A month late to the party, but you never said which way you went, if any??

The problem has ALWAYS been with a factory savage, what will you get? Are you getting one of the short chambered, or corrugated barrels, or a shooter?
As far as "which is better", there is really not a simple answer, other than with aftermarket(build) you KNOW what you are getting into up front, and can make it your own.
Buying is for the masses to get an idea. Building is exactly how you want it.