 for a barreled action is approaching a m700 action and a prefit barrel. Then you have endless option for triggers, stocks and chassis, scope mounts etc etc.



We all aren't made of money and most of us understand that. Most of us have learned the hard way and it ends up costing even more.


My advice...? Do more research and figure out exactly what you wanna do with this rifle. Maybe the savage will do all you need. Maybe not.

Then, figure out how to get the rifle you actually want.


I'm notorious for buying parts and pieces here n there. It doesn't hurt so bad to put together a $3000+ rifle when you buy it along the way. Hell, I buy stuff just because I know it's a good deal and I can use it in the future. Finishing up a hunting rifle build now that started that way a year ago. Someone sold a stock I really liked on here at a really good buy. Didn't need it at the time. But couldn't let it sit there either.




Good luck with your savage...or returning it. From what I've read, it doesn't sound like that's actually what you want though.
 
Hi boiler,
Thanks for the information, you've been very helpful across a couple different threads for me. I've thought about your warning concerning not being able to find or afford quality match ammunition all day. Fair point.

I visited the local pawn shop this morning and walked out with a Savage 110 Tactical rifle in .308. What do you think? What direction do you think I should move in next?


I got it for $775 otd. Good price or did I get hosed?

They're $699 new at Cabelas.
 
Hate to be that guy. But you asked.



Check online prices before impuse buying. It took me 2 clicks to find them for $650. That means I can likely find them cheaper. Even with tax, shipping and transfer fee, I'm still not at 775.



You started off good by posting and asking for direction. Then go out and impulse buy. Maybe that shitty plastic stock spoke to you or something...idk. I've been there. Impulse buys get all of us once in a while.


I don't know nothing about savage or the one you bought aside from I owned a savage for about a month and that was 30 days longer than I wanted to. Same scenario. Found a rifle that checked my blocks but didn't have the price tag. I got it. And it was a flaming pile of poo.




You have lots of options. But not sure how stuck you are with the gun you bought. Personally, I'd beg the guy at the shop to return it. Go in with a fat lip and bloody eye and tell him your wife is furious.

My hang up on savage is there aren't a ton of aftermarket options. And 775 for a barreled action is approaching a m700 action and a prefit barrel. Then you have endless option for triggers, stocks and chassis, scope mounts etc etc.



We all aren't made of money and most of us understand that. Most of us have learned the hard way and it ends up costing even more.


My advice...? Do more research and figure out exactly what you wanna do with this rifle. Maybe the savage will do all you need. Maybe not.

Then, figure out how to get the rifle you actually want.


I'm notorious for buying parts and pieces here n there. It doesn't hurt so bad to put together a $3000+ rifle when you buy it along the way. Hell, I buy stuff just because I know it's a good deal and I can use it in the future. Finishing up a hunting rifle build now that started that way a year ago. Someone sold a stock I really liked on here at a really good buy. Didn't need it at the time. But couldn't let it sit there either.




Good luck with your savage...or returning it. From what I've read, it doesn't sound like that's actually what you want though.

Damnit MrGunsandGear.

Savage 110 Tactical
 
I'm not saying it's a BAD rifle. It may be a GREAT rifle for you. You obviously liked it enough to bring it home.


Could be a great way for you to get shooting and start learning.

Savages are known to be typically be pretty accurate rifles from what other shooters say.


Toss a scope on and get to learning. Then figure out if you wanna go a different direction or stay with the rifle you have.
 
Our son has been shooting Savages for two decades. He loves them for two reasons, first, they build a lot of left hand actions. Second, when we purchased his first Savage Tactical in .25-06 it was the best we could afford and the only rifle we could find with a left hand action. Its had a couple of barrels and I lost count of how many stocks. Currently the rifle wears a McMillan stock and a 6.5 x 284 barrel and a custom trigger and still shoots really nice groups. (I still struggle to shoot a group as good as he shot with it in 2000 with the “plastic” stock and a for then a really nice Leupold scope.).

I suppose there are better and there are worse, but Savage bolt actions are built like tanks and like tanks, they can be made to work really well. So, whether you did well with your Savage or it is a clunker, don’t give up. As far as price, you made the decision. Go with it and don’t look back.

(GOD knows I hate that I sold that Savage 99 in .250/3000 back in 1982. I was stupid, we were pretty poor and we had a newborn and a barn full of dumb show horses that were not generating income)
 
Savage1original.jpg


Savage 10 FCP-SR in 6.5 CM - 24" barrel with a Vortex Crossfire II 6-24X50. I had like $450 in the rifle (new but it was 3 years or so ago) and another $240 in the scope. Shot sub MOA with factory ammunition right out of the box. Then bit by bit I began to add better stuff as I got the money and experience.

20200625_144102.jpg


This is last years version of FrankenGun 2.0 and this years version, FrankenGun 3.0 features better glass, chassis weights, Rails, and other goodies. If yer on a budget and don't intend to sell the gun at any point and recover your expenses then Savage (the current Savages *are not* like the old Savages) is a good place to start. I have been steadily working my Savage up and I still cannot shoot it to it's accuracy potential - it has never held me back. My Nephew shoots this rifle better than his own High $ Custom rifle.

VooDoo
 
Sweet setup

I’d love to hear a true story of a factory action (Ruger, Savage, R700, Mossberg...) with a decent after market barrel professionally installed NOT shooting sub moa.
 
Most complaints from former Savage owners who now trash them stem from accounts of failures to extract/eject and their "rough" actions. The newer Savages are a cinch to change out a barrel and I have never (in about 1000 rounds so far) encountered any failures of any kind. My action is pretty smooth now due to adding a fluted Bolt body and AICS mags and proper greasing and running the dickens out of it.

I'd love to have a Custom or high end build but sincerely I doubt I'd be shooting tighter groups at distance than I am with FrankenGun. When I shoot the factory barrel out I'm gonna mount high end replacement and keep running my Savage. Love this rig.....

VooDoo
 
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I've owned a half-dozen Savages, currently have two old flat back 110LAs in the safe.

Every short-action Savage I've ever owned (staggerfeed & centerfeed) had issues with feeding or ejection. I owned a 11 Predator Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor that had to go back to the factory because the chamber was WAY too short (ie. would not work with factory Hornady ammo) and it wouldn't feed reliably from the factory DBM.

They all shot very well - I had a 12FV barrel in 223 that was a no-joke 10 shots into 0.75" @ 200yd (regret selling it) - but repeated issues with feeding and ejection got f'n old.

One of my 110LAs is in a McM A5A with CDI LA/308 DBM...and after installing the SSS extraction kit it feeds and ejects from AICS 223 mags lovely. Admittedly that is a frankengun that took some tuning, but otherwise I've dealt with issues that result in a lot of time, effort, and money to fix issues that should have been addressed from the factory.

I will concede I've never dealt with any Savage that used AICS mags from the factory, but the factory DBM is garbage IMO.

Old staggerfeed flat back long action 110s just work, though...
 
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Sweet setup

I’d love to hear a true story of a factory action (Ruger, Savage, R700, Mossberg...) with a decent after market barrel professionally installed NOT shooting sub moa.

All my factory barrels shot sub moa, they tend to shoot well. They're not smooth, some hate the accutrigger, I treat it like a two stage. My .223 with a factory f class barrel is really accurate. When I zero'd the scope at 100 after putting the barrel on it, I shot a 10 shot group since the first five went in the same spot I thought I'd finish the rest of the mag. It was less than 1/2 in diameter for 10 rounds.
 
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Sauer 100 Classic XT 6.5 Creedmoor. Got mine a few months ago from Connecticut Shotgun for $509 shipped. Not sure if they have any more in stock. As many have said, Vortex Diamondback Tactical can be had for $399 shipped. Neil at Cameralandny sorted an Athlon Midas Tac for me for $579 out the door. More than your budget but worth the extra in my humble opinion. Good luck in your quest.
 
They're $699 new at Cabelas.
Just an FYI on the Cabelas version. It features a 5 round Mag and non fluted barrel. If the OP got the ten round DBM and fluted barrel new for $775 OTD he did okay.

Nothing wrong with a Savage Model 10T in 308 for a beginner. Bought one for my then 12 year old to learn on. I have several high end Sakos, a couple of full customs and several tikkas. They all are sub moa guns, but the Savage model 10T as well as a custom model 110 that shoots 1/4 moa nearly every time you pull the trigger, will give them all a run for their money, as far as accuracy goes. The factory gun is a 308. I watched my 14 year old from a prone position with factory Hornady black 168 amaxs put 20+ in an inch at a hundred. The custom is a 6.5 he shoots 1.5 to 3” 5 shot groups at 600 with it nearly every time he pulls the trigger. His most recent stunt with it was a 1250 yard cold bore shot on a 18” silhouette. Center punched it.

I don’t particularly care for 90’ bolt throw of the Savage and I would not say they are as nice to shoot as a TRG or CTR but they are extremely accurate rifles for factory guns. The new ones ain’t your dad’s Savage.

For a 20-24” 5R barrel, full length aluminum bedding block, threaded and fluted barrel, and 10 rd DBM that shoots sub moa or better the Savage model 10T is not a bad deal. It can be easily upgraded with a 20-30 moa base, KRG stock and Timney trigger for another 700 or so. I would hand lap the barrel before I started shooting it but other than that it is about as close as you are going to get for a sub $1000 tack driver. JMO
 
In the current market, you're not gonna find a long-range system worth spending only $1200 on...and even if you did, you're not going to find or afford the quality match ammunition necessary to maximize its performance.

If you have to absolutely spend money and $1200 is all you got...

Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor $549

Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 with free rings from SWFA: $350

Cheap-ass Caldwell bipod $50

Magpul Hunter American stock $219

Magpul MLOK bipod adapter $19
I sold this setup plus Timney trigger used for 750 last year- put that money towards DD delta five
 
You will do fine with the Savage 10T you bought. It is a solid choice. When you are able I would upgrade the trigger to a Timney elite unless you like the accu-trigger. It is really personal preference and they are both adjustable. You can build a descent palm swell on the accu-stock using tennis racket tape but the better approach is a KRG or HS Precision stock or McCrees chassis. Get a good 20moa base, 30 if you can find it. The new 10T may come with a 20 moa base . All of that would be upgrades for the future. They are not necessary to be able to shot a 1000 yards.

If I am looking at your budget correctly after your rifle purchase you only have $425 left to spend on your scope, bi-pod and rings.

I would see if I could find a used SFP Athlon Midas BTR 2.5-15x50/56 in a mil/mil configuration. It runs about $550-$600 new and is a great scope for the money, with a lifetime transferable no questions asked warranty. You maybe able to find a used one for around $350.

Buy a good set of rings. The cheap Leupolds will do fine.($29-$69). A Harris fixed 6-9 bi-pod will work for starters. ($69)

If you have any extra pick up a VG6 brake ($39-$69) or something similar. I like the Deadair with the quick detach threads for a suppressor but they are around $90 or the APA LB gen2 ($160).

That set up with the rifle you have will most likely shoot 1/2 moa and get you to a grand everyday of they week and twice on Sundays.

Relax and shoot straight! Congratulations on your purchase.
 

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Dear friends,
I'm in the market for a new rifle. If you were going to buy the best set up possible for under $1200, what would you buy? Rifle, scope, bipod, the entire rig. I'm open to any and all suggestions. Please feel free to elaborate on why.

What is the best rifle available for the money? Should I explore a market place section at this website or another? What is the best bang for the buck and what route would you go?

Thanks.
Slit of gun snobs scoff at Savage but you can by a Cabellas exclusive for about $450 add a fixed 10 power SWFA scope, Harris bipod 100. Buy and shoot
Put an aftermarket stock on later like a KRG BRAVO . You can get a Howa package for a really good price too. Good enough for Weatherby to put their name on.
 
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People here keep saying to get a KRG bravo. Problem is the Bravo is not made for a Savage. The KRG Savage chassis was the 180 alpha, it has been discontinued. For a good budget option for the Savage I would go with an Oryx.
I am another who has had alot of time with Savage rifles. They are very accurate most of the time, I have also never had any of the feed / extract / eject problems that others talk about. My problem with the Savage has always been the triggers. Have been unable to ever get an Accutrigger to the weight and feel that I like and still be reliable. I have tried a few different aftermarket triggers and did not like any of them. The newer offering From Elf looks pretty good but I have not tried one yet. If you can deal with the terrible triggers, your new Savage should serve you well. Upgrade it as your skills progress and budget allows. Enjoy!
 
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Hi boiler,
Thanks for the information, you've been very helpful across a couple different threads for me. I've thought about your warning concerning not being able to find or afford quality match ammunition all day. Fair point.

I visited the local pawn shop this morning and walked out with a Savage 110 Tactical rifle in .308. What do you think? What direction do you think I should move in next?


I got it for $775 otd. Good price or did I get hosed?
Congrats on your new rifle, I think you'll enjoy it, if you can find ammo.
Obviously, your next step is glass and rings.
What is your budget for that?
I'll be honest, one of the best entry level scopes is STILL the SWFA SS 10 or 12 power.
There may be scopes with more features available for the same 300 bucks but they won't track like the SWFA does and they certainly aren't built like tanks like the SWFA is.
Buy this now:

Add a set of SWFA rings, they'll help you pick the right ones.
 
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