Ruger M77 vs Savage

M

MB21

New member
So my friend's uncle got a Savage in .308 and hasn't stopped bragging about it. I have a Ruger M77 in 30-06. I am not trying to compare the calibers, I know the differences between the two (shorter ranges and lighter bullets .308 has the advantage, but longer range and heavier bullet 30-06 wins it).

My question really is difference in accuracy between the rifles. According to said friend, the Savage has the record for accuracy at 900 yds using .308. I realize in a competition it comes down to the shooter, but just for the rifle's sake, which is more accurate?
 
Depends on the bullet, powder, shooter experience/skill, trigger, optics, factory ammo or hand loaded. If you spent the time to work up the best load for each, and each had the best trigger and the same shooter...... toss up. Savage lovers will say "savage". Ruger lovers will say "Ruger". Remington, Winchester, weatherby, tikka, almost all makes can be tuned and tweeked to make them accurate. It is more than the rifle. It is the total package that matters.
 
Either rifle will be more accurate than the average shooter.

I'd bet that whatever Savage holds a 900yd .308 record, it isn't the same as the one your friend has. I'd also bet that a very good shooter using an average rifle would out shoot you or your friend using a very good rifle.
 
personally I had a Savage 110 in 270 Win that would put 5 shots under a "Quarter" regardless of brand of ammo (150 grn) My buddy had a M77 in 257 Roberts that would do even better. I however like the controlled round feed of the Ruger, and I hear their triggers are much better now, as are the Savage!!
 
Typically, Savage rifles are very accurate, Ruger rifles a little less so but still good. Stop worrying about who has what and just enjoy it.
 
Scorch said:
Typically, Savage rifles are very accurate, Ruger rifles a little less so but still good. Stop worrying about who has what and just enjoy it.
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Concur. Both are good rifles, depending on the game, whether it's hunting, or target shooting in any of the various disciplines. Some are better for one thing, some are better for others. You generally won't find serious competitors of any discipline running bone-stock rifles out of the box. There is generally some customization, although Savage has made some inroads in the target games.

I'm a hunter and a back-pasture target shooter and I run both rifles in my hobbies. My go-to, no thought rifle is a Savage in .30-06, but I have to admit that my Ruger in .25-06 has a lot to recommend it. Both rifles are more accurate than I am. Before considering a rifle, you should first determine how you're going to use it. That, more than anything will help you decide how you want it set up.
 
Savage has the accuracy reputation, but between my brother and I we've owned several. (4-5) While none were bad, none have been good enough to earn a permanate spot in out safes. All are gone.

We've also owned a fair number of Rugers. Older Rugers, pre-1992, were a little more spotty in regards to accuracy. Some were very good, others could be pretty bad. Prior to 1992 Ruger bought their barrels from outdside sources and had no way to manage QC. They started making their own barrels in 1992 and their guns have been more consistent. But the reputation is out there and some guys keep repeating 20 year old information.

Since 2006 when Ruger refined their triggers and guns I've found them to be as accurate as anyones rifle.

Your friends rifle MIGHT be slightly more accurate, but I'd take your Ruger any day over a Savage. The Ruger is one of the most rugged rifles made. It will take abuse and keep working long after the Savage and most other guns have shut down.
 
Have Both. Love Both

My 280 Ruger shoots around an inch, my 260 Savage shoots .6". The Savage has AccuStock and AccuTrigger and I haven't had a trigger job on the Ruger. I like the 260 more because of the lack of recoil.
 
MB21 said:
I know the differences between the two (shorter ranges and lighter bullets .308 has the advantage, but longer range and heavier bullet 30-06 wins it).
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You may not know the differences as well as you think you do..

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5289835&postcount=42

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5290122&postcount=47



As to the accuracy difference, what brand does this or that is a completely different question than what any two individual rifles might do. I had (still have the action, with a new barrel) Savage 11 chambered in 270WSM and I have a Ruger M77 MkII chambered in .204Ruger. The Ruger can shoot groups INSIDE the groups the Savage would shoot.

But, they're samples of one, they're different cartridges and they were made years apart. Meaningless comparison.
 
Just switched

from ruger to savage. I had and m77 hawkeye that wouldn't hit the broad side of the barn from inside the barn.

Ok it wasn't that bad but 3" at 100 yards was not a good deal for me. I swithced to A savage axis and am already averaging less than half that with my one first factory load tested and I haven't even begun to really dial in yet.

I got to where I was good enough to hunt and will improve things further. Frankly I need more improvment than anything else.

Here is my deal. My copy of a ruger in my hands at 100 yards would do no better than 3"

My copy of a savage at the same range both in distance and actually the same table and same rest method etc will do 1 and change out of the box.

For me I have a light rifle I have setup with the optic I like and am getting the results I wanted in the first place so savage for this fella.

Regards, Vermonter
 
The Savage has much more accuracy potential. Here are the factors that make it so:

1. Headspace control - the barrel nut enables the shooter to have precise control over the headspace of the rifle. By loosening the nut, they shooter can shorten or lengthen the headspace and tailor it to his ammunition. This won't fix a bad barrel, but it will make a mediocre barrel better.

2. Floating bolt head - All modern mass production rifles in the USA are made on CNC machinery today. The tolerances and consistency are way ahead of rifle manufacturing even 30 years ago. Even so, they are not so tight as to make each rifle a tack driver. The floating bolt head on a Savage makes up for the little slop in concentricity and perpendicularity that may not be quite there in a Savage.

3. Accu-Trigger - I don't need to say a whole lot about this except that trigger control is next to sight picture in practical accuracy.

The Ruger is largely based on the 115 year old Mauser 98 design. Not that there is anything wrong with that - I own more Mauser 98s than any other bolt action design. But, it is a design that when everything comes together, a rifle will be very accurate. The converse is that when something is out of kilter, it will have mediocre accuracy.

However, Ruger's quality control is as good as any other major manufacturer's, so, if you are happy with a Ruger, there is no reason not to remain so.
 
The Ruger is one of the most rugged rifles made. It will take abuse and keep working long after the Savage and most other guns have shut down.
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Aside from your own opinion, what is the source of this claim? Please reference the evaluation(s) that was done that supports your comment.
 
arizona98tj said:
Aside from your own opinion, what is the source of this claim? Please reference the evaluation(s) that was done that supports your comment.
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Probably referencing the mauser 98 derived design.
 
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Originally Posted by Revoliver:
Probably referencing the mauser 98 derived design.
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Yeah, but real Mauser recievers are not cast like the original M77. Not that there is anything wrong with cast recievers. Ruger has been highly successful with casting. But the general consensus is that forged is tougher than cast.
 
The rifles do not all come off the "assembly line" with the same accuracy. No manufacture can do that. So you're going to find sometimes the Ruger will outshoot the Savage and other times the reverse.

I have a Ruger
300 Win Mag that I can't believe any Savage could "beat" for groups. Equal maybe but not beat.
 
I own a MKII Ruger SS,That there is noway I can leave at home during hunting season,Like a savage also BUT My Ruger 25-06 has to go never had a let down of any kind. Trust is where its at.;)
 
I have a Ruger 270 SS with the paddle stock that I will put up against ANY hunting rifle for accuracy. I actually bought the rifle to take to South Africa and sell to a friend of mine down there, but after I saw how it shot, I bought him another one!
 
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