Savage Mark II as first bolt?

K

kai-wun

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Hey all,

I'm looking for my first firearm and I've decided on a bolt-action .22LR rifle.

I'll be target shooting with this rifle, first with the iron sights then add a scope a while (a year maybe?) later.

I'm not looking to spend a lot, so I'm a little stuck between the F and the FSS.

Is the SS worth the extra $?

Aside from the Savage, are there any other recommendations in the price range? I was looking at the Norc KKW trainer; love the fact it looks like a baby mauser but they're a bit harder to find.

Also, should I pick it up locally (I think Bass Pro Shops and Le Baron both carry it) or order online somewhere?

Cheers
K
 
F or FSS

You could also look at the FV model. It has the heavy target barrel. Will end up costing as much as the SS model but with heavier barrel.
Just a thought.
 
Savage MkII is an excellent gun for the money. If this is your first gun I would say just buy the F. The stainless looks nice but not worth the $$ considering the budget you are on. Your better off to put the money saved towards a quality optic and a whole pile of ammo. IMHO ....
 
The stainless model might be worth it to you if you want a slightly lower maintence rifle, or if you really just like the stainless look. Only you can really make that choice.

The blued is nice too, just take care of it and it will last.
 
Don't count out the TR. I love mine and it's plenty accurate, even with bulk ammo.

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I'd get the FSS now if I were to buy one (because I like stainless guns), although I own the F.

Great starter .22 because it is accurate, and it has the nice adjustable accutrigger, and of course it is cheap.

If you like Marlins like many do, check out the 925. It is cheap too, and supposed to be available now with the T900 Fire Control System but I haven't seen one yet, and I can't vouch for the T900's performance. Its Micro groove barrel is very accurate as proven for a very long time in the Marlin 60, a semi-auto 22 that is as accurate as many bolt actions.

The Marlin 981T or TS are really good too, but have 17-round tube magazines instead of detachable box mags. My 981T is equal to my MKIIF in accuracy.
 
You will then be spoiled with the accutrigger... I love mine. I was slowly making it lighter as I practice with it and it's awesome the way it is currently.
 
easyrider604 said:
I'd get the FSS now if I were to buy one (because I like stainless guns), although I own the F.

Great starter .22 because it is accurate, and it has the nice adjustable accutrigger, and of course it is cheap.

If you like Marlins like many do, check out the 925. It is cheap too, and supposed to be available now with the T900 Fire Control System but I haven't seen one yet, and I can't vouch for the T900's performance. Its Micro groove barrel is very accurate as proven for a very long time in the Marlin 60, a semi-auto 22 that is as accurate as many bolt actions.

The Marlin 981T or TS are really good too, but have 17-round tube magazines instead of detachable box mags. My 981T is equal to my MKIIF in accuracy.
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Here's a Marlin 925 review I found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xwaI9OPTlc
 
I am very happy with the FSS Savage. I wanted the light barrel for tramping through the brush/bush for small game. It also has those highly visible Lite sights & being stainless should be better in winter weather....
myguns198-1.jpg

Not sure if I will like the synthetic stock, but after one season so far it seems alright. Time will tell....

Accuracy is probably better than an old man can shoot, I'm sure...:)
myguns205.jpg


The really sweet thing about these guns is the "Accutrigger" system!
 
kai-wun said:
I'll be target shooting with this rifle, first with the iron sights then add a scope a while (a year maybe?) later.
Click to expand...

I have the FV savage, and it is very nice, but it does not have any iron sights at all, it does come with some very nice weaver bases to mount a scope.

If you have to shoot iron sights at first, any of the savages with a "V" in their name can be ruled out, as they have a heavy barrel and no sights at all.

Mind you, if i was strictly going to shoot iron sights, and on a budget, i would find a used Cooey 60.
 
I think it's a great first gun, at a great price. I've been shooting my 93FV (.22 WMR) all summer and love it, but the heavy barrels req. scope use...which was my intention when I bought it. If you need irons and/or will be carrying it great distances...allot...the standard barrel weight might be the best choice for you. I don't really care much for the look of stainless guns, but do admit the blued finishes on Savage rimfires req. a little more care than most rimfires I've owned. A wipe-down with a lightly oiled rag anywhere that's gotten damp/wet, and anywhere your sweaty fingers have contacted the metal. Good practice with any firearm after shooing, no matter who made it.
 
Great gun and really the stainless in a .22lr is more about looks than anything. Most people will never be dragging a .22lr through the bush like their hunting rifles.

My wife has the MK II FSS with fiber optic sights and it's a great gun. What you can do is get the F and just add the fiber optic sights afterwards(or just get a scope) which is the only real advantage to the extra money.

Personally I ordered the same fiber optic sights for my Marlin 981T from Brownells for about $30(just installed them last night :D ).

Also with the Marlins if you can get the new manufacture ones with the equivalent of Savage's accutrigger then they are probably great out of the box. If you get ones like my 981T you'll need to install an after market trigger or swap out the spring to something reasonable as it has like an 8lb factory trigger pull. It literally hurts to shoot if you're trying to be precise.
 
I can't praise my FV enough. It's a great gun for a great price. My only kvetch (and it's relatively minor considering it's a .22) is that the stock is built for the iron-sighted versions; in other words, there is too much drop at the comb to get a good cheek weld on the stock when using the scope. Otherwise, it shoots where you point it, and it shot dots inside my 10/22's circles in it's stock configuration. Even now that I've tuned my 10/22 to the tune of 100s of $$$, and I am very impressed with the way it shoots, I think the Savage still has a slight edge...
 
I'm currently on a little mission to see just how well my MkII BV can shoot but I need to get my hands on some better ammo. It's a great shooting gun for what it is and I have zero complaints. Even with crappy ammo it's fairly accurate. I would say you need to decide on what exactly you will be using it for. If you want to mount a scope then I would recommend the BV as it has the raised comb so that will eliminate the drop angle a lot of guess are talking about. As noted above, it also comes with Weaver-style bases so that'll save you about 20$. If you can, get out to a gun store and pick up a few and see what fits you right. Lots of MkIIs to choose from.
 
If the rifle's never going to see life outside of the range, the SS upgrade probably isn't worth it.

You wont see much savings on a rifle that normally is priced between $180-210 (never mind shipping/handling), so I'd just buy it locally. Call ahead to see who has one in stock, and if there's a scope package deal, or some other special.

I am assuming this is your first rifle? The Mk2F is an awesome starter, and it will take you a long time before you outgrow it.
 
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