The Savage bolt action is a great gun and the 308 Win cartridge is good out to about 800 yards. I have heard that the 260 Rem (also based on the 308 casing) is the hot cartridge for the 1000 yard shooters.
The 24” varmint barreled Savage with Accu trigger and Accu stock. With an old Nikon Monarch 5.5-16.5x44 I can just about choose which eye I want to shoot out of a coyote. I get 3025 fps with 46gr of Varget under a 155gr Nosler Accubond bullet in the RP brass I don’t particularly like. Now if only them coyotes would stand still long enough for me to get my act together...I actually use the same rifle in .223 REM for coyotes and prairie daugs. So far just paper with the .308.
Get a bi pod you can shoot with in the sitting position.
And don’t just duplicate that load, work up your own. (Your mileage may vary)
Information/education BUMP! Thanks to all posters.
The 110 Savage rocks.
Stay away from the Remington 700 because it has the same trigger problem from the day it was rolled out.
I like the Savage accu-trigger [reliable even down to 2 pounds, some say less, but I quit there; not all my work is off a bench or sandbag. Also, the extractor on the Savage can be changed out without armorer support, unlike the M700/M40X/M84.
For outranging other .308/ 7.62 NATO rifles, the US Army has gone to the .300 Winchester, while I make do with my old .300 Holland and Holland, on a Pattern 14 Enfield action and with a 26-inch barrel. In your case, since the synthetic stocks are acceptable to you, I might think that the .260 Remington cartridge deserves some of your careful study.
Beyond that: don't completely overlook the classics, the .30-06 and the 7,62x53r Russian. The former might well be found in a long-action Savage, the latter probably not. But the idea of a boltgun in one and a SVD in the other has a lot going for it.
Optics depends a lot on the enviornment and ranges at which you expect to use them. But I like the Elcan quite a bit.
By long shooting, what distance do you mean?
bump
I like a Browning .308 BLR. It has a box magazine with a capacity of three magnum or four standard rounds, plus one in the chamber. Good research here:
http://shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com/2010/10/browning-lever-action-rifle-blr-by.html
And, here is Browning’s information on the BLR:
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/family.asp?webflag_=003b
Loose lips sink ships!
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!
Eight Deuce on the loose!
http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/models.html
Accurate, light, and some really outstanding features.
But I got buyer's remorse.
I wish I had bought this (Marlin XTVH) instead:
The heavy barrel isn't for accuracy. A thin barrel can give you that. The heavy barrel is to dissipate the heat when you shoot more than a couple of rounds in a row. When the barrel heats up, the impact point can shift with a skinnier barrel.
Close groups for her at 500 yds.
I hear that they either shoot lights out...or not.
Her's apparently does shoot very fine.
My Aunt say's it's an older gun...60's or so.
Try the Tikka T3 - was “gun of the year” or something like that a few years back. Friend picked up a barely used model with Leopold scope for $900. Very, very pleased with deal and gun. Savage F10 is very similar. For overall value, Savage is hard to beat. However, be advised that discounts are not available as these guns are flying off the shelf. Local gunshop couldn’t get one from his wholesaler as he was sold out.
Many swear by the Howa 1500
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/411549688
My wife bought me a Sako Model 85 Hunter in .308 last year. I teamed it up with a Leupold 4x12 scope and together they make one of the finest rifles I have ever owned. 200 yard shots are a piece of cake. 400 yards is very doable and exciting. Can’t wait until spring as I’m planning on eliminating a few coyotes.
My .308 is a TC Icon.
Fantastic gun but can’t swim for sh!^!
I’ve made a bunch of pro-Remington posts on this thread and realized that I didn’t note the fact that the Savage 10/110 types are just as good a product, just as accurate and worthy of consideration. The only issue is that if you get into competition, you’ll find that more accessories are available for the 700 than the Savage product.
Ruger Model 77 .308 - great rifle.