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Good rifle?

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Trykon View Drop Down
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    Posted: November/08/2006 at 22:56
A friend of mine wants to sell me his Savage 12 Series Varmint 300 WSM.  Is this a good rifle or not?
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Anthony View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anthony Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/08/2006 at 23:46

It depends on your perspective, the rich man would say a weatherby accumark is better, and those who conserve their money or don't have very much would say it's an excellent weapon. also consider if the strength of your shoulder can tame that beast. I think that savages are great, I only have one savage, and it shoots one hole groups, so it competes with other major brands.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ranburr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2006 at 00:31

Savage makes good guns.  But, I don't know what I would do with a heavy barreled rifle in that caliber.

 

ranburr

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Dolphin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dolphin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2006 at 06:21

Here is the bottom line.  I own Savages and I have Wby Accumarks.  The Savage is a great rifle, hands down, no question about it.  But, the caliber in question, is may be why he wants to sell it.  Good ballistics, but these calibers in new guns are on sale everywhere.  Short fat cartridges fill up the magazine and have problems with reloading the chamber after a shot.  Other cartridges, such as the 300 wimmag fill all the ballistics purposes for all intent purposes just as well with many more bullet options and are cheaper.  The heavy barrel, with this caliber does not make alot of sense, as this is primarily a hunting cartridge, not a benchrest rifle or varmint caliber.  Unless you reload, shooting varmints with this rifle would be an expensive proposition and still would, even if you did reload.  I would only buy the gun if it is a steal.  Otherwise walk.  The guns are great and not that expensive.  So if you like it, you can buy one in the caliber you want, from a retailer or online, relatively inexpensively.  Think about it first.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2006 at 09:04

I have a 300WSM and a 300 win mag and a 30-06 and several .308 rifles. The muzzle blast on the 300WSM is ferocious but the cartridge lacks the flexibility of using a wide range of bullets that the other 30 cal rifles do not suffer from. The 300 WSM is most typically a 180 gr bullet even if you reload they do not have the wide choice of balistics info that is available for the other 30 cal rifles. For hunting at long range the 300 Win mag is a better choice and you can find ammo world wide. Neither of the magnums is particularly plesant to shoot and I find that I shoot .375 H&H more often than either of the 300 mag guns. The .308 is probably the most plesant to shoot and ammo is highly available. 30-06 is also a fine choice and offers a wide variety of bullet selections even if you dont reload.

As for a heavy barrel savage - good accurate gun. All of it depends on what you want to shoot. Most guys that just shoot paper shoot .223 because the ammo is cheap and readily available it just doesnt knock down large animals well and is not allowed for hunting large game in most states.


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silver View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2006 at 09:55

 

 

While not a bad rifle, I can not get excited about the caliber.  I'd want .308 or .300 winmag for ecomomies of scale.

"If we weren't all crazy we, We would go insane."   Jimmie Buffet

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dolphin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2006 at 10:46
Ditto, to all of the above posts.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote never e nuff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2006 at 10:55
I would mostly have to agree with urimaginaryfriend. I have many savage heavy varmint rifles the largest of them is chambered in 25-06. I belive that it is at the end of the spectrum for any kind of a varmint rifle. Savage rifles have many benifits but any heavy rifle chambered in such an expensive to shoot, hard to control recoil with a large muzzle blast, and questionable feeding is a very specalized gun. The only reason for the existience of a weapon like this one would be long range bean field type large game rifle from a stationary position or super long range compitition shooting. Unless it is a steal and you have some use for it spend you money on something you can enjoy. The only intresting gun is an accurate gun. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trinidad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2006 at 11:48

Hello Trykon

 

How much $ is he asking for it. It is a good rifle and the caliber is very accurate but

more expensive to shoot. Re barreling a Savage is very easy if you would like a high

quality match barrel.

 

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Trykon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trykon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/13/2006 at 20:50

He's asking 500 for it.  It's had about 2 boxes of bullet through it. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dolphin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/13/2006 at 21:10
Move on and if you like the rifle, you can get the caliber you want for a little bit more money on the internet.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/13/2006 at 21:36
I hope that folks are not suggesting that you can turn this 300 WSM into, say, a 243 by changing out the barrel.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dolphin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2006 at 06:05
No, I mean, do not buy the rifle, but if you like the brand and model in consideration, buy one new on the internet or from a dealer for a little bit more money, in the caliber you like.  You know me better than that by now Finn.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SAVAGEMAN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/16/2006 at 12:49
FOR 500 BUCKS WITH ONLY TWO BOXES THROUGH IT IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY LAYING AROUND BUY IT ITS A GREAT BUY
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Trykon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trykon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/16/2006 at 13:02
Ended up buying a Remington Sendero SF II 7mm Ultra Mag instead.  Decided to spend the extra money and get what i really wanted.
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