Remington 700VS versus Savage Varmint Rifle

[max]

I am left handed and was ready to buy a Remington 700VS in 22-250(blued steel and synthetic stock are the only option), when I recently heard that Savage is now making a left handed 22-250 in a synthetic stock, fluted barrel, with the new accu-trigger.  

My question is this?  Is the Remington still a better rifle?  Is the accu-trigger going to stand the test of time?  Which is more accurate out of the box and which will last longer?

I appreciate your responses. :grin:

[Zachary]

1.  Is the Remington still a better rifle?  

Yes.  To me, the action on the Savage feels sloppy.  Overall, I think that the quality of the Remington is better than the Savage.


2.  the accu-trigger going to stand the test of time?  

I think that you just answered your own question.  Only time will tell. :wink:

3.  Which is more accurate out of the box?

Tough question.  M700s are known for their out of box accuracy.  Then again, from what I have been told, and seen, so are the Savages.  I have seen Savages outshoot Remingtons.  Conversely, I have seen Remingtons outshoot Savages.

4.  Which will last longer?

This is the first time that I have ever heard someone ask such a question. :?   I honestly don't think that anyone can properly answer such a question.  The only thing that I can say is that, if you take proper care of each rifle, whether it's Remington, Savage, Tikka, Sako, Winchester, CZ, Ruger, etc., it will probably outlast you.

One suggestion - go to the store and take a hard look at each.  See which one you like better, and which one feels better in your hands.

Zachary

[KN]

If you definitely want a synthetic stock, go with the Rem. If savage is using the same stock they used on there 110 tactical then you wont like it. They are too flimsy. I like my savage but the stock was the first to go. If I were to buy another savage I would get the lamminated stock. Personally I like my VS better. KN

[ReedG]

I'm relatively new to the Savage vs. The World battle. Since my first 722, I've been a died-in-the-wool "Remington man." Then I bought a Ruger M77 VT MkII. Remington became No. 2. Then I bought a Savage 112 BVSS. Everything I read and heard led me to expect a piece of junk. I can't for the life of me understand where all the anti-Savage stuff comes from. The "110" action is well-thought-out, well designed, and superior to the Remington. The 2-piece bolt is a thing of genius. The Remington is the "loose" action. The bolt in a M700 rattles around when open. The guides and followers on the Savage make it smoother. But all that can be a matter of opinion, I guess. The ease of changing barrels in the Savage is a great feature. The off-the-shelf accuracy of the Savage is more than I could have imagined, easily equal to or better than any of the Remingtons I've had. Can't find a current price on the Savage left-hand, but the 112 BVSS is listed on GunsAmerican in .22-250 as "Buy It Now" for $505. The Remington 700 VS is listed for $625. I think the extra $120 would look real good in your pocket! And your new Savage, which will almost certainly outshoot any other factory-stock rig at the range, will be a great conversation piece.

[KN]

I hope I didn't sound anti savage. I love my 110 tactical in 25/06. I just hated the plastic stock they put it in. It sets in a Choate Varment stock now and is my long range P-dog gun. (500+ yds). My 700 VS is my main P-dog gun. Accuracy wise they shoot about the same. Around 3/8" at 100meters The savage in 25/06 gets way out there alot easier. KN

[jamie]

I will have to agree, the Savage does get out there easier.  While my 110 ( 7mm Rem)and my 700 Classic (300 Win) eventually reached the same level of accuracy of around .3-.4" ( Rem was behind the Savage for about a year while I tried everything to get it right), the Savage just seemed to do it everytime without problems and the Rem made you concetrate extremely hard.

[jamie]

Oh yeah those were factory loads in the 110, the 700 is what made get into reloading.

[razmuz]

Americans have a tendency to judge things according to how much they cost.  The Remington, Savage is the same old Chevy vs Ford argument.  Both rifles are good push feed rifles.  In the long run the Remington will have the most resale value.  I am right handed but shoot left handed and have found that used L/H rifles are hard to sell.  So be sure and get what you will want to keep.

[NightFox]

I have both the Savage and the Remington 700 in the 22-250.  The Savage was set up mainly for a carry around gun all the time.  The 700 is for those maticulous shots.  The 700 was around $1000 (bull barrell. $300 buckmaster scope, wood grain stock, bypond).  The Savage was about $300 (Simons 3x9 scope, sythetic blued).  I will tell you now that the Savage will shoot a lot more accurate and a lot faster.  It has what they call the micro rifling in it.  If you don't want to pay big time money for one I would go with the Savage.  In my opinion you can't beat them.

[safetysheriff]

I never heard of 'micro-rifling' in a Savage.   I know that they use "button rifling".    Button rifling does not compact the grain structure of the metal as well as does the hammer forging used by Remington, Ruger, and Winchester.  (Remington uses button rifling in their new, cheap model 710).    The better grain structure in the hammer forging stands up to burning powder better, is smoother in most applications causing less fowling, and is capable of greater consistency in the rate-of-twist.   The use of a decent mandrel inside the barrel being forged makes this possible.

My Remington 700 ADL synthetic will put 2 bullets at a time touching each other at 100 yards in .308 caliber.    My buddies .308 Tactical-type will put 3 shots consistentlly inside a nickel with handloads.    (I am not as consistent as is my buddy).

The Remington's reputation is for accuracy and strength.   That's why the military and the after-market, custom shops use Remington actions for their rifles.    It's also why G. David Tubb used out-of-the-box Remingtons so many years in a row to take the appropriate championships(I can't remember the title - but Remington used it in their ads).  

Buy a Remington or a Ruger, and never look back.

[jamie]

Read any article on the Savage and the first thing you will read is how they have a reputation for outstanding out of the box rifling.  And yes the button rifling is supposed to be the cheap way of doing things and hammerforging is better,  could never tell it between the 2 rifles I had.

[Zachary]

I had a very strong feeling that this post would spark a fire in the Remington vs. Savage debate.

I own several Remington 700s and all of them shoot sub-inch groups with a variety of ammo all day.  Am I just lucky?  I don't necessarily think so because many people have similar results.  

That notwithstanding, I believe that it is important for people to be at least open minded with regard to listenting to things.  If you don't like what you hear - after thoughtful consideration - then that's fine, but at least you listen.

I say this because I am not that big of Savage fan - or at least I wasn't.  To be fair, and neutral, regardless of what type of rifling Savage uses, and regardless of how cheap I think they feel in my hands, I have seen, and many people will testify, that Savages are consistently VERY accurate rifles and can equal or even outshoot the Remington 700s.

This is why I said that go to the gun store and see which one feels more confortable in your hands, and wallet.

Like I said, I started listening more to people a long time ago.  Trust me, I have reached a relatively successful point in my life not only because I have learned from my own mistakes and experiences, but also from the mistakes and experiences of others.  This is not to say, by any stretch of the imagination, that anyone on this board has made a mistake by buying either the Remington or Savage.  All I am trying to say is you should listen to both sides and take that experience with you when you go to the gun store.  Again, although I am somewhat a Remington fan (generally speaking because I really like Tikkas more, but that's another story), you should go to the store and make your own decision based upon your preferences.  Forget about some of the questions that you asked.  There is no such thing as "Remington is more accurate than Savage" or visa versa.  Both are very accurate guns.  Buy the gun that you feel you will be happiest with and one that will be with you as endeavor to share special hunting experiences with it. :wink:

Zachary

[jamie]

Zachery, think GB could get Rem and Savage to send him 10 rifles each in different calibers and let him run a test?

[Zachary]

That sounds like something to which GB wouldn't object.  :-D

Zachary

[Steve L]

Tis true, but ol GB couldn't possibly have time to load test 20 rifles! The only way I see for it to get done would be to delegate some of the gruling labor out to forum members. Guess I could volunteer some of my time and promise to be open minded and except any rifle given to me regardless of brand.

[helobill]

I think to make it a fair test we should each be supplied with one of each brand in the same caliber. If I have to, I can take one of each and run a test for you.    
Helicopter Bill