Savage 110 Reliable? Weaknesses?

[FlyGuy11]

Hi fellas,

I just acquired a Savage 110 Tactical in 300 Win and was considering this rifle for a possible Alaska trip but I am not real familiar with Savage. I saw on another forum folks questioning the reliability of the 110 for competition shooting so I began to wonder if it it's a great choice for out of state hunts where I cannot just run back home for another rifle or easily pack an extra. What experiences good or bad have you all had? What should I upgrade if anything?

Thank you for your time.
Bob

Check the firing pin; I had one break on me. Overall I do not care for Savage rifles due to their lack of quality. A lot of folks tout how great they are but I have not had the same experience. I had one rechambered from .30-06 to .280 AI and wanted the receiver faced prior to the match barrel being screwed on. The gunsmith showed me that the receiver could not be properly aligned to be faced; with that being said the Savage has a floating bolt that aligns with the chamber. If you can sell it for a good price I'd get a Begara or Tikka.

 

[Kaptoe]

I currently own 6 model 10/110s. Never had a failure to fire or any action / parts issues with 1,000s of rounds per year with mostly handloads

Action / bolts on savages definitely get better with age and many are rough to start. Feeding can be an issue but you will know it from the start. Accutriggers are consistent but vary rifle to rifle.

If it works reliably in your pre hunt range sessions I would see no reason sweating it before an Alaska trip. I would prep for cold weather like any bolt action. Rubber band and saran wrap over the muzzle too

 

[Huntz]

Life is too short to own a fugly rifle.

 

[RiverShooter]

I have two Savage rifles -- a 308 12FV and a 223 (no idea the model). Both are accurate but both have heavy bolt lift, the least smooth bolt operation out of any rifles I have (Bergara, Steyr, Howa/Vanguard, Montana, etc.). I've never used a "blueprinted" Savage action, though. I use the 308 as a backup PRS tactical class gun in a chassis and it'll go to 1,000 yards with factory ammo slapping steal no problem. I do sometimes have to fight the action - like it just locks up - but that could be the magazines I'm using... I'm transitioning to metal ones this year (if I can find ammo to participate in my hobby). The 223... quite frankly I only use it these days when the lady friend wants to go shooting at the range... but it'll go to 300 yards (as far as I've taken it) mostly miss free. I put that in a Boyds Spike Camp stock which made it easier to use as a trainer and it did get a little more accurate (after pillar bedding). The action on it is extremely heavy but is also smoother than the 308s. Inconsistent...

Against my better judgement, I am going to get a Savage Ultralite. Everyone I know who has one has an accurate rifle that weighs nothing and doesn't have such a pretty stock that you never want to actually use it. Just bed them.

 

[jeb405]

I own 2 Savages. No doubt accuracy for cost is awesome. But...A 204 Ruger I think 12 FV in a beautiful laminate stock. Never ejected nor fed from box mag well, but mostly range toy I put a single round follower in so never tried to figure out the issue, I've had it over 10 years. Last year bought a Desert Tactical 110 in 6.5 CM. About 50% of the time empty brass comes loose from the extractor before ejected and about 70% of the time the bolt goes over the top of the top round in the magazine jamming up the gun. Maybe 150 rounds of factory ammo fired from new. I've contacted Savage on this one but no feedback yet.

Just my sample of 2.

JB

 

[wbm]

Check the firing pin; I had one break on me.

I have bought, built and used Savage rifles for over four decades....I have never had a firing pin break.

 

[gator378]

Just have it prepped for cold weather if you will in extremes. You don't want oil or lube in your gun gumming up parts or firing pins


Thanks

Buck

Cold weather, guns, and Mobil 1 go together. Never had a problem in cold weather which includes North Dakota and Minnesota and my home state Wisconsin

 

[wolffo]

at last count I have over 60 firearms
I've got 2 Savage 12FVs (6.5cm and 223)
bought cheap at cabelas with rebate
the savages run rings around my 2 Remington 700s - put them to absolute shame
my Dad's Savage 22LR bolt gun is the most accurate 22 I have ever seen or shot
I would not hesitate to buy another Savage

 

[Agueybana]

People online usually say something like "they're ugly but shoot good". I don't see how they're any uglier or prettier than any other bolt action. But they do shoot good

People hate the barrel nut. Savage fix alot of the issues thru the years. Now they got goods triggers, decent stocks. Excelent accuracy. Hard to beat for the price.

 

[Window]

Hi fellas,

I just acquired a Savage 110 Tactical in 300 Win and was considering this rifle for a possible Alaska trip but I am not real familiar with Savage. I saw on another forum folks questioning the reliability of the 110 for competition shooting so I began to wonder if it it's a great choice for out of state hunts where I cannot just run back home for another rifle or easily pack an extra. What experiences good or bad have you all had? What should I upgrade if anything?

Thank you for your time.
Bob

I only own one Savage that I bought for my Mom.. 308. However I've loaded for several friends who have them and they have all shot extremely well. All have been strictly for hunting and all have been 1/4 MOA or less with final load I'm a Weatherby nut and have been nothing but impressed with Savage and the accuracy they've produced.

 

[Oldtime Shooter13]

I've had the sliding plate extractor break on a .30-06 standard weight 110, but other than that, the rifle was accurate & generally reliable. I have not seen that failure reported often, so I'm going to assume that was a one-off problem & you should be fine trusting your gun for an Alaskan hunt.
I

Hi fellas,

I just acquired a Savage 110 Tactical in 300 Win and was considering this rifle for a possible Alaska trip but I am not real familiar with Savage. I saw on another forum folks questioning the reliability of the 110 for competition shooting so I began to wonder if it it's a great choice for out of state hunts where I cannot just run back home for another rifle or easily pack an extra. What experiences good or bad have you all had? What should I upgrade if anything?

Thank you for your time.
Bob

Hi fellas,

I just acquired a Savage 110 Tactical in 300 Win and was considering this rifle for a possible Alaska trip but I am not real familiar with Savage. I saw on another forum folks questioning the reliability of the 110 for competition shooting so I began to wonder if it it's a great choice for out of state hunts where I cannot just run back home for another rifle or easily pack an extra. What experiences good or bad have you all had? What should I upgrade if anything?

Thank you for your time.
Bob

Depending on age Extractor, extractor spring, larger extractor ball, ejector and ejector spring. Newer Savage manufacture years are notorious for bad or soft extractors and springs. The newer ejectors are more pointed and I find they are not as good at the older round ejectors. Easy job to do and $30 worth of parts that will completely make extraction and ejection reliable every time.
I have never had a firing pin or spring ever fail on me. If I were to go on a long trip and rely on one rifle, I would have some spare parts with me. A lot less expensive than looking for a gunsmith or worse ruin a trip. Rebuilding a bolt assembly is very easy and not expensive.

This is something that Savage should come good for, but they won't. Cannot get them to answer email or get someone on the phone who cares.

 

[James DeTorre]

Have four Rifles in 280ai. All semi custom. The Savage base one shoots more different loads well than anything in the safe. It cycles crudely and magazine feed is terrible. For one shot it's better than rifles three times the price. This is very annoying.
I have left name brands off the other rifles to protect the innocent And avoid sibling rivalry.

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

I have two 110's. One is one it's 3rd barrel without any issues (pdog gun). The other is a 270 on it's 2nd barrel, again no issues. Both cycle smoother than my Rem 700's.

 

[aaronmcoleman]

I've hunted almost exclusively with my Savage 110 in 30-06. I love it. Accurate, easy to load for, always kills what it hits

I have a buddy with a similar low end rem 700. I'd hunt with either. I do not notice a noticeable difference in quality.

but I'm also not the guy who will be out hunting with a $2500 hunting rifle. I'm simple. Savage is simple. And together we have killed a good number of animals.