Is a Savage 10 Precision Carbine a good starter .308?

[azfireman]

I have a chance at getting a Savage 10 Precision Carbine in .308. My issue is that this rifle only has a 20 in heavy barrel. The other LE rifle barrels are like 21-24 in. How much accuracy will I lose. This will be my first hunting/zombie sniping rifle. I like all the other features and have other rifles for other jobs. (ie AR15's). So will this model work as a good basic hunter or should I go with a longer barrel??

[Noah_Zark]

It is a common misconception that accuracy improves with barrel length.

Not true.

You will lose NO accuracy with a 20" barrel over a 24" barrel on a scoped rifle, providing that all other things affecting accuracy are equal. Some of those factors are: Bedding of action, bedding (or float) of barrel, tight triggerguard screws, condition of muzzle crown, amount of bullet jump before the bullet hits the rifling leade, and others.

You WILL lose velocity, but not much. Maybe 60-100 FPS. That's a tiny bit less "punch" at a distance, but at typical PA deer hunting distances of 35 yds to 150 yds (here in north central PA, that is) the deer is just as dead.

Short barrels are GREAT for wood stalking in brush. A 20" barrel will not snag on brush the way a 24" or 26" rifle will.

But what you DO have to consider is lugging a heavy barrelled rifle around the woods. If you are going to post for deer in a stand or fixed position, you'll be OK with a HB rifle. If you are going to walk and stalk, that HB will get heavier as the hunting day gets longer. My advice: Go back to the store, and cradle the forearm in the crook of your left arm, barrel pointing to your left past your upper arm, and your right hand on the stock wrist, left hand cupping your right hand. Stand there for 15-30 mins, or as long as they will let you and as long as you have time. The see if you still like a Heavy Barrel on a stalking rifle.

All that said, the Savage 10 is an excellent, intrinsically accurate rifle that's a great value for the money spent. They may not be much to look at as compared to a Remchester, but time and again the Savage rifles I've fired and own/owned are superbly accurate.

Just make sure you cradle that thing in your arm for 30 mins before you buy. There's a reason why PA deer hunters over the decades have bought hundreds of thousands of 5.5 and 6 lb lever actions.

Noah

[aubie515]

There is nothing wrong with a 20" barrel. You will lose some velocity, but it won't make a huge difference until you start shooting further. The owner of SH has an 18" barrel on his 260 and he shoots it to 1k.

The shorter barrel will help you if you plan on carrying around that rifle all day long. If you ever decide down the road you want a longer barrel, you can get a pre-fit Savage barrel from Pac Nor, Shilen, McGowen, Brux and Benchmark.

Not sure which stock comes with that rifle you are considering, but Savage factory stocks are the weak link on most of their rifles. Unless you buy the one that comes with the McMillan.

[Tiadaghton44]

I have a 10PC in .223. My best group so far has been 0.5" at 200 yards with the 69 grain matchkings. If I didn't already have an AR along with lots of brass and bullets, I would have bought the 308. I like the accustock. Sometimes it can be a pain to re-install once you have it off to adjust the trigger. On top I have a Nikon 6-18x40 mil dot with Burris Zee Rings. I like the zee rings. I could practically zero the scope without touching the knobs. I haven't had to re-zero after bumping the gun several times either. I enjoy the 20" barrel after having a Remington VS with a 26" barrel. This PC shoots tighter groups also. The VS was a 22-250.