If I was picking for myself I'd be getting a Savage. I have an LE2B that shoots quite well out of the box and I have no reason to think that a VLP or similar Savage wouldn't do the same. I can't recall hearing of a dog Savage on the board but have heard of plenty of dog 700s. Not to say that the 700 is ####e, but with the ease of switching out a Savage barrel if you decide you want another caliber, and my experience with the rifle itself, I'd lean that way. I'm half thinking of a Savage Target action and one of Jerry's Shilen tubes in a 6BR or some such thing to shoot little groups and whack sod poodles.