Trophy Hunter package rifles

[vjbangerter]

Are the barrels on the Trophy Hunter packages the same quality as the more expensive rifles?

[mondront]

Are the barrels on the Trophy Hunter packages the same quality as the more expensive rifles?
I do not own an "expensive Savage" per se, but I do own an Edge and a VT11. All three are excellent shooters. The Trophy and VT both are in .223 and both can do 5 shot groups around 1/4" typical with reloads. they both like 53 grain vmax and 69 smk's. With the Trophy Hunter if I stay to 3 shot groups one ragged hole is fairly common at 100. Both wear Nikon glass. The scope that came on both did OK during barrel break in but were changed before load development so I can't fairly say if they would be worth keeping or not.

[jpdown]

Over the last 12 years I've seen no difference in the quality of the Savage 22" factory sporter barrels except in the degree of final finish with the cheaper rough matte finish replacing the more polished blued/SS finish. The difference you see today are the cheaper molded plastic and hardwood stocks with plastic bottom parts which replaced walnut stocks and metal bottom parts of the past. And then there's the sponge recoil pad vs. a quality rubber recoil pad. And over the years, I've had Savage factory barrels that are just as accurate as pre-fit custom barrels. The difference being the Savage factory barrels take more time to clean up than the more expensive custom barrels.

[SavageShooter]

^^^^^

What jpdown said.

[RC20]

I have two of the 22 inch pencil barrels. 30-06 and 270. so far I have not been able to get either one to shoot 1inch (more like 1.5).

I won't say it can't be done, just not a what I call a natural shooter that you hit a spot and fine tune it.

I think they are fine hunting barrels, but even keeping cool, no luck. I will probably keep playing them though probably up for sale as I am just bench shooting these days and no need for the hunting end, just more curiosity. .

[justinp61]

I have a mdl 16 Trophy Hunter in 260, the best 100 yard group it's shot is 3/4". The plastic stock was very critical about the hold, it's been replaced with a laminate thumb hole. I haven't shot it yet as I just about cut the end of my trigger finger off a month ago.

[RC20]

I have a mdl 16 Trophy Hunter in 260, the best 100 yard group it's shot is 3/4". The plastic stock was very critical about the hold, it's been replaced with a laminate thumb hole. I haven't shot it yet as I just about cut the end of my trigger finger off a month ago.

Thats brutal.

[Zero333]

With the Factory trophy hunter barrels, the more you do to tame the recoil the more accurate they get. Therefore the cartridges they shoot have a lot of influence on how accurate the rifles are.

Finding the right ammo makes a huge difference as well. And this doesn't mean the more expensive the ammo the better it will shoot.

[Steelhead]

My original 11 trophy hunter 260 barrel could do MOA or better with factory loads.

[Dan Carey]

How do you like the plastic magazines on the TH? I have a couple WW's, the mags are metal and they are good to go.

[big honkin jeep]

Haven't noticed any difference in the barrels. The primary differences I have noticed are the lack of an accustock and the plastic magwells, that and the package gun Nikons seem to be pretty low quality, but functional for a zero it and forget it hunting rig. Overall a nice budget friendly starter hunting rig or plinker and capable of some pretty impressive accuracy in the right hands with the right load.
I haven't had any problems (yet) with the plastic magwells.

[WV1951]

Out of all of the comments so far, I don't one of them addressed your question. I do not have first hand experience, but from following this forum, the sporter barrel on the TH should be the same as any other sporter barrel. The action and barrel will be the same as others with the package deal offering plastic and an entry level scope.

[RC20]

I don't know about quality, a lot have had good results from the Savage barrels. My results are more mixed.

My BTH111 came with a Savage pencil barrel and was not able to get to shoot.

I put a Shilen bull 30-06 on it and have gotten sub 5/8 groups consistently with the right load.

My 12FV 308 Varmint barrel (pretty heavy) is erratic, shoots some stuff very well and same load next time poor.

The XC barrel on the same gun is better (still running load runs on it).

My take is the Savage barrels are ok but not great. That's 308 and 30-06. with less recoil on smaller calibers they may do better.

[justinp61]

How do you like the plastic magazines on the TH? I have a couple WW's, the mags are metal and they are good to go.

The only plastic on the magazine is the bottom, the magazine it's self is the same as the rifles with metal magazine surround. When I put my mdl 16 in the wood stock I bought a new trigger guard and bottom metal from Savage, all I did to the magazine was cut off the plastic latch on the bottom.

[Robinhood]

Had a Stevens 200 in 270 shoot a 1/2" 3 shot group at 200 with 47 grains of 4064 behind a 130 GK.

[RC20]

Out of all of the comments so far, I don't one of them addressed your question. I do not have first hand experience, but from following this forum, the sporter barrel on the TH should be the same as any other sporter barrel. The action and barrel will be the same as others with the package deal offering plastic and an entry level scope.

Quality I assume means accuracy. Savage seems to be some and some and my 3 not so good.


After market goes up in odds but you can get a poor one.

If not done at the barrel maker, the pre-fit and chambering are an added dimension of two different entities involved.

I suspect the cut rifled ones probably have best odds of all with few failures.