Long range rifles

I liked my old Tikka 308 more than enough
But I’m wanting to try something new and have narrowed it to the two above. Plus my buddy owns a Tikka so I can borrow it anytime I get some more 308.

This will also be my first personal 6.5 rifle. I’ve shot a relatives but not much. Excited to try new things

 

I don’t favor. I own one, and quite a bit of other rifle makes but most of my serious rifles are based on a rem 700 action. Just thought it fit better into what the OP is looking for, not what I’d look for. Any event or venue I’d show up for like in raton or local is beyond 1500y...and a few beyond 2000. It’s incredibly difficult to get competitive results out of the box at those distances from any mass produced manufacturer, but that’s not what the OP sounds into.

 

I mostly want to teach my wife to shoot from 500-1000 and have never personally shot beyond 1400 nor do I have any interest to.

You are correct, sir.

That said I suppose I will repose my question as;

What features of the Ruger seem to be better for the OP and his uses (not yours) specifically than the Savage?
Just the adjustability of the comb/LOP, etc or do you find it to be better in other ways such as usability or reliability, etc?

Thank you!

 

I shoot a 12lrp in .260. Hard to beat it for the money to be honest. I like the sneers it gets from the “throw money at it” crowd in PRS, then serve some humble pie with my $900 rifle. Last shoot I cleared a KYL stand down to the 2” target at over 600yrds with one miss and one double strike (forgot which plate I was on). That’s 10-8-6-4-2” plates hit at >600yrd with less than $1500 Including glass. The rifle is hands down more accurate than I’ll ever be.

Mod #1 is a dark eagle customs 10rd mag. #2 is the $25 OEM 110BA bolt handle.

I am sure the problems you are reading have people blasting the 12lrp, or other savages on two fronts... 1. Action (failure to load/failure to extract/failure to eject) and 2. The trigger is garbage. These are the same people now running rifles built on $1300+ custom actions.

1. The action is loose, especially in the 10/110 sport rifles. The 12lrp starts with the RBRP target action, hogs out a mag well, and spins on a heavy ass tube. It’s strong and true from the factory. There is some slop in the action, I’ll never deny that. Most of the issues come from ham fisted people wrenching their bolts to get them cycled. This puts lateral stress on the rails and binds the bolt at the start of the push forward. This causes misaligned cases and clunky loading. Easily fixed by cycling your bolt smoothly. Bonus to the slight slop, I shoot in all weather, including northern WI deer season in ice and snow. Guess what’s never froze up on me? Yep, my Albanian SKS... oh and my 12lrp too.

2. The trigger is the savage target accutrigger. Very safe but has a nasty problem with dripping the sear with heavy handling or slamming the bolt down. This isn’t a safety concern as the firing pin doesn’t move, kinda like a glock trigger. I had mine set to 10oz and was recocking the lever to get ready to fire about 1/10 on the range. It seemed like you bump the ring and “clunk”. Like you, I am accustomed to 8lb gritty triggers in M16/M4, yet somehow didn’t loose my bolo badge with wreath. That <1lb trigger was too dangerous for my booger hook. I moved it to 2lb and haven’t looked back. I now have a sear drop 1/250rds and it’s usually when I am hammered for time in a shooting table. I just know it can happen so I am ready when it does.

Ruger, glad you didn’t say RPR. I used to be the RPR’s biggest cheerleader, but having shot two now, I advise against them. But that’s me.

The Hawkeye is a damn nice action, Mauser design, I shouldn’t have to say more about that. Aftermarket is more limited over the savage, and the rifle is built more for the hunter in mind. I can’t speak much about it since I’ve only shot one, once.

So that’s my take on the matter.

 

Almost everything. I’ll be quick about it, in hate typing on a phone.
Starting from head to butt, ruger comes with a break, barrels are about the same material, but the ruger has 5r rifling. The stock on the ruger is actually laminate, which is a downside to the savages HS precision aluminum v block but is modular in its bipod mounting and comb height. The ruger are ready to except AI mags, not sure if that’s standard on the savage yet or if you still have to go aftermarket.
Both have adjustable triggers, but the ruger is a two stage, I find those to be safer for some people, especially when adjusting trigger pull below 2 lbs and if there is going to be “new shooters” handling the gun.
Ruger comes with a 20 moa base. One less thing to worry about if you’re not piecing together your own components and worried about splitting hairs.

I think the weakest part of the ruger is the stock. Had they had some sort of aluminum bedding standard it would be exceptional for the price. But if you can live with it then...there you go.

If you go with the savage you’ll need to grab a scope mount, live with the factory mags or get AI compatible bottom metal and maybe some accessory for use a cheek weld. The muzzle break is just a bonus on the ruger because any 260 variants doesn't really have a lot of recoil in the first place.

 

Both phenomenal feedbacks. I know you didn’t have to take the time so I appreciate it very much! I’ll go handle them again but I think I’ve been leaning Hawkeye from the jump. Will post up if they’re still for sale tomorrow ha. Thanks again!

 

No problem, that’s what we are here for!

I think both rifles will serve you well.

If you are a tinkerer and DIY the savage allows you to swap barrels and properly head space them for about $120 in tooling. Superb match grade barrels can be had for under $400. Though the stock pipe is accurate as all get out. Can also go between case sizes (.223, .308, magnum) with minimal effort on the standard bolt. Bolt handle swaps are a 3min job. All the above can be done on the Ruger with aid of a gunsmith. Advantage: Savage.


I do love the AIcS/AW mags. But I also like the extra COAL the darkeagle/stock mags for the savage allow. I can load out to 2.98” and not have issues. So if I want to run 142s I have the extra mag length to not compress the powder in the case. Then again I have a .260 so I can play with a bit more case and length the 6.5cm doesn’t get . Advantage: draw, because if you are trying to spit a 140gn+ at 3k WTF are you doing with a short action?!?

You will never ever ever get a FTE in the Ruger, but I hear stories of the savage doing it (never on mine and I’ve had thee separate actions over 6 different calibers). But there are complaints... advantage Ruger

The Ruger stock is laminate, so some woodwork, pillars, and bedding might be in order. The savage is a HS precision that mounts the action in a machined aluminum v-block; drop torque and go. Advantage: Savage.

The Ruger has adjustments, but I have plates in my face so Kydex or other hard cheek weld are a no-go for me. I have a nice stock pack that fixed me the added elevation for the glass. Advantage: draw

Ruger has 5R, savage is button rifled. Jury is still out on the advantages of both. Advantage: doesn’t really matter

Ruger is threaded for brake or can, savage is a recessed 11 degree target crown. It’s a .265” bullet, brake is there for looks... but I can’t run a can. I could thread but I don’t want to fuck with my amazing factory barrel. Advantage: Ruger

Trigger on the Ruger is two stage, savage is safety blade. I use my blade as the first stage and the actual break as the second. Advantage: draw

Ruger comes with an aluminum 20moa rail, savage none. I use steel on my rifles, so I’d need to buy a new one anyway. Advantage: draw

In 2011 there was little in factory options for long range shooting I do. Either you were looking at a boxed custom for F-class, or a glorified deer rifle painted black. The last few years has been awesome for the “practical rifle” scene. Way more choices than I had. That said, I don’t know how much I’d stray from what I got. I guess I’d have had the chamber cut for .260ai but that’s it.

Go get behind them both. Standing, kneeling, and prone. See which one is more comfortable how you will be shooting most. Cycle the actions from that position, which one feels better and more controlled. Then think about what is in the Future. If box stock is your thing, or will you want to spin up your own 6.5 PRC down the road?

Trying not to be biased... trying.

 

Wow, talk about a thorough comparison. Thanks again for that. Lots of information to go off of there. Right now I’m too split between hobbies and incomes to get to where I’d like to with rifles. Between traveling, consulting, photography, videography, wood and metal work and helping my bros business and getting ready to go back to school with my wife ... etc haha you get the idea.. plus when I modify my trucks and instruments and motorcycles and tools and so on it gets spendy. Need to modify my Roth IRA more and my hobbies less.

For me it boils down to this.
I have dozens of hobbies. Some make me money, some cost me money and most could cost me A LOT of money. So as a rule of thumb I only invest “heavily” into hobbies that have a Return on Investment. Ergo, would love to drop countless thousands on several ever-evolving custom rifle builds... but instead I’ll get my fix at the lowest price I can and continue to invest in my businesses that pay me back ha.

Sorry for the off topic and ramble and thank you again for the awesome feedback! Hopefully come spring I’ll be training again! Winter is no time to go shooting outdoors in northeastern South Dakota ha.

 

Pfft winter around here is some of the best shooting. Temps don’t vary, no wind to speak of. Uff da friend, grab up some Lapua Polar biathlon, some lutefisk, and man up for Peet’s sake!

 

Colder the air the faster the barrel cools. Best time to shoot. Snow targets are also a great option.

 

Haha y’all are welcome to come up to my land anytime with 40 mph winds and 40 degree below zero windchill factor and shoot all you want. I’ll keep my fingers, thanks

 

now a days you don’t need a $3000 set up to sling lead at a mile away. A repeatable scope, and some understanding of dope and basic external ballistics and a rifle and shooter that can shoot 1 moa most of the time can do it. Making a shot cold barrel at a sub moa target at that distance is another story.
My wife made a cold barrel shot at 1000 yards on a 12 inch plate at 1000y with factory ammo before the hunting season....and did it with a basic ruger American in 7mm-08. I didn’t do anything to it besides retorque and locktite the action screws, put a 20 moa scope base and mount the scope.

I wouldn’t get wrapped into gear or building a special purpose rifle unless you had that purpose for it.

 

Thinking about getting a turret for vortex viper. $89 doesnt seem to awful

http://kentonindustries.com

 

Long Range Rifles hurt my old bones

 

Bilateral shoulder tendonitis and osteoarthritis, DDD and IVDS At T6-T7-T8, T12-L1 and L5-S.

I get you. Heavy ass barrel and lower recoiling rounds help. Can’t wait to rebuild my 6.5x55. Softer push than even my .260.

 

Sounds like my shoulder

 

third degree separation of the clavicle and scapula in the right shoulder, all three ligaments are fubar and the collar bone floats, with hard recoiling rifles I can feel the bones contact one another

 

Man. We all some broken MFs up in this thread.

 

getting old sucks...

 

Agreed. My 6.5 paper gun is also my 6.5 deer gun. Get a "good enough" setup that can do multiple things and it's a lot more palatable than blowing your load on an F class rifle and hauling a boat anchor through the woods come deer season.

Love my Bergara B-14: