Going to buy a new rifle. Looking for something in a 338 win mag or higher. Savage has some inexpensive SS combo ones for $600. Browning has thier SS X-bolt for around $900. Remington 700 XCR for about the same. I could step up to a 375 H&H. There's the Remington 700 XCR SS for $862. I'm tempted to go for the CZ 550 Safari or Amercian Safari magnum for $969. I'd like to keep it unser $1,000. Anybody have any oponions on these or others. I just started my search. Thanks for the help.

 

Those are all good ones but the Savage is the best deal and will probably be the most accurate.

 

That's what a co-worker said. Not the most accurate but enough. Wal Mart has this one http://www.savagearms.com/116fxp3.htm for $565. I was looking at the 2009 Remington catalog this morning and definately like the performance of the 338 win mag over the 375 H&H. Has about 33% more energy 400 yards out and the trajectory is a whole lot less that far out. I think it was a 225gr 338 win mag and a 275gr 375 H&H.

 

In my experience the Savage high powered rifles are shockingly accurate. More than once I've had an out of the box Savage outshoot a rifle several times the price. I put together a nice little Savage rifle and scope combo for a cousin a while back that outshot my expensive Kimber Montana.

If I were in your position I'd buy the Savage and put the money I saved into the optics. A good rugged Leupold or Zeiss. A heavy recoiling magnum rifle will destroy lesser quality scopes and you'll drive yourself nuts trying to diagnose the accuracy problems. You don't want to cheap out on the scope. Yes, you'll spend more on the scope than the rifle but you'll be putting the money in the right place.

 

Don't own a Savage myself, but a friend I used to hunt with loved his. Shot nice tight groups.

 

You cannot go wrong with the Savage. Both my sons have Savage Rifles as well as Weatherby, CZ, Remington and so on, but you cannot beat the combination of price and accuracy of the Savage line.

I also agree to get the best optics you can possibly afford, you won't regret it. My preference is for Leupold, but there are other good brands.

 

Great advice! Thank you both!



OOPS. Forget somebody. Can't count. Thanks to the three of you!

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: CaptainQuint

In my experience the Savage high powered rifles are shockingly accurate. More than once I've had an out of the box Savage outshoot a rifle several times the price. I put together a nice little Savage rifle and scope combo for a cousin a while back that outshot my expensive Kimber Montana.



If I were in your position I'd buy the Savage and put the money I saved into the optics. A good rugged Leupold or Zeiss. A heavy recoiling magnum rifle will destroy lesser quality scopes and you'll drive yourself nuts trying to diagnose the accuracy problems. You don't want to cheap out on the scope. Yes, you'll spend more on the scope than the rifle but you'll be putting the money in the right place.</end quote></div>


Following your advice I'm leaning toward this one http://www.savagearms.com/116fhsak.htm. $600 at Wally World. Can you help any with a scope? My co-worker was saying the scope in the package I had linked in the previous post may not be powerful enough. Again, haven't been doing any research on scopes so I better start. Thanks for any help.

 

Not to be a spoiler in the great .338 debate but have you ever thought of a .325SSM? And can I ask what you are hunting that you need a .338 for?

Read this artical and you might have a change of mind! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
http://www.huntingmag.com/big_...k325_052605/index.html
Good luck with whatever you choose. by the way my vote is for a Ruger MKII or Browning A-Bolt! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

So I'm sittin at the barber's waithing for a cut today and pick up one of the only gun magazines he has. 2007 that had a feature on the Ruger w/ the Hornaday 325 short mag. Most of it was for reloaders building 325's. Couldn't find a lot of cartridges for the 325 in the new Cabelas catalog. I will check out the ruger. Gonna try for an elk rifle license this year. Have always bow hunted. But with this state having gone to draw a tag from a lottery hasn't provided me more opportunities for bow only. I'll also be using it for Barbary sheep, Oryx, Ibex, pronghorn antelope, bear and if I really get lucky a Big Horn sheep tag.