Help me decide Weatherby/Savage?

[Trickymissfit]

well I shoot both guns, and have a thought or two. The Savage out of the box is more accurate period. Not the slightest second thought about it by the way. The Vanguard is a fine rifle to say the least, but it has a few disadvantages that dosn't help it. The best groups I ever get from a Vanguard in in the very low sixes and maybe an occassional high five. Part of this is in the way they cut the stock, I'm almost certain. The Savage rides the bags better than 98% of the production rifles sold. The Savage has a better trigger, and can be adjusted pretty light (mine are in the 2lb. area. I think savage cuts the chambers better than most of the other factory rifles, but are still a little long in the neck and throats for my liking. Weatherby cuts them bigger and longer than Savage, and I'd put them right in there with Remington. I think the Savage beds better than the Weatherby, but I also am not totally sold on the way they cut their palm swell on their stocks (I have small hands). The only rifle sold with a faster lock time was a Remington 788 than the generic Savage, and the Savage is way faster than the rest of them. The Savage has a better bolt design in the way it self aligns with the case head. I have a 112 BVSS-S that has shot high ones on occassion, and will always shoot in the twos with the factory chamber. You get make the Weatherby do that in fifty yards let alone 100 yards. My Mod. 12 should shoot just as well, but only time will tell there. My other 112 will shoot low threes constantly.

Lastly with a 7mm mag, I'd avoid using a 32x scope. You'll never get much use out of it past 24x, and 16x is all you'll have have a need for.
gary

 

[Scot E]

Not sure how price point plays into this for you but Howa makes the action and barrel for Weatherby and you can pick up the Howa version, essenitally the same gun, for less money than the Weatherby. I have 2 Howa's and they are both 1 MOA or less guns with no work done. They are more work if you are going to do lots of tweaking on the gun though, mostly because there aren't very many smith's that are familiar with them. They do accepts aftermarket triggers though if that is important to you.

I think savage is at the top of the list in the gun world right now. They are making great innovations and they are US made which makes me happy when I can support a company like that!

FWIW!