Savage .308

[Steelharp]

So; I went to the range this morning. Took a handgun to shoot. Nice older gent there and I got to talking. He had some Savage bolt gun in .308. I've never shot anything like that before. He asked if I would like to try it. How could I say no?

I hit a 12" steel plate dead center at 300 yards. OMG, I WANT ONE!!!!!!!

(Can't afford one, but hey... it's good to want.)

[Rightwinger]

Great caliber for that distance. That's why so many military rifles were made in that caliber....back when we had marksmen.

[Guest drv2fst]

I have a Savage 308 that has been very accurate. With good ammo and a good scope, I (and almost anyone else) can hit shotgun clays with about 95% accuracy and golf balls with about 75% accuracy at 300 meters. They are great guns for the $.

[Tempest455]

I have a Savage .308 and yes, they are exremely accurate. Savage is making some really nice stuff.

[Dolomite_supafly]

If you just want a gun to blast with buy the Savage Axis/Edge. They use the same barrels and actaully have a stiffer action than a standard Savage action. They are pretty limited for aftermarket parts but by all accounts they shoot just as well as any other Savage. Another alternative is the Mossberg MVP. They are rumored to use the same barrels as the Savage models so accuracy should eb the same. I do know Savage barrels will thread into a MVP action and vice versa.

You can grab the Axis/Edge for under $300 new or under $200 used. You can also try to find a Steven 200. The 200's are exactly like any other Savage except they do not come with the accutrigger. They are also more precise because they are sold "as machined" without the fluff and buff of the regular Savages.

If you don't mind used you can find used Savages for ~$250 at pawn shops. And sometimes even cheaper if they look rough. If the bore looks good it will be a shooter.

Dolomite

[Tempest455]

Ditto on the axis. We also have one of those in .223 and it's very accurate as well. However, the trigger sucks (I'm going to replace w/ Timney) and the stock has too much flex. That is easily fixed w/ some expandable foam or epoxy in the stock.

[vujade]

My savage 10fp in 308 is my favorite rifle!

I got it used a while ago and was never impressed at first. I debated and almost resold it once or twice. Then I realized I was shooting it using not the best ammo (I was shooting 150 grain hunting rounds from Walmart). I started using Hornady and Federal Match stuff and started getting groups between half an inch to 3/4 inch and I was happy with that...

but then i started reloading and whew! Now i can say I Love that rifle!

(I have the older pre-accutrigger version which I actually prefer; it breaks at a nice 2 pounds)

Edited August 22, 2012 by vujade

[glockster157]

12" at 300 yards???? what are you shooting a shotgun....LOL! I had a Savage 12BVSS that could put 5 168 grain SMK's into a 3-4 " group at 300 yards. Raise your expectations!

[Lumber_Jack]

12" at 300 yards???? what are you shooting a shotgun....LOL! I had a Savage 12BVSS that could put 5 168 grain SMK's into a 3-4 " group at 300 yards. Raise your expectations!

I think he said "12in plate DEAD CENTER". The emphasis was on the dead center and less on the size of the plate.

[Steelharp]

You gotta realize; that was my first .308 shot ever. I was like a kid in a candy shop...

[Guest Aces&8s]

Savage does make good guns. I have the 110 in .30-'06 and it is a great rifle. Very accurate, and the accutrigger is one of the best factory triggers I have seen on a mass-production gun. The stock is almost too light, though, and I wish I had bought one with a wood stock instead of polymer, but that can be fixed easily enough. When I bought this one, they had a .308 in stock, as well, and I kick myself for passing on it... while I like the .30-06, now I think I like the .308 a little better, but that is just me.

Heck, I bought an old model 340C in .30-.30 and it shoots really tight for an old beater rifle. Even tighter if I handload with spitzer bullets instead of the old round-nose.

[glockster157]

I think he said "12in plate DEAD CENTER". The emphasis was on the dead center and less on the size of the plate.

I was kidding.....just having a little late night fun.

[glockster157]

Savage is notorious for producing inexpensive rifles that shoot way, way better than they are supposed to. There are reasons for this. One is that the barrel, bolt and action are all rounds which makes it extremely easy to keep everything centered. Another is that they use an action nut to set headspace which means they can screw the barrel into the action to an exact headspace and then lock it down with the barrel nut. They use to straighten barrels manually but I don't know if they still do that.

As to the 308 round, it is an easy cartridge to reload. Lots of good bullets and brass, is not finicky and a short fat powder column is just a little more inherently accurate than some of the longer cases. Also since the 308 is a newer cartridge most makers load it up to max pressure where they load the 3006 down because of so many older rifles out there. The 308 can match the 06 with bullets up to 150 grains.

[Tempest455]

Just to add to this Savage topic. We went and tested some more .308 ammo last weekend in my Savage 10BA. To date the most accurate ammo we have tried in this gun has been Black Hills. That includes match grade handloads. The 168g and 175g Black Hills are about the same out to 400. Have not tried farther but plan to try the 175g soon at a further distance.