My opinion is that Savage offers some of the best shootablility for the money. I didn't say value, as I believe that other brands represent better values, in the broad sense. Resale, finish, features, snob appeal may not be what you find in buying a Savage.
I feel that the quality at Remington has slipped to a point from which they can recover, but they are riding the remnants of their name and currently producing an inferior product. That stock's deep glossy finish is window dressing on a coarsely belt-sanded, and stained chunk of pallet grade, or slightly better walnut. The bluing is all fairly decent, but lacks the depth and richness of their products of old. MY PRIMARY beef is their poor quality control on barrel fitting and chambering. I've seen too many factory rifles brought to the range that couldn't be made competetive with ANY combination of loading components. This was in 3 of 5 rifles bought by club members. The cerrosafe confirmed that the chambers were hideously crooked. So crooked, in fact, that the cases HAD to be FL resized to fit back in the chamber again. Three to four inch groups (7mm-08) at 100 yards was deemed "within tolerances" by Remington staff. If that is all you need, good for you and your whitetail blasters. I ask more of my rifles. The Remington 700's are a platform from which many winning rifles have been built. I'd consider them the 1911 of long-guns. Over-the-counter though... I regret my purchase.
Browning makes decent products, that shoot well and look great, but they come at a price. The fact that you are looking at Savage tells me that you've already ruled out the price of the Brownings. They are up there with Kimber in quality. Cha-ching!
Rugers are difficult to review. They seem inconsistent to me. One shoots very well, the next doesn't. That said, I think that their worst products are only slightly below Remington's average. Finish here is decent, but a lot of the complaints seem to stem from a stock's barrel channel that isn't true with the barrel and as such is putting tension on the bbl. If the thing won't shoot, that seems to be the first place guys look. I've never worked on one (bolt action, that is), like I have the Remington or the Savage. Generally, they are a pretty decent value for the money.
You didn't mention Tikka. In my opinion, they are the best value in accuracy, finish, resale and just about every other category. If you are looking for off-the-rack perfection in a decent price range, these are tough to beat.
Savage has started to move the Amercan market forward. Their Accutrigger innovation and it's acceptance let the other companies know that people are tired of lawyers setting up their rifles. I regret that my silhouette rifle is not a Savage. I bought a Remington thinking I was getting a great rifle. Instead, I got a "platform" for building a great rifle. Maybe, when I feel like it, I will dump an a$$load of money into it to make it shoot like everybody else's Remington that they've dumped an a$$load of money into.
Having just completed a bench gun on a Savage 11 action, I can say that they are a dream to work on. Out of the box accuracy is acceptable. -My 11's orig .308Win was at about 1.5-1.75" at 100yds, which isn't too bad for a lighter barreled, NO load development kick-around rifle. I was getting about the same with cast lead bullets, but the recoil was getting to me (196gr at 1850fps times 40 rounds per session was making me want more weight in the gun and lower velocity. If you're looking at a heavier target rifle in the Savage, they are the best, hands down. You'll spend a LOT of money and not get the accuracy of the Savage. My Savage 110 FP in 308 has given me 3-3.5" groups at 600yds, prone from a bipod. This was in perfect wind conditions, and while rare, it can be repeated. I've since installed a 20 minute angled scope base. Next stop, 1000yds.
-When I get as good at reading the wind as I am at breaking it, I'll be one hell of a shooter.
(maybe I'll make that my signature...)
