The Modern Savage Ri e

For more than a century, Savage Arms has kept its customers shooting with a variety of traditional sporting arms. Now it has an updated logo and a new series of MSRs—in this case, Modern Savage Rifles—based on the AR-pattern semi-automatic design.

BY B. GIL HORMAN, Field Editor

THE MODERN SAVAGE RIFLE

Although many folks think of Savage primarily as a maker of purpose-built bolt-actions, the company has actually been in and out of the AR business for several years. It has been quietly producing barrels for other manufacturers, which in turn has given the rm time to polish its processes and work out some ideas of its own. After meeting with thousands of customers, online and in person, the company’s seasoned team of engineers spent a good deal of time and resources working out which ri es should be released rst.

The Savage MSR family of ri es is available in two receiver sizes. Based on the more compact AR-15, the company’s MSR 15 line currently stands at six models, ranging from entry-level tactical options to fully decked-out competitive rigs: the Patrol; the Recon; the Recon LRP; the Valkyrie; the Long Range; and the Competition. Meanwhile, the MSR 10 line—encompassing the Hunter, Long Range and Competition HD models— takes its cues from the larger AR-10 platform. Cartridge options vary by ri e, but include 6 mm Creedmoor, 6.5 mm Creedmoor, .308 Win. and .338 Federal. For this review, I spent some quality time at the range with the MSR 15 Patrol and MSR 10 Long Range models.

MSR 15 PATROL

MSR 15 RECON LRP

MSR 15 VALKYRIE

MSR 10 LONG RANGE

MSR 10 COMPETITION HDMSR 10 C

Key Platform Features

The Savage development team was perfectly aware that its products would be launched into an exceptionally competitive, even saturated, facet of the shooting market. In order to compete, the MSRs would need to stand out from the crowd by offering desirable features along with a high level of quality at a fair price.

The direct-gas-impingement system commonly employed by many modern AR platforms has proven to be exceptionally reliable when the gas tube’s length is properly matched to the length of a particular ri e’s barrel. However, it’s not uncommon to nd 16" mid-length ri e barrels tted with carbine-length gas tubes designed for 14" carbine-length barrels in order to reduce production costs. The result is an over-gased action that can increase felt recoil, enlarge down-range group sizes and decrease the ri e’s working life span. Savage’s 16"-barreled MSR 15 models feature appropriately scaled mid-length gas systems. For the MSR 10s, the company customized each ri e’s system to best t the barrel length and chambering, extending the dimensions beyond those typical to the AR-10. An adjustable gas block has also been incorporated into the ri e’s action that can be netuned for optimized performance.

The con guration of an AR barrel’s ri ing plays a key role not only in the gun’s accuracy, but its longevity and maintenance, as well. Standard ri ing patterns consist of four to six lands and grooves cut with 90-degree corners where the lands and grooves meet. While this is a proven approach to giving bullets the proper spin as they travel down

THE MODERN SAVAGE RIFLE

the barrel, Savage used the MSR lines to introduce its 5R ri ing system.

As the name implies, 5R employs ve lands and grooves. With each land positioned directly across from a groove, the ri ing provides just the right amount of support for the bullet without the added constriction or friction of a sixth land. Instead of squared edges, the lands are more trapezoidal in shape. This is intended to reduce the buildup of fouling, which affects accuracy, and to make the barrel easier to clean.

The barrels are treated inside and out with a Melonite nish. This thermo-chemical nitrocarburizing process continues to gain in popularity as a barrel nish because it provides a uniform, non-re ective appearance that is harder than chrome with a lower coef cient of friction. It’s a durable option that can comfortably withstand the rigors of harsh outdoor conditions.

Factory-assembled ARs tend to fall into one of two categories: generalpurpose models and purpose-built. General-purpose models sell at a relatively low price because they’re tted with basic, but serviceable, components and furniture. Amateur gunsmiths who enjoy tinkering with their ri es often swap out these Plain-Jane parts for various upgrades.

Savage opted to go the purpose-built route with its MSRs by installing handpicked feature sets selected to complement each ri e’s primary purpose. The custom-forged receivers give the ri es a sleek appearance. High-quality furniture is either produced in-house or provided by trusted companies including Blackhawk and Magpul. The triggers have been upgraded at the factory to save the time and trouble of swapping them out. The MSRs may cost more than the typical generalpurpose models, but they arrive ready for use and already featuring some basic enhancements. The MSR 15 Patrol

Thanks to the MSR 15 Patrol’s quality construction and a top-notch set of polymer furniture from Blackhawk, the ri e’s features are a tangible step up from the general-purpose model category that its $849 suggested retail price might imply. The custom upper and lower receivers are forged 7075T6 aluminum with a matte-black, hardcoat anodized nish. The pivot and takedown pins exhibit a snug t, which is an indicator of close alignment between receivers.

The at-top upper has an integral Picatinny rail for optics. The 16.125" 4140 steel barrel features 1:8" twist right-hand ri ing, M4-style feed ramps and a Melonite nish. The muzzle is threaded at 1/2x28 TPI and tted with an A2-type ash hider. The mid-length gas tube is paired with a milled, custom A-frame gas block that is pinned to the barrel and has an adjustable front sight post. This front sight has much cleaner, crisper lines than the typical cast mil-spec version. A removable ip-up Blackhawk BUIS (Back-Up Iron Sight) rear sight is shipped with the ri e to complete the sight system.

The M16 bolt carrier group (BCG) is

SAVAGE MSR 15 PATROL

MANUFACTURER: SAVAGE ARMS (DEPT. AR), 100 SPRINGDALE ROAD, WESTFIELD, MA 01085; (800) 370-0708; SAVAGEARMS.COM 32" to 35.50"

0.5" 0.5"

10.25" to 13.75"

CHAMBERING: .223 WYLDE ACTION TYPE: DIRECT-GAS-IMPINGEMENT,

SEMI-AUTOMATIC CENTER-FIRE RIFLE RECEIVER: 7075-T6 ALUMINUM,

HARDCOAT ANODIZED FINISH BARREL: 4140 STEEL, MELONITE FINISH RIFLING: 5R; 1:8" RH TWIST

MAGAZINE: 30-ROUND DETACHABLE BOX SIGHTS: FRONT, ADJUSTABLE POST; REAR, FLIP-UP APERTURE 16.125"

TRIGGER: SINGLE-STAGE; 7-LB. PULL STOCK: BLACKHAWK KNOXX AXIOM;

SIX-POSITION ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT: 6 LBS., 8 OZS. ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S MANUAL,

LOCK, EAR PLUGS MSRP: $849

The MSR 15 Patrol carbine exemplifies the purpose-built concept behind Savage’s AR-style rifles. Its price belies a feature set that the company is able to offer by producing many of the components in-house. Examples include (far l. to r.): a unique six-position buttstock; a milled gas block/front sight; M4-style feed ramps; and a metal Back-Up Iron Sight.

fitted with a Carpenter 158 steel bolt, and is manually cycled with a mil-spec charging handle. All of the BCG’s components appeared to be well-made and properly fitted. The right side of the upper receiver is where two particular cost-reducing measures are often applied. Some makers offer models that ship without a dustcover or have no place to install a forward assist. Savage initially split the difference by shipping the gun with a dustcover installed and a port for a forward assist machined but capped with a polymer plug to keep out the dust. That way a customer could add a forward assist. Now the gun ships with a forward assist assembly installed.

The six-position buffer tube houses a standard carbine buffer. All of the rifle’s lower receiver controls are typical mil-spec offerings, including the magazine release, bolt release, left-side safety selector and mil-spec, singlestage trigger group. The traditional straight aluminum trigger guard has been replaced with a curved, enlarged polymer component. The single-stage trigger was an improvement when compared to others in its class because it did not exhibit the grittiness of some makes. However, it was still a bit mushy with a 7-lb. pull.

It’s readily apparent that Blackhawk put plenty of thought into the Knoxx Axiom furniture line so as to compete with the established big players in the AR market. The designs are both useful and easy on the eyes. The M4-style two-piece handguard, held in place with a spring-loaded delta ring, cleverly extends past the front sight. It’s shaped to provide a bilateral thumb rest and hand stop for those shooters who prefer the straight-arm support-hand grip favored by 3-gun competitors. Four M-LOK-compatible accessory slots are found at the 3-, 6- and 9-o’clock positions. The handguard also has lightly textured grip-enhancing areas and quick-detach (QD) flush sling sockets on the right and left sides.

The single-piece, molded-polymer grip is designed to comfortably fit a wide variety of hand sizes. Sections of straight-line raised ridges are separated by fine, non-abrasive texturing. The grip is narrow at the top with deep bilateral thumb grooves and a hand-filling palm swell. It offers an improved fit for those users with smaller hands, while providing plenty of room for larger ones.

The sleek, A-frame, six-position buttstock provides four sockets for QD sling mounts and a slot for direct threading of slings. The rounded top provides a positive cheek weld. The buttplate has large diamond-pattern texturing with two ports that allow for the attachment of a Knoxx recoil pad. The stock’s adjustment lever is placed at the front to keep it out of the way.

SHOOTING RESULTS (100 YDS.) .223 Rem.

CaRtRidge fedeRal 55-gR. fmJ

Vel. @ muzzle (f.p.s.) 2887 Avg. 25 Sd

fedeRal fusion 62-gR. Jsp

fedeRal gold medal 77-gR. smbthp

aVeRage extReme spRead

2759 Avg. 18 Sd 2423 Avg. 15 Sd

eneRgy (ft.-lbs.)

gRoup size (inChes) smallest laRgest aVeRage

1,018 2.15 2.43 2.30

1,048 1.61 1.85 1.74

1,004 0.66 0.95 0.83

1.62

NoteS: MeASured AverAge velocity for 10 ShotS fired Next to A lAb rAdAr chroNogrAph 12" offSet froM the fireArM. AccurAcy reSultS for five coNSecutive, five-Shot groupS At 100 ydS. froM A beNch reSt. teMperAture: 72° f. huMidity: 34%. AbbreviAtioNS: fMJ (full MetAl JAcket), JSp (JAcketed Soft poiNt), Sd (StANdArd deviAtioN), SMbthp (SierrA MAtchkiNg boAt-tAil hollow poiNt).

The MSR 10 Long Range

More AR fans are looking for rifles that can be used for extended-range precision shooting without being overly heavy. Savage’s answer to this customer request is the AR-10type Long Range model, the 6.5 mm Creedmoor variant of which weighs in at 10 lbs., 6 ozs. The MSR 10 upper and lower receivers are also forged from 7075-T6 aluminum and hardcoat anodized like the MSR 15s.

The Picatinny-rail-topped upper receiver is paired with an 18" freefloating aluminum handguard that features a full-length top rail. Together they provide a total of 25.75" of rail space to work with. The handguard is attached directly to the upper receiver using four bolts for added stability and strength. The remaining handguard surface area is thoroughly perforated with numerous M-LOK-compatible accessory slots to provide maximum accessory potential, reduced weight and plenty of ventilation.

The 22"-long 5R rifled barrel is constructed of fluted 4140 steel with M4-style ramps, an 11-degree crown and a Melonite finish. The muzzle is threaded at 5/8x24 TPI and fitted with a Savage four-chamber muzzle brake to reduce felt recoil. A small gap in the top of the

While the MSR 10 Long Range’s name suggests a familiar format, its details reveal considerable innovation, including (r., top to bottom): a left-side-mounted folding charging handle; an adjustable gas block; a nickel-boron- nished bolt carrier and dual-ejector bolt head; and a Magpul PRS Gen3 buttstock.

handguard provides easy access to the adjustable gas block attached to the extended-length gas system.

The Long Range’s upper receiver does come with a polymer dustcover and a forward assist. In addition to the typical top-mounted AR charging handle, Savage incorporated an additional non-reciprocating, sidecharging handle on the left side of the upper receiver. This second charging handle is, in my opinion, more intuitive and easier to use than the standard AR type, especially when a magni ed optic is mounted.

Separating the receivers reveals a Savage-designed bolt carrier with a nickel-boron nish. The E9310 highpressure bolt features dual ejectors for added reliability.

The external controls—bolt release, safety selector and magazine-release button—are of mil-spec type, shape and location. The polymer pistol grip is the same comfortable Blackhawk Knoxx Axiom AR model installed on the MSR 15s, and an integral trigger guard is enlarged to provide extra space for gloved ngers. At rst glance, the smooth-faced trigger appears to be mil-spec with a nickel-boron nish. But any similarity to a mil-spec trigger ends there. It is in fact a Blackhawk AR Blaze 2-Stage precision trigger that provides a short, light take-up before breaking cleanly with just 2 lbs., 15 ozs. of trigger pull according to a Lyman digital trigger gauge. It proved to be a real treat to work with at the shooting range. The Long Range ships with one 10-round Magpul PMAG.

The mil-spec-diameter AR-10-length buffer tube is tted with the excellent Magpul PRS Gen3 buttstock. The length of pull (LOP) and cheek piece height are easily click-adjusted using hardcoat anodized aluminum knobs running along Melonite-treated steel adjustment shafts. The LOP can be extended an additional 1.4" with the cheek piece providing up to 0.75" of additional height. The 0.85"thick soft rubber recoil pad is supported by a reinforced buttplate designed to withstand severe impact and recoil up to .50 BMG levels. Other features include right- and left-side metallic QD ush sling sockets, a reversible 1.25" aluminum sling loop with one QD sling swivel port and two M-LOK slots along the bottom edge of the stock for rails, sling mounts or monopods.

SHOOTING RESULTS (100 YDS.)

6.5 MM CREEDMOOR CARTRIDGE FEDERAL AMERICAN EAGLE 140-GR. OTM

VEL. @ MUZZLE (F.P.S.) 2686 AVG. 21 SD

FEDERAL FUSION 140-GR. JSP

FEDERAL GOLD MEDAL BERGER 130-GR. HOTM

AVERAGE EXTREME SPREAD

2770 AVG. 16 SD 2885 AVG. 22 SD

ENERGY (FT.-LBS.)

GROUP SIZE (INCHES) SMALLEST LARGEST AVERAGE

2,243 0.67 0.83 0.77

2,385 1.23 1.38 1.31

2,402 0.99 1.20 1.10

1.06

NOTES: MEASURED AVERAGE VELOCITY FOR 10 SHOTS FIRED NEXT TO A LAB RADAR CHRONOGRAPH 12" OFFSET FROM THE FIREARM. ACCURACY RESULTS FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE, FIVE-SHOT GROUPS AT 100 YDS. FROM A BENCH REST. TEMPERATURE: 72° F. HUMIDITY: 34%. ABBREVIATIONS: HOTM (HYBRID OPEN TIP MATCH), JSP (JACKETED SOFT POINT), OTM (OPEN TIP MATCH), SD (STANDARD DEVIATION).

SAVAGE MSR 10 LONG RANGE

MANUFACTURER: SAVAGE ARMS (DEPT. AR), 100 SPRINGDALE ROAD, WESTFIELD, MA 01085; (800) 370-0708; SAVAGEARMS.COM

0.56" 0.50" TO -0.3" 44.50" TO 45.90"

14.25" TO 15.65"

CHAMBERING: 6.5 MM CREEDMOOR ACTION TYPE: DIRECT-GAS-IMPINGEMENT,

SEMI-AUTOMATIC CENTER-FIRE RIFLE RECEIVER: 7075-T6 ALUMINUM,

HARDCOAT ANODIZED FINISH BARREL: 4140 STEEL, MELONITE FINISH RIFLING: 5R; 1:8" RH TWIST

MAGAZINE: 10-ROUND DETACHABLE BOX SIGHTS: NONE, INTEGRAL OPTICS RAIL 22"

TRIGGER: BLACKHAWK AR BLAZE 2-STAGE; 2-LB., 15-OZ. PULL STOCK: MAGPUL PRS GEN3 WEIGHT: 10 LBS., 6 OZS.

ACCESSORIES: OWNER’S MANUAL,

LOCK, EAR PLUGS MSRP: $2,284

At The Range

The time spent at the shooting range with these rifles was enjoyable thanks to their feature sets and reliable operation. All of the controls worked properly, in typical AR fashion. The guns cycled flawlessly from start to finish during all test procedures using a variety of loads provided by Federal Premium Ammunition.

The Patrol was just as handy and comfortable to work with as

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Rossi is issuing a voluntary safety warning on revolver models R351, R352, R461, R462, R851, R971, and R972 made between the years 2005 and 2017 that may have a condition that could cause, under certain circumstances, the revolver to fire if dropped. This Safety Warning and Notice covers revolvers with serial numbers beginning with the letter Y, Z, or A through K. Rossi will inspect your revolver, repair it (if necessary), and return it to you with priority attention. Rossi is making every effort possible to ensure Rossi Revolvers are being serviced and returned to customers in a prompt, timely fashion.

ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN:

Stop using your revolver and contact us immediately so we can inspect and, if necessary, repair your revolver. Go to WWW.ROSSISAFETYNOTICE.COM where you can enter your serial number and read our instructions. Or call 855-982-8787 for assistance. Rossi customer service will help you send in your revolver. Shipping is free until December 31, 2018. If you no longer have this revolver, please inform current owner of this notice. We appreciate your business and value you as a customer.

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