Shooters are always looking for the next greatest rifle or calibre. It's easy to forget that what we already
own can be made better. This is my latest improvement: a simple bolt handle switch. No welding. No time
away at the gunsmith. No expensive alterations.
Let's look at what we already know. Any rifle is improved with two simple fixes.
1. A better trigger. Replace
it, if you have a rifle that did not come with an adjustable one from the factory.
2.
A decent scope. Most scopes over $250 will do the job on many calibres. You don't always need a Leupold or Zeiss.
Especially for rifles that do not recoil much.
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Time Marches On
Thankfully, even inexpensive rifles come with adjustable triggers these days.
While many older rifles could have their triggers adjusted, sometimes it was easier just to replace it. I was
pleased when Savage came out with the AccuTrigger in 2002 and forced the other rifle companies to improve their own triggers.
If you're not happy with the original manufacturer's offering though, there are aftermarket alternatives. Timney or Rifle
Basix work fine for hunting applications. Progress is good.
With decent glass and a crisp trigger, you are just about there when it comes to accuracy - even with plastic stocks
and pot metal parts used in mechanically unstressed areas.
The naysayers
have to face facts: inexpensive doesn't always mean junk. While they weren't the only innovators, Savage was at the forefront
when it came to barrel quality and ease of installation/removal. An example is their relatively new Axis rifle. It just flat
out shoots! And they have that funky "not attached to the action" recoil lug, just like Tikkas!
Savage was a big influence on the other US companies. the old guard was dragged kicking and screaming into the new
century. Since AccuTriggers arrived in 2002, Ruger, Remington, and others had to follow suit.
It wasn't that many years ago when most shooters poo pooed Savages. They shook their heads, said they were lesser
quality, and shot so-so groups. Isn't it funny how the world has changed!
That said, these aren't benchrest rifles. They aren't meant to be, but they easily deliver moa groups at 100 yards
with little or no effort. Like it or not, we continue to see improved accuracy and cheaper prices. How much farther
they can go is totally dependent on technological progress - or the introduction of phasers.
