Savage Sierra rifle

I'm thinking of buying a Savage Sierra light weight hunting rifle. I would get it in .30-06 & shoot Hornady light magnum ammunition for elk. It weighs only 6 1/4 pounds, is only 41 inches overall length, has a blued barrel & synthetic stock. Anyone have any experience with this rifle? I also like the Ruger M77RL, but the synthetic stock is too ugly. Also wondering if I should go fixed power scope, to keep it light weight, or variable. I do most of my hunting by walking & stalking in timber, 250 yards is the longest shot I've taken on an elk, I don't need long range as much as I am interested in light weight.

I have a Savage .30-06 just like the one you are talking about and have been nothing but pleased with it! I have shot a Remington and a Winchester and still am impressed with my Savage. I have been offered a trade straight up with the Remingont and woudn't do it!! It's a great gun and I think you're gonna love

Hello, Thanks for your reply. A couple more questions. Have you ever shot light magnum ammo in your Savage? What kind of saftey does it have? Is it the 3 position 'model 70' saftey, or a slide saftey on the tang, or a push button near the trigger? What do you have on it for a scope? I'm real encouraged to hear you like yours so much, what do you hunt with it? Dave

: 1/4 pounds, is only 41 inches overall length, has a blued barrel & synthetic : stock. Anyone have any experience with this rifle? I also like the Ruger M77RL, : but the synthetic stock is too ugly. Also wondering if I should go fixed power : scope, to keep it light weight, or variable. I do most of my hunting by walking : & stalking in timber, 250 yards is the longest shot I've taken on an elk, I : don't need long range as much as I am interested in light weight.

My partner and I both have Savage 'scout' rifles (which are based on the Sierra) and we couldn't be more pleased with them! Light, acurate, all that and french fries

To take advantage of Hornady Light Magnum, you need at least a 24 inch barrel, or you might as well shoot regular Hornady ammo.

George, I had not heard this before. Why would I need the longer barrel? Wouldn't light magnum still have more energy, out of a short barrel, than regular ammo, out of a short barrel? Dave

Sorry Dave, been out of pocket for a while.

Layne Simpson did some tests on the Light Magnum in Shooting times a couple of years ago, and then talked to Hornady regarding the ammo. Although Hornady proclaimed a 'proprietary' (indicating, but not saying 'duplex charges' process in building the ammo, Laynes results were very similar to my results when I tested Vihta 500-series powders in 308 and 30-06. In the 308, I tested with 18', 20', 22' and 24'. The chrono figures in the long barrel were far and away the highest by 200fps. That extra few inches gives the powder the time it needs to completely combust. In a short barrel, unburned powder will shoot out behind the bullet.

It wouldn't suprise me if Hornady was using Vihta 5xx. I haven't pulled any bullets to see, but I know enough about ammo manufacturing that duplex load development is labor intensive, dangerous, and time-consuming.

Now the Hornady Heavy Magnum - that's another story!