Estimated studying time: 11 minutes
A 6.2-lb Savage 110 sporting carbon fiber in all the suitable locations, together with a Proof Analysis barrel, then casually stacking a 0.46-inch greatest group in 308 Win. When you’ve got ever wished the 110 may go full mountain mode, that is it.
Savage 110 KLYM V2 Evaluation: The 110 Goes Full Mountain Rifle
The Savage 110 rifle has been in steady manufacturing since 1958, making it America’s longest-running sporting rifle. The venerable design is understood for a lot of issues, together with affordability and out-of-the-box accuracy, however the rifle was by no means prime of thoughts for these in search of an ultralight rifle. Most fashions weighed greater than seven kilos, and a few tipped the scales properly north of eight kilos.
That modified with the introduction of the mannequin 110 KLYM (as in “climb”), which has now developed into the KLYM V2. Relying on chambering, this gun weighs simply 6 – 6.4 kilos, making it a legit mountain or backcountry rifle. Contemplating that the gun is constructed across the beefy 110 motion, making the KLYM this gentle represents fairly an engineering accomplishment.
How Savage Obtained a 110 Down to six – 6.4 Kilos
As you would possibly count on, Savage received a whole lot of the burden out of the 110 by using carbon fiber. This features a carbon fiber-wrapped, stainless-steel barrel from Proof Analysis and a thumbhole-design carbon fiber inventory from FBT (Advantageous Ballistic Instruments). This drives the worth up significantly from the inexpensive class Savage has lengthy occupied, however that’s the worth of admission nowadays if you would like an ultralight rifle.
Nearer examination reveals that Savage shaved weight from the rifle in different areas, as properly. The left facet of the receiver, for instance, has a good quantity of steel faraway from 4 milled-out cuts. The bolt physique has diamond-pattern fluting to save lots of a bit extra weight, and even the bolt knob is made from carbon fiber.
The result’s a trim, gentle rifle tailor-made for backcountry or mountain searching. That’s evidenced within the rifle’s obtainable chamberings. Along with requirements like 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Win, 300 WSM, and 300 Win Magazine, the rifle is obtainable in newer, extremely environment friendly long-legged cartridges comparable to 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, 7mm PRC, and 7mm Backcountry.
Proof Analysis Carbon Fiber Barrel: Mild, Quick, Constant
Barrel size on the KLYM V2 varies by chambering, from 24 inches for weapons in 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, 300 WSM, and 300 Win Magazine to twenty inches for the 7mm Backcountry, which achieves larger velocities out of shorter barrels. Barrels for all different chamberings measure 22 inches.
The advantages of carbon fiber-wrapped barrels are by now well-known. They are often greater than 60 p.c lighter than conventional metal barrels of the identical contour and be simply as correct. They will additionally present lowered harmonic barrel vibration and improved warmth dissipation, which interprets into constant accuracy and little point-of-impact shift throughout lengthy shot strings.
With the KLYM V2, Savage didn’t ignore those that want to hunt with suppressors. Barrel muzzles are threaded 5/8×24, and rifles ship with an Omniport muzzle brake in place that helps mitigate recoil.
FBT Thumbhole Carbon Inventory: The One That Modified My Thoughts
The rifle’s barrel is free-floated inside a novel, light-weight carbon fiber inventory from Advantageous Ballistic Instruments (FBT). Even a cursory look tells you this inventory is totally different from most on manufacturing facility rifles. For starters, it’s a thumbhole design. I’ve by no means been an enormous fan of thumbhole shares, however this one gained me over. The thumbhole within the buttstock offered a near-vertical grip, which I discover nice for taking pictures in a wide range of subject positions, and it positioned my finger completely on the set off.
The FBT inventory additionally has a comb which you can alter shortly with the push of a single button to attain optimum eye-scope alignment. You will see that conventional sling swivel studs fore and aft, in addition to a single MagnaSwitch adapter for attaching MagnaSwitch system parts like bipods or tripods.
The inventory forend flexes barely extra beneath agency stress than I would favor, however that didn’t, as you will note, appear to have any adversarial influence upon accuracy. The inventory is supplied with a considerable rubber recoil pad. Apparently, the recoil pad has a set of latitude/longitude coordinates carved into its floor. These seem to match the alpine location of FBT in Austria.
A Confirmed Savage 110 Motion, Trimmed however Nonetheless Robust
Whereas the motion has had some weight eliminated, it’s nonetheless a 110 motion, which way back established a popularity for being robust and sturdy. On this case, with the KLYM V2, the receiver is made from chrome steel and has a protecting black Cerakote end.
Savage does a few issues in a different way from different gunmakers with 110 actions. First, Savage takes a zero-tolerance method to headspacing by hand-fitting barrels to actions and securing them with a barrel locknut. Some purists have mocked the looks of the barrel nut, however this exact headspacing undoubtedly contributes to the strong popularity Savage rifles have earned through the years for out-of-the-box accuracy. The identical applies to the Savage floating bolt head, which employs two substantial locking lugs that self-align to a level.
My check rifle ran with full reliability, feeding, extracting, and ejecting with out hiccup. That’s partly because of the bolt’s robust extractor and twin plunger ejectors. The bolt has a protecting black end, and diamond fluting helps it cycle with acceptable smoothness. The bolt deal with is threaded and topped with a spherical, outsized carbon fiber bolt knob.
The rifle makes use of a removable journal that’s partly made from steel. Journal capability is 4 rounds for rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 win and 7mm Backcountry, three rounds for weapons chambered in 300 Win Magazine, and two rounds for weapons chambered in 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, 300 WSM, and 7mm PRC. The journal clicks into place with authority and pops freely into the hand while you function the recessed, protected magazine-release lever.
Improved AccuTrigger: Lighter Pull, Identical Confidence
The rifle is, after all, outfitted with the much-copied Savage AccuTrigger, which first made its look 23 years in the past. This confirmed design makes use of a metal blade within the set off shoe that blocks the trail of the sear when the set off is at relaxation. The blade capabilities as an extra security, and the gun gained’t hearth except the blade is totally depressed. Some purists don’t prefer it, however the AccuTrigger has by no means given me any points.
The set off is adjustable, however you’ll have to tug the motion from the inventory first, taking care to torque the motion screws to specification afterward. AcccuTrigger pull weight is usually adjustable from 2.5 kilos to six kilos, however choose fashions get an improved AccuTrigger with a lighter pull weight. With the KLYM V2, the pull-weight vary is simply 1.5-4 kilos.
For testing, I dialed the pull weight right down to 2 lbs., 6 oz., which I discover to be nearly excellent for a searching rifle. I then mounted certainly one of my favourite scopes for subject or vary work, the Zeiss Conquest V4 6-24×50, on the 20-MOA Picatinny rail that comes pre-installed on the rifle.
The rifle’s improved set off pairs with a three-position, tang-mounted security that locks the bolt down within the rearmost place. You’ll be able to nonetheless function the bolt and cycle rounds via the motion with the protection within the center, engaged place. To fireplace, you merely push the protection all the way in which ahead, and also you’ll discover that straightforward to do because the security is inside straightforward, pure attain of the thumb when the set off hand is in taking pictures place.
Vary Outcomes: 0.46-In Finest Group From a 6.2-Lb Rifle
The primary order of enterprise in evaluating the rifle despatched to me for testing, which was chambered in 308 Win, was to pick and chronograph 5 totally different manufacturing facility hundreds to see what kind of velocity the gun’s 22-inch barrel delivered. As measured with a Garmin Xero C1 Professional chrono, velocities for many hundreds had been inside only a few fps, plus or minus, of factory-advertised numbers for the masses examined. This means that the gun has a considerably “quick” barrel, because the manufacturing facility numbers are sometimes achieved with longer barrels.
Accuracy testing consisted of taking pictures three 3-shot teams per load at 100 yards. I intentionally handicapped the rifle by testing principally searching ammunition, with just one match load within the combine. Contemplating that light-weight rifles are all the time tougher to shoot with constant accuracy, the rifle did fairly properly and lived as much as my expectations. Nosler’s 168-gr. match load produced 0.91-inch common teams and a 0.75-inch greatest group, however Winchester’s 150-grain Deer Season XP load stole the present with 0.74-in common teams and a 0.46-in greatest group.
Three different examined searching hundreds turned in common teams that had been simply barely over one MOA, with some sub-MOA greatest teams. I’m positive these teams would have tightened up a bit if I had been taking pictures on a much less windy day.
Wind or no wind, I’ll take that type of accuracy all day lengthy in a rifle that’s gentle sufficient to tote into probably the most rugged and distant excessive nation.
Savage 110 KLYM V2 308 Win: Accuracy and Velocity Knowledge
Word: Velocity was a median of three photographs, measured with a Garmin Xero C1 Professional chronograph. Accuracy is taken from three, three-shot teams at 100 yards in wind various 8-14 mph.
Savage 110 KLYM V2 Specs: The Actual Construct, As Examined
Execs & Cons: The Mountain-Rifle Actuality Examine
Execs: Very gentle for a 110-based rifle at 6.2 lbs.; Proof Analysis carbon fiber barrel; threaded 5/8×24 with Omniport brake; improved AccuTrigger vary (1.5-4 lbs.); glorious accuracy potential with searching ammo.
Cons: Premium MSRP at $2,969.00; forend flexes barely greater than most well-liked beneath agency stress; thumbhole inventory won’t be everybody’s taste.
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Mike Dickerson
Mike Dickerson is an award-winning author who has revealed hundreds of journal and newspaper articles. He’s an avid hunter and leisure shooter with many years of expertise, specializing in rifles, shotguns, optics, and ammunition. He’s additionally a proud Vietnam veteran who maintains shut ties with the US navy.
Expertise
Many years of searching expertise spanning North AmericaDeep relationships with main business manufacturersExtensive coaching in long-range shootingStories revealed in nearly each main American searching and gun magazineHighly expertise wildlife and panorama photographer
