Tikka all day everyday and twice on Sunday. The trigger is phenomal and the action is super smooth.

...and Bud's also has some small discounts from the $678 for repeat custoners or on older inventory....like I got on my 260 T3 Just Sayin' BTDT THIS YEAR

Stock Schmock ...how do the Savage's shoot NIB with no tuning right outta the box...how are the barrels as seen thru a bore scope...I keep hearing on other channels the Peeps whining about having to clean the Savage barrels incessantly from the copper deposit buildups way more frequently than whatever they'd been shooting before ...or about like the bolt cycle feel of a NIB CZ, and tells me that the barrels are not finished properly...about like early days Tang Safety Ruger 77's were, when I was buying 3-5 of them a year looking for a winner. YES they would smooth out, but it took 100-200+ rounds to get there & a usual regimen of predictable tuning. In those days I'd rather fight rthe devil you know than diddle with the unknowns...and why I go back to T3's today, despite the stock issues that I am less than impressed with. I can fix a stock mo easily to my satisfaction, than I can a gravel road kinda barrel.
Ron

Here's the tale. I've got about 5000 rounds of range time behind Savage actions. The Accutrigger is a good trigger and it is a safe trigger. You will need to periodically clean it or the rifle won't fire and that is after the trigger goes from where you had it set to ounces of trigger pull. I've never worn one out, though If you get an Accustocked Savage you will have a solid stock. Savage has an ejector that is too small and therefore an ejector spring that is too small. They wear out fast and are tricky to replace. I've done that several times as well. Right now my 22-250 Savage needs an ejector spring and I cannot find any in stock. So it appears everyone else in America is having the same problem.

Tikka is a smoother action, has a 60 degree bolt throw, a side bolt release, a hinged extractor and a robust ejector. The T-3 stocks are flimzy, they will work, but you can justify replacing the stock.

Both rifles will shoot 1 MOA or better, especially with a hand load tuned to the rifle.

I have all but abandoned Savage actions and have switched over to Tikkas.

Slight correction. It's actually a 70 degree bolt lift.

I say try to find a tc icon.

You simply won't find a better factory action.
3 integral recoil lugs
integral picatinny rail
3 lug 60 degree bolt
side bolt release
decent but not outstanding trigger
Simple bolt handle changes and firing pin maintenance.
Bedding block
5r barrel guaranteed to shoot

What more could a guy ask for?
I only wish they still produced these rifles.

Another option would be a weatherby vanguard. I have been really happy with mine. I bought a Savage 114 stainless classic last year in 243. I have been really happy with it. It is a wood stock and came in less than your budget, a synthetic should be less.

I have one in 30.06 and I love the rifle. To your point, I wish they still made them.

I own a tikka and a savage. I would go with the tikka. when shot side by side there is no comparison. I have seen issues with ejectors. they seem harder to be harder to clean. Get the Tikka you wont regret it.

RC you are aware I'm sure that Howa got sued by SAKO years ago and complied with the court's decision that they had copied the SAKO 579 receiver too closely and had to alter it...and did, enough to satisfy the Court.

So the Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard is and has been a close clone of the older SAKO and long discontinued design, albeit with later edition upgrades.

My only experiences with a Savage personally was a highly tuned 116 SS/syn 300WMg with a timney trigger in it too, that shot great but had a 20" barrel behind the 4" corncob muzzle brake...and got traded off on a CZ 550 270 that also went down the road unfired. Imelda what'sher name in the Phippines and her shoe collection ain't got nuthin on me about swappin stuff I get bored with or don't fit the Paradign of the Moment.

I will also say that my long departed Tikka 695, and 2 of the 3 T3's I own, my blued T3 Swede HG and my T3 270 SS/syn all share something I've never seen in any other brand...they all will chamber & extract a loose or magazine fed round with the bolt by simply rocking the loose bolt back and forth untouched...both on factory ammo & my handloads. THAT's some kinda slick factory finish out IMO. Neither of the 2 Savages - one old tired 110 series 30'06 and a recent 111? SS/syn 7-08 friends have will do that, and my old 116 dang sure would not do it...it sounded like a trash truck runnin the bolt home....click clack click clack...but put 'em all in 1 hole in a 300WMg & 180gr Max Loaded Sierra's if I was up to it that day.

Haven't unpacked the T3 260 HG since I bought it, but I expect it will do the same thing now that I've got the scope for it I wanted and can see some free time in the future before it gets too hot to shoot it.
Ron

RC you are aware I'm sure that Howa got sued by SAKO years ago and complied with the court's decision that they had copied the SAKO 579 receiver too closely and had to alter it...and did, enough to satisfy the Court.

So the Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard is and has been a close clone of the older SAKO and long discontinued design, albeit with later edition upgrades.

My only experiences with a Savage personally was a highly tuned 116 SS/syn 300WMg with a timney trigger in it too, that shot great but had a 20" barrel behind the 4" corncob muzzle brake...and got traded off on a CZ 550 270 that also went down the road unfired. Imelda what'sher name in the Phippines and her shoe collection ain't got nuthin on me about swappin stuff I get bored with or don't fit the Paradign of the Moment.

I will also say that my long departed Tikka 695 270, and 2 of the 3 T3's I own, my blued T3 Swede HG and my T3 270 SS/syn all share something I've never seen in any other brand...they all will chamber a loose or magazine fed round with the bolt by simply rocking the loose bolt back and forth untouched...both on factory ammo & my handloads. THAT's some kinda slick factory finish out IMO. Neither of the 2 Savages friends have will do that, and my old 116 dang sure would not do it...it sounded like a trash truck runnin acroos a train track when the bolt went home.

Haven't unpacked the 260 T3 HG since I bought it, but I expect it will do the same thing now that I've got the scope for it I wanted and can see some free time in the future before it gets too hot to shoot it.
Ron

You could probably solve a lot of this by answering what's most important to you? Accuracy, price, factory stock, etc.?

If you're going to dump the factory stock either way, price isn't that important and you love a smooth action, then the Tikka is probably your best bet.

If price is important, you don't want to be immediately forced to spend more money on a stock and you don't care too much about how smooth the action is, then the Savage is probably a better option.

JMHO from a couple months of research before making this decision myself.

They shoot MOA or better right out of the box. I didn't follow any "barrel break in" when I bought my last Savage, didn't have the time. I had to get that gun sighted in and be ready for a week long shooting class. Put around 500 rounds down the pipe during that class. Right out of the box and topped with a good scope then gun consistently shot sub MOA with facotry Federal Match ammo. It was a model 10 in 308 sporting the Accustock and Accutrigger. I was the only person in the 20+ shooters rocking a stock rifle, most of the others had HS Precision or G.A. Precison or AI rifles. Savages are shooters, they may not have a big name like Sako behind them, but they know what they are doing.

Tikka and I don't really think there's much to debate.

If I was you I would spend a little more cash and get a Tikka CTR. It comes with an integrated rail and a beefed up stock.

I have never shot a tikka, but I looked at several of them. They felt very cheap to me... and yeah that is coming from someone who bought a savage over a tikka. I have no regrets.

[/quote] With the Savage you can get the Accustock and be set. IMO a Savage with Accustock and Accutrigger is the best out of the box package on the market. [/quote]

The Tikka is a good rifle and both will shoot well. But for the money, this setup is hard to beat.

My thoughts exactly. I was not impressed with the Tikkas that I handled

How's yours shoot? It's broken right?

the base screws are damaged because of the cerakote guy. Still sure without a scope it could shoot better than a savage

Same experience I had. I was all excited to check out a Tikka because all the great reports. I picked it up and though "that's it?". The action is great but that's all your buying really.

Both guns will work but what has kept me from buying a Tikka is all their guns are long actions. In my mind, this defeats the purpose of buying a short action Tikka, they just put plastic bolt stops. If I did buy a Tikka it would be a long action caliber.

The action, barrel and trigger are all better than the Savage. So if your buying a rifle for the stock go with the Savage if your buying it for a smooth as glass action with an extremely accurate barrel and a great trigger go with the Tikka.

I upgrade stocks on all of my rifles so I dont really care how bad the factory stock is.

Dollar for Dollar I dont think a Savage gun can be beat! My kids $200 AXIS in .308 is a shooter for sure!

I don't think the action, barrel, and trigger are better on the Tikka. How many National Shooting Champions have won competitions with factory Tikkas? Savage has entire team that competes globally with stock Savage rifles.

you should see some of the junky guns iv killed deer with.. one was an sks that's main color was rust.. another was a junky pump rifle/...had my savage since I was 9 and still shoots good... hardly clean it... base model gold ring scope on top.. may be worth $300 max... but she will never be sold... its just a tool... not a mantle piece

Not with you slapping the trigger. My shotty will throw up better grouping

I said it not me