New favorite for a new century: in the author's opinion, no rifle was ever heifer named. Savage Arms' new favorite is a worthy inheritor of this name, and a fun project for the hobby gunsmith

Guns Magazine, Dec, 2002 by Jim Gardner

One question remained. How would the little beastie shoot? It had performed admirably before I modified it. Had my modifications compromised that good performance?

Proof Of The Pudding

In a word, no. Groups were about the same as those fired before modification. This despite foolishly grabbing different ammunition than I had used in the first test, and a small aperture in the tang sight that was a little dark for use on an indoor range.

The groups shown were fired from a "post rest" -- clamping my left hand against the partition of the shooting booth, and laying the forend across my wrist. This is not the steadiest of shooting positions, but gives a better check of grouping than shooting offhand. I could laboriously test my newly modified Savage at the benchrest on an outdoor range, but I'll never waste one minute doing so.

For me, this little dandy is a walking around rifle. Few things are as pleasurable as being afoot in open country, with a light, quiet-shooting rimfire and a pocket full of cartridges. The 30G is a natural for this type of use -- for rolling pine cones and for disintegrating distant dirt clods. It's also just the ticket for securing a tender cottontail for the cook-fire.

Whether you choose to modify your Savage or not, it really is a splendid little rifle. Perhaps if there is sufficient response from consumers, Savage could be motivated to offer us a "premiere" version of the 30G.

It might feature a barrel of heavier contour, an upper receiver tang drilled and tapped for a tang sight as well as the takedown feature. The ultimate enhancement would be a color case-hardened receiver. Of course we would have to expect to pay a bit more for this extra work.

Regardless of whether or not Savage eventually offers such a deluxe version of the Favorite, don't wait. March down to your local dealer and pick up one of these little gems. If you have even half so much fun with yours as I've been having with mine, you'll be glad you did.

[1] Modified into a takedown, the Savage 30G is eminently transportable.

[2] Good companions for a back-country jaunt: a reliable old truck, a pair of comfortable Danner boots, new and old Favorites -- and Moze, the world's best dog.

[3] The Savage Model 30G "Favorite" is a swell rifle. How wonderful to find such nice wood on a bargain-priced rimfire.

[4] The Savage 30G, modified into a takedown or not, is a great "walking around" rifle.

[1] Favorites of yesterday and today. The before and after targets prove the modified Savage 30G still shoots well.

[2] With the location for the takedown screw spotted, a stiff centerdrill must be utilized to avoid "wandering" on this compound radius.

[3] When my local hardware store failed to offer an appropriate bolt for a takedown screw, I turned one on the lathe. Here, the blank has been thread cut, the head formed and coined, and the 65 degree chamfer cut on the end.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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