Really Savage?? C'mon man!

[snipedogg]

So I picked up my 110 FCP HS Precision 338 Lapua yesterday and I will say it's a very, very nice gun for $1200. However, the scope base on it is 0 MOA. Granted, I at least have a scope base for now, but why on earth would a company come to an educated conclusion that a rifle in this caliber wouldn't need a 20 MOA base? I would have rather paid $20 less for the gun than have an otherwise useless base. It's an EGW base and from the pictures I've seen of this gun pre-production, the base looked to be taller like the Farrell base and it definitely looked to be 20 MOA. Hell, even the place I bought it from said it was 20 MOA. I'm not going to send the gun back or anything, but does it make sense to anybody else as to why they would even bother putting that base on such a rifle?

Here is a link to the website, it's hard to tell if it has any MOA in it and maybe it looks like a 0 MOA, but that base is definitely not an EGW, it's a Farrell base. Mine has the picatinny all the way down it, no gap in the middle like what's pictured.

Savage Arms 110 FCP HS Precision

 

[jasonZ]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

So list it to sell or trade for a 20moa. I understand what you're saying though. If the place you bought it from said it was a 20 then go back and talk to them...see if they'll swap you a 20 for the 0. It really doesn't make sense, but a good scope would probably have enough built in it to get you where you need to be as well.

 

[Smith44699]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

+1

 

[22_250]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

+1 on the above scope comment especially if it is is a 30mm scope tube.

 

[JWV]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Maybe it was to persuade you to get an optic with 100+ MOA of internal adjustment. Joking asside, that is a bit annoying. Should be able to sell it on the classifieds in a heart beat.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Complain to Savage/dealer. You didn't get what you ordered.

I'd WAY rather have a heavy duty Farrell base than an EGW (or nearly anything else).

Also, if you buy a replacement - consider a 30moa.

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I'll see what the dealer says. I bought it off their website and also talked the guy on the phone but who knows, he can just say he never said it. I'll post it for trade, but how many people are shooting L/A Savages let alone looking to trade.

It's not a huge issue that isn;t easily resolvable but it's just the fact that I was surprised by the fact they would sit in a room and say "lets really go all out, we'll even put a scope base on it" and then make it a 0MOA base. Just didn't make sense to me.

 

[JWV]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

They probably assumed that the average customer buying their 338LM wouldn't be shooting a mile let alone 1k. I know...that is what a 338LM is for, but when they are available for 1200 bucks, a lot of guys without that type of range availability will still get one. Like turbo said anyway, upgrade to the Steel Ken Farrel base, pricey but damn worth it.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JWV</div><div class="ubbcode-body">They probably assumed that the average customer buying their 338LM wouldn't be shooting a mile let alone 1k. I know...that is what a 338LM is for, but when they are available for 1200 bucks, a lot of guys without that type of range availability will still get one. Like turbo said anyway, upgrade to the Steel Ken Farrel base, pricey but damn worth it. </div></div>

You're right of course...but it's pathetic for a company to build a rifle chambered in a cartridge intended for 1000+ yards, and then outfit it with a base for use from 50-1000 yards...completely out of the intent of the cartridge!

That said, it boggles my mind just as much to see how many folks are BUYING 338s to shoot from 50-200 yards!!!!

 

[JWV]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I agree on both of those fronts. 3-6 bucks a shot to do something a 223 could do as good. Just a waste really

 

[methos12]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

You could also get unimount rings, like NF has, that has a 20 MOA cant built into it. I messed up and ended up with a total of 40 MOA between the 110 BA rail and my NF unimount. Good thing the NXS has loads of travel in it because I was worried I wouldn't be able to zero at 100 yards

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Snipedogg,

Unfortunately, you are preaching to the choir here. Most everyone who has done some serious reading here will know that cartridge is really best served with a 20 MOA or more base. You're also right that if they can't guess which one you are going to need, leave it off.

Savage, Remington, Winchester,....all of them have marketing departments that can barely understand what a rifle does, let alone the differences between what different rifles do. One 'good' idea tends to follow another. It's a clear showing of how little the manufacturing world pays attention to it's customers.

The base in question on your link looks a lot like the EGWs I have on a couple different rifles. It doesn't look 20 MOA to me.

HOWEVER!, and this is big.... If you ordered it with a 20 MOA Farrell base then you need to get one. From either the store/retail company, the distributor, or Savage themselves as that's how they advertised it.

 

[jhopkins]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Look at the bottom of the page on the link that you posted, looks like this where they got ya.

<span style="color: #FF0000">"NOTE: Appearance and specifications subject to change without notice."</span>

 

[2guard]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

it doesn't surprise me. I see guys at the range all the time shooting at 50 and 100 with larger calibers. Just in the past month I have seen a guy with a trg in 300wm shooting at 100 (and only getting around 1.5-2moa with it and constantly rubbing his shoulder) and a guy with an armalite ar30 in 300wm shooting at 50. What percentage of larger caliber rifles are actually shot at distances they were designed for? Everyone on here probably shoots at much longer distances than the normal buyers. And wouldn't the majority of us replace factory bases anyway?

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I finally got to the range today, and even with the 19 mils of adjustment my PST has, I was bottomed out right at 1K. Other than the base, I wil say that I am overly impressed with this gun otherwise. I was going to test at 300yd but decided to shoot a tournament this weekend which is at 1000 so I put some load together to test for that instead. What I got was more than I bargained for. This gun doen't have nearly the kick with the 300gr bullets as my friends TRG with 250's. On top of that, I was holding around 5-6" groups on steel with the loads I had working for me. I have witnesses to this lol, not just bullshitting, I really am impressed and relieved that it shoots so great. FYI, my load was as follows:

Lapua virgin brass
Berger 300gr OTM
Winchester Magnum primers
91.5gr VV N170
seated at 3.813" (.014" off lands)

H1000 was decently accurate but I was getting a little more horizontal spread with them than the N170.

 

[tbugher62]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

That base in the picture sure as heck looks like a 20 moa to me,and you are right its sure as heck is not a EGW base.
Savage has been putting out pictures that dont represent what you actually get for years now,thats why I dont buy there guns,read FALSE ADVERTISEMENT!

 

[dariuszczyszczon]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Wow now that to me is impressive i have heard good things about the savage but no one new how true they were going to shoot. I'm looking at a custom 338 for about 3k that will shoot abut the same as your does. I can save the money for upgrades. You got yourself a great gun at a great price. It's interesting that stock guns are more capable with competing with custom guns that cost almost 3x as much. How crisp was the trigger and how low did it go down to?

 

[GlockandRoll]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I've tossed around the idea of getting the .338lm salvage, how much do factory loads cost you?

 

[Ouch!!]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Wow and thats got a fast twist barrel ready for the heavies. Nice job savage.

 

[JRose]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

That's what you get for shooting a Salvage.

 

[dariuszczyszczon]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I just did some checking today on finding a new savage 110 FCP HS Precision it looks like you now can find them almost everywhere.

 

[TacBlade]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

http://www.nightforceoptics.com/RINGS__BASES___MOUNTS/mountsUnimountL.jpg

It looks like the Nightforce Unimount is the solution for me right now. But the Nightforce I have on mine will more than likely get me out to at least 1000 yards. My Father-In-Law has 150,000 acres in Wyo, which is only 2 hours from me here in SD, so I can shoot out to any range I want. My wifes uncle has the Remington .338 Lapua and it shoots very good at 600, that is as far as we have taken it out to for now. My neighbor also has 7000 acres I can shoot on also. I have a 100, 200, & 300 bench setup at my house also, I only have 20 acres. I will throw up some grouping at 300 soon.

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I don't run factory ammunition so I can't comment on that. I'd say if you exclude reloading equipment costs, it's roughly $1.25 per round if you figure 10 reloads from Lapua brass.

I shot in the competition yesterday after testing some loads Friday. The VV N170 worked pretty good the day before but we had some heavy head winds and I had a lot of vertical stringing at 1000yd. About 12" of vertical, my horizontal was only around 8-10" but overall I was happy considering the gun showed to be consistant. I think Retumbo will be the better way to go with the 300 gr bullets and show tighter deviation in velocity. I'll keep updates posted as I go into more development, but as of now, I'd try Retumbo for anybody lookng for a starting point. I will note I'm using Winchester primers. I was seeing max pressures around 92-92.5 gr with Retumbo and the Bergers seated .013 off lands.

I'd give this gun a 10 out of 10 in overall quality and performance but I'm still a little upset about the base, but for $1200-1300 you can't even come close to matching this gun. BTW, if anybody knows, what AI mags will fit this? It is a single stack magazine.

Thanks

 

[Youngbuck]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

When I was ordering a rail from EGW, about a month ago, for my 110fcp, EGW said Savage ordered 1k, IIRC, 20 moa rails with #8 holes for their 110FCPs, they were the tactical rails, not the HD.

Snipedogg, are you using yours as a single shot? My COAL with the 300gr Berger OTM is 3.765, around 40thou off the lands. That is the longest they can be to fit in the Accurate 3.850 (CIP length) mags.

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I'm going to be giving Savage a call this week when I get some time. I am single loading with the Bergers however, the Scenars will fit in the mag without any problems. They're .002 off the lands in my rifle.

 

[dstewart51]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Snipedogg, Thanks for the updates and info. I found a 110 FCP in stock at my local gun store last weekend. Once the 10 day waiting period is up I can bring it home (CA sucks). So I'm very curiously watching your load findings.

Youngbuck, Thanks for your findings on the EGW base. I decided to go with a 20MOA Steel 1PC NightForce base not knowing exactly what came with the rifle from Savage. Side note, I was born and lived in AZ for 28 years, I sure do miss it.

 

[coug]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I would sure like to try one of those out. its just hard to justify down here in Okie land. I have found Savage to exceptional in most cases. But sometimes you do have to frown at some of the things they do. That being said I have yet to see one in any caliber that don't shoot with the custom builds.

 

[Dirty D]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

The website lists the barrel length as 26", it is 26" to the end of the brake or 26" to the crown?

 

[dstewart51]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

My understanding is 24" to the crown and 26" to the end of the brake.

Edit, see post below, I stand corrected.

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

The barrel is 26" to crown and 28.5" to end of the brake.

 

[Youngbuck]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Figured I'd add links to my load development and a little more info

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=26690&st=0

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/savage-110-fcp-hs-338lm-76512/

My next load I'll try seating them a little further out. Ive also got some retumbo i may try, but H-1000 is tough to leave with the low ES.

 

[hunter_usmc]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

I have been looking at the 110 FCP HS Precision rifle, looks like a fun shooter, But to get a 338L for so little money makes me a little nervous but, it is one of those I want it things! SemperFi

 

[snipedogg]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Don't let the price fool you. I thought it was a bad joke the first time I saw the price on the gun. I couldn't believe what it was for how much it was. Savages shoot lights out from the factory and my 338 isn't any different than the other Savages I've had and shot. It's already shown me some small 5-6" groups with no windat 1000 and it's right around 1 MOA groups at 1000yd with strong head winds and this was with very little load development. Once I get some time to tweak my ammo I expect I'll shrink that number in half or pretty close to it. Load up some 300 grainers with the 1/9 twist and your good to go.

 

[brado16]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Snipedogg,

Any updates on load development with the Bergers?

Thanks!

 

[coug]

Re: Really Savage?? C'mon man!

Ya I am also curious I am thinking about getting one I just looked at one last week. they seem to be pretty sweet to me. I would like to see your load data. And results, I think I'm more afraid of buying brass for it than buying the rifle.