Author Topic: Would you buy a Handi or a Savage? (Read 1778 times)

jeepmann1948 · « **on:** October 05, 2012, 02:09:07 AM »

If the occasion arose would you buy a H&R or a Savage for the same price or a few dollars more or less?
Assuming the calibers were the standard offering of :
223
22-250
243
25-06
270
7mm08
308
30-06
and you were going to purchase a rifle anyway

Thanks
George

Jason F · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:20:00 AM »

At this time it would be a handi. All my bolts and levers havnt been shot for a couple years. But thats just the phase i am in right now.

tom548 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:23:57 AM »

The Handi's are fun but at the same price I would go for the Savage.

watsisname · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:25:44 AM »

I had a .223 Handi that I couldn't get to group better than 3" @100yds. Sent it back to H&R twice and no improvement. I sold it and bought a Savage for about the same price as a Handi. The Savage shoots cloverleafs @100yds right out the box. Nice trigger, free floating barrel, holds four cartridges and ejects them as a rifle should. I recently bought another one, a 7mm magnum. Sweeeet!
I still have several Handis but haven't used them since I got the Savages

thejanitor · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:55:01 AM »

My brother bought 2 of the .223 and my son got a rimfire .22 all Savages and they are very happy with them. I am just in a phase (8 years now...) where I only buy Handis But I do have bolts and levers in the back of the safe somewhere....

And the next hog trip I go on I will have something along besides a single shot..... Depends on the hunt, but my vote is H&R.

rdlange · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:55:49 AM »

I traded my one Savage for 3 Handis two years ago. Sold/traded the barrels and stocks for some calibers & stocks I wanted more and am alot happier.

Different strokes....

26-t · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2012, 03:29:04 AM »

Savage, Better deal for the money . It is sad but that is where we are. H&R needs to get on the stick.

26-t

LilHog · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2012, 04:36:32 AM »

If they were both the same price I would buy the savage. The accutrigger is very nice and a big plus. I was recently in the market for a 223 and looked at the handi and the savage, I bought the savage and have been very happy with it. But I just placed an order for a 223 handi and it should be here in a week or so. I have this affliction with handi's, you can't ever get enough of them....

dwalk · « **Reply #8 on:** October 05, 2012, 04:40:39 AM »

i had the handi in .223 a few years ago. it would shoot the cloverleaf at 100 yds right out of the box but i sold it because it was one of the 1:12 twist rate bbls and would not handle the heavier bullets...(and times got hard)...

i've got a Savage in .308 win and an H&R Ultra Varmint in .223 now...both are fine rifles.

insofar as a choice of one over another? i'm not certain...but i'd take a LOOOOOOOOOOOOng time to think it over. better yet...BOTH...if at all possible.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #9 on:** October 05, 2012, 04:45:15 AM »

A Handi, of course! If I wanted to shoot another type rifle, I'd take my M81 308 Win BLR, but it hasn't been out for almost 10yrs now, I haven't hunted with a b...b....bo...bol...bolt gun for over 30yrs!

The only Savage I've ever owned and still do is a M311 sxs 12ga, I do have a Stevens M15 too if ya wanta count that.

Tim

BBF · « **Reply #10 on:** October 05, 2012, 05:06:54 AM »

SAVAGE !!

guzzijohn · « **Reply #11 on:** October 05, 2012, 09:40:32 AM »

I have a Handi in .243 with the 22" BB that I bought new. The very best it will do with with all the stars aligned, using the tips from this forum and the best load I have found so far is 2-3" groups at 100yds, and that does not stay consistent. I also have a Savage 110 in .243 with accutrigger and shoots most anything around 3/4" with nothing done to it. Your mileage may vary.
GuzziJohn

gendoc · « **Reply #12 on:** October 05, 2012, 12:09:36 PM »

i'm kinda like jason and tim.... i've got plenty them others of all kinds.
i like these handi's a bunch and we can make'um shoot jus as well as any other.
and we like tha "one shot is allya get" thang too.........

its not jusa phase, itsa reality

ncloader88 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 05, 2012, 12:16:16 PM »

I would go with the Handi. My first rifle was a Handi and I don't think i will be partaking in the bolt craze. My second purchase was a savage 22mag and i have been kicking myself ever since for not going with a sportster. There is just something about the versatility and simplicity of the H&R break action that makes the gun more to my liking. Multiple caliber options and the compact nature of a break action also has a lot to do with why I will never feel the need for a bolt. If I don't think my first shot will drop whatever it is that I am hunting, I don't pull the trigger. The only reason i would be worried about rate of fire would be in self defense against things much larger and meaner than we have here in N.C. If I want repeatability, I will go with a lever action, but that's a whole different price range. $:-\$

MSP Ret · « **Reply #14 on:** October 05, 2012, 12:28:34 PM »

If Savage came out with a new single shot I would give it a shot (pun intended).
I buy Handi's because I like the single shot platform so in answer to your question I would purchase a H&R. If I wanted a bolt gun I might try a Savage IF I needed another bolt gun, however I already have several I no longer shoot....<><....

dead dog · « **Reply #15 on:** October 05, 2012, 12:37:48 PM »

I like the single shots alot but the price of the handis and the H&Rs is kind of high.
I bought my son a cheaper version of the handi rifle which is a Rossi in 44 mag and its a tack driver for a 44 mag.
I think I only paid $160.00 for it NIB. Fiber optic iron sights nice recoil pad and it even came with the pic. rail.

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 05, 2012, 12:50:07 PM »

Of the cases named, they were all rimless. I would lean more to the Savage for the rimless and to the Handi for anything rimmed. I too like single shots, so I have converted 2 of my 3 Savage bolts to single shots. The one I did not is a 7-08. I have 6 Handi barrels, all but 1 is rimmed, the rimless one is a Ultra 223.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

trotterlg · « **Reply #17 on:** October 05, 2012, 01:03:45 PM »

Handi's are definitely better built than a Rossi, but the function is mostly the same. If H&R continues to price their guns with the Savages and their derivates H&R's will soon become a memory. Larry

yukondog · « **Reply #18 on:** October 05, 2012, 01:08:02 PM »

I like both and have both in different cal. but if the price was about the same it would have to be the savage.

petemi · « **Reply #19 on:** October 05, 2012, 01:20:53 PM »

I was just at Gander Mt., Marquette, MI. Run of the mill Handis, PW and Syn were priced $339 to $349. I was thinking almost a hundred less. That alone will push a lot of people to the Savage. I continually try to upgrade my Handis and wouldn't trade any of them for a bolt gun unless I could turn the bolt into more Handis.

Stories like guzzijohn's kept me away from the .243 for five or six years. I finally decided ya only go around once, so I tried it. Mine is new, and a tack driver. I love it.

Pete

Swampman · « **Reply #20 on:** October 05, 2012, 01:27:41 PM »

I'd rather have a Stevens 200 than a Savage.

trotterlg · « **Reply #21 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:11:53 PM »

Some of the budget priced Remingtons are getting into Handi Price range now. Larry

FPH · « **Reply #22 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:23:03 PM »

Savage

Swampman · « **Reply #23 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:25:21 PM »

Quote from: trotterlg on October 05, 2012, 02:11:53 PM

Some of the budget priced Remingtons are getting into Handi Price range now. Larry

$399.00 at Walmart

Spanky · « **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:38:29 PM »

I won't buy a new Handi nowadays. The last 3 new ones I bought never should have made it past QC... they all had issues. Handi's are way overpriced for what you get and the budget priced bolt guns will usually outshoot them. My money would go on a Savage/Stevens any day of the week. The Ruger American is also getting great reviews in the same price range as a Handi. Just another nail in the H&R coffin IMO. $:-\$

Spanky

bikerbeans · « **Reply #25 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:44:58 PM »

I'll stick with the Handis because I can have big bore rifles for small money and I can ~~have~~ build exotic calibers if I want them. Now if Remington or Savage wants to sell a 458WM or 460WbyMag for Handi money then they will have my attention.

BB

Spanky · « **Reply #26 on:** October 05, 2012, 03:06:38 PM »

Quote from: bikerbeans on October 05, 2012, 02:44:58 PM

I'll stick with the Handis because I can have big bore rifles for small money and I can ~~have~~ build exotic calibers if I want them. Now if Remington or Savage wants to sell a 458WM or 460WbyMag for Handi money then they will have my attention.

BB

At least you can have the 458 and 460 with the bolt guns. A Handi would turn into schrapnel with either of those. I like my Handi's but there's better guns to be had for the money. If they lowered the price of Handi's by about 100 bucks they'd be a good buy.

Spanky

twoshooter · « **Reply #27 on:** October 05, 2012, 03:07:26 PM »

I have to go with LaOtto on on this one. I own some Savages also, and for the same price I would be buying Savages, especially the rimless ones. If I had to put my life, or a loved ones on the line, I would want a Savage.

That being said, the Savages rarely go out and the Handi's go out all the time. I buy the handi's for what they are, what they are chambered in.

I want rimmed straight walled or slightly tapered cases in mostly large diameters that lend themselves to cast bullet shooting. They are more ME and less technology. I can shoot them SOOOooo cheap! They are just fun. I would buy another 3-4 in the right calibers----er--- CHAMBERINGS.

This eventually gets back to why we buy something , the purpose it serves. As stated here before, I only use most of my rifles for a few weeks a year, the shotguns a few months. For at least 8-9 months the only things fired are the Hornet and the 357 Mag, they are my utility guns. The others I just basically collect, just to say I have them, and they each have a particular niche and get their day in the sun every year

I also have enough to go around with the grandkids when the time for me to hang 'em up.

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #28 on:** October 05, 2012, 03:08:29 PM »

I bought a Savage .223. Fired it maybe 7 or 8 times. I can't stand that acu trigger. It's been sitting in the corner for a couple of months now. Very disappointed.

Spanky · « **Reply #29 on:** October 05, 2012, 03:46:00 PM »

Quote from: Rustyinfla on October 05, 2012, 03:08:29 PM

I bought a Savage .223. Fired it maybe 7 or 8 times. I can't stand that acu trigger. It's been sitting in the corner for a couple of months now. Very disappointed.

How can you be very disappointed with the gun after only 7 or 8 shots? You don't really know the gun at all. Give it a chance and you might like it.

Spanky