The Gun Counter

I'm about to buy my first rifle, and I'm curious what difference between the Savage Model 12 and Model 16 is?

I intend to use the rifle for hunting at the moment, although after I finish college I would like to try my hand at some long range shooting. I'm looking at savage because I've read that its the best value for out-of-the-box performance, and that it has a suitably large user base to get aftermarket parts (decent triggers, etc) so that I can upgrade it as my shooting skill improves.

The model question comes in here: I have a recommendation to buy a Model 12 as a build rifle from this blog http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2009/12 ... going.html

However, a friend of mine is thinking about selling his lightly used Model 16 "Weather Warrior" with a Bushnell 4-12x scope, and I was debating buying that gun instead. I'm waiting to hear back from him on the exact model of both the rifle (some 16's have the Accustock and some don't, and I suspect that his does not) and the scope.

From my searches online, it looks to me like Savage only really makes 1 design of bolt action, and the 16 is the stainless version, as opposed to the heavy barreled 12. Is this correct? And how important is the Accustock (I know its pillar bedded, but I have no idea how good their standard stock is for comparison) and the heavy barrel for a beginner?

Thanks for the advice!

Note: I'm getting either in .308, in case that matters, because 1) its cheap to shoot 2) its easy to find in a pinch 3) it should be nice and comfortable to shoot.

For a starter rifle I would say either would be more than adequate, I'd pick the one that was the best deal overall.

Welcome to our little corner of the internet!

Keep in mind that most guns will shoot better than most shooters. This means that it is more important to have trigger time than it is to have the latest geegaws. Dry Fire is your friend. Also, learn to use a sling to assist in a more stable shooting platform.

If you find that your groups aren't as small as you would like them to be, feel free to experiment with different loads, etc.; be aware, however, that the most common cause for poor shooting can be found in the mirror.

As to your specific question, that accustock is less important than the accutrigger. All else being equal, the accustock will be beneficial. The heavy Barrel will be more comfortable to shoot due to less recoil speed. It will also suck more to carry for any great distance. The lighter barrel may shoot just as well as the heavy, and it will be lighter on the shoulder. It will also kick a bit harder. This is not a bad thing, as long as you consciously accept the recoil is going to happen and you don't let it make you flinch.