Savage Model 11 and 111 packages .

[The.22guy]

Trying to choose what rifles I want once I get my PAL/RPAL.
I have been looking at the Savage Model 11 Package series of rifles but the question is what cal would be best ?.
I would be using it for some hunting of medium game and also lot's of target shooting . I think I will also be going into reloading soon and that should be taken into account. The rifles cost are all around 500$ and come with a scope.
Link h ttp://www.wanstallsonline.com/package-series-rifles/

The calibers that are available are.

.243 win .
.308 win .
.270 win .
.30-06 .
.300 win .
7mm Rem .
.338 win .

I was thinking perhaps .243 win but wanted some more info. Any .243 owners out there how does the round hold at 100 and 200 yards and also what the damage on ground hogs ?.

So what do you guys think is the best caliber that suits my listed needs and is easy to find ? .

 

[juanvaldez]

Trying to choose what rifles I want once I get my PAL/RPAL.
I have been looking at the Savage Model 11 Package series of rifles but the question is what cal would be best ?.
I would be using it for some hunting of medium game and also lot's of target shooting . I think I will also be going into reloading soon and that should be taken into account. The rifles cost are all around 500$ and come with a scope.
Link h ttp://www.wanstallsonline.com/package-series-rifles/

The calibers that are available are.

.243 win .
.308 win .
.270 win .
.30-06 .
.300 win .
7mm Rem .
.338 win .

I was thinking perhaps .243 win but wanted some more info. Any .243 owners out there how does the round hold at 100 and 200 yards and also what the damage on ground hogs ?.

So what do you guys think is the best caliber that suits my listed needs and is easy to find ? .

Great choice for an all around, no problems for that range and well beyond. No problem with deer size game but of course shot placement is everything as always. Large selection of bullets and brass is easy to find for reloading. Will kill ground hogs very dead. Low recoiling round as well if that matters.

 

[tbrwlf]

Personally I would choose the .270. It has more power than the .243 and still is allowed in those places that restrict the caliber size.
I would not buy a package again.
I bought a 111 in 30-06. The scope and rings are junk. For 150 I was able to put on a decent Bushnell DusktoDawn.
The gun shots very well using corelok ammo.

Don't think price and quality match on these guns. You get more than you pay for.

Just my thoughts.

 

[cosmic]

Have you ever shot a large cal center-fire rifle before? Recoil is a consideration - even a 308 gives a healthy kick. People that do lots of target shooting with a center-fire usually use a heavy barreled target-style gun - this reduces recoil substantially. However, a heavy barreled rifle is not optimal for hunting.
So you can see the issues in trying to have a "do-all" rifle. FWIW - Most new rifle shooters benefit from getting lots of shooting practice on a 22 based platform, either rimfire of centrefire.
Finally, if you are h*ll-bent on getting a game sized centrefire - give the 6.5X55 some consideration, particularly if you intend to reload. Look at the Tradex site for examples - you could probably pick up a scoped sporter for +/-350$ here on the EE.

 

[CeeZer]

Check your local ammo availability and prices too, as you are thinking of 'lot's of target shooting'
I too, went with package in 30-06, ditched the scope for Nikon, new bases, stock rings, works fine for now. Rifle shoots very well. Recoil is painful if I shoot more than 20-40 rds at a time.

 

[scianna54]

Have you looked at a ammunition prices? Will you reload?

Major considerations.

If you don't reload, you basically have to buy 2 rifles as most hunting rifle ammo is just too expensive to target shoot.

Yah, and forget those package rifles, the rings and scopes are garbage.

.

 

[TargetNorth]

I bought a Savage 11 package rifle in .243 a few months ago and I'm very happy with it. I use a different scope on it (Falcon Menace 4-14x), and I put a Timney trigger on it. I also bedded it myself.

It groups (on average) under an inch at 100m, with lots of small .4 or .5 5 shot groups. It's really exciting to walk downrange and see your first 5 shot group when all bullets are touching!

I also have a Remington 700 in .243. To compare the two, the accuracy is comparable (as far as I can tell, sometimes I think the Savage is better but it's too close to really be emperical about it).

The trigger on the Remmy is WAY better then on my Savage. I adjusted it down, and I can't tell the difference between it and my Timney on my Savage. The Savage stock trigger was pretty awful IMHO.

The finish on the Remmy is a lot nicer then the Savage. It's a more comfortable gun to hold and looks better.

The recoil pad on the Savage absorbs more recoil then the Remmy. I haven't measured it, but anecdotally it is very noticeable.

The bolt was stiff on the Remmy for the first several hundred rounds. The Savage was smooth right out of the box.

The barrel on the Savage is 2" shorter, which is nicer.

As for power, .243 is great for large deer out to at least 300m. I can't see myself shooting a caribou or deer further then that at this point. It also can shoot nice small bullets (say 55 grain) for rodents that would work really well. The recoil on a .243 is very mild, I honestly don't really notice it much anymore. It's not intimidating like a 300 mag would be.