Thread: Gun Porn, show off your new toys

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Annoys me that they are so expensive over here, for what they are.

Depends what you compare them to I guess - the package deals are good value, you can often get the Mod.16 'trophy hunter' package with a Weaver 3-9x40 for $1k which I'd take over a Howa+Nikko Stirling package for the same price without a moments hesitation. Seem to be sharper bare rifle deals on Howa though if you don't mind the wobbly hogue stock (unless they improved them now? I haven't used a recent one, only older 1500s and always found them heavy and clunky).

Budget models like the Axis compare well enough to other brands budget offerings too from memory, though its a while since I looked at those because they don't interest me that much.

Compared to a Tikka T3 a Savage for a few hundred less is a bargain to me - having tried both the only thing I can remember being better with Tikka was their synthetic stocks are a bit stiffer and much better finished cosmetically. The Savage had a crisper trigger, smoother action, better ergonomics with 3-stage tang safety and flush mag, better accuracy in that case but I know Tikkas are generally accurate too.

I've also used Savages back to back with Rem700s and again, found the Savages better at pretty much everything.

Personal preference/feel is always a factor of course and some people just won't find them a good fit. I like them anyway!

Their more specialised versions (long range hunter etc) do seem to have a big price jump though considering they use the same action etc. Maybe because they don't bring many in? I've always thought the main reason they aren't more popular here is just lack of marketing - the big gun shops mostly push Tikka and Howa really hard and forget about the rest.

It was interesting to have a look around a gun shop in Canada last year and see Savages outnumbering most other brands on their racks 2:1, and not much cheaper than our prices once you take taxes into account.