OzFclass

Hi,

Now that these Savage 12 F/TR rifles have been around for a little while - what's the feedback ? Anyone using one or have first hand experience of them ?

I have had a new member ask me about them - I dont know if he would be better off buying an Omark & doing it up, or just getting the Savage & be able to use it from day 1.



Thanks.

Brian,

Savage is undoubtedly the the top of the pile of the Yankee off the shelf guns & some pretty businesslike shooting has been done with them, but....

As you suggested, it wouldn't be impossible to upgrade an Omark TR to acceptable standard - that might be done at maybe half the Savage's outlay if you could jag one with a low mileage tube of good quality. At the end of the day, it'll still be an Omark & I haven't seen many appreciating in price recently...

There are bargains (rifles of comparable cost to the Savage) to be had by the canny shooter looking at the preloved premium TR market - rifles that would need a rail & scope mounted on them just like a Savage. Your friend might consider what the residual of a Savage would be when it comes time to fit the next barrel compared with an action with broader current acceptance. There's also the real possibility that the Savage will come with a crappy barrel, one that's rough & needs excessive cleaning to keep it on the road. I've read of enough like that on various sites for it to be a real consideration.

Then, as you say, there's the option of building a custom rifle from scratch, an upgrade I'm looking at myself at the moment. In my case, with the arse falling out of the Kiwi peso, the little Barnard S looks good to me, or the Inch, though I'm inclined towards the former as I want to shoot 1000 yard benchrest with it as well & want the option of a 2 ounce trigger. You clubmate could maybe build such a rig for half a grand more than he'll outlay on the Savage given careful selection of components - and bask in the knowledge that he has a trued action to boot.

He could even save a buck or two & have a custom gun built on a Savage single shot action, as a couple of my friends have done, but you still need to ask what you have left when the barrel wears out, and whether you like or can live with that bloody Accuratrigger....


John

Thanks for your thoughts John.

I like the concept of a Barnard - but - it is the wait time for them to be assembled that is a killer for anyone that as yet does not have their own rifle. I know patience is a virtue, but we have a fellow club member who has been waiting almost 10 months for a rifle to be assembled after paying for it in full. Not the most satisfactory boat to be in.

At least the Savage is an almost turn key solution. It would be nice if he had some other options to consider though.......................

brian, take a look at http://www.usedguns.com.au and see whats on offer there, i made a post on here earlier tonight regarding a couple of ex fullbore rifles that are ready to mount a scope on, and their both under $700.
regards stuey

I paid $300 for my Omark, $200 for the scope and $160 for rings, base and fitting and it shoots 60's as long as I am doing my part(we don't shoot past 600).(also big thanks to a club member who took the time to tailor the ammo as well)