Yes, the factory cheekpiece is an annoyance at best. The first thing I recommend people do is pitch it and get an adjustable saddle cheekpiece from Karsten, which you can install yourself at home in about 15 minutes with a cordless hand drill.
Here are a couple pictures for ya...
[img width=600 height=450]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a210/milanuk/gun_stuff/firearms/IMG_0076-a.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a210/milanuk/gun_stuff/firearms/IMG_0077-a.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a210/milanuk/gun_stuff/firearms/IMG_0080-a.jpg[/img]
That's what a couple of us on the USA F/TR team used @ Bisley in the FCWC last summer, and when Team Savage continued up to Ireland to shoot @ the Midlands Centre afterwards. Factory stock (with that modification), factory barrel, either NF or Farrell base, NF or Burris rings, NF NXS 12-42x scope, and bipods ranging from a Harris BRMS 6-9" (swivel, notched legs) with Pod-Loc & Pod-Paws to a GG&G to an early Cen-Shot (Weil) model, etc. None of the guns had any problem making weight. Mine with the Karsten cheekpiece, 12-42x NXS, Farrell base, Burris rings, 1" thick Limbsaver recoil pad (to extend the LOP) and the aforementioned Harris bipod (with all the extras) still came up shy of 18lbs - 17.8 or 17.9, IIRC. Same gun weighed in at something like 17.68lbs the other day at the current US FCNC in Sacramento.
That Karsten cheekpiece is probably the single best upgrade to that rifle, and as I've told people before... the best $50-60 USD I've spent on gun stuff I've got one of the LVT stocks (actually a Stockade Prairie Dog Special, the basis for the LVT) and honestly for roughly the same amount of money ($50 for the adjustable comb on the LVT stock, vs. ~$60 for the Karsten cheek piece)... I'd go with the Karsten, mainly for personal preference - I just can't make myself warm up to the 'look' of the cut for the comb cheekpiece. Others probably feel the same way about saddle cheekpieces. But then you have the whole cost of the LVT stock, etc.... I'd just get the Karsten cheekpiece and get busy shooting.
If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, or send me an email. Noel Kelly (president of the Irish NRA) should be able to put you in touch with a number of folks there in Ireland that are shooting Savage rifles competitively in F/TR as well.
HTH,
Monte
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