Hi,

Basically, I hate this type of question as it usually boils down to taste, but I'm pondering myself so here goes.

What are people's experiences with the Savage Weather Warrior series v. the Browning A-Bolt in .30-06?
I'm interested especially to hear about comments on the STS Browning. I have two friends who shoot the one with the wooden stock and blued metals but I don't think I know of anyone who has one with the synthetic stock.

Besides the renown accuracey of the Savages, any other comments: robustness, shootability? How does the magazine feed i.e. is it reliable and smooth?
I'm thinking of the one with both the AccuTrigger and the AccuStock, as that seems to be the best combo for sure.

Thanks,

- Lars/Finland

I've owned both and, all things equal, the Browning is a better gun. My Browning was even more accurate, not to mention it just worked better.

You don't have to buy a savage to get an accurate rifle, the remingtons, brownings, winchesters and sakos will shoot just as good.

quote:

Originally posted by Schauckis:
Hi,

Basically, I hate this type of question as it usually boils down to taste, but I'm pondering myself so here goes.

What are people's experiences with the Savage Weather Warrior series v. the Browning A-Bolt in .30-06?
I'm interested especially to hear about comments on the STS Browning. I have two friends who shoot the one with the wooden stock and blued metals but I don't think I know of anyone who has one with the synthetic stock.

Besides the renown accuracey of the Savages, any other comments: robustness, shootability? How does the magazine feed i.e. is it reliable and smooth?
I'm thinking of the one with both the AccuTrigger and the AccuStock, as that seems to be the best combo for sure.

Thanks,

- Lars/Finland

For your climate, hands down the Savage Weather Warrior. Aside from the accuracy, it feeds smoothly, it's tough as nails in adverse conditions and it's dead simple to take apart for cleaning. It will do the job without having to be babied. The only thing I didn't like was the stainless barrel was shinier than I like, so I degreased it and spray painted it with flat black automotive primer. Worked like a charm. I have two, a .30-06 and a .338 WM.

I have a bunch of the Brownings, all of which are the stainless stalkers. My kids both have the 30-06.

The guns shoot extremely well. They are very reliable.

I would consider the new X bolt. It has many improvements. It should hold its valid better IMHO.

Go with the Browning.

I have NOT had great success with the Accutrigger!! roger

I have a Savage 16 FCSS in 308 Win. The things I like. Bolt is very slick and smooth out of the box but would be better with the target/tactical series handle (see 12 series bolt handles). The Accustock is nice and stiff and works great with a bipod(no flex in the fore end). Well balanced and quick handling. Accutrigger is the best factory trigger. I really like the Savage safety(read quiet). My gun has the recoil lug clamping wedge which was dropped after a year because of a patent infringement. Accuracy is .4" with handload Amax and .6" with 165 TTSX(my go to hunting load in 308). Headspacing floating bolt head. Easy barrel change when the time comes. Sharp checkering on the stock gives a firm no slip grip. Light weight.

The things I do not like. I hate the cheap stamped steel magazine. It does not always go in correctly and you actually have to practice your technique inserting it. I have had the magazine drop out several times and now triple check it....and find myself rechecking it every 15 minutes in the stand. Consider the FHSS with the hinged floorplate. The stock has a hollow sound in the butt so I filled it with insulating foam. It did not add weight but did not totally eliminate the hollow sound. A denser filler would but at the cost of weight. The bolt removal requires 2 hands and practice to be proficient(Savage needs to use the Weatherby Mark V release where you just hold the trigger). I agree on the shiny barrel and have already decided on a camo Duracoat finish(I enjoy these kind of projects anyway). I spent a few hours going over the accustock eliminating the ridges left from injection molding. I find them very annoying but understand the cost factor equation. You can order a Savage with a HS Precision stock that is a nice upgrade over an accustock.

My Browning is a Gold Medallion in 7mm Remington Mag and is not a good comparison for what you want. I like the safety and the 60 degree bolt throw on Brownings better. Browning is a higher quality product and the price reflects this. Accuracy is around 1 MOA and honestly in the hunting world a 2 MOA gun is more accurate than a hunter can hold under field conditions. Browning semi beds the action from the factory. I also agree that the X-Bolt is better than the A-Bolt. The X-Bolt magazine is the best on the market.

Another rifle you should consider is the Winchester M70 Extreme Weather SS. Bell & Carlson stock with fluted barrel(very nice indeed).

Bottom line I am very satisfied with my Savage 16 and prefer to take it hunting over my dozen other deer rifles. I paid $650 for mine and no other manufacture can give you this much rifle for that price. On the flip side I will gladly pay top dollar for a great rifle because in the long run the extra $$$ will be well spent. Do not bother buying a cheaper gun that you plan on replacing later on. I have made this mistake and still kick myself for that stupidity. I would rather save up for the rifle I REALLY want and one day hopefully pass it on to my grandchildren.

quote:

Go with the Browning.

I once had a Browning 3" gold shotgun that was a loser.....but far and away the above advice is valid on all fronts.

Thanks to all - especially Larry & Sid: this was precisely the info I was seeking!

Can you elaborate a bit on the betterness of the X-Bolt, please?
I have not had the chance to lay my hands on one yet.

As to Sid's comment ref. "buy the best" - I don't quite agree on this. It is possible to make cheap yet good rifles that will last a lifetime. In my experience - albeit limited! - more costly rifles tend to be better finished and fancier but not necessarily the least bit better.
To get the perfect rifle you need to build yours, or at least customize the one you have. To that end, again in my opinion, a good action and barrel are key. The most important investment is a good stock that fits the shooter.

As to the Winchester, I did have a look at it and I have little experience with Winchester rifles. The price is steeper than that of the competition and I doubt if I get value for money.

Keep the comments still coming!!

- Lars/Finland

I have 3 Browning A-Bolts.

.223 Remington Medallion with BOSS
.243 WSSM Varmint Stalker
.300 Winchester Magnum Stainless Stalker

A friend of mine just asked me to sight in his hunting rifle. A Browning A-Bolt White Gold Medallion in .270 WSM. He gave me a box of 130 grain Winchester Ballistic tips.





It just has a simple 3-9X Leupold VXII with a duplex on it.

Here's what it did at 100 yards. Factory rifle, factory ammo........





I handload for my A-Bolts and the results are similar

The X bolt looks and feels different.

One of the notable improvements is an all plastic clip that can be removed without opening the bottom hinge as one has to on an A-bolt. I have a habit of carrying an extra loaded clip. The gun can now be loaded much more quickly.

The bolt is different. I like it better.

The stock is very different. It is a different material. As soon as I had one in my hands, I had to have it. Try it and you will know what I mean.

I have an X-bolt 270.

I have the following Stainless Stalkers A-bolts:
243
30-06 (2)
7MM
300 WM
338

I have the following A-bolts that are not stainless:

22
22 Hornet

I just got back from hunting caribou in Canada Friday. I killed 2 with my 300 WM.

I love the A-bolts. Those X-bolts are better IMHO. Further, I would have to think that the A-bolts will lose their value more since they are not the latest model.

I did not mean you had to buy the most expensive brand of rifle to get a quality gun. Take my Gold medallion for instance. When I bought that gun in 1991 I could have gotten a base model A-Bolt for around half its price. At the time I barely had enough for it and the Leupold scope I put on it. I really wanted the upgrades on the Gold Medallion and finally succumed to the temptation. To this day I am glad I spent the extra money to get what I really wanted.

The reason I advised against replacement guns is because you will never be satisfied with your purchase. You will always be wanting to go back and get the gun you really wanted. I held off on buying a 300 Magnum because I wanted a Weatherby Mark V and decided to put aside money until I could comfortably purchase the model I wanted. I looked at many other brands in 300 Mag and was tempted but still wanted the Weatherby deep down inside. As luck would have it I went to an estate sale and found a mint condition Weatherby Accumark 300 Mag. The asking price was $900 and I didn't even bother haggling because I knew this was a good buy.

What I am trying to advise anyone who is contemplating a new gun purchase is not to settle for less gun than what they want. It will not be long before they will sell it and go buy what they wanted the first time around. Hence the $$$ they saved buying the lesser model or brand turned out to be no saving at all. I am 43 years old and the only two things I have purchased that have increased in value are my house and guns. I have had nice cars,boats,motorcycles,computers,flat screens with home theaters and overpriced furniture my wife made me purchase. My wife and kids are part of the "Latest and Greatest stuff" generation and I find myself mostly to blame for this. I have lamented many a purchase and wondered what I was thinking at the time.

As I look over my gun collection I find no remorse in my purchases because I have guns I really wanted and did not settle for less. I have made mistakes like anyone and bought the wrong gun or lesser model and regretted it. My advice to anyone is when you find the gun that you really want it is worth an extra $200-$300 to get it. Divide 25 years by whatever extra you spent and you will see the value of your purchase.

ATM I see a lot of value in a Blaser R8 but maybe that is just the devil whispering in my ear.

quote:

Originally posted by Sid-:
The reason I advised against replacement guns is because you will never be satisfied with your purchase. You will always be wanting to go back and get the gun you really wanted.

- - -

What I am trying to advise anyone who is contemplating a new gun purchase is not to settle for less gun than what they want. It will not be long before they will sell it and go buy what they wanted the first time around. Hence the $$$ they saved buying the lesser model or brand turned out to be no saving at all.

This makes VERY much sense, indeed!

Thank you again.

Thanks to Larry also for the details provided!

- Lars/Finland

Of the two that you've mentioned, Browning, no question. Of course I'm prejudiced, as I own a couple of dozen of them and only one Savage. But right now, most of my customized bolt action rifles that I hunt the world with are built on Winchester Model 70 actions.

I have a Browning X Bolt stainless varmint stalker in .308 Win; it is probably the most accurate out of the box rifle I have ever shot. The only one that came close is a Savage.