One I have a soft spot for, for numerous reasons and am currently without one but plan to rectify that sometime in the next yr, is the 788. Everyone I've been around just flat worked. Eye catchers they are not, but when I get the next one I'm gonna hold onto it and maybe work on changing that.
Speaking of ugly guns......
- Thread starter ShadeTree
- Start date
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,417
- 6,285
I feel that way about Savage rifles. They are not candidates for a prom queen, but they sure do shoot. When I was a younger man, the songsters insisted:
If you wanna' be happy for the rest of your life,
Never make a pretty woman your wife.
So, for my personal point of view,
Get an ugly girl to marry you.
Well, I didn't take that advice when I got married--got a pretty girl to marry me. It disproved the sentiment that Jimmy Soul espoused. I discovered that the same was true of rifles. Pretty rifles are still a source of great joy to this man's heart. Beautiful wood and steel are still things of beauty and joy.
If you wanna' be happy for the rest of your life,
Never make a pretty woman your wife.
So, for my personal point of view,
Get an ugly girl to marry you.
Well, I didn't take that advice when I got married--got a pretty girl to marry me. It disproved the sentiment that Jimmy Soul espoused. I discovered that the same was true of rifles. Pretty rifles are still a source of great joy to this man's heart. Beautiful wood and steel are still things of beauty and joy.
Very well stated DrMike. My son's Savage 30-06 was a shooter right out of the box...but I just can't get myself over the bolt design/appearance. Guess that is "my bad" because the Savage is a very good rifle. We must have married twins - celebrated 48th anniversary this year.
Duane
Duane
lefty315
Handloader
- Sep 29, 2004
- 948
- 485
I have a 788 that i horse traded from my Grandad. It's kind of pretty....if you squint, but it will put 5Nosler BT's into one ragged little hole on a good day, so beer goggles be damned, it's a keeper!!!
- Thread starter
- #5
DrMike":ba5k3mu5 said:
Wholeheartedly agree Dr Mike. Other than the 99's Savages have always kind of been a plain jane rifle, but have always shot well and today are probably a better rifle than ever. The 10/110, 11/111, are in wood stock don't make a man drool by any means but on the other hand are not horrible looking. The 14/114 American Classic at least attempts to dress them up. :grin: They are shooters.
- Thread starter
- #6
lefty315":3fbpwnma said:
Calling them ugly was probably a little harsh on my part, they're more rough and slightly on the homely side. :mrgreen: They are probably my most admired factory rifle from a shooting standpoint. Whether they lucked into it, or every aspect of 1 thing changing the next was carefully thought out, the design has its advantages and edges of genius on numerous fronts.
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,344
- 3,186
Thank God. I thought I was going to see a bunch of Glock pictures! LOL
elkeater2
Handloader
- Jan 5, 2009
- 761
- 85
- Thread starter
- #9
elkeater2
Handloader
- Jan 5, 2009
- 761
- 85
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,344
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Yup savages are considered the ugly ones but they do shoot.
Group from my buddy's 7mm rem mag from an entry level stevens 200. Worked up this load in one range outing
Group from my buddy's 7mm rem mag from an entry level stevens 200. Worked up this load in one range outing
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,400
- 1,066
Ya, Like an idiot I traded off a stevens in 7mm-08 that would do almost that with ME shooting. UGLY but "interesting". Never heard of a 788 that didn't shoot. CL
I have 2, a 6mm Rem and a 223.
They're silly accurate with my loads.
The 6 was my first centerfire rifle and it shot so well I bought another one.
That rifle has made me look pretty good a few times when maybe I didn't look so great.
I'd buy another in a minute.
They're silly accurate with my loads.
The 6 was my first centerfire rifle and it shot so well I bought another one.
That rifle has made me look pretty good a few times when maybe I didn't look so great.
I'd buy another in a minute.
My baby brother has a 788 in 22-250 that ain't pretty but it dang sure shoots.
He doesn't hand load much anymore, relies on the inexpensive white box Winchester varmint ammo to feed it. I thinks they are 45 or 55 grain hollow points, not sure.
It's been the demise of many a coyote, coons and a few turkeys.
He doesn't hand load much anymore, relies on the inexpensive white box Winchester varmint ammo to feed it. I thinks they are 45 or 55 grain hollow points, not sure.
It's been the demise of many a coyote, coons and a few turkeys.
I had one in .308. Literally wore the thing out back in the days of cheap NATO surplus ammo. Along the way I refinished the plain birch stock with a red stained linseed oil. Did a bit of a tiger pattern with straight stain, then blended across the stripes with tinted linseed. Made a genuinely attractive finish.
The only complaints I ever had about the rifle was the magazine that tended to snag everything on my coat and in the woods and the lack of durability in the safety/trigger/bolt stop area. Ended up selling mine to a high power shooter for a build.
The only complaints I ever had about the rifle was the magazine that tended to snag everything on my coat and in the woods and the lack of durability in the safety/trigger/bolt stop area. Ended up selling mine to a high power shooter for a build.
taylorce1
Handloader
- Jun 3, 2007
- 1,080
- 0
I have a 788 in .30-30, seriously thinking of killing some deer in Oklahoma with it.
I always said "Life's too short to own an ugly gun!" LOL
But there is no denying that the old saying "the only interesting gun, is an accurate gun".
So to paraphrase our good friend Gump, "ugly is, as ugly does!" LOL
Very nice work on that 788, elkeater2 !!! Beautifully done!
Always had a soft spot for the 788, as it was available for us lefty's. Plain jane, but never thought them ugly.
Just cannot say the same thing about a plastic-stocked savage. I have seen some nice wood on some of their other rifles, including their ladies rifles. My wife drooled over one chambered in 7mm-08, and would have been tempted if she didn't already have her Steyr.
But there is no denying that the old saying "the only interesting gun, is an accurate gun".
So to paraphrase our good friend Gump, "ugly is, as ugly does!" LOL
Very nice work on that 788, elkeater2 !!! Beautifully done!
Always had a soft spot for the 788, as it was available for us lefty's. Plain jane, but never thought them ugly.
Just cannot say the same thing about a plastic-stocked savage. I have seen some nice wood on some of their other rifles, including their ladies rifles. My wife drooled over one chambered in 7mm-08, and would have been tempted if she didn't already have her Steyr.
