GunTalk-Online.com

Last year I purchased a Savage .17HMR rifle, the model 93R17 BTVS. Here's a couple of pictures of this gun:

( Click image to see it full-size )





This rifle has delighted everyone in the family. It is extremely accurate, is easy to care for and is attractive.

I wanted to have a centerfire rifle that would share most of the sweet 17's qualities, but I discovered that Savage does not offer anything like that.

They have stainless steel centerfire hunting rifles, but not in the laminated thumbhole stock. - They all come in "tupperware" stocks instead.

They have a blued-steel hunting rifle that comes in a laminated thumbhole stock though...

After some research, I decided to call the Savage custom shop and ask for a stainless steel action hunting rifle in the laminated stock. I also specified that it be in .243 caliber and have a 24" barrel.

After a seven week wait, my custom rifle was delivered to the local gun shop for me to pick up. There was some additional cost over that of a standard offering, but on the other hand, I got exactly what I wanted; a companion for my .17HMR Savage in a centerfire caliber.







I think that Savage is missing the boat by not offering stainless actions in the classic and laminated wooden stocks, but that's their lookout, not mine.

Over-all, my experience with the Savage custom shop was a positive one, and if you are like me and have a particular need that you would like to see fulfilled, I can recommend their custom service.

If I had had the work done on a standard model, it would have taken a lot longer and cost more. - I am very happy that I took a chance on trying this route out instead of having it done bit by bit.

very, very nice...

That is one sweet looking gun. I really like that stock.

Most Excellent!

I love my off-the-shelf blue-and-synthetic Hummer.

The pull on that thumbhole stock looks awfully long. Is that just an "optical confusion" from the shape of the stock or is it longer than usual?

It's an illusion brought on by the camera angle. On the picture taken from the front end of the rifle, the stock looks stubby while it looks like you could pole-vault with that barrel.

Here's a direct side-on picture that will give a better idea of the rifle's proportions, and a shot of the hinged floorplate.

Click the image to see the full-sized view.





From the pistol grip back to the butt-pad, the 17HMR rifle and the .243's stocks are identical. The main difference between the two besides the inletting is that the rimfire gun's stock has a much wider fore-arm for it's bull barrel while the centerfire gun has a sporter type barrel, and a more narrow fore-arm.

Savage sells a model 11 BTH by the way, which is identical to my custom gun except it has a 22" barrel and the barreled action is blued instead of stainless steel - and it costs around 300 bucks less than what I paid. The stock on my gun is a stock from a model 11 BTH.

http://www.savagearms.com/

I've got to have stainless steel because I live close to the coast and everything wants to rust here. Also, I wanted something that matched my rimfire rifle.

I think they did a good job . That stock looks like it was made by Boyd if anyone else is interested. What kind of optics if any are you planning for this gun? I know the ballisic specs if you need em.

My bad I see u already got the scope . sweet

That scope is just something I had here in the shop, it is a Leupold Rifleman 3-9X50, but I hope to later have a Nikon Buckmaster 3-9X40 mounted much lower, on stainless Conetrol mounts and rings.

I like Nikon's BDC reticule, I've gotten used to using the one on my .17HMR and would like to have the same setup for my .243 Winchester.

They use a row of vertical ovals that work out OK for me.

Either of those scopes are real nice. Especially for that 17HMR . Your alot like me . Id rather overkill than walking to the target everytime to see where my bullett holes are. I have a friend who harvest hogs w/ that caliber all the time.