Savage American Classic Love Or Hate

[fyimo]

I've only been a member up here for a short time and I joined after buying my first Savage an American Classic Model 14 in 308 and yesterday my second arrived at my FFL and it's a 114 in 270. I don't see much discussion of them up here and was wondering if it's because they have a wood stock which is sort of out of vogue these days. I almost 68 and all my rifles have wood stocks so that's what attracted me to this model. I buy the stainless version that comes with a stock with an oil finish which is really easy to take care of and easy to make repairs to if it gets scratched or dinged.

So I was wondering if the lack of discussion was because it doesn't come with the accustock or is the wood stock just considered old school.

[teebirdhyzer]

Congrats on acquiring two very nice new rifles. I can't speak for everyone, but I would imagine the lack of discussion on the classics is mostly due to the majority of folks on here purchasing the budget type models to build on. Most are not going to buy one of the top of the line classic type models and tear into them with mods. But besides, the nice walnut stock, and stainless, they are no different than the other savage 110/10 based models. I went the other route. I bought a standard 110 in .270 and built it up in the style of the classics....just with a little heavier/longer barrel. I love a good walnut stock, and really like the new trend of stainless against the wood. Here's a pic of mine. I think you are going to love that .270!

[jonbearman]

The american classic with the really nice straight grained walnut is beautiful.The only reason I dont have one is because I build mine form parts.If I was going to buy a new savage today,it would be the classic for sure.It is not old school.75% OF MY FIREARMS ARE ALL WALNUT.I love walnut.

[dnsmith]

i like 'em. in fact, i'd like to own one in .250 savage. nevermind that i've already got the model 16 in .250 savage, what's another one going to hurt?

[helotaxi]

Most of the discussion from what I've seen, centers around either someone looking for a first rifle or customizing an existing rifle. The 14/114 series are not standard fare for either of these groups. Shame to throw away a nice walnut stock if going the custom route and a few more niceties (and more $$$ as a result) than make sense for someone looking for their first rifle.

I'd buy one in a minute if they made what I was looking for. Interesting that they only list the AC in 270WSM in left-hand and have two models of 7mm-08 in right hand but no lefty. FWIW, I want a 7mm WSM left-hand, but that isn't even a round they chamber for. Also interesting that they don't list any stainless or Classic models in left-hand at all.

[r29l20]

I'm a big fan of nice wood. To me nothing looks better.

[barrel-nut]

I'm a big fan of nice wood. To me nothing looks better.

+1

They really are a beautiful rifle. It's nice to be able to refer to an off the shelf Savage as beautiful for its looks rather than beautiful in a functional way, although I love them all!

[helotaxi]

I'm a big fan of nice wood. To me nothing looks better.

+2, so to speak.

[GaryLC]

I'm kind of fond of walnut and blue firearms myself. I bought a new 111 in 7mm rem mag with the plastic stock a couple months ago and thought the plastic factory stock was kind of flimsy. I was looking around for a walnut stock for the dbm and was about to order a prairie hunter model from Boyd's and send it to someone to have it cut for a dbm. I was on Numrich's website looking for some other parts and noticed they had factory stocks for the 114 Classic with either dbm or hinged floor plate. $136.32 was all it took to get it shipped to my door, and it looks great on my 111.

[fyimo]

I went to Numrich's web sight and they indeed have the stocks for a decent price and was surprised. I picked up the Savage American Classic Model 114 in 270 win yesterday and it has a great looking stock on it so I'm very happy with it. I'm waiting for scope mounts to mount my Nikon 3x9x40mm scope on it and I will take some pictures of it.

[teebirdhyzer]

I also bought my stock from numrich. It is the euro model stock with the oil finish and monte carlo cheek rest. Had to remove some material from the inside of the stock where the bold release lever is, as it was designed for the new classic model with bottom release.

[godale]

i have a classic in 30-06 new from about 2005. this was before they were a really big thing. the first thing was my scope mount because if this finnacy shooter i ended up getting a ecw mount. second was the load just couldnt get a load it liked . finally i discovered honadays 165 interbonds. with a good scope bushnell elite 3200 4x12x40 i finally have it set up to be very good shooter. i am not a builder or a reloader lack of space and time prevent this. i agree with the original poster there is nothing nicer on a rifle other than wood. it was about 140.00 cheaper than a cdl remmy that i was looking for at the time. i hear the quality of wood is better on the new ones.

[GaryLC]

When I ordered mine, they had both side bolt release and bottom release models with either a high gloss finish or Satin oil finish in stock for the same price. Pretty good deal for any one looking to upgrade their rifle and not have to convert to a blind magazine configuration.

[savageboy]

Love mine in .250 Savage!

[fyimo]

i have a classic in 30-06 new from about 2005. this was before they were a really big thing. the first thing was my scope mount because if this finnacy shooter i ended up getting a ecw mount. second was the load just couldnt get a load it liked . finally i discovered honadays 165 interbonds. with a good scope bushnell elite 3200 4x12x40 i finally have it set up to be very good shooter. i am not a builder or a reloader lack of space and time prevent this. i agree with the original poster there is nothing nicer on a rifle other than wood. it was about 140.00 cheaper than a cdl remmy that i was looking for at the time. i hear the quality of wood is better on the new ones.

The last new rifle I bought before the Savage was a Remington 700 CDL in 35 Whelen and after I got it I figured out that mine was one of the ones with a bad trigger. It went off 3 times with the safety on and my hand no where near the trigger. I wouldn't sell it in that condition so I intalled a Timmey trigger in it and all has been well since then. I wouldn't buy another Remington 700 because the company isn't owning up to the fact that a small percentage of there 700 series rifles have bad triggers and they aren't repairing them.

The new Savage Model 14 American Classic line of rifles are awesome rifles and if my latest a 270 shoots as good as the 308 I bought s few months ago that is a real winner.

[godale]

guess i will share this. my last new remmy was in 2003. it is model 7 in 243. highly accurate better than me. in 2005 i wanted a bigger caliber either with a dbm or hinged floor plate. have a good adl too so with the last 2 being hitters i went remmy again. boy was i shocked stiff bolts and horriable triggers nasy.y finishes all for about 700.00. now maybe all the remmys at gander were just bad but for 700.00 i shouldnt have to trigger work and bolt work even back in 2005. asked the gander people about the classic they new nothing. went to a small shop they got me one for 585.00 it was as advertised best looking savage ever!! better trigger and bolt opreation. biggest down fall was the wood but for the savings i will live with it seems like if u dont reload to get best results with a savage it is either federal or hornaday. never tried the federal in the 06 but the 110 270 loves it.after buying the classic i bought 2 more savages. i aso joined this forum. remember dads buddy having a old savage very ugly but it was a great shooter even dad a diehard remmy guy admitted that. they have come along way. as for me no more remmys unless it is a older one.

[godale]

The last new rifle I bought before the Savage was a Remington 700 CDL in 35 Whelen and after I got it I figured out that mine was one of the ones with a bad trigger. It went off 3 times with the safety on and my hand no where near the trigger. I wouldn't sell it in that condition so I intalled a Timmey trigger in it and all has been well since then. I wouldn't buy another Remington 700 because the company isn't owning up to the fact that a small percentage of there 700 series rifles have bad triggers and they aren't repairing them.

The new Savage Model 14 American Classic line of rifles are awesome rifles and if my latest a 270 shoots as good as the 308 I bought s few months ago that is a real winner.

i have to agree with the 700 complaints far too many episodes of this to be false. guess remmy needs to man up >

[bassandgrass]

I really like the looks of the 14 american classic. I upgraded my model 11 with the stock off of a model 14 I was able to pick up cheap. It sure looks a lot better in my eyes than the plain old black tupperware.

[big honkin jeep]

Well it's obviously not an American classic but I like the looks of classic rifles so I made one from a left handed model 11 I picked up cheap. The fore end is done with ebony stain and automotive pinstripe. The white spacers at the grip cap and butt are made from a sheetrock mud bucket I cut up,

[ellobo]

Being an old geezer I love wood on a rifle. But, I do have a plastic stock on one of my Savages. That is my New England bad weather rifle. I have been down in snow many times in various undignified positions getting rifles wet and dinged (Me too). Now I dont worry about it. Hmmm, seems the older I get the more frequntly it happens. I wonder why.
El Lobo