Savage lightweight Hunter wood stock

LLB

Lil-Rokslider
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Apr 26, 2020
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Middle TN
So I set 3 goals for myself this year. One was weight loss which I'm working on. Another was to change my pack which I'm also working on. The last was a lightweight rifle for most of my hunting. So locally a privately owned new Savage 11 lightweight Hunter in .260 Remington came up for sale and I picked it up last weekend. No pics for now, I'm on the road but I'm quite liking this rifle. Wood stocked and 5.5#s before scope, sling and ammo. Ammo and bases ordered, should come in today. I hope to mount a scope and maybe sight in this weekend. Never had a .260 but I am a fan of 7mm-08, looks to be similar. I'll hang on to my 30-06 for elk but I am really looking forward to using the little Savage come deer season. Don't know if anyone else has one like it, if you do let me know what you think of it and maybe any potential problems to look out for. Also I have 2 scopes to put on it, a Leupold Freedom CDS 3x9 or a Zeiss Conquest 3.5x10 with a turret. Which would y'all recommend?
 
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I have a 6.5 creedmoor lwh plastic stocked version. Great rifle I put a vx3i 2.5-10 windplex scope on it. Shoots great carries even better. Mine is stainless i use it for blacktail late hunt. Killed a buck at 367 yards with it 2 years ago. Hornady eldx at 2700 fps from a 20 in barrel. I just picked up a Krueger featherweight barrel to swap out the stock barrel just cuz im a semi custom junkie.
 
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WCB

WKR
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Jun 12, 2019
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wife has the Lady Hunter in 7mm-08 (wood stock and the older spiral fluted bolt)...very similar as the light weight. Only thing I don't like about it is the magazine...she hasn't had any problems with it I just don't like the locking design and the plastic "leaf spring" just seems like it will wear out. Other than that you have a great rifle.

Oh, get the Zeiss
 
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thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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Jul 2, 2016
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Alaska
I have a plastic stocked one with a kuiu paint job, it’s an accurate rifle, mostly one of my planets but every time I let somebody borrow it they always want to buy it from me. Mine just has a basic vx2 3-9 on it.
 
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I have one in 308 Win (stainless/synthetic). It is topped with a Razor LH 3-15. It is right at 7 pounds all-in. It'll do a 3-shot group reliably at .5" at 100 yards. It is an absolute pleasure to carry and to shoot. No issues shooting to 600 yards.

There are two items to be aware of.
1) The bolt is "sloppy" in comparison to other rifles. However, that has never negatively impacted my ability to shoot nor get shots off at game.
2) The barrel heats up quickly. First two shots touch each other. Shot 3 is close to the first two but that is when rounds start to "walk". Shot 4 is further out. Shot 5 is further out. You get the idea. I do not consider this an issue as if I needed to take 3 fast shots, replace magazine, and take another 3 shots I'm already screwed. To date I have never needed to take more than 2 shots on game with this rifle (probably just jinxed myself).

Not the best angle but...
IMG_4881.JPG
 
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LLB

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
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Location
Middle TN
Thanks for replies. I'm a little wary of the magazine catch also but time will tell. Also to tell the truth, I'm a little more partial to Zeiss scope. I'll mount it later today, just got home off of the road. Will try to sight in this weekend. And yeah, the barrel is a bit thin, looks like it would heat up quickly. But hopefully I won't need more than 2 shots :). Will figure out how to post pics after sight in.
 
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Thanks for replies. I'm a little wary of the magazine catch also but time will tell. Also to tell the truth, I'm a little more partial to Zeiss scope. I'll mount it later today, just got home off of the road. Will try to sight in this weekend. And yeah, the barrel is a bit thin, looks like it would heat up quickly. But hopefully I won't need more than 2 shots :). Will figure out how to post pics after sight in.
Been running mine for 3-3.5 years without any issues with the magazine. I have a lot of miles traipsing up and down the mountains and busting brush.
 
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LLB

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
116
Location
Middle TN
Pics as promised.
IMG_20200718_080356.jpgIMG_20200718_080520.jpgIMG_20200720_065303572.jpg

I shot some 3 shot groups with Nosler 130 grain Accubond and 140 grain Ballistic Tip. Yes the 3rd shot would mess my group up because of the thin barrel heating. Went to 2 shot groups, the 140 grain BT shot the best like the pic above .75" at 100 yards. But it was tighter to load and eject the rounds compared to the AB. I measured both and they are the same length, 2.752". Still, I didn't like how tight it was to chamber and eject. Looking at other suggestions. Since I will only use this rifle for deer and antelope should I look to the lighter bullet weights instead? If y'all have any suggestions please weigh in.
 
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