New Owner

[jeffhale2]

Hi,
I'm new to rifles. I purchased the Savage Edge XL 308 yesterday and have a couple of questions. And, yes I get that some folks think it's ugly. Actually, I think it looks fine in the picture. Sure, I'd love a nice walnut stock, but that was not in my budget.
1. Does it come with a cleaning kit? I saw nothing on the Savage site indicating that.
2. Am I going to need to buy a carrying bag/case for traveling?
3. Are there ammo that I should stay away from that would hurt the weapon (i.e. moly stuff, etc). Based on other reviews, I plan to start with Federal Gold Metal Match as the first rounds to go through it.
4. I don't have any plans to reload my own just yet. Can you all recommend a more affordable (than Match), but also reasonably accurate, every day ammo that won't break the bank and is also not harmful to the gun?
5. (edit) Forgot one question. I have a Walmart and Kmart nearby. Will I find reasonably priced ammo there or will I get a better deal online, given shipping cost?
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[clmayfield]

Re: New Owner

The vast majority of factory ammo will not hurt your gun. Older ammo and some Russian ammo use corrosive primers. I am talking very old there. If you buy it off the shelf at a Walmart, the ammo is built not to hurt your gun. Most people who reload end up running hotter than than the ammo available at the store.

If you are interested in getting ammo cheap, join a local CMP-affiliated club. This will allow you to buy ammo from the CMP. They still have some 180 gr BTHP (boat-tail hollow point) Federal ammo that is kin to Federal Gold Medal Match (FGMM) and costs $65 per a case of 100, which is about half the price of the best price on FGMM you will find.

The website for the CMP is www.odcmp.com. There is a spot on the site where you can find local affiliated clubs. I don't know how long that deal on the 180gr Federal will last. The FGMM sold right through, but because this is not true FGMM, I think it is less popular.

Also, I should note that this ammo is older, so it has an oxidized appearance and some cases are corrosive, but at least 99% are usable.

Two other points... 1) fill out your profile. 2) search this site for tips on cleaning. Different people conform to different regimens. Early on, you will need to clean more because a factory barrel is more likely to foul with copper.

 

[jeffhale2]

Re: New Owner

Thanks for the suggestions Carter.
I'll check out the CMP site.

Jeff

 

[Snakum]

Re: New Owner

www.savageshooters.com

 

[clmayfield]

Re: New Owner

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Carter Mayfield</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Also, I should note that this ammo is older, so it has an oxidized appearance and some cases are corrosive, but at least 99% are usable.
</div></div>

I would just edit this, but I need to draw attention to that... I meant to say some cases are corroded, not corrosive. Those mean two separate things.

 

[jeffhale2]

Re: New Owner

Thanks for the clarification Carter.
Snakum, that's some nice looking hardware there.
Thanks for the url.

Jeff

 

[jeffhale2]

Re: New Owner

I've come to the conclusion that choosing or finding a good, reasonably priced ammo is probably more difficult than becoming proficient with the firearm.
Isn't there anything in-between low cost plink loads that you'd be lucky to hit a barn with, and un-Godly expensive cartridges that actually do justice to the reported accuracy of the weapon ?

Ahhhhh !!!!!!

I'll tell ya what; I'm smokin six cornish game hens right now, and it's a heck a lot more fun than trying to figure out what ammo to buy. And, smoking chickens ain't exciting.

 

[Snakum]

Re: New Owner

There's no way around learning to handload, really. I resisted for a long time, but had to give in cuz I can't afford to keep Federal Match stocked up. Good handload developed for your rifle and practice time with an experienced shooter watching is 80% of the equation, imho.