Savage 10FCP-K vs Howa HWK97121

[gene0915]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

Trying to decide between these 2 rifles. Goal is mainly I want an accurate target rifle out to 500-800 with a .308, heavy, free floating barrel. I read some review where a few people were crapping on the gimmicky Blackhawk coil reducing stock of the Axiom Varminter Howa I was looking at but everything else they were loving on the Howa.

Pros/cons for each gun please.

Thanks

 

[sjb269]

Don't know much about the Howa. The Savage is an accurate rifle if you commit to match ammunition. No real negatives for the savage, it is what it is, an accurate factory rifle.
If they would have been available at the time, I would have purchased a model 10 FCP-SR

 

[Phezzik]

I have Savages and Howas both, and rom the factory they both shoot great as a barreled action, however I wasn't a big fan of the axiom stock. Savage is damn near gtg out of the box, whereas the Howa, I think, would need a new stock. But that's different for everybody and it'll be hard to tell until you get behind one, or at least get one in your hands.

 

[velillen]

I have the savage 10fcp-land can tell you it is accurate out of the box. I'm not the best shooter but it was shooting moa with hornady 168gr match ammo. My newly worked up load with 175gr smk "seconds" I had pretty much every group at or under moa at 100 and 200 yards. It is capable as my best group was half moa center to center. My average is still 1-1.25 moa but that is me, the shooter and not the rifle

Wish I could've more help but my experience is very limited...as on 250 rounds of 308 ever and maybe 1k total of centerfire rifles. But I'm trying to fixthat now lol

 

[fdkay]

Order a Howa barreled action and install in a B&C stock.

The savage is a very good rifle, and a fine shooter, however, if you were to cycle the actions side by side, you would choose the Howa.

 

[super_poot]

Gotta go savage, mine is completely stock other than XLR chassis. Here is a picture of a group at 200 yds 5 shots. The flier was definitely me.

 

[super_poot]

Order a Howa barreled action and install in a B&C stock.

The savage is a very good rifle, and a fine shooter, however, if you were to cycle the actions side by side, you would choose the Howa.

Agreed the howa action does feel a little better, but will definitely take a little more work to get it to shoot, the accustock is pretty good to go out of the box.
And I am obviously a little biased .

 

[fdkay]

Agreed the howa action does feel a little better, but will definitely take a little more work to get it to shoot, the accustock is pretty good to go out of the box.
And I am obviously a little biased .

Really? how do you figure that it will take more work to get it to shoot?
What concrete proof do you have of this?
Have you ever shot one?
I have, and I own a savage. I like savage rifles.
The howa is a far better action, with a better trigger.
The XLR chassis is available for howa also.

 

[gene0915]

Thanks for all the replies so far, greatly appreciated!

fdkay, let me first say that I've NEVER priced out stocks before for any gun. I usually buy a gun and stick with the factory stock and don't look back. I was looking at B&C stocks and WOW, I had no idea how expensive aftermarket stocks are. I'm coming to realize that the Blackhawk Axiom stock on the Howa might reduce felt recoil at the price of a little bit of accuracy but it might suffice for my needs until I can save up for a better stock if I go with this gun.

super_poot, your Savage looks bad ass! The thing that worries me about the Savage is all the problems I keep seeing about extraction issues. This seems to be a problem on a lot of Savage bolt action firearms that they just can't shake. I hear they have decent customer service and are willing to help you resolve problems but I don't want my gun to be at their service department more than with me at the range.

I'm planning on taking a trip to Gander Mountain tomorrow so I can fondle a FCP-K. I can't find any local stores that sell Howas. I don't recall ever seeing a Howa at gunshows either. As things sit right now, I'm coming down on the side of the Howa (by a small bit) mainly because I really can't find any posts about major issues. A handful of reviews don't care for the Blackhawk stock but I can remedy that in the future.

 

[hewlett260]

Get the Varmint barreled action from Legacy Sports online and order the B&C stock from Stocky's and call it a day. You will save about $150 by getting the barreled action and then add another $70 to your savings and there is your B&C stock. But my vote goes to the Howa.

 

[fdkay]

if you think 230 bucks is expensive for a stock, you're going to be really pleased when you buy a scope

 

[sierracharlie338]

One of my 308s is a savage (no upgrades) and I shoot hornady custom ammo with 150 soft points. I can shoot sub-MOA groups all day long.

And my cold bore shots are lights out!


Sierracharlie out....

 

[super_poot]

Really? how do you figure that it will take more work to get it to shoot?
What concrete proof do you have of this?
Have you ever shot one?
I have, and I own a savage. I like savage rifles.
The howa is a far better action, with a better trigger.
The XLR chassis is available for howa also.

I said I was biased, what more do you want. I like the trigger on the savage better, just my opinion. I have shot one, never owned, nothing wrong with it, I just don't like it. We could go back and forth for days on this... So my advice to gene0915 would be to get the one that YOU like, there is no sense in buying something just because a one guy says this and another says that. If you buy something that you truly like, that is the perfect starting point. Then all you have to do is practice, upgrade as needed, and practice more... repeat

 

[fdkay]

I said I was biased, what more do you want. I like the trigger on the savage better, just my opinion. I have shot one, never owned, nothing wrong with it, I just don't like it. We could go back and forth for days on this... So my advice to gene0915 would be to get the one that YOU like, there is no sense in buying something just because a one guy says this and another says that. If you buy something that you truly like, that is the perfect starting point. Then all you have to do is practice, upgrade as needed, and practice more... repeat

I have no problem with you stating that you like savage and that you recommend them.
What I have a problem with is your assertion that it is somehow a chore to get a Howa to shoot when you have zero experience with them.