Pick between Howa or Savage

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  • clfergus

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    49   0   0
    Mar 9, 2009
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    Southeast Indy
    This year for hunting season I am going to be picking up a new .308. Going to grab a heavy barrel since I only stand hunt, would be nice to have something I could shoot at the range with and achieve the most accuracy as possible for a double duty gun.

    Right now I am between:

    1. New Savage 110 tactical with adjustable accu-stock for LOP and Cheek rest. It is a 24 inch heavy fluted barrel with mag. Sells for around 600.00
    2. Cabelas special Savage 10T. Heacy 24 inch non-fluted barrel. NO adjustments on plastic stock and sells for around 550.00 when on sale.
    3. Howa 1500 24 inch heavy varrel multicam rifle with external magazine. Has a 24 inch threaded barrel for a suppressor. Rund around 600.00
    4. Build my own Howa 1500 with a 24 inch #6 heavy barrel, not threaded. Internal box mag. Drop into a Hogue stock for 450.00 total.

    Curious what everyone else would do if you had to pick from this list.
     

    55fairlane

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    4   0   0
    Jan 15, 2016
    2,216
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    New Haven
    Man that is a crap shoot.....the savage with accu stock is very nice, and a savage will shoot......however howa rifles / actions are a favorite with bench rest shooters....

    If a hunting rifle is the application internal magazine is just fine, other wise I like the box mag, because the rifle can do double duty.....hunting or competition.....same for the barrel, heavy barrel on a hunting rifle can be a bother at times.....

    The threaded muzzle is not a big deal to me, as I will not run a can on my rifle, and I like large flat area for a target crown on my barrels.......

    So I guess if I were to buy an out of the box rifle savage 110 other wise I would build up a shooter from a howa action, medium heave barrel, good trigger, and a custom stock........

    Good luck......all the options you listed are good choices

    Aaron
     

    mcapo

    aka Bandit
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    10   0   0
    Mar 19, 2016
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    East of Hoosier45 - West of T-dogg
    I wouldn't want to hunt with a 24" bull barrel.

    It is easier to purpose build. If you want to have more than one use for a firearm; you will have to make some compromises.

    How deep is your range? If you are only shooting a few hundred yards you can get spectacular accuracy with a 20" barrel and still have something you can manipulate in the stand.
     

    clfergus

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    Mar 9, 2009
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    I wouldn't want to hunt with a 24" bull barrel.

    It is easier to purpose build. If you want to have more than one use for a firearm; you will have to make some compromises.

    How deep is your range? If you are only shooting a few hundred yards you can get spectacular accuracy with a 20" barrel and still have something you can manipulate in the stand.

    I would probably only ever take a shot at 200 yards max on a deer. My single shot .44 mag H&R is a short barrel and accurate as hell. It is a nice stand gun so maybe the short .308 is the way to go.
     

    mcapo

    aka Bandit
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    I would probably only ever take a shot at 200 yards max on a deer. My single shot .44 mag H&R is a short barrel and accurate as hell. It is a nice stand gun so maybe the short .308 is the way to go.

    "Short" yardage - you will won't see the difference.

    308-optimum-barrel-length-chart.jpg


    Here is some reading....

    https://rifleshooter.com/2014/12/30...ato-barrel-length-versus-velocity-28-to-16-5/
     

    throttletony

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    12   0   0
    Jul 11, 2011
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    nearby
    I'm gonna be the "watch out for unnecessary weight" guy...
    Why so heavy? Is it needed for your MAIN application?

    Ive hunted with heavy barrel varmint rifles and if you walk more than a half-mile, they're a pain in the butt.
    That's my 2 cents anyways.
     

    red_zr24x4

    UA#190
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    4   0   0
    Mar 14, 2009
    28,794
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    Walkerton
    Never shot a Howa, but I really like my Savage 10FP.
    Saying that, on the Savage barrel changes are easy ( so I'm told), you could have multiple barrels with one receiver
     

    M67

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    23   0   0
    Jan 15, 2011
    6,181
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    Southernish Indiana
    Nice choice in the Howa, clean action, real extractor, well built guns that you don't hear a lot out of.

    Planing on getting 1 soon and have another ordered that's still a couple months out

    Never shot a Howa, but I really like my Savage 10FP.
    Saying that, on the Savage barrel changes are easy ( so I'm told), you could have multiple barrels with one receiver

    Theoretically yes, but you'd need the barrel nut wrench and a way to pop the barrels off, and a way to reset headspace the exact same each time. They're not a QD system

    Really on the same level as an Encore and having multiple barrels, more of a PITA than it's worth IMO
     

    clfergus

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    Mar 9, 2009
    1,464
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    Southeast Indy
    I'm gonna be the "watch out for unnecessary weight" guy...
    Why so heavy? Is it needed for your MAIN application?

    Ive hunted with heavy barrel varmint rifles and if you walk more than a half-mile, they're a pain in the butt.
    That's my 2 cents anyways.

    I don't ever walk all that far to a stand. My main reason for wanting one is I have some other rifles like my H&R .44 mag, Savage .22wmr that have heavy barrels and that are tack drivers. I have a sporter barreled .308 already and it is a good shooter but have ready about the accuracy of some of the heavier barreled .308 rifles and thought why not. I have OCD and want to see if I can get some super tight groups with the Howa heavy barrel. Right now I am around 1.25-1.5 inches at 100 yards with my Ruger American. I have only tried 3 types of factory ammo in it but maybe the heavy barrel won't heat up as quick at the range and give me better 5 shot groups.
     
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