Still contemplating a savage 10fp in 308.

[tarheel7734]

Back in the late 90s in my early days in the army in purchased a savage 10fp Le with hs precision stock and had a super sniper 10x on it. It was close enough to my m24 that I could practice on my own time and really loved that rifle.. I wound up selling it after my daughter was born and always regretted it.

Over the past 4 years or so I have been planning on getting back into the sport and really wanted another one, but common sense told me there was better. About a year ago my custom Zermatt tl3 build was completed in 6.5 and then I picked up a new Remington 700 police in 300 wm.

My local shop still has the new old stock savage 10fp in hs precision stock in 308 and I'm still contemplating purchasing it. I can justify it and give it to my daughter so she can learn long range and shoot with me she is 25 now.

Should I fulfill the urge and longing for rifle I had and loved, or should I pass? I know I can buy a bergara and it might be a better rifle and have more aftermarket support, but you know.. Price is 950 without the optic they threw on it.

 

[redbullitt]

Do it. Sell it if you dont like it, or rebarrel it to something stupid or fun.

Ive shot a few of those an they all shot well with good handloads. Sure there are better rifles, but you like that one and i bet itll shoot for you. Actually, pretty sure i had the same one. Found the palm swell to be a little fat for me, but it cleaned up fine. Cut the factory barrel to 18 and threaded it. Shot probably 3000 rounds through it. My buddy hunts with it now, has killed a pile of deer.

Cant tell from the photo for sure, but if its a small shank, you can swap that barrel really easily and have access to tons of nice prefits. That was my favorite part about the ones i had.

 

[tarheel7734]

Do it. Sell it if you dont like it, or rebarrel it to something stupid or fun.

Ive shot a few of those an they all shot well with good handloads. Sure there are better rifles, but you like that one and i bet itll shoot for you. Actually, pretty sure i had the same one. Found the palm swell to be a little fat for me, but it cleaned up fine. Cut the factory barrel to 18 and threaded it. Shot probably 3000 rounds through it. My buddy hunts with it now, has killed a pile of deer.

Cant tell from the photo for sure, but if its a small shank, you can swap that barrel really easily and have access to tons of nice prefits. That was my favorite part about the ones i had.

I will be leaving for North Carolina on Tuesday for a week I'll probably h9ld off till I get back the shop has had it for 2 years, so I dint think it's going anywhere. Price they offered me was 950 without the optic . It has been marked @1339 for a year then 1219 for another year . The barrel will need to be threaded or i'll have to look at a replacement barrel maybe in m24 contour. I'd also like to find an aics bottom metal for it

 

[wvfarrier]

I have a savage 10ba in 308. Zero complaints. I bought a 300wsm barrel and bolt for it as well. Great rifle

 

[Turkeytider]

HS Precision stock fan ever since getting my first range rifle, a Model 12 LRPV in .223. Shoots and functions great at 2,000+ rounds. I’d say get it.
If I wasn’t such a Tikka fan boy, based on my experience with my LRPV, I’d be tempted by an LRP , also in the HS stock.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I’d take the Savage over a Bergara every day of the week. At least if the Savage doesn’t shoot you can spend $350 on a Shilen from Northland and fix it yourself instead of going back and forth with the dick heads at Bergara that will tell you everything is ok when you have a clearly defective rifle.

I bought a Savage Ultralight 308 on clearance last year and it’s probably the most practical rifle I own maybe second to my 223 DMR, and quite possibly the last bolt gun I’d get rid of. I can put a long range optic, brake or suppressor and bipod on it and have a 10lbs+ rifle suitable for casual target use or I can put a lightweight scope on it and have a 7lbs or less hunting rifle or anything in between. I could also dump it in a chassis and make it weigh even more. It shoots absolutely lights out with everything and has has zero extraction or ejection issues so I’ve got no complaints about the thing even if it is a salvage.

 

[Turkeytider]

I’d take the Savage over a Bergara every day of the week. At least if the Savage doesn’t shoot you can spend $350 on a Shilen from Northland and fix it yourself instead of going back and forth with the dick heads at Bergara that will tell you everything is ok when you have a clearly defective rifle.

I bought a Savage Ultralight 308 on clearance last year and it’s probably the most practical rifle I own maybe second to my 223 DMR, and quite possibly the last bolt gun I’d get rid of. I can put a long range optic, brake or suppressor and bipod on it and have a 10lbs+ rifle suitable for casual target use or I can put a lightweight scope on it and have a 7lbs or less hunting rifle or anything in between. I could also dump it in a chassis and make it weigh even more. It shoots absolutely lights out with everything and has has zero extraction or ejection issues so I’ve got no complaints about the thing even if it is a salvage.

I have a 110 action in .223 from a Storm I bought about three years ago. Accurate and precise at 100 and no operational issues. Hunting opportunities have not really panned out, so decided to convert it to a recreational target range gun. Bought a Shilen heavy barrel from Northland and an MDT for it, looking forward to seeing how it does out to 500 on 4 and 5” gongs. Got a feeling it’ll shoot.

 

[diggler1833]

A Savage 10FP is what I got to get me started in "precision rifle" shooting a couple of decades ago. They've been around a while.

I bought a 110 Timberland in 6.5 CM a few years ago for my F-I-L. That stupid rifle shoots as well as anything 3x the price, but does have a .2 mil cold bore shift.

They usually shoot decently, and OP has an itch for one. So why not? It is not exactly like you are out a lot when you come to remember how amazingly un-smooth the action is (along with either feeding or extraction woes). But if you get one that runs and shoots, then it is a lot of fun for an extremely good price.

 

[tarheel7734]

A Savage 10FP is what I got to get me started in "precision rifle" shooting a couple of decades ago. They've been around a while.

I bought a 110 Timberland in 6.5 CM a few years ago for my F-I-L. That stupid rifle shoots as well as anything 3x the price, but does have a .2 mil cold bore shift.

They usually shoot decently, and OP has an itch for one. So why not? It is not exactly like you are out a lot when you come to remember how amazingly un-smooth the action is (along with either feeding or extraction woes). But if you get one that runs and shoots, then it is a lot of fun for an extremely good price.

That's why it is going to primarily be my daughters rifle so she can learn long range.. She says she really wants to learn and shoot it with me, but she looses interest in things pretty quickly, so most likely it will wind up being my rifle after she doesn't use it much.

The store wants 950 for it. Then I need to figure out a fairly inexpensive optic for right now. Eventually I would want to put an aics bottom metal and thread the barrel

 

[hafejd30]

I had the same model in 300 WM when I started shooting long range. My buddy has it now in a MDT ESS chassis

Probably one of the most accurate savages and rifles overall that I’ve ever owned. Shot several groups around 1” at 300 yards during load testing

I say buy it. Toss a 9/64” detent ball under the extractor and shoot away

 

[db2000]

I have a SA 10 in an Ashbury Precision Ordinance stock they did a collab with and it’s been great. I did change the extractor detent ball for a slightly larger one and it fixed the extraction issue I was having. The common one all over the internet. Easy fix.
Go for it!

 

[hafejd30]

I have a SA 10 in an Ashbury Precision Ordinance stock they did a collab with and it’s been great. I did change the extractor detent ball for a slightly larger one and it fixed the extraction issue I was having. The common one all over the internet. Easy fix.
Go for it!

The extraction issue is what really plagued the savage platform. I’ve owned several and have seen many with similar issues. But the detent ball swap has fixed almost all of them. A newer 6.5 CM is one that still had issues after the swap

 

[Hetzer]

I have a 10FP McMillan that I bought several years back just because i wanted to try a Savage and see what they were about.
Still haven't shot it a lot. Probably should remedy that but there are others that just more enticing in the stable.

 

[Thump_rrr]

First of all I’m surprised that there isn’t any Savage hate in this thread. That’s not usually the case on this forum.

I have 5 Savage center fire rifles.
110BA in 338 LM, 10BA in 308, 10BA rebarreled to 6BR, 12FV in 6.5CM, and a 10TR in 308.

The only rifle that was a turd out of all of them was the 10TR. It would shoot 30” left at 25y.
I sent it in to the Savage service center and being in Canada it took over a year to get a new barrel.
I took it out and it was still doing the same thing.
Someone at my gun club knew on of the higher ups at Savage Canada and in less than a month I had a brand new rifle that shot straight.
I believe that the scope base threads may have been tapped off center.

I would change the bolt knob for the tactical version. Midway usually has them for around $30.
I’ve never changed the ball on the extractor but that’s a common upgrade.

 

[Thump_rrr]

The extraction issue is what really plagued the savage platform. I’ve owned several and have seen many with similar issues. But the detent ball swap has fixed almost all of them. A newer 6.5 CM is one that still had issues after the swap

I’ve probably put 20,000 through my 5 Savage center fire rifles and have never had extraction issues of any kind. The ejector springs are kind of weak but that’s about it for me.

 

[db2000]

Here’s a couple targets but I have a shit ton more just like them.
SMK 175 hand load and factory FGMM. It’s no 0.07 MOA XRay but mine hammers and was $600 on sale lol

 

[easysunday]

The extraction issue is what really plagued the savage platform. I’ve owned several and have seen many with similar issues. But the detent ball swap has fixed almost all of them. A newer 6.5 CM is one that still had issues after the swap

What is the detent ball swap fix? I just put a new bolt head on mine last night and changed all of the springs.

 

[Turkeytider]

I’ve probably put 20,000 through my 5 Savage center fire rifles and have never had extraction issues of any kind. The ejector springs are kind of weak but that’s about it for me.

That’s about what it’s been with my 110. No problems with extraction at all. Doesn’t throw empties all the way across the shooting bay but good enough. My Model 12 LRPV, however, through 2,000+ rounds extracts and ejects with authority.

 

[hafejd30]

What is the detent ball swap fix? I just put a new bolt head on mine last night and changed all of the springs.

Under the extractor there’s a spring/detent ball. Slide the extractor out and replace the detent ball with the slightly larger 9/64” ball

Back in 2010-2012 I owned several savages that required this. Otherwise it would just drop the casings in the chamber. Recent ones may be better

My buddy had a newer 6.5 CM he had issues with as well and I tried that swap but it still had issues. So it’s not saying it will 100% fix it for sure

 

[shoots100]

This will probably be the answer to your Savage extraction/ejection issues.
This kit goes into every Savage turn bolt rifle I'm asked to look at and work on.

Savage kit

SJC

 

[Turkeytider]

This will probably be the answer to your Savage extraction/ejection issues.
This kit goes into every Savage turn bolt rifle I'm asked to look at and work on.

Savage kit

SJC

Since two of my main range rifles are Savages ( 110 action in MDT stock and Model 12 LRPV ), and even though neither has had any extraction/ejection issues, that might be a good addition to a spare parts stash. Of course, there’s also the truism that’s practically akin to a law of nature, “ If you want to ensure that an original part never fails, buy a spare. “.

 

[tarheel7734]

Since two of my main range rifles are Savages ( 110 action in MDT stock and Model 12 LRPV ), and even though neither has had any extraction/ejection issues, that might be a good addition to a spare parts stash. Of course, there’s also the truism that’s practically akin to a law of nature, “ If you want to ensure that an original part never fails, buy a spare. “.

I dont even have the rifle yet and I just ordered a kit.

 

[Harman117]

Buy it!

Try to talk the price down, since its an older model and not as popular now?

With your background story and nostalgia, you should definitely get it. Especially if you got the money to spend. Can even slap one of the newer revised SWFAs on it too

 

[tarheel7734]

Buy it!

Try to talk the price down, since its an older model and not as popular now?

With your background story and nostalgia, you should definitely get it. Especially if you got the money to spend. Can even slap one of the newer revised SWFAs on it too

They were at 1400 and I got them down to 950. Offered them 900 for it the other day and they said they couldn't as that was what they had in it..

I thought about the new swfa and was really hoping they got the new 5-25 or whatever variable other than the 3-15 in stock with the new reticle, but no such luck.

 

[jakelly]

Nostalgia is a great reason to own a firearm.

 

[hafejd30]

They were at 1400 and I got them down to 950. Offered them 900 for it the other day and they said they couldn't as that was what they had in it..

I thought about the new swfa and was really hoping they got the new 5-25 or whatever variable other than the 3-15 in stock with the new reticle, but no such luck.

When I bought my last one in that HS model it was like $850-$900 and just the gun. But that’s 10 years ago.

At that time the 110 BA was like $1400-$1700 depending on caliber. I had one of those in 338 Lapua for a while as well. Unfortunately that rifle had a bad barrel on it which I ended up replacing

This one has scope mounts/rings/optic. So factor that in. Not sure what that sig is worth.

 

[Turkeytider]

Nostalgia is a great reason to own a firearm.

I have memories of people, places and hunts associated with an Ithaca SKB O/U that I purchased when I was commissioned and went on active duty back in ‘74. I have a number of other guns that I like very much, but that’s the only one with which I have a true emotional attachment. Don’t know about the rest, but that one will be with me until the end of my days.

 

[King_beardsly]

 

[fdkay]

I've been on this forum for quite a while.
I remember when folks bragged about buying their new savages and rem 700 sps tactical rifles.
When the SPS tactical first came out and Mark Gordon was just getting SAC off the ground, he offered an accurizing package, retaining the factory barrel.
There were many, many happy .308 owners in those days, until they learned that aparrently, you can't hit any targets with a .308 and any action that isn't a custom is a waste of time and money.
Those were the days.

 

[King_beardsly]

I actually miss my old savage 10FP in the hs stock, I keep trying to find one for nostalgia sake since it’s what got me into shoot precision long range stuff.

 

[tarheel7734]

I actually miss my old savage 10FP in the hs stock, I keep trying to find one for nostalgia sake since it’s what got me into shoot precision long range stuff.

There is one or two that are new on the broker. I'm pretty sure I'll pick up the local one when I get back from trip back to NC and training. I'll be gone about a week i think id like to get an aics bottom metal for it as well eventually.