Savage Arms is now in the modern sporting rifles (MSR) industry. The popular gun manufacturer has announced its new line of next-generation semi-automatic rifles is in the AR platform. This is a first for Savage. Dubbed the MSR 10 and MSR 15 — for “Modern Savage Rifle” — the group of four guns features a set for MSR 10s and two MSR 15 models. The AR-10s are The Hunter and Long Range and the AR-15s are named Recon 5.56 and Patrol 5.56.
Evolutionary AR-15s
Savage Arm’s two entries in the AR-15 platform — the MSR 15 Patrol and MSR 15 Recon — join a field that’s already incredibly popular amongst gun owners and hunters. What sets Savage apart is the way the manufacturer redefines the category with “the kind of tack-driving accuracy and seamless performances you’d expect from Savage.”
MSR 15 Patrol
“Both of these rifles offer button-rifled, 16-inch barrels with accuracy-enhancing 5R rifles, a long-lasting Melonite QPQ finish and Savage’s trademark zero-tolerance headspace control,” said Bill Dermody, Savage Arms marketing director, in a press release. “These are high-performance barrels you’d have to buy as an upgrade with standard AR-15s.”
Both rifles feature .223 Wylde chambering and are both accurate with .223 Rem. And 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition.
MSR 15 Patrol
The MSR 15 Patrol holds an MSRP of $849, making it the opening price point for the new Savage Arms line. It features a Mil-Spec trigger and an A-frame gas block front sight with Blackhawk! rear sight.
The MSR 15 Patrol’s mid-length forend has an M-lock system for accessory attachment. The Blackhawk! buttstock is adjustable, including while it’s shouldered. The new AR accepts all standard AR ammunition built from Mil-Spec manufacturers.
MSR 15 Recon
The MSR 15 Recon has a listed MSRP of $999 and features several upgrades. These include a Blackhawk! Blaze trigger, 12-inch, free-floating handguard, Blackhawk! buttstock, pistol grip and flip-up sights, gas block and custom-forged lower receiver.
MSR 15 Recon
“The Recon’s Blaze trigger system meets all legal Mil-Spec definitions and dimensions, but has been given secondary polishing and hardening to enhance trigger pull,” Dermody said.
The MSR 15 Recon’s handguard sports an M-lok system that allows shooters to perfect positioning of rails and accessories.
“It’s just another example of how these new rifles reflect the next phase of AR-15 evolution, and aren’t just knock-offs of an old design,” Dermody said. “They’re better, more useful and easier to customize, proving why ‘MSR’ now stands for Modern Savage Rifle.”
Performance-Driven AR-10s
Savage Arms felt a calling for performance-drive, purpose-built modern sporting rifles for big-game hunting and long-range shooting. It answered that call with the MSR 10 Hunter and MSR 10 Long Range.
MSR 10 Hunter
Savage isn’t new to the long-range arena, long manufacturing long-range bolt guns, including the F Class Target and Long-Range Precision models. Applying the lessons learned from those models to the AR-10 platform simply gives Savage an advantage over other manufacturers.
The new Savage platform of AR-10s feature fewer constraints than other MSR designs for larger cartridges. The manufacturer was able to shave off weight and size from a rifle that has typically been bulky and heavy. The two AR-10s in the new Savage line are designed more like AR-15s when it comes to size and handle. The new releases also feature custom-forged uppers and lowers plus a free-floating forend. Tactical Blackhawk! grips, buttstock and flip-up sights are standard.
Both the MSR 10 Hunter and Long Range are available in .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor chamberings. The .308 Win. is designed for big-game hunting, while the 6.5 Creedmoor is more ideal for long-range shooting.
MSR 10 Hunter
The MSR 10 Hunter is light enough to carry anywhere yet features calibers with plenty of pop to bag whitetails and other game of a similar size. The new rifle features a reliable proprietary target chamber, adjustable gas block and Blackhawk! pistol grip and backup sights. Savage retained the M-lok forend, leaving opportunity to accessorize the platform for tactical motives.
The MSR 10 Hunter, which has an MSRP of $1,399, has a 16-inch barrel and weighs only 7½ pounds in .308 Win., while the 6.5 Creedmoor chambering includes an 18-inch barrel.
MSR 10 Long Range
MSR 10 Long Range
The MSR 10 Long Range boasts 5-shot MOA accuracy within range of factory rifles. The Blackhawk! Blaze two-stage target trigger creates crisp, clean releases unlike most in the AR platform. The rifle is also equipped with an adjustable gas block, a Magpul PRS target-adjustable buttstock for quick and easy tweaking to fit any shooter and a side-charging handle.
The MSR 10 Long Range is listed at $2,199 and comes with numerous high-tech features. Chambered in .308 Win., it has a 20-inch barrel, while the barrel length is 22 inches with a 6.5 Creedmoor chambering.
More Information
Savage Arms’ new MSR lineup include numerous new features unlike any of its previous rifles. Listed below is more information on several of the new features that come with the MSR line.
5R Rifling
All Savage MSR rifles feature a new twist that boosts accuracy and reduces barrel fouling. Rifling improves accuracy by stabilizing and spinning the bullet during its flight down the barrel. This gives it gyroscopic rotation.
Melonite QPQ Protection
Savage Arms ensures its new MSR rifle barrels stand up to the harshest conditions and years of serious shooting by protecting them inside and out with an extremely durable surface hardening treatment known as Melonite QPQ.
Short for “quench, polish, quench,” the thermochemical nitrocarburizing process produces a long-lasting, non-reflective finish that’s harder than chrome and offers a lower coefficient of friction, providing wear and corrosion resistance far superior to standard coatings and platings.
Correct Gas System Lengths
It is very important to correctly match the gas system length with the barrel length. Many rifles today have 16-inch, mid-length barrels paired with a carbine-length gas system intended for use with a 14-inch carbine barrel. This creates an over-gassed situation that increases recoil and reduces accuracy and durability.
All Savage MSR 15 models with 16-inch barrels feature the appropriate mid-length gas system to elevate this problem. In the case of the MSR 10, the company took the extra step of customizing each rifle’s gas cycling system to the length of the barrel, extending the dimensions beyond those typical of other manufacturers to optimize pressures even more.
Better Triggers
A crisp, light, dependable trigger is vital to achieving optimum accuracy. The MSR 15 Patrol features a proven Mil-Spec trigger, while the MSR 15 Recon and MSR 10 Hunter have premium Blackhawk! Blaze trigger systems with exclusive surface technology that reduces creep while permanently ensuring a smooth pull and clean break, with no lubrication.
Aimed at the extreme distance shooter, the MSR 10 Long Range is outfitted with a BlackHawk! two-stage precision target trigger assembly typically found only on custom-built match rifles.
Precision Craftsmanship
Savage is no stranger to creating rifles famed for world-class accuracy and reliability. The new semi-auto MSRs receive meticulous attention to detail, including the control of critical dimensions such as the headspace.
Toward that end, each barrel is also precisely button rifled on Savage’s state-of-the-art machinery, in America, by seasoned craftsman. Each and every barrel is double-checked for geometric consistency, to ensure the accuracy expected from a Savage.
