Savage MarkII FSS .22LR...anyone own/shoot it??

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I'm trying to decide what to purchase as my first .22LR. I had my eyes initially on the the Ruger 10/22, but I think I want to get a bolt action rifle instead and the Savage seems like a good,fairly accurate rifle for a first .22. Can anyone who owns or has used one let me know what they think of it, and if this will make a good 1st .22? I'm more interested in accurate target type shooting than just getting a bunch of rounds down range in a hurry(will be buying a Russian SKS and a crate of surplus ammo for that), but am not really wanting to spend the money required for a CZ(or something even more expensive) for a first .22 Anyway, thanks for any advice given.
 
If your interest is target shooting at a target range and maybe occasional plinking, I would recommend the Heavy Bull Barrel version of the MKIIFSS. It is more accurate and the slight increase in weight will not bother you in range setting.

I have the MKIIF, blued with tapered barrel and synthetic stock. I like the fact that it can shoot 5 shots of cheap winchester Dynapoint bulk into 1.5 inch groups at 100 meters. The Bull barrelled versions should tighten that up a bit.

Had I known any better at the time, I would have gotten the Bull Barrelled version in a wood stock.
 
Savage vs Ruger?

Since your purpose is more for accuracy and primary use will be on the range, then go for the Savage Mark II. You will love the trigger, and it is easily adjustable compared to the Ruger.

I would buy the stainless steel, thumbhole, laminated stock version with the heavy barrel. Forget about the composite stock as it is too light, and you want a bit of weight for a target rifle. It makes the rifle steadier on the bench. The laminated stock resists warping of the wood, and the thumbhole design seems to allow more accurate and steadier holds.

I shoot about 7 to 8000 rounds a year on Gophers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Most of these are with a Savage Mark II FVSS. My hunting partner used to use a Ruger 10-22 but he quickly ordered a Savage Mark II FVSS and a Mildot scope after he tried mine. Last Sunday, during a Gopher shoot, he said to me "I didn't know that a .22 could shoot so far that accurately until I started shooting with you. You shoot them in the next Postal Code." We regularly shoot Gophers out to 150 yards or so, and you need accuracy for those ranges.

As EASYRIDER604 said "Had I know better at the time, I would have gotten the Bull Barreled version in a wood stock". When I saw in "Varmint Hunter" magazine about four years ago, that Savage was going to put the AccuTrigger on their .22, I wanted to get one. A good trigger is one of the keys to accuracy.

I started with the Mark IIFV, a blued heavy barrel in a composite stock. It was the only model available at the time. While it was accurate, the balance to me did not feel right. I then got a good deal on a Mark II BV, the same heavy barrel in a conventional laminated wood stock. A bit heavier rifle, but better balanced. It is my back up spare rifle for a long hunting trip, and I still use it when walking the fields as it is a bit lighter than the thumbhole Mark IIFVSS, which I bought from the used gun rack of a local Gun Shop. A good cleaning of the barrel was all it needed to give target accuracy.

Spend the little extra and get the upgraded Mark II. You will not be sorry you did.


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I own 2 Savage MkII's heavy barrels composite stalks in .17 & .22 both are extreamly accurate & have great triggers...my only aggrivation comes from my .22"s clips which can be annoying when they don't feed properly which seems to be a common complaint with these guns...when buying one try to select one that dosen't have a sloppy clip.... That being said don't overlook the Marlins, in my opinion they have better clips and shoot just as good as the Savage but their drawback is a crappy trigger compaired to Savage.....my son has one and it's a shooter
 
I recently purchased this one,.....Savage Mk-II FSS.
myguns198-1.jpg

My main reason for having it is for hunting small game & tin cans/target shooting. I wanted that sweet trigger & a light weight carry rifle. (5-1/2 lbs.)
I also wanted the stainless version with those very visible Fibre Optic front & rear sights. My eyes are not what they used to be with the older plain jane iron sights.

In this photo you can kind of see those fibre optic sights....
myguns195.jpg


I had it out last weekend & off the bench at 50 yds, it will shoot about a 2" group. I'm sure this gun will do better with younger eyes....
myguns205.jpg


Also purchased a couple of 5 shot magazines & a single shot adapter for shooting it single shot with any .22 cartridge. There are times when I would like to shoot .22 shorts or the short CB cartridges, & find this thing expands the versatility of these great little rifles.....
single_shot_4.jpg


Here you can see how easy it would be to chamber a single cartridge of any length without fiddling/dropping, trying to get my big stubs into the loading port to insert a cartridge into the chamber....
single_shot_7.jpg


The above posters gave you some fantastic advice about the heavy barreled Savage models for target shooting. I would consider it too if my primary use was for target, or long range hunting....

You won't go wrong with the Savage, I might even buy another!
I love mine.....:dancingbanana:
 
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Hey, thanks everyone for the replies. Good to hear that the Savages are so well liked. I'm still a little ways off from buying, but I'll definitely look at the laminated stock, heavy barreled version of the MKII before I do go and lay my money down. Also, can anyone recommend some good, reasonably priced scopes to look at putting on it??
 
I put on a Tasco Target/Varment 6-24x42mm which works just fine for me, it holds zero and the glass is clear. A lot of people also really like the Bushnell scopes as well. I believe WSS as the scope I bought on sale for $100 with front and rear shooting bags.
 
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