Savage 110-S .308 Win

[ofreen]

Here's something for those of you who appreciate some old school stuff. I bought this Savage 110-S in .308 in 1977 or 78 when I became interested in high power silhouette. I didn't have the money to have a custom rifle built like all the cool kids were doing, so when Savage came out with their ready-made silhouette rifle, I bought one after reading some favorable reviews. I put a Weaver T10 in Weaver rings on Weaver bases on it. Right off the bat I was disappointed in the accuracy, at best 3 MOA. I was surprised because even then, Savage had a reputation for good barrels. Load development didn't help, so I got some acraglas and bedded the action. My first group after the new bedding cured with Hornady 168gr match bullets and some 4064 was 5 shots into 1/2" at a 100. Problem solved.

I fired a couple thousand of those 168 grainers at matches over the next few years, then stopped competing for various reasons. So the rifle sat idle and I missed shooting it, as informal plinking with jacketed bullets was never something I did. I was shooting cast in 30.06's, 30-30's and a Voere in .300 Weatherby, so tried it in the Savage but wasn't having success with the bullet mold designs I had on hand because of the .308's short neck. So then I ordered an NEI 182308 mold and it was perfect in nose diameter and every other dimension for the rifle's chamber and bore. The rifle will stay at 1 MOA out past 300 yards in good conditions with this bullet and 3031. 8" plates at 300 is easy in calm conditions, but becomes fun and challenging when the wind is squirrely.

Anyway, I had the rifle out a couple of days ago and it performed as well as ever. Crazy to think I have been shooting it for over 45 years. So here's a photo -

[pworley1]

Every Savage I have is a shooter. Nice rifle.

[FergusonTO35]

My Axis .308 is a keeper as is my Mark II!

[Outer Rondacker]

I have the same gun with a pencil barrel and have been fighting an issue with it for years. Gun shoots great and I love it but feeding is an issue, While cycling the mag a round will jump out instead of sliding into the chamber. I have crushed a few rounds sideways doing this so I have deemed the gun unusable as anything other than a single feed on the bench. Wish I could figure it out. Its a great shooter. I even took it to a smith who said he fixed it. Nope.

I will say I you have one nice looking gun there and its even nicer looking knowing it shoots well with cast lead.

[HWooldridge]

I have the same rifle in 7mm-08, which I bought used from the estate of an old target shooter. It's a tack driving fool with factory ammo - but I have not tried it with cast yet. Savage generally makes very good rifles - they just never had the mystique of Winchester or Remington.

[Texas by God]

I had a 112 V .220 Swift, with the single shot action. Way before AccuTrigger, it took a bit to get a decent safe pull, once done I put a drop of Varathane on the adjustments.
It would out shoot all my friends guns except a 40XB-BR in 6x47mm.


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[charlie b]

Glad you are giving it another chance. .308 is hampered by the short neck, but, as you found, bore riders do well in it. My favorite is a 210gn (Acc 31-210E). And, yes, 3031 is a powder I frequently use in my Savage as well.

[ofreen]

Thanks gents. A few days after posting this I spotted this larger bolt handle on Midway. Made by Savage, it doesn't have nearly as nice a finish as the original, but it works nicely. The finish on the new handle actually matches the rest of the rifle better than the highly polished original. Effort working the bolt is reduced quite a bit.

[Mk42gunner]

Blued steel and real walnut, what's not to like?

If I had to bet on a production rifle from the mid seventies to the mid eighties outshooting a Remington 700, my money would be on either a Savage 100 or a Remington 788.

Both are somewhat homely, but they do shoot well. Some of the very early 788's had walnut stocks.

Robert

[FergusonTO35]

I think of the Marlin designed 783 as today's 788!

[Mk42gunner]

I don't think I have ever held one in my hands, is that basically a rebadged Marlin XL7?

Robert

[charlie b]

I loved my little 788. Fitted a mannlicher type stock to it. Except for the dumb magazine sticking out the bottom it looked really nice.

[FergusonTO35]

Mk42gunner, yes it is and a really nice rifle for the price. Allegedly, Savage barrels fit with no modification. If you like both the 700 and the Savage, the 783 gives you the best of both!