Howdy,
Yes, and no. Mikey and I have some experience with this rifle.
We were commissioned by my father to find one for him. We couldn't. Everyone seems to be taking orders, but no one is delivering. After having one on order for two months at my favorite shop (price: $370) I made a trip to Whittecar's near Owensboro, KY and bought a Savage Model 93-22 Hornet for $290.
The differences were:
Standard trigger instead of Accutrigger
Stained hardwood stock
No sling swivel studs.
I was hoping to buy one with the Accutrigger, but I settled for this not-in-any-Savage-catalog rifle. I installed a Riflebasix trigger and adjusted it to 1 lb 8 oz. I installed my own Uncle Mike's sling swivels studs and snapped on a Super Sling. I pulled the Weaver bases, degreased the screw holes, and installed a 3-9x40 Bushnell scope with high Weaver rings. Then, I started testing ammo.
In a nutshell, it shoots 1" or under groups with any 45-grain SP ammo I tried (Winchester, Remington, Sellior&Bellot). The Riflebasix trigger is a cinch to install and completely changed the character of my Savage 17HMR, too.
The biggest drawback to this gun is the smallish loading port. My father injured his loading hand some years ago and the cartridge has to be "felt" into the chamber, but he's able to shoot the thing despite not being able to pull off a rapid reload. I wonder if the port could be chamfered like the port on a 1911 race-gun to allow more room for the fingers.
Yes, it's a single-shot, and Savage doesn't plan on a magazine-fed version. It would take some real engineering to construct a good magazine. If a repeater is what you want, Ruger and CZ have them, but this Savage is a real shooter. I only hope that they will see fit to build it with the bolt handle on the proper side so us lefties can operate it without releasing the fore-end.
I really like it. My father really likes it. My wife really likes it. My daughter really likes it. What can I say? Put a trigger and a good scope on it and have fun!
Bitterroot