Savage 10FP
Encyclopedia
The Savage 10FP is a bolt-action sniper/tactical rifle
manufactured by the Savage Arms Company and based on the Savage Model 110
rifle. There are seven variants of this rifle, each designated with an "LE" code signifying that it is part of the Law Enforcement Series. All 10FP series rifles are configured with AccuTrigger, matte-blued barreled action, heavy free-floating and button-rifled
barrel, oversized bolt handle, internal box magazine (holding 4 rounds), and three swivel studs for sling and bipod mounting.
The Savage 10FP is similar to the Savage 110FP rifles and differ only in the action lengths and in the calibers used. The 10FP is designated a "short action" meaning cartridges similar in length to the .308 Winchester
, while the 110FP is considered a "long action" meaning cartridges similar in length to the .30-06 Springfield
. Both are bolt-action, rotating bolt rifles, with dual-lug bolts and integral, non-detachable magazines, and both are available in left-handed models.
. It is also available in a left-handed model. Available stocks include:
The trigger can be adjusted from 6.5 to 26 N (1.5 to 6 lbf
). Savage claims that even when adjusted to its lowest setting, the AccuTrigger is completely safe and cannot accidentally discharge during normal use from being jarred or dropped when maintained and adjusted as intended.
that are button-rifled and free-floating which provides high accuracy. Thicker barrels are generally stiffer, and thus deflect less when a force is applied, such as when a forearm touches a barrel. A heavier barrel also tends to vibrate less when fired, thus sending bullets more consistently in the same direction. Their greater weight (within reason) makes it easier to hold the rifle steady. For all of these reasons, heavy barrels are generally more accurate than lighter barrels.
crown from nicks.
An undamaged crown is vital to accuracy by allowing the uniform release of gas behind the exiting bullet. A chipped, scratched or nicked crown will allow gas to escape non-uniformly, pushing the bullet slightly in one direction or another, thus diminishing accuracy.
rate of twist is:
- 1 in 10" for all 10FP .308 Winchester
models
- 1 in 9" for all 10FP .223 models
- 1 in 9.5" for all 110 FP models in 7 mm Remington Magnum
- 1 in 10" for all 110FP models in both .25-06 Remington
and 300 Win Mag
Common traits among sniper/tactical rifles of which are included with the design of this rifle are:
This rifle is considered a sniper
/tactical rifle. This rifle shoots a sub-MOA
out of the box using heavy match
ammunition
. As with most modern sniper rifles it includes tight building tolerances thus ensuring the rifles are not affected by such external forces, such as heat, moisture, and vibration which may reduce accuracy. The tolerances for these rifles (except the very early models) are such that the receiver and bolt are specifically manufactured for each other. Both have the same serial numbers etched on them in order to match each other correctly . The bolt is NOT interchangeable with other rifles even within the same model. This information is printed on a plastic warning label that protects the disassembled bolt which is part of the shipping box from Savage. The same information also appears in the owners manual; available in PDF format from the link in the References. The warning reads:
The caliber of choice for most Sniping applications is the 7.62×51mm NATO
round more commonly known as the .308 Winchester
. The ballistics of this round are superior at longer distances to the other caliber offered for this rifle, the 5.56 × 45 mm NATO commonly known as the .223 Remington
.
because of its relatively low-cost and good accuracy. It's also the official rifle for the New York State Police Rapid Response Team.
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
manufactured by the Savage Arms Company and based on the Savage Model 110
Savage Model 110
The Savage Model 110 is a repeating bolt-action rifle that was developed by Savage Arms of Westfield, Massachusetts. The Model 110 was designed by Nicholas L. Brewer in 1958 and was patented posthumously in 1963...
rifle. There are seven variants of this rifle, each designated with an "LE" code signifying that it is part of the Law Enforcement Series. All 10FP series rifles are configured with AccuTrigger, matte-blued barreled action, heavy free-floating and button-rifled
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
barrel, oversized bolt handle, internal box magazine (holding 4 rounds), and three swivel studs for sling and bipod mounting.
The Savage 10FP is similar to the Savage 110FP rifles and differ only in the action lengths and in the calibers used. The 10FP is designated a "short action" meaning cartridges similar in length to the .308 Winchester
.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
, while the 110FP is considered a "long action" meaning cartridges similar in length to the .30-06 Springfield
.30-06 Springfield
The .30-06 Springfield cartridge or 7.62×63mm in metric notation, was introduced to the United States Army in 1906 and standardized, and was in use until the 1960s and early 1970s. It replaced the .30-03, 6 mm Lee Navy, and .30 US Army...
. Both are bolt-action, rotating bolt rifles, with dual-lug bolts and integral, non-detachable magazines, and both are available in left-handed models.
Stocks
Current rifles are stocked with traditional shaped polymer stocks that have dual-pillar bedding and a third sling stud for mounting a bipodBipod
A bipod is a support device that is similar to a tripod or monopod, but with two legs. It provides significant stability along two axes of motion .-Firearms:...
. It is also available in a left-handed model. Available stocks include:
- Choate "Ultimate Sniper" - Synthetic material with Dragunov-like skeleton butt, pistol grip, wide forearm, adjustable cheekpad and buttplate. This stock has also been called the "Ultimate Varmint"
- Choate "Folding" - Similar to the "Ultimate Sniper" stock except the stock "Folds".
- Choate "Tactical" - Synthetic material with adjustable cheek rest.
- McMillan fiberglass stocks.
- HS Precision stocks
Sights
The Savage LE series of rifles are provided with pre-drilled holes for attachment of a wide variety of scope bases. The lack of iron sights is because Savage expects that users of this type of rifle will prefer telescopic sights to iron sights. Telescopic sights are more precise, especially at longer distances. Most of the rifles come without scopes attached, because the choice of a particular scope can be a very personal selection that involves a shooters particular taste, comfort, and opinion which are all subjective. Factors that some shooters use to determine a particular scope are: weight, magnification, size, clarity, and many other features. Two models do come with telescopic sights, the 10FPXP-LE & 10FPXP-LEA. These two rifles have the Leupold 3.5-10×40mm black matte scope with Mil Dot reticle with 1-piece steel base and flip open lens covers. These two models are also essentially factory pre-packaged items which contain a Harris bipod, heavy duty aluminum case, and quick-release swivels.Trigger
The 10FP comes with the Savage Arms developed "Accutrigger". This trigger is intended to give a shooter the flexibility to set trigger pull to individual preference without having to pay a gunsmith to adjust it.The trigger can be adjusted from 6.5 to 26 N (1.5 to 6 lbf
Pound-force
The pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...
). Savage claims that even when adjusted to its lowest setting, the AccuTrigger is completely safe and cannot accidentally discharge during normal use from being jarred or dropped when maintained and adjusted as intended.
Inner workings
The AccuTrigger is designed with what Savage calls "an integrated AccuRelease" system that must be completely depressed or the rifle cannot fire. While pulling the trigger, the AccuRelease is intentionally depressed, which unblocks the sear and allows the rifle to discharge. This feature is claimed as a basis for improvement in accuracy hence the name "accutrigger" a variant of "accurate trigger".Adjustment
Savage claims adjustment of the AccuTrigger is a simple process. Removal of the stock is necessary where rotation of an adjustment spring is required. This is accomplished utilizing the Savage supplied tool. The AccuTrigger has a single adjustment location and is designed so it cannot be adjusted below the minimum setting. This adjustment feature is yet another example of the built-in customization design of this rifle. Customization allows users to adjust the rifle to their own personal comforts and preferences which can equate to accuracy improvement.Heavy barrel
The Savage’s LE series of rifles all include heavy barrelsGun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
that are button-rifled and free-floating which provides high accuracy. Thicker barrels are generally stiffer, and thus deflect less when a force is applied, such as when a forearm touches a barrel. A heavier barrel also tends to vibrate less when fired, thus sending bullets more consistently in the same direction. Their greater weight (within reason) makes it easier to hold the rifle steady. For all of these reasons, heavy barrels are generally more accurate than lighter barrels.
Free-floating
A free-floating barrel means that the barrel does not touch the stock that is connected to it except at the very end near the receiver and bolt end; where it is attached. The advantage to this design is that there is less vibration resonance. This means that as bullets are fired down the barrel their energy is usually channeled down the edges of the barrel. If the barrel were touching the stock throughout its entire length the energy traveling down the barrel would be transferred to the stock. This transference of energy to the stock would thus cause resonance which results in prolongation of vibrations by reflection. The effect of this is that the entire rifle tends to vibrate which causes inaccuracy as accuracy is a product of stability and not movement. A barrel that is free-floating thus eliminates these problems.Recessed-crown muzzle
Recessed crowns help protect the muzzleMuzzle (firearm)
The muzzle of a firearm is the end of the barrel from which the projectile will exit.Precise machining of the muzzle is crucial to accuracy, because it is the last point of contact between the barrel and the projectile...
crown from nicks.
An undamaged crown is vital to accuracy by allowing the uniform release of gas behind the exiting bullet. A chipped, scratched or nicked crown will allow gas to escape non-uniformly, pushing the bullet slightly in one direction or another, thus diminishing accuracy.
Rate of twist
The riflingRifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
rate of twist is:
- 1 in 10" for all 10FP .308 Winchester
.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
models
- 1 in 9" for all 10FP .223 models
- 1 in 9.5" for all 110 FP models in 7 mm Remington Magnum
7 mm Remington Magnum
The 7mm Remington Magnum rifle cartridge was introduced as a commercially available round in 1962, along with the new Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle. It is a member of the belted magnum family that is directly derived from the venerable .375 H&H Magnum...
- 1 in 10" for all 110FP models in both .25-06 Remington
.25-06 Remington
The .25-06 Remington had been a wildcat cartridge for half a century before being standardized by Remington in 1969. It is based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge necked-down to .257 inch caliber with no other changes...
and 300 Win Mag
Sniper/tactical characteristics
- Adjustable Trigger
- Adjustable buttStock (firearm)A stock, also known as a buttstock or shoulder stock, is a part of a rifle or other firearm, to which the barrel and firing mechanism are attached, that is held against one's shoulder when firing the gun. Stocks are also found on crossbows though a crossbow stock is more properly referred to as a...
plate on models with Choate stock - Adjustable cheek pad on models with Choate stock
- Built-in monopod in the butt on models with Choate stock
- Adjustable rail for bipod on some models
- Recessed-crown muzzle for increased accuracy
- Heavy barrel for accuracy and increased heat dissipation
- Free-floating barrel for accuracy
This rifle is considered a sniper
Sniper rifle
In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
/tactical rifle. This rifle shoots a sub-MOA
Minute of arc
A minute of arc, arcminute, or minute of angle , is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of one degree. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth of one minute of arc....
out of the box using heavy match
Match grade
Match grade frequently refers to firearm parts and ammunition that are suitable for a competitive match. Sometimes, it also refers to other devices and parts that are made with high precision in mind....
ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
. As with most modern sniper rifles it includes tight building tolerances thus ensuring the rifles are not affected by such external forces, such as heat, moisture, and vibration which may reduce accuracy. The tolerances for these rifles (except the very early models) are such that the receiver and bolt are specifically manufactured for each other. Both have the same serial numbers etched on them in order to match each other correctly . The bolt is NOT interchangeable with other rifles even within the same model. This information is printed on a plastic warning label that protects the disassembled bolt which is part of the shipping box from Savage. The same information also appears in the owners manual; available in PDF format from the link in the References. The warning reads:
The caliber of choice for most Sniping applications is the 7.62×51mm NATO
7.62×51mm NATO
The 7.62×51mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the 1950s as a standard for small arms among NATO countries...
round more commonly known as the .308 Winchester
.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
. The ballistics of this round are superior at longer distances to the other caliber offered for this rifle, the 5.56 × 45 mm NATO commonly known as the .223 Remington
.223 Remington
The .223 Remington is a sporting cartridge with almost the same external dimensions as the 5.56×45mm NATO military cartridge. The name is commonly pronounced either two-two-three or two-twenty-three. It is loaded with a diameter, jacketed bullet, with weights ranging from , though the most common...
.
Current models
| Savage 10FP Model Types | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model No. | Caliber | Overall Length | Barrel Length | Weight | Stock (with studs) |
Sights |
| 10FP | .308 Win. .223 Rem. |
40" 44" |
20" 24" |
8½ lb (3.9 kg) | Black synthetic | Drilled & tapped for scope |
| 10FLP Left-handed | .308 Win. .223 Rem. |
44" | 24" | 8½ lb (3.9 kg) | Black synthetic | Drilled & tapped for scope |
| 10FP Choate | .308 Win. .223 Rem. |
43¾" | 26" | 11¼ lb (5.1 kg) | Black synthetic Choate adjustable stock w/accessory rail | Drilled & tapped for scope |
| 10FP Folding Choate | .308 Win. | 40.25" | 20" | 10½ lb (4.8 kg) | Black synthetic Choate folding stock w/accessory rail | Drilled & tapped for scope |
| 10FP McMillan | .308 Win. | 46.5" | 24" | 10 lb (4.5 kg) | McMillan fiberglass tactical stock | Drilled & tapped for scope |
| 10FP HS Precision | .308 Win. | 43¾" | 24" | 10 lb (4.5 kg) | Black synthetic HS-Precision tactical stock | Drilled & tapped for scope |
| 10FPXP HS Precision | .308 Win. | 46.25" | 24" | 11 lb (5.0 kg) | Black synthetic HS-Precision tactical stock | Leupold 3.5-10×40mm black matte scope with Mil Dot reticle and flip open lens covers, Farrell Picatinny Rail Base, Harris bipod and Storm heavy duty case included. |
Usage
The Savage 10FP is a popular rifle for varmint hunting and rifle shooting sportsShooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
because of its relatively low-cost and good accuracy. It's also the official rifle for the New York State Police Rapid Response Team.
External links
- Review of the 10FPXP-HS
- AccuTrigger review by Dick Metcalf in Shooting Times
- Official Savage 10FP product page
- Official Savage 110FP product page