Choosing a practical rifle

I've been considering getting a practical / scout type rifle and after doing some quick research on the Tikka T3X CTR and the Savage 10 FCP I decided on the Savage FLCP since I'm a lefty.


I haven't purchased anything yet and it may be a good thing. After reading up on practical rifle drills and needing to work the bolt fast and hard I seem to remember reading a good number of years back that the Savage bolt guns didn't like being worked fast and hard and would hang.


Does anyone here know anything about this?

I have a couple of Savages that are used for hunting. I did have to do minor modification to the magazine lips for consistent feeding, however after the mod, I have no problems chambering follow up rounds. I have never had the bolt itself "hang up". Be aware that I am not a competitive shooter and it is very possible that I do not know what working a bolt fast and hard is.

It all depends on the user. I have a Ruger M77 that is control round fed, and I still managed to jam the follow up shot twice in the same day. First time led to a clean miss, second time I didn't need the follow up. In the heat of the moment I think I was short stroking the system. The point is that it is entirely easy to mess up easily with an almost fail proof system. Practice will alleviate this, and not missing the first shot also helps. Try each in the store and go with what feels best to you.

SHM

When cycling a savage bolt from a firing position the bolt will work flawlessly. If you stand besides the rifle and try cycling the bolt fast you may have some issues.

Feeding rounds slowly from the mag is where things get tricky. Fast with authority is how I cycle them and never have any issues.

I'm definitely going to handle both and more than one of each if available. Thank you for your input.

Just my $.02: Savage, Remington, and Tikka iirc, all use a plunger style ejector. If you're not averse to building a rifle, I would look at Mausingfield and build a rifle around that action.

What do you want to use the gun for?

You want fast and slick then get an SMLE MK4. It does not get any better than that.

I hope I'm not breaking any posting rules here but this video is on what I'm going for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtfmHKQmIoM

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Originally Posted by 1TallTx'n

I've been considering getting a practical / scout type rifle and after doing some quick research on the Tikka T3X CTR and the Savage 10 FCP...

Does anyone here know anything about this?

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I read one of Cooper's books, and I used to read his colums in G&A.

The "scout" rifle is supposed to be lightweight and fast. I don't know the CTR, but I have a Savage FCP, and it's NOT a "scout" rifle.

FWIW, part of Cooper's idea was a "scout" scope mount for a long-eye-relief scope over the barrel. AFAIK neither of the guns you're looking at have that.

Check out Ruger's "Gunsite Scout" if you really want a "scout" rifle.

I'm not going to put words in Cooper's mouth, but I think the low-power variable scope craze that's currently big in the AR market would translate well to the Scout Rifle concept. It would interfere with the clip-loading requirement of the Scout, but that would be offset by a much more conventional optics setup.

The Savage 10 FCP is a Tactical rifle ... I wouldnt use it for hunting (I own one)

If you are looking at Mr Cooper's concept then try this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CS9T8d8bXU&t=879s

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Originally Posted by RC20

What do you want to use the gun for?

You want fast and slick then get an SMLE MK4. It does not get any better than that.

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You're funny.... Plenty of actions these days are far beyond the SMLE....

Thank you!

However, while I have not shot one I have handled a number of them.

Nothing I have ever handled is as slick and as fast as an SMLE!

Frankly the Scout think is a Semi Auto in bolt action for whatever reasons.

So if you really want a fast slick working action and forsake accuracy then if you aren't going to get a semi auto, then the SMLE is the only way to go.

The action is a time proven design that is still being used though no one did it better than the SMLE for speed.

A well trained shooter could match up speed wise with an M1 shot by a less well trained person.

As long as I don't baby it, my Savage 10 "scout" (although it's not in that configuration any longer) feeds as fast as I can work it. I had to tweak the mags a touch, but that's pretty easy to do.

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Originally Posted by Bimmer

FWIW, part of Cooper's idea was a "scout" scope mount for a long-eye-relief scope over the barrel. AFAIK neither of the guns you're looking at have that.

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I'm not after a scout as strictly defined by Col Cooper. I'm given to understand that his reasoning for a forward mounted scope was because of top loaded rifles. The CTR and the FCP have detachable magazines. Having never handled one I can't say for sure but it seems to me that the forward mounted scope would make the front end heavy.

It does, but it also deadens barrel rise and makes a gun a treat to shoot. ;)