Well, I've finally shot my Savage 11 in .300wsm. I've had it for 2 weeks and had no scope for it, so I had no way to aim it. Since I finally shot it, I figure I would go ahead and review it. This gun is loud, it's powerful, it kicks like a mule, and it's fun as hell so here's the review:
Savage model 11
Caliber: .300 winchester short magnum
Action: Bolt-action
Magazine Capacity: 2+1
Sights: Barska 6-24x42
Overall I have to say that I'm happy with this gun. I am going to say that you should take one part of this review with a grain of salt however. That is, don't form an opinion of this gun based around my experience with the accuracy of this gun. The Barska scope I have was easy to zero in but my accuracy wasn't the greatest thanks to the most prevalent aspect of the gun, recoil.
The recoil in this gun is massive. I had one box, 20 rounds, and my shoulder is killing me. It's been a while since I've shot a large caliber rifle on a regular basis, so part of that is just me not being used to it. On the other hand, this is the hardest kicking gun I've ever had. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. That's why I bought the gun, but the recoil can't be ignored.
I do feel that I have to say one more thing about the recoil. It is strong, yes, but there are a lot of videos out there of people shooting the .300wsm and the .300 win mag and busting their face up with the scope as the gun recoils. If you are thinking about getting a gun this strong the first step is to learn how to shoot. Accidents like that happen when people don't know how to properly hold a rifle. If you're an experienced shooter you'll feel the recoil but it won't be anything you can't handle.
Truth be told, if there was one aspect about shooting today that worried me was the scope. Like I said, it was easy to zero but it did present a problem when I tried to get the sight picture. I'll refrain on commenting on this because I think I need to adjust the mounts.
After I sighted the gun I had about 2 in. groupings at 100yds. Remember that the capacity of the gun is 2+1 so these were 3 shot groupings. I was able to sight in the gun in about 4 shots, so that left me 16 rounds to play around with. About 10 of those rounds were well placed, and then after the massive recoil took effect on my arm, about 6 shots were all over the place. The end result was the realization that I need new target stands now.
The bolt action on the Savage was incredible smooth. All of the cartridges loaded without the slights problem. I'm not sure how much credit that's worth being that I only shot 20 rounds, but I'm satisfied.
Lastly, I have to make a brief mention about the feel of this gun. This gun feels absolutely natural. It feels just like an extension of your arm. The thumb hole stock makes for excellent stability. I could fall asleep with this gun in my arms and never notice it.
Overall, I have to say I'm satisfied but would only recommend this gun in this caliber to experienced shooters.
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