The Savage 110 Hunter in 25-06 Rem Part I

Parroting business reporting of the day, in 2013, $4.5 billion ATK acquired the $200 million Caliber Company, Caliber Company was parent to 100+ year old Savage Sports Corporation. In 2015, ATK spun off its outdoor products businesses into Vista Outdoor, Inc. which is currently comprised of fifty brands. Vista Outdoors is NYSE traded (VSTO) with 2017 sales of $2.55 billion.

If there was something unique about the Savage acquisition, it would be the relative silence of the transaction. By comparison, Remington Outdoor seemed bent on acquiring brands with a significant history, publicly embarrassing departing original management and then mismanaging the acquired products into oblivion. It was satisfying to find a nicely evolved Savage Model 110 Hunter and a polite, professional supporting organization placing an emphasis on product pride.

The Savage 110 Hunter

The forerunner of Savage’s current lineup was designer Nicholas Brewer’s 1958 Model 110. Brewer’s objective was to create a firearm that would be low cost to manufacture, easily adapted to left and right hand operation and in short and long action versions. The original design met that criteria and went on to become very popular. Production of both short and long action rifles began in 1962. The Model 110 action was not only produced by Savage in very large numbers, but it was also incorporated into German Anschutz-Savage sporting rifles and used by many gunsmiths as the basis for fine custom firearms. In 1966, Savage introduced the Model 110C, an evolution of the Model 110 design that changed to a recessed bolt face to enclose a cartridge’s case head.

The Savage Model 110C has what appears to be a leading and trailing set of locking lugs. In actuality the rear “lugs” constitute a bolt guide that rotates freely about the bolt’s body while traveling within tracks cut into the inside walls of the receiver. The guide within these tracks keeps the bolt supported and moving in a straight line. The result is very slick bolt throw with none of the odd pressures and cycling rough spots found in most other bolt action rifles.

With the Savage’s bolt closed, a cartridge case head is contained within the rifle’s recessed bolt face and the bolt head floats to assure twin lug contact with lug seats in the receiver and a breech face parallel to the cartridge case head. The Savage utilizes a barrel nut to set critical headspace rather than a lathe cut at a barrel shank shoulder.

On Accu feature hangtags and brand stickers…

If exuberance over placing hang tags and stickers on a new rifle can be interpreted as product pride and performance, Savage is a leader in both. In this case, at least for the most part, the information did underscore important features of the new generation Savage Model 110. I am not sure why there is a “Savage” sticker that runs the length of the forearm underside as I believe most people would be aware of the firearm brand they purchased without need for a reminder, so let’s focus on features.

The Accustock feature is a good one. A large surface, rigid aluminum chassis is embedded in the stock. Two screws pull the action down into prestressed chassis rails and a steel action mounted recoil lug position the action longitudinally.The result is that clamping pressure is uniform over the full length of the action and it remains so from one shot to the next. The barrel floats from receiver to the tip of the forarm with an approximate 0.004″ gap.

The AccuFit system is Part II of Savage’s accuracy enhancement. Where AccuStock takes care of fitting the barreled action to the stock, AccuFit matches the rifle to the shooter. The Model 110 Hunt is supplied with five comb risers, each incremented by 1/8″ in height. Length of pull spacers permit a 0″ – 1″ adjustment range in 1/4″ increments. Change is made by removing two recoil pad screws and recoil pad, which permits comb risers and length of pull spacers to be swapped. The pistol grip and forearm surfaces are soft, even when cold and make a big differences holding on in winter or wet hunting conditions.

The AccuTrigger is brings three additional features to the Savage Model 110 Hunter. Minimal sear engagement makes for a light, crisp pull. The trigger is adjustable, tool included – stock must be removed, for shooter’s preferences. The AccuRelease, unless completely depressed while pulling the trigger, effectively blocks the sear to prevent accidental discharge. Trigger pull range is approximately 2 1/2 lbs to 6 lbs.

The bottom metal is clean… yes a magnet will stick no matter where you poke it, and everything is tucked in and out of the way.. The magazine is also steel and the forward release is positive in actuation. The Savage Model 110 is… beefy in every area from its bolt to the thickness of the receiver tube.

The three position safety is well placed. In “Fire” position as pictured, the trigger is active and a cocked firearm will discharge. Safety moced to the mid position, the sear is blocked, but bolt can be operated to check chamber and to cycle out loaded rounds. Safety in aft position; bolt locked, sear blocked.

A few more specifics

The Savage has kept its traditional look as the features evolved and I believe the quality has evolved along with the package. While fixed geometry walnut stock models are available, the Hunter is configured for the purpose suggested by its name. Hunting across a variety of environments, dry and wet, hot and cold, the synthetic stock and matte black carbon steel hardware make for low maintenance and surety of handling. The AccuStock keeps accuracy at the forefront and the range of adjustment offered by the AccuFit feature permits adjustment for different shooters or adapting to a single shooter’s seasonal change in wardrobe.

This particular example of the Savage Model 110 Hunter is chambered for the 25-06 Remington cartridge, but the Hunter is also chambered in: 204 Ruger, 223 Remington, 22-250 Remington, 243 Winchester, 260 Remington, 270 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, 280 Ackley Improved, 7mm Remington Magnum, 308 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield, and 300 Winchester Magnum. I’m pretty sure hunting in the the Americas is well covered.

Part II will address scope selection and mounting, factory ammo accuracy and a collection of 25–06 handloads. Be back soon.