Savage Model 64 VXP for Appleseed

[cswhitfield]

Does anyone know anything about the Savage 64VXP?  A friend sent me the below message in an email.  I have him talked into coming to an Appleseed (hopefully Waco, GA next weekend).  He is looking for a .22 rifle primarily for Appleseed.  I have already given him the pros and cons of the Ruger 10-22 and the Marlin 795.  His problem is he is over 6'-6" tall with arms that "go forever".  He is really looking for something with at least a 22" barrel.  The last line of his email below is actually a link to cheaperthandirt ad for the rifle.  Any input on this rifle and its suitability for Appleseed is appreciated.

Thanks,
Craig

Savage Model 64FVXP Semi Automatic Rifle .22 Long Rifle 20.5" Bull Barrel 10 Rounds Black Synthetic Stock Blued Finish

Check this out and let me know what you think. Note 20-1/2" bull barrel.

Savage Model 64FVXP Semi Automatic Rifle .22 Long Rifle 20.5" Bull Barrel 10 Rounds Black Synthetic Stock Blued Finish

[TN_Dadx5]

Althought I have never seen one of these, it should do the job.  He should look more to the stock length or length of pull than the barrell length.  If his arms really do "go forever", he may need a custom stock with just about any semi 22.  I would advise him to try as many different rifles to see which one fits him best.  He may also need an extension on the butt stock to increase the length of pull.  A lot of 22s have shortish stocks since they are mostly used by youth.

Good luck!

[cswhitfield]

Thanks for the response.  Yea we know that he will have "stock issues" with most any .22 he decides on.  He (and I) like the longer barrel for the heft and "feel" of a "real rifle".  What I have found so far is this is a version of the standard Savage 64.  It has a heavier barrel, no sights & comes with an inexpensive scope.  It does appear to have sling studs already installed.  It appears to be picky about amo and the action tends to foul up between 100 - 200 rounds fired through it. 

If anyone has additional info or real life experience with the Savage 64 your input will be much appreciated.

Craig

[9mm4545]

I too am a tall guy (6'4") and the short stocks are "challenging" to say the least. A slip on recoil pad stock extension might help. If he uses a scope, getting enough eye relief is the bigger problem, especially on a stock with too short a length of pull. With iron sights, not so much. The only advantage I can see from the bull barrel  is it does dampen the movement somewhat, especially in the standing position. Longer barrel does equal longer sight radius which helps when using iron sights. Good luck to him at the event.

[Mark Davis]

With out paying big bucks stock makers do not make stocks proper lenght for longer people. At 6'3" this has been a problem for me also.
So just take off the butplate and screw on another peice of wood, sand to fit. I have one 10-22 with two peices of 3/4" walnut screwed to the butt of a standard length stock plus a morgan adjustable but pad (another 3/4 ") total of 2 1/4 " longer than the standard stock.
Standing is a little tough, Sitting works with but in the pocket, good cheek weld light grip on the pistol grip, in prone it really comes together.
If some purist takes exception to the looks, I direct their attention to the target.
That's beautiful!

[Cowboy]

Janet and I bought one several months ago. It has more heft than most 22 r.f.'s. The only shortcoming; the trigger pull is very heavy, maybe someone out there knows of a cure.
Bob

[GoldFish]

The Savage 64 is a good, solid, AS worthy rifle, but there are some things to consider before buying one and using one at an AS.
First, I'm gonna STRONGLY suggest getting other sights for this rifle.  The ones it comes with out of the factory or OK but are more suitable to hunting rather than target shooting.  I'm not sure whether or not they sell tech-sights for this particular rifle, but obviously, scope are available and can easily be mounted on the integral rail.  Secondly and more importantly (but also cheaper to 'fix'), the Model 64 does not include swivel studs.  A pair can be easily purchased and installed, but it's still something to consider.
Next, and probably the most important thing to think about before buying, is actually operating this rifle at an AS shoot.  If not cleaned and lubed every hundred rounds or so (if not more often), then the entire bolt and action area gets all full of crud.  With this particular rifle, the gunk and crud in there causes the bolt to not seat properly, particularly the first 2 or 3 shots out of a fully loaded magazine (don't ask me why with those particular shots).  This really isn't a big deal, but it's another (and kinda important) reason to KNOW YOUR RIFLE BEFORE showing up to an AS.  You'll want to take it apart and to at least familiarize yourself with the thing first.
Those are probably my top 3 things to consider before buy this rifle.  However, don't let these things necessarily stop you from purchasing the Savage 64.  This was my first rifle, and the one I shot Rifleman with, and I'm 6'2".
A Rifleman Evaluates, Adapts, and Overcomes......but while you will have to do some of that with this rifle, it isn't bad.

My .02.

---GF  

[TN_Dadx5]

I agree with Goldfish.  Your friend might want to make sure that he brings a spray can of de-gunker/lube and a boresnake to use halfway through the day.  Removing the action from the stock to fully clean would likely change his 0.

[cswhitfield]

Thanks for all of the replies and information.  I like the looks and feel of the Savage with the heavy barrel and may consider one for myself sometime in the future.  After all of this and other research Chip found a deal on a used Remington 597.  Laminated wood stock and 20.5" satin S.S. barrel.  We put a Nikon 2X7 scope on it and ran about 300 rounds through it.  Trigger pull is so-so, about on par with an out of the box Marlin 795 but better than a current out of the box  Ruger 10-22.  I say current because I have an early '80s 10-22 that has a very good trigger that has never been worked on.  We shot all three off of the bench to compare (25M).  The Marlin was tops with 10 shot groups at .5" or less.  The Ruger was second at about .75".  The Rem. averaged about 1" with one group at .75".  The Remington experienced several FTE (stove pipes).  He has already done some research and has ordered a replacement extractor.   It appears that the Remington will do ok for an LTR and squirrel getter.  I think the suggestion to bring a can of spay de-gunker, spray dry lube and bore snake to an Appleseed applies to the Rem. as well as the Savage.

Thanks again for the help and suggestions.

Craig
PS: The Remington is proportioned more like a full sized rifle than either the Marlin or Ruger.  I think he could still benefit from adding about .5" to the stock length. 

[Ewcmr2]

My son and I just did our first Appleseed so I can add to the Savage 64 knowledge bank. We used a 64BTV, bull barrel, pretty laminated thumbhole stock and no provision for iron sights. Being short on ammo I ran 25 rounds down barrel to confirm my new rifle would function on the CCI AR Tactical bulk ammo I was able to find on a shelf.

This version has 3 sling studs from the factory. The cleaning/lube issues mentioned earlier were not an issue for us, rifle ran fine all weekend (it was cleaned Saturday night before returning Sunday) we did have some stoppages but they were mostly attributable to ammo or shooter.

The bolt handle is small and kind of a pain but not enought o do anything about it. The magazine release is too small and recessed, making mag changes a slow two handed affair. I'll be modifying mag release soon!

The good: With a cheapie Bass Pro scope the model 64 is accurate out of the box. On Saturday, in his first AQT, my son earned his Rifleman patch with a 218. On Sunday I took "my" Savage back (and after I learned to count to 2 or 3 at the right time ) scored a 219.

Secondly and more importantly (but also cheaper to 'fix'), the Model 64 does not include swivel studs.  A pair can be easily purchased and installed, but it's still something to consider.
Next, and probably the most important thing to think about before buying, is actually operating this rifle at an AS shoot.  If not cleaned and lubed every hundred rounds or so (if not more often), then the entire bolt and action area gets all full of crud.  With this particular rifle, the gunk and crud in there causes the bolt to not seat properly, particularly the first 2 or 3 shots out of a fully loaded magazine (don't ask me why with those particular shots).  This really isn't a big deal, but it's another (and kinda important) reason to KNOW YOUR RIFLE BEFORE showing up to an AS.  You'll want to take it apart and to at least familiarize yourself with the thing first.
Those are probably my top 3 things to consider before buy this rifle.  However, don't let these things necessarily stop you from purchasing the Savage 64

[TomM1Thumb]

Best price for 10 round Mags is Ordering Directly from Savage

[Guardian]

Congrats on the 597! I have several 10-22s and recently picked up a 597 for use as a loaner and experimentation rifle. I like the 597 because it is very similar in proportions to a centerfire rifle. I suggest checking out Rimfire Central for ways to improve the trigger, if you are inclined to do such things. I was able to get mine from 6.5 lbs out of the box down to 3.5 lbs with no creep. My two complaints with the trigger are a) width and b) the reset. The trigger being narrow in width gives the feel of a higher trigger pull, in my opinion. When implementing proper follow through, the point of reset isn't as apparent as the 10-22 or Marlins I've shot. I was able to get used to it, it's just different.

10 round magazines for the 597 are cheap and readily available. I haven't been impressed with the fit of the 30 rounders.

The 597s I've shot are more accurate out of the box than most 10-22s, albeit with different ammo. We were getting less than 1-in 5 shot groups at 25 yds at an Appleseed this weekend with one using CCI Mini-Mags. I have gotten one to shoot sub 0.5-in 10 shot groups from a Caldwell Lead Sled using Aguila Super Velocity ammo, but we went through several brands of ammo to learn this. Point is, don't give up on it. I have no doubts my 597 is more accurate than I.

Good luck and good shooting with the 597.