Opinions: Savage vs Ruger

BossmanPJ · Mar 15, 2017

All,

I am looking to purchase a new .22lr plinker. I am narrowed down to 2 choices. They are the Savage Mark2 with wooden stock, and the Ruger American Rimfire standard model with synthetic. Does anyone have hands on with either that can give me pros and cons? The rifle I buy will be used for offhand shooting at 40 yards or less.

Ruger:

I like the magazine. Doesn't stick out like the Savage does and will interchange with my 10-22. Don't mind the synthetic stock but it is not my first choice.

Savage:

Love the standard wooden stock. Hate the magazine because it sticks out. Lets be honest, Its a Savage and it will shoot great. Also like the raised comb on the stock in case I ever do mount a scope.

Thoughts? Keep in mind that $250 or slightly higher is all I want to spend and that I will not be modifying the rifles in any way so stock and aftermarket options do not appeal to me.

stu929 · Mar 15, 2017

The savage with target sights and a heavy barrel is a great deal for the money. No wood stock though.

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6Den · Mar 15, 2017

I like the RAR. I have one and think it's a great value and terrific shooter. It is also available in a wood stock.

F-Stop · Mar 15, 2017

The new savage has the flush magazine. I have not read reviews on it though. I was considering one for that reason. The A22 or B.

VTHokies · Mar 15, 2017

Hello friend! I just posted asking a lot of the same questions a couple of days ago. Check out the thread here: https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=207736

I settled on a Savage FV-SR for what its worth...

gwchem · Mar 15, 2017

I got a Savage with the plastic stock and standard barrel.

It shoots great, but I regret not buying the fv-sr. I'd go savages for bolt action, Ruger for semi.

Hippy · Mar 15, 2017

6Den said:
I like the RAR. I have one and think it's a great value and terrific shooter. It is also available in a wood stock.

X2

Jano · Mar 15, 2017

quick question concerning mags.. Can I order > than 10 rnd mags to a friends house in VA and pick them up there or can he then sell them to me or vice versa or criss cross or left right up and down??? Thanks

BossmanPJ · Mar 15, 2017

VTHokies said:
Hello friend! I just posted asking a lot of the same questions a couple of days ago. Check out the thread here: https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=207736

I settled on a Savage FV-SR for what its worth...

No iron sights tho. That's a must.

BossmanPJ · Mar 15, 2017

F-Stop said:
The new savage has the flush magazine. I have not read reviews on it though. I was considering one for that reason. The A22 or B.

Looked into the B22. Looks like a good gun but damn it's funny looking.

rbird7282 · Mar 15, 2017

6Den said:
I like the RAR. I have one and think it's a great value and terrific shooter. It is also available in a wood stock.

I have one too, great rifle. You won't go wrong with a Ruger.
While I've never owned or shot a Savage, I've heard good things about them.

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baltech · Mar 15, 2017

My son has the mark ii very accurate at 50 yards. Don't care for the magazine either thats the only negative. I like it alot. Savage also has 25.00 rebate from time to time.

Mack C-85 · Mar 15, 2017

RAR synthetic comes with a Monte Carlo stock module that changes out by unscrewing the sling stud. FWIW- Wife and I both have standard RARs and also have 10/22s, love them both.

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Pinecone · Mar 16, 2017

Jano said:
quick question concerning mags.. Can I order > than 10 rnd mags to a friends house in VA and pick them up there or can he then sell them to me or vice versa or criss cross or left right up and down??? Thanks

Some online dealers will allow and order with an MD credit card address, no matter where they are shipped.

But you can order them, or he can, and you can pick them up from him.

He MAY NOT SHIP THEM TO YOU.

I do this often. MY boss lives in WV. We work in VA. He orders for me, I pay him, he brings them in and I pick them up.

Hawkeye · Mar 16, 2017

BossmanPJ said:
All,

I am looking to purchase a new .22lr plinker. I am narrowed down to 2 choices. They are the Savage Mark2 with wooden stock, and the Ruger American Rimfire standard model with synthetic. Does anyone have hands on with either that can give me pros and cons? The rifle I buy will be used for offhand shooting at 40 yards or less.

Ruger:

I like the magazine. Doesn't stick out like the Savage does and will interchange with my 10-22. Don't mind the synthetic stock but it is not my first choice.

Savage:

Love the standard wooden stock. Hate the magazine because it sticks out. Lets be honest, Its a Savage and it will shoot great. Also like the raised comb on the stock in case I ever do mount a scope.

Thoughts? Keep in mind that $250 or slightly higher is all I want to spend and that I will not be modifying the rifles in any way so stock and aftermarket options do not appeal to me.

I had this same debate with myself recently, and I ended up with the Ruger, but the "predator" model - green stock, bigger bolt handle, no iron sights, but the same action and barrel as the "normal" one.

My thought process: it shares the best rimfire rifle magazines ever with the 10/22, which I also have. Bonus. The stock is better than the Savage I was looking at (which was the FV-SR which comes with a known flimsy stock) but you might not have that same comparison.

I will say this: The Ruger is properly bedded and (usually) properly free-floated from the factory. If it's not free floated (some people have found that one side of the very end of the stock contacts the barrel), you can fix the free-float thing with sand paper and five minutes. The Ruger has a *nice* adjustable trigger that's insanely easy to get down to right about 3# with no modification, or less than that if you're comfortable cutting coils off of a small spring.

I took mine out to the range to sight in, and it was punching .30" five shot groups regularly at 25 yards. I'm quite happy.

If I was shopping right now, I would look no further than this:
https://shop.whittakerguns.com/product/ss-1272

That's the basic American Rimfire with *all four* of the Ruger modular stock pieces for $200. Can't beat that with a stick. This is where I ordered mine from, and they had a local FFL on file who charged me $20 for the transfer. It was great.

Hawkeye · Mar 16, 2017

BossmanPJ said:
No iron sights tho. That's a must.

Ooh... I know the one I posted has irons, but they're just dovetailed and easy to remove, just like 10-22 sights.

aht2131 · Mar 17, 2017

I have the MK II GL and hated how much the 10 round magazine that it comes with sticks out too. You can get a 5 rnd magazine for it, thats what I use. It won't sit completely flush with the stock but there isn't that much sticking out. I also have a 10/22 and if I weren't left handed I would have gone for the RAR. I don't hate the savage though, it shoots very well and I have used it pretty effectively in the squirrel woods.

Sticky · Mar 17, 2017

I don't have a 10-22, but I have two MKII's and they are both shooters! The mag isn't an issue for me, 10rd mags work fine, stick out a little, but don't interfere with my handling of the rifle (my off hand is in front of the mag, on the front of the stock). One is an FV-SR with a suppressor, it's da bomb, but I did upgrade the stock to a Boyd's laminated stock. My other is a bull barreled MKII with a laminated factory stock and it shoots like a ball o fire. It's more accurate than any other 22 I have ever had.

I had to do a little trigger work on my pre-accutrigger 20" bull rifle, but the FVSR with accutrigger is great. I added an upgrade kit to it to get it down to less than a 2lb pull and it's as clean a crisp as one could ask for now.

protegeV · Mar 17, 2017

I have both. I prefer the Savage.

BossmanPJ · Mar 17, 2017

After playing with a Savage that I didn't know my brother had until a couple days ago, I ordered a Savage. Seemed like a damn nice rifle and the mag didn't bother me as much as I thought. I have a sweet spot for Savage rifles. Cheaper than the RAR too.

Opinions: Savage vs Ruger

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