Folks,

I would appreciate some "thumbs on the scale" to help me decide between two left handed bolt action rifles, either a Savage 110 Storm in 6.5mm Creedmoor, or a Savage 110 Tactical, also in 6.5mm Creedmoor. I currently own a Model 14 in .308 with a bedded Boyd's stock, and an ML-10 II muzzleloader, also in a bedded Boyd's stock.

Here are the details of my usage:

1) factory, premium ammunition;
2) regular range shooting off the bench, non-league environment. 100, 200 and 300 yards;
3) occasional, longer range shooting in an outdoors, non-range, farmland environment, to 350 -400 yards;
3) whitetail deer hunting from enclosed box stands and occasionally a ladder stand or posted up on the ground. No more than a .75 mile walk (each way) with the gun, and usually less than that;
4) occasional coyote hunting during pre-dawn and daylight hours;
5) Hunting shots range from 90 yards to 300 yards;
6) Scope budget is about $900, for something mint and used off of ebay. I currently run a Zeiss Conquest HD5 3-15x on my Model 14 in .308, and like it.

I am leaning toward the Tactical instead of the Storm for the following reasons:
1) I suspect it may prove to be more accurate;
2) my current Model 14 heats right up at the range unless my course of fire is very slow, and I am hoping that the heavier contoured barrel in the Tactical will allow me to maintain a cooler barrel than the sporter contour in a hunting rifle;
3) The Tactical is about a pound heavier than the Storm, but I am hardly a mountain hunter, so the weight penalty doesn't seem like too big a tradeoff.

So, I would greatly appreciate any input from folks who hunt with the 110 Tactical or target shoot with the Storm, and would be willing to share their preferences. In closing, what's a thread without a pic, right? Here are my two lightly modified Savages, with a brandy new Glock 43X nestled in between!

Thanks to all in advance.