Any one run their Savage through hell and back?

My first "precision" rifle was a Savage Model 10 PC. Since then, I've been a Savage fan and now have 3. (A semi-custom in .308, LRP .260, and FV .223) While my buddies agree that although they are quite accurate, they question their reliability.

Mine have been flawless, but I don't run them in hard tactical matches with lots of dirt, rain, mud, etc... Basically, I shoot them from improvised positions and different types of barricades. So, they've never been "dirty". Can anyone speak to their reliability in those conditions? Any tricks to keep'em running if they do get mucked up?

So what are your buddies shooting that they claim are so much more reliable?

Custom 700 clones: Defiance, Stiller, Surgeon, etc... Some have tune 700s, Winchesters and a couple Tikkas.

funny i just read this thread
++http://forum.snipershide.com/snipers...tical-gun.html

Yeah, I read it too. I was going to pose my question there, but I think it better asked here.

Mine has gotten pretty gritty, last tactical match I went to the wind was blowing 30+ then it rained. There was nothing that wasn't full of grit. I have no complaints for the amount of money I have into my rig. Especially when other guys were shooting $10k+ surgeons, tactical works, bat,..... topped with S&B scopes or USO....

I shot all day with no problems. Granted the 308 does have a cdi bottom metal and AI mag, fluted bolt body, Choate stock.... But still the factory accutrigger. I'm not going to put the money into a full blown custom.

When you get into full blown custom rifles where the clearances are tight to make everything run super smooth you also run the risk of hangups when they get dirty. Where the clearances are not so tight the grit and stuff has room to work itself out and parts have room to work even when nasty (not the best conditions to run a weapon in). Take the AK-47 and compare it to the early M-16's and you will see what i mean. Even now the AK will preform when the AR/M-16 gives up but it does this at the cost of accuracy.
All said when the chips are down and the weapon has to work no matter how dirty it is at least in non-freezing conditions i would want a little slop in my action.

Yoshi

I have shot a dozen or more tacticool matches and F class matches in our AO with the same model 10. It runs like a timex, its dirty and scratched and chipped but it can still hammer .68 cal paint balls at 200 yards.

Hank