204 varmint rifle?

[VarmintGuy]

Sniperboy: I have 5 (five) Varmint Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger - 2 Remingtons and 3 Rugers - note, NO savages!
savages are clunky, cheap, awkward, ugly, poorly balanced and primitive arms - some of them do indeed shoot well but life is to short to shoot a clunky, cheap, awkward, ugly, un-balanced and primitive Rifle!
PERIOD!
For instance my Remington XR-100 in caliber 204 Ruger is exceptionally accurate, well made, well balanced and not a clunky feature to be found!
The resale value of used Remingtons simply HUMBLES the percentage of cost that a Rifleman can recoup should they decide to "invest" in a savage!
Go with either Remington, Cooper or Ruger.
Don't even consider the savages.
Among the dozens of reasons NOT to buy savage I will include this one - I recently used a HawkEye Borescope on a savage LB/RP single shot extra heavy barrel Varminter - it was a horrific sight!
Now just because a Rifle has a rough bore does not automatically mean it will be in-accurate - but in this case it was indeed also in-accurate!
savage is NOT the be all and end all in factory accuracy!
The last 6 groupings (5 shot groups at 100 yards) I made with my Remington XR-100 in 204 Ruger caliber measured .322", .402", .374", .421", .439" and .326"!
This is consistent and pleasing accuracy using Varmint quality bullets!
I also have a Remington 700 VLS in caliber 204 Ruger - its last 3 groups (5 shots at 100 yards) measured .480", .398" and .330"!
Pass on the savages.
Best of luck with whichever 204 you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

 

[gube204]

Sniperboy: I have 5 (five) Varmint Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger - 2 Remingtons and 3 Rugers - note, NO savages!
savages are clunky, cheap, awkward, ugly, poorly balanced and primitive arms - some of them do indeed shoot well but life is to short to shoot a clunky, cheap, awkward, ugly, un-balanced and primitive Rifle!
PERIOD!
For instance my Remington XR-100 in caliber 204 Ruger is exceptionally accurate, well made, well balanced and not a clunky feature to be found!
The resale value of used Remingtons simply HUMBLES the percentage of cost that a Rifleman can recoup should they decide to "invest" in a savage!
Go with either Remington, Cooper or Ruger.
Don't even consider the savages.
Among the dozens of reasons NOT to buy savage I will include this one - I recently used a HawkEye Borescope on a savage LB/RP single shot extra heavy barrel Varminter - it was a horrific sight!
Now just because a Rifle has a rough bore does not automatically mean it will be in-accurate - but in this case it was indeed also in-accurate!
savage is NOT the be all and end all in factory accuracy!
The last 6 groupings (5 shot groups at 100 yards) I made with my Remington XR-100 in 204 Ruger caliber measured .322", .402", .374", .421", .439" and .326"!
This is consistent and pleasing accuracy using Varmint quality bullets!
I also have a Remington 700 VLS in caliber 204 Ruger - its last 3 groups (5 shots at 100 yards) measured .480", .398" and .330"!
Pass on the savages.
Best of luck with whichever 204 you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Sorry VG but Savage has come a long way from what you describe them as. They have one of the best factory triggers out there and MOST of them are super accurate shooters right out of the box (not just some of them as you have quoted). I have seen factory savages give a run for the money with guys that have expensive custom rigs at bench rest competitions. I find remington factory triggers horrible. I know lots of Remington "die hards" that have been switching over to the Savages. For the price, it's hard to beat the "out of the box" accuracy of a savage, period.

 

[VarmintGuy]

savage vaporizer: You know NOT of what you speak!
The triggers on Remington bolt action Rifles are exceptionally well suited for accuracy.
I should now I am currently shooting 42 of them!
The latest Remington I purchased (November 4th 2,008) is an SPS-V 700 model in caliber 223 Remington - it has an exceptional trigger on it!
I know its an exceptional trigger because I have used it at the bench and tested it for uniformity of let off with my Schrader Trigger Gauge in my gunroom!
This gauge reads in ounces by the way!
It passed my tests with flying colors!
And as far as accuracy I have PLENTY more accuracy examples!
Heres another one for you and the initial inquiring poster.
This NEWEST Remington Model 700 SPS-V was quickly mounted with a Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope - the action screws were torqued to the exact inch/pounds setting I prefer on my Remingtons and I headed for the range with a batch of ammo that had been made for another Rifle I have in 223 Remington caliber.
Ahead of a snow squall I was able to get the Rifle on paper, and then sighted in. Then I had time to fire 5 rounds of handloads in this 223 Remington Rifle that measured .372" there at 100 yards! That is the only group this Rifle has shot to date. I will keep you informed.
No, savage Rifles DO NOT have the market cornered on accuracy - in anyway shape or form!
And the description of the RB/LP savage Rifle my gusnmith friend owns is right UP TO DATE!
It was purchased early this spring and came with flaws that neccessitated the barrel be hand lapped with a lead slug and mild abrasive just to get this $900.00+ Rifle to shoot "OK"!
You probably are not aware that I shoot alongside savage Rifles from time to time!
Again savage Rifles DO NOT hold the market on factory Rifle accuracy!
Early this year I bought a Remington XR-100 in caliber 22-250 Remington. This Rifle shot so well right from the git go that I only tried ONE load in it - TOTAL!
It has made groups (5 shots at 100 yards) as small as .283"!
Its last two groups (5 shots at 100 yards - fired on different days by the way) measured .434" (my loading log notes "poor conditions on this days shooting) and .397" on a different day!
This XR-100 has a splendid trigger and is all factory stock except for a slight lessening of the triggers pull weight and the action screws were torqued to MY specifications.
I have a number of shooting companions that own Remington Rifles of various models in caliber 204 Ruger by the way - I have as yet to hear one complain about a lack of accuracy or of displeasure with the triggers!
I have plenty of more examples of accuracy in "my" Remington Rifles, and I mean SPECIFIC examples NOT ambiguous and factually unsubstantiated innuendo's like you bring forth!
Each ambiguous stab at Remington you come up with WILL be met by my first hand and substantiated (recorded!) examples!
And believe me - I have LOTS of them!
I have been shooting Remington bolt action Rifles for 48 years now and have as yet to find one I consider to be in-accurate!
Life is simply to short to shoot ugly, unattractive, clunky, poorly balanced savage Rifles - PERIOD!
Why not buy a handsome, well balanced, solid Rifle like one of Remingtons bolt action offerings to begin with?
Remingtons shoot quite well and have a much higher resale value should the need arise to sell! And by this I mean the purchaser WILL recoup a much higher percentage of their investment when they buy Remington as opposed to savage!
AND, they will recoup that investment MUCH faster selling a used Remington than the notoriously slow reselling savages!
You talk about value and accuracy - heres a real world going on RIGHT NOW example - my $500.00 Remington 700 SPS-V in 223 Remington shoots BETTER than my gunsmith friends $900.00+ savage RB/LP in the same caliber!
Forget the savages!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

 

[gube204]

Sorry VG, but I'm not about to get into a pi&&ing match with you. There is a ton of proof out there that Remingtons quality control and their service in dealing with quality control issues are not what they used to be. I've seen it myself, and all you need to do is check the numerous boards on the web and do a search. It's available for all to see.
As for different gun brand names, it's no different then buying a vehicle. Everyone has their preferences. But to say "Savage" shouldn't even be considered, lets just say that there are thousands and thousands of loyal Savage fans that would beg to differ. I shoot numerous brands of guns and enjoy them all, including my remingtons. That's about all I have to say about it.

 

[jeff 300]

Sorry VG, but I'm not about to get into a pi&&ing match with you. There is a ton of proof out there that Remingtons quality control and their service in dealing with quality control issues are not what they used to be. I've seen it myself, and all you need to do is check the numerous boards on the web and do a search. It's available for all to see.
As for different gun brand names, it's no different then buying a vehicle. Everyone has their preferences. But to say "Savage" shouldn't even be considered, lets just say that there are thousands and thousands of loyal Savage fans that would beg to differ. I shoot numerous brands of guns and enjoy them all, including my remingtons. That's about all I have to say about it.

I will say that VG has no clue about today's savages. the old savage had a bad rep but that has past years and years ago. for someone to say a savage won't shot. has some kind of beef with them are has had his but handed to him by a new savage. savages are by for one of the best deals out there. i have a big safe full of savage and Remington as for as factory guns i don't have a Remington that will out shoot any of the savages. money for money the savages are the best deal to be had. they stay simple and they just shoot. There is a alot of ???'s to be asked about VG's statement knocking savage rifle's. for one i would love to know how a man has time to shoot 42 RIFLE, i like my factory rem triggers, but there is no way your going to get one down in the ounces it's not going to happen maybe 2.5#-3# if you keep it safe and your lucky and most come from the factory set way up there. most of mine where around 7-8# and if you can't work on it your self get ready to pay someone to get it set lower. I'm not rich either so i don't have 42 of them to go off of. But if i had 42 rifles i can promise you there would be more Jewell's trigger in that group than Remington. cause i have some on my rem rifle right know that replaced the factory trigger. I'm not knocking Remington i like Remington just fine and will buy more of them. but savage is one rifle not to be over looked they shoot great and are a great deal for the$$$$$$$$

And as for as this statement goes.

Quote: (And the description of the RB/LP savage Rifle my gusnmith friend owns is right UP TO DATE!
It was purchased early this spring and came with flaws that neccessitated the barrel be hand lapped with a lead slug and mild abrasive just to get this $900.00+ Rifle to shoot "OK"!)Quote

If i had just bought a rifle for 900.00 that had this kind of stuff wrong i would have been on the phone with the company. and two if i was any kind of gunsmith i would be building my own guns not buying factory rifle for 900.00. For 900.00 are little more a gunsmith could have built a nice custom built rifle and not been waisting time working on a factory gun to get it to shoot. don't make any sense to me. But i don't have 42 rifle with factor Remington trigger either.

so to end this witch ever rifle you may go with will more than likely shoot just fine as long as you do your part. you may want to check these link out. Savage Arms New 2006 Products
http://www.gunblast.com/Savage-12F.htm
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_12_48/ai_93317493
good luck hope you get a shooter

 

[Ryan55555]

Well I recently was in the market for a new 204 also and I purchased a Remington VSSF II and topped it with a Zeiss Conquest scope. I looked a several and just liked the stock and barrel on the Remington. The Savage guns that I looked at just did not feel as comfortable but I sure liked the trigger.

I have adjusted the Remington trigger once and I need to do it again because it is just not a crisp as I would like.

It has taken some time to figure out a load for it but I finally have one figured out and I couldn't be happier with the gun now. Mine does not like the 40 Vmax bullet no matter what powder or seating length, I now us the 39 Sierra and it will shoot better than ever.

This gun is a little on the heavy side as with any heavy barrel gun but I am pleased with my purchase.

Good luck and have fun, the 204 is a blast. I can watch the rabbits and PD's explode with this caliber as there is almost no recoil or barrel jump.

Ryan

 

[linksmechanic]

Ryan, try the 40 grain bergers. The vssf is one of the most beutiful factory rigs imo. I bought the stock off of one and put it on my sps varmint and it looks awsome. It's strange that other guys remmys won't shoot the 40's. my shoots them 1/2 moa all day long. This leads me to beleive there rate of twist is slightly different from gun to gun or barrel roughness is different. However every remmy I own shoots lights out. I can't say that with the .223 savage I have. It has chatter marks all over and I'm gonna have to rebarrel it. Oh well.

 

[cdog]

Poor varmint guy, as much as he has tried to suppress the savage revolution, he has woefully failed!!
I have been watching his foolish anti-savage posts on many forums for quite some time now, nothing but a broken record!
Why someone can't give credit where it is due is over my head, I own many different brands of rifles, all have pros and cons, none are perfect!
Hold into the wind,
ANTIvarmintguy!

 

[bowhunthard88]

I own one of those $900 rb/lp savage (12 LRPV) rifles varmintguy is b******g about in 1:12" 22-250, I put a VX-III 6.5-20x50mm lr on it and it consistently shoots in the .2s" @ 100 yds with .1s" not uncommon (3-shot goups with cold bore included - 4 shots). With 5-shot groups, in runs in the .3s and .2s. Handloads of course. I own a few savages (very pleased) some winchesters (1 pre-'64 in 26" 220 swift) and some remingtons. All have their pros and cons, but I consistently pick up my savages over the rest lol. 6oz AccuTrigger even beats the m70 pre-'64 for crispness and anti-creep (lol) all the triggers on my guns have been played with (they are all factory) and the AccuTrigger still rules. As a matter of fact savage RULES, not to say other guns are not an option tho.

 

[linksmechanic]

I like the accu trigger but I also like the 40x trigger.

 

[Magnumpeanut]

I sold both my 223s and went to a 204 and a 243.

Holy crap the 204 is awesome.
AWESOME.

Mine is a Remington 700 SPS V. I should say the trigger sucks so bad I can not explain. I should have got another savage as both of my 223s were but I went Remington and should have stuck with what I knew, cuz I got to buy triggers for both those guns.

Anyways they both shoot super well, minus the garbage triggers.

The 204 will shoot a ragged hole at 200 yards with 30g bergers if I can control the poor trigger pull. Its hard to pull 3 in a row without goofing at least one up due to the trigger.

 

[liltank]

I own two Savages. A BVSS in 300 WSM and MKII FV. Both shot acceptionally well. When the BVSS was a .308 befor it was reamed shot .5 or less all day long @100yrds. The MKII FV in .22LR shoots 1/4 or less if I do my part at 50yrds. Matter of fact, I can hit 240yrds on a 10"steel gong with the .22LR. FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

 

[VarmintGuy]

Cdog: I am not trying to supress savage Rifles I am simply refuting the myth that some folks try to propogate wherein ONLY savage Rifles are accurate!
NOTHING could be further from the real truth!
I brought on line just this month a wickedly accurate Ruger M-77 V/T in caliber 204 Ruger!
With VERY LITTLE load development (after barrel break-in) I got such splendid accuracy from a load using 32 grain Hornady V-Max's that i declared load testing over - on the Rifles 3rd trip to the range!
You might call this an example of "out of the box" accuracy!
On the 17th of January I made two groups (5 shot at 100 yards) measuring .378" and .347"!
For an average of .362"
With Varmint bullets this IS excellent accuracy from an all factory stock Ruger Rifle!
AND this Ruger Rifle is quality built, handsome, well balanced and obviously VERY accurate!
NO - savage Rifles DO NOT have the corner on accuracy!
And they ARE still clunky, awkward, cheaply made, unattractive and unbalanced Rifles!
Period!
You call my fact filled posts "foolish"!
I am calling YOU and YOUR contention that ONLY savage Rifles are accurate - FOOLISH, to the extreme!
If you think my posts "foolish" then disprove any of them OR any part of them!
I am calling you out there cdog!
Put up your evidence (like I have!) or shut up (but post your apology before you do!)!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy (the cdog "corrector"!)

 

[liltank]

Easy boys, your stealing a thread here that is just opinions on the table. Nobody should be calling anybody out and there should be nothing but constuctive criticism and good info. Be kind, shoot strait and be safe. I'll apologize for both and we can move on with discussing rifles.

All rifles out of the box are capable of being accurate. Just some require more work than others. I find with Ruger, Winchester, Remingtion, Sako, Tikka, and many others that require some tinkering with the triggers or help from the gun smith. The advantage on the Savage is the accu-trigger which is proving to be the ultimate in out of the box trigger systems that other companies are trying to duplicate. (i.e. Rem. X-trigger, Marlin's adjustable trigger, etc.) I have heard good things and bad on all.

So it remains a discussion of personal preferance. No one rifle FROM a factory is essentially better than another, UNLESS it is performance specific such as target models, and tactical rifles that have been created for the very purpose of pinpoint accuracy. Most rifles out of the box are capable of less than 1MOA with the proper ammunition.

Respectfully,
Tank