Savage vs Browning vs Ruger

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by T. O'Heir

Browning has been marketing based on the name for eons. Ruger is getting that way. Savage is and always has been the best bang for your buck based on out of the box accuracy.
"...6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5 PRC..." Think I'd go Creedmoor just because the ammo and brass is more readily available. And the 6.5 PRC is a Hornady proprietary cartridge that is only loaded by Hornady and No$ler at this time. Midway shows 70 loads for the Creed.
They also show only Hornady brass for the PRC. Six brands for the Creed.
Either way, if you opt for the PRC, buy as much brass as you can afford at the same time. The Marketing MBA's running Hornady(et al) think nothing of discontinuing stuff with no regard for their existing customers. Having a pile of brass means you won't get stuck.

The 6.5 Creed is as much Hornadays proprietery cartridge as the 6.5 prc. Neither are proprietary by the way.

[kilotanker22]

Originally Posted by T. O'Heir

Browning has been marketing based on the name for eons. Ruger is getting that way. Savage is and always has been the best bang for your buck based on out of the box accuracy.
"...6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5 PRC..." Think I'd go Creedmoor just because the ammo and brass is more readily available. And the 6.5 PRC is a Hornady proprietary cartridge that is only loaded by Hornady and No$ler at this time. Midway shows 70 loads for the Creed.
They also show only Hornady brass for the PRC. Six brands for the Creed.
Either way, if you opt for the PRC, buy as much brass as you can afford at the same time. The Marketing MBA's running Hornady(et al) think nothing of discontinuing stuff with no regard for their existing customers. Having a pile of brass means you won't get stuck.

I agree with Basically everything said here. The Brass problem you brought up is a good tip. I plan to buy at least 500 pieces at a time.

[J.G. Terry]

Reynolds357: Sorry, if I misunderstood you. No offense meant. With your experience, it would be very helpful to OP for you to have been more specific.

If I were buying a long range factory rifle it would be a hard choice between Ruger and Savage based on experience.

I agree. Stock up on brass and primers now on anything. There is no such thing as too much brass or primers.

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by J.G. Terry

Reynolds357: Sorry, if I misunderstood you. No offense meant. With your experience, it would be very helpful to OP for you to have been more specific.

If I were buying a long range factory rifle it would be a hard choice between Ruger and Savage based on experience.

I agree. Stock up on brass and primers now on anything. There is no such thing as too much brass or primers.

Thats fine. The Savage is accurate. I think The Ruger Precision Rifle can compete with it. From what I have seen, I dont think the Hawkeye can compete with it out of the box.

[J.G. Terry]

reynolds357: Thanks, well said. Savage has really upgraded the line in recent years. Also really good customer service.

[std7mag]

Either cartridge is not known as heavy recoil.
Too heavy a recoil may loosen the tie on your Manbun.

Muzzle brakes are not allowed in matches anyways.

[kilotanker22]

If I decide to shoot matches with it I can always put the thread protector on it. For me at long range the brake make sit easier to spot my shots on impact. Recoil isn't really a concern for me in this situation

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by std7mag

Either cartridge is not known as heavy recoil.
Too heavy a recoil may loosen the tie on your Manbun.

Muzzle brakes are not allowed in matches anyways.

It depends on the match as to whether or not a brake is legal. Many 600 and 1000 yard allow them.

[gw44]

I have a Savage 116 in 6.5x284 Norma that shoots sub-moa all day long !!!!

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by gw44

I have a Savage 116 in 6.5x284 Norma that shoots sub-moa all day long !!!!

Just about everything made today shoots sub MOA.

[kilotanker22]

Maybe over the course of the next year I should buy all three of them and do an in depth detailed comparison. Can't think of anything I would rather spend my time doing

[std7mag]

See, if you were to have said hunting rifle, i would have mentioned the Mauser M18.

[kilotanker22]

Originally Posted by std7mag

Either cartridge is not known as heavy recoil.
Too heavy a recoil may loosen the tie on your Manbun.

Muzzle brakes are not allowed in matches anyways.

I just checked the rules at Williamsport for both light gun and heavy gun matches. Muzzle brakes are indeed allowed for both classes.

[precision_shooter]

Why does the 20” tube on the Tikka make you shy away? Are you going for extreme long range? That 20” barrel will still get you to at least 1000 yards in a 6.5 Creed.

I had that same Tikka, and it would print consistent .5” 5-shot groups at 100yds with the occasional .4” group. Did I mention I planned to reload for it but those accuracy figures were shooting factory Hornady ammo?
It will have the best bolt of the group, and the trigger is very very good and user adjustable. No take up, clean break, little to no overtravel. I was a savage fan until other mfg caught on and started producing the same style rifles but with better designed components such as the extractors. Savage design is good for the average shooter. Bad for the range warrior who will shoot a couple hundred rounds a week or more.

Tikka gets my vote.

[kilotanker22]

I am not sure that Savage is "Bad" for anything. When I am not busy it is nothing for me to go through a few hundred rounds in a week.

The 20 inch barrel is a turn off for me, because of the loss in velocity. With the 6.5 Creedmoor and the loads/powder I have been using I benefit a great deal from the longer tubes. To the tune of 50 fps per inch or more. This is from a small batch of rifles, but 3 22 inch barreled 6.5 creedmoor rifles, 2 with a 24 inch barrel and 1 with a 26 inch barrel show a pretty linear increase in velocity using Reloder 26 powder I have been shooting.

The 24 inch tubes were on average 80-110 fps faster than the 22 inch barreled rifles with identical loads. The 26 inch tube was an additional 75 fps faster on average from the two 24 inch tubes. Maybe this is a fluke, but I'll stand by the data that I have collected myself.

I have no doubt that the 20 inch tube will get me to 1000 yards. I do however know that a shorter rifle is not what I am looking for.

If I was looking for a .308 Win the 20 inch tube would not bother me. The larger bore and faster burning powder will show less loss than the 6.5 Creedmoor with a slow magnum powder.

What do you mean by "Best Bolt"? Like do you mean stronger, smoother, tighter tolerance? What about that bolt besides the extractor make it superior to all the others? The Ruger has a non rotating claw extractor. I find it hard to believe that any extractor setup would be more reliable than that.

I have noticed problems with the Ejector on some Savage rifles when running hot loads, but the only one I have ever broken was replaced by Savage in less than a week. How long would I have to wait for a replacement part From Beretta? I assume Beretta imports those rifles? Will I have to pay for international shipping? Will I be able to get someone on the phone in the case that I have a problem? I am sure the Tikkas are fine, but just not what I am looking for. In fact I plan to buy a Tikka T-3x in 30-06 next week for a Project a friend of mine and I are working on. We are buying Standard walnut hunting rifles from many manufacturers and making detailed comparisons on value, accuracy, quality and what not. I guess I will see how the Tikka compares to the others then.

[precision_shooter]

Sounds like you have your mind made up then, good luck.

[kilotanker22]

I basically do have my mind made up. Although since the disscussion in this thread keeps coming back to Tikka, I decided to look a little more into what they offer. They do have the T3X Varmint with a 24 inch barrel.

I would still very much appreciate an explanation why the Tikka action is the best.

[kilotanker22]

Just to add a little variety here. I could always order a Savage 110 tactical in either caliber. For $400 less.

Maybe I should buy one in 6.5 PRC and 6.5 Creedmoor in identical rifles and compare velocity gains and recoil.

I could buy both of them for around the price of the Browning rifle plus $100.

[precision_shooter]

You would have to go to a dealer and work a Tikka action for it to fully sink in. They are slicker than snot, only require a 70° bolt lift, one piece bolt body, bolt handle is dovetailed I to the bolt... It only has two recoil lugs where the more expensive parent company Sako rifles use 3. I’ve never noticed an issue with only 2...

In short, there is no other rifle at the same price point as a Tikka with a smoother action. Their triggers are also superb imo.

[kilotanker22]

I did that after work today. The Local gun shop had a Tikka T3 Forrest. The action certainly feels very nice.

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by precision_shooter

You would have to go to a dealer and work a Tikka action for it to fully sink in. They are slicker than snot, only require a 70° bolt lift, one piece bolt body, bolt handle is dovetailed I to the bolt... It only has two recoil lugs where the more expensive parent company Sako rifles use 3. I’ve never noticed an issue with only 2...

In short, there is no other rifle at the same price point as a Tikka with a smoother action. Their triggers are also superb imo.

Why do I want a butter action?

[kilotanker22]

I think that I am gonna go another route here while I think it all through. I did manage to find something chambered in 6.5 PRC. Plenty of manufacturers are chambering for it, but it is pretty difficult to actually find one in stock somewhere.

The Ruger Target rifle and the Savage Tactical in 6.5 PRC both use AICS short action mags so I believe them to be a waste of time. I want to be able to feed my ammunition from the mag.

The only other rifle My local gun shop could find in 6.5 PRC That was available right now was a Savage 110 High Country. So I went ahead and ordered it today. I am gonna start a new thread to see if aanyone else has this rifle on the forum and what they think of it.

For what you get, $850 seems like a pretty good deal

[kilotanker22]

I ended up getting that 110 High Country in 6.5 PRC, I also decided to go with a 24 inch barrel and ordered a 110 Tactical in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Now debating the next project.....Probably a Tikka CTR if I can find one. Maybe a 300 PRC or WSM rifle.