SAVAGE Firearms are garbage

[mkrnel]

Plenty of companies have been using MIM for a while at this point. Ruger has been doing it for ages, and their guns are priced way higher than Savage.

Yeah, I know, but even Ruger switched from making their 10/22 trigger guards from cast or MIM to plastic because they were getting too many warranty claims for broken trigger guards when owners dropped their rifle and the MIM parts shattered or cracked. Same deal with the trigger and hammer as they also were being far too often being sent back for warranty repair.

Ruger transitioned the 10/22 trigger guard housing from MIM, or metal injection molding to a fiber-reinforced polymer (plastic) design around 2007. The change was made to improve manufacturing tolerances and part durability. The actual trigger blade and hammer within the 10/22 assembly were also changed to polymer at the same time as he trigger guard or housing material was switched for the same reason. The barrel band and butt plate on the 10/22 rifle was also changed from metal to plastic as mostly for cost-saving measures but the cast metal barrel band was also found to crack when over tightened. Ruger has focused on optimizing material usage for specific applications, using more robust materials like forged steel for high-pressure components such as bolts and front trunnions, and using cast or MIM parts for components under less stress. While these changes generated some initial "outrage" from traditionalist gun owners, the polymer parts are functional, help keep the price down, and can be more consistent in dimension than some of the older metal cast parts.

Apparently they did the same with other MIM or cast metal parts on other guns to either plastic or forged over the years for the same reason.

 

[mkrnel]

And many here know about the problems with M305 rifles when they switched from all forged to MIM parts for cost savings.

 

[Suther]

Yeah, I know, but even Ruger switched from making their 10/22 trigger guards from cast or MIM to plastic because they were getting too many warranty claims for broken trigger guards when owners dropped their rifle and the MIM parts shattered or cracked. Same deal with the trigger and hammer as they also were being far too often being sent back for warranty repair.







Apparently they did the same with other MIM or cast metal parts on other guns to either plastic or forged over the years for the same reason.

What's your source for that quote?

 

[*lawrence]

I have 3 MkII's and they are awesome

 

[johNTO]

My MKII TR looks and shoots great. Mags are kinda wimpy looking but work fine........

 

[murph83]

Sorry to hear about your experience with Savage. I have had the complete opposite experience, every Savage I have ever owned has run like a top, nothing has ever broke or needed replacing. Maybe I am just lucky, I have put hundreds of rounds through multiple different Savage hunting rifles with no issues. Have owned 3 different savage 22's..thousands of rounds later..not a single issue.

 

[Mr Bill]

The only Savages I liked were the Model 220 slug guns. With proper sabot slugs they were a game changer for deer hunters in shotgun only hunt areas. The centerfires were okay as a starter gun in my opinion for someone getting into hunting without wanting to burn a thousand bucks for a Tikka at the get go.

As for the rimfires, they are not in the same league as a CZ452 or CZ457. Not even close. But for a starter gun ??…..

 

[mkrnel]

What's your source for that quote?

A Ruger firearms forum.

 

[OkayShooter]

Yeah, I know, but even Ruger switched from making their 10/22 trigger guards from cast or MIM to plastic because they were getting too many warranty claims for broken trigger guards when owners dropped their rifle and the MIM parts shattered or cracked. Same deal with the trigger and hammer as they also were being far too often being sent back for warranty repair.

And yet those metal parts are sought after, as the plastic parts suck.

 

[Canadiankeeper]

Yup, bought a Savage Ultralite in 6.5 and it looked nice shot pretty well but for that price the action was crap, didn't feed well, was not smooth. Sold it bought another Tikka and will never sway again.

about a decade of firearms ownership. Dont think ill ever buy anything other then tikka. (For rifles)

 

[mkrnel]

And yet those metal parts are sought after, as the plastic parts suck.

You can actually buy aftermarket metal parts that are not cast or MIM and even new all metal trigger assemblies from a bunch of after market retailers if you want to replace the newer plastic parts. But they are not cheap either.

OEM Ruger plastic trigger assembly

 

[m1008]

^ Kidd upgrade only works in the plastic Ruger housing for a reason.

Somehow the Steyr aug has gotten away way more plastic than just the housing since the late 70’s

 

[209jones]

About the only Savage products I have used that I would buy, are the o/u shotgun/ rifle combos, or the o/u's they had made by Valmet. As to bias against certain products from brands, ya, have those, Ruger 77 tang safety cost me a moose, won't buy anything but a #1 in Ruger, Cooey, Lakefield and Rem .22's, Browning BL22. Never owned a Marlin, not likely I ever will, Mossberg is now out, had a 500. Still trying to decide on the CZ457 as to keeping it or not, not real impressed with feeding.
Best .22's have been a Valmet singleshot, a Varner Stevens replica, Browning A bolt and T bolt, GSG STG44 was OK.

 

[wheelin_ca]

5 years ago I bought a Savage A22, I barely used it maybe 20 rounds down the pipe. 3 years ago went out with a buddy, fired 2 rounds, and then click. Ejected the round no impact mark, clicked 3 more rounds same thing. The repair cost at a gunsmith near me was going to be minimum $250. I found another Savage A22 for $300 last October (2025), used the PO said he barely used it, maybe 20 rounds. I was at The Range Langley today less than 50 rounds in, and the charge handle broke..

I'm frigging done with Savage

Mine just did the same thing today.. brand new, second time shooting it. fired a mag and went to lock the bolt and the charging handle was on the ground!

A22 base 22lr

shooting cci subsonic hp

I am also seeing lead shavings in the action/ magazine... anyone else have this issue?

My first new 22, and I chose this one because its Canadian made... should have got a 10-22

 

[formerfarmer]

I have an A 17 with the nice heavy barrel and laminate stock.
Worked good at the range on a bipod as long as you held the mag up in the Magwell when shooting.
With both factory and 25 round Butler Creek mags.
Every time I hit the gopher patch it was a toss up whether it would pick up the next round no matter what I tried.
Was about to give up on it whenI sent it in to Savage and asked about the new B17 mags they have.
Savage "checked the alignment" of the magazine, popped in a B17 mag and it works great.
B17 mag has a different latch that keeps it up in place.
Gun still doesn't work for sh#t with original mags but it works.
Call Savage and give them your rifles serial number and they will probably send you a new B17 mag for free.

 

[Parts Only Canada]

Yup. Have owned 4 over the years. Every single one was brand new when purchased and had some kind of issue.

2 64s, feeding issues.

1 MKII, extraction issues.

1 Axis, magazine/feeding issues.

They were all extremely accurate but they were all unreliable.

 

[Ungrateful]

Funny when they came out with the a22 they kept making the 64, even came out with some new versions and 20 round factory mags for it, which people had been asking for decades. Almost like they knew the A22 wasn’t going to be a huge hit.

 

[OkayShooter]

Funny when they came out with the a22 they kept making the 64, even came out with some new versions and 20 round factory mags for it, which people had been asking for decades. Almost like they knew the A22 wasn’t going to be a huge hit.

Now they're making that Winchester Wildcat 10/22 clone.

Biggest issue I got with my Savage MK2, is the mags. I hate stamped mags. Already had one that split and had to peen the tabs again.

 

[Ungrateful]

Now they're making that Winchester Wildcat 10/22 clone.

Biggest issue I got with my Savage MK2, is the mags. I hate stamped mags. Already had one that split and had to peen the tabs again.

I hate the mag release in the mk2. It seems like it was designed to be operated by your fingernail or something. The mag release on the 64 is much better and the magazines are made out of die cast aluminum. They sort of feel like an old school hot wheels car, and weigh about the same but they last forever

 

[wedge308]

Sadly, this was Canadian built in the old Cooey/Winchester factory.

I had an A22 in 22lr in a synthetic stock and it was better than my 10/22's. When I bought a factory target model in a boyds stock, the mags wouldn't seat right and we're prone to misfeeds and jams.