The announcement is here. After teasing its major 2017 release in late December, Savage Arms has announced the arrival of its new MSR line. And, no, MSR doesn't necessarily mean "Modern Sporting Rifle," at least not in this case. Instead, the company is calling the new line "Modern Savage Rifles." Fair enough, I suppose. But, point being, Savage is entering the AR-15/AR-10 marketplace, and with gusto.
We've got complete coverage of all four MSR rifles right here. What I'm going to focus on here, though, is the one that Savage has gone as far as to designate the "Hunter." Here are five things you need to know about Savage's new AR-10 design.
1. It will be chambered in two calibers at launch.
Though the MSR 10 Hunter is an AR-10 in spirit, it's going to be available in more than just .308 Win. You'll find MSR 10 Hunter's chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, too, which is good news for the ever-expanding 6.5 fanbase out there.
2. It feels more like an AR-15.
The Hunter features a custom forged upper/lower, which gives it both a unique look and a compact size. In the hands, it feels much more akin to an AR-15 than a modern AR-10.
3. It's already kind of tricked out.
Savage called on its Vista Outdoor colleague Blackhawk to trick out some of its MSR designs, and the Hunter benefits from that. Out of the box, it features a Blackhawk Knoxx AR Pistol Grip, Axiom Carbine Stock and Blackhawk AR Blaze trigger.
4. It has a sister rifle, of sorts.
If the Hunter doesn't float your boat on its own, you can check out the MSR 10 Long Range, which is the Hunter's upgraded sister, of sorts.
5. It's priced competitively.
The MSR 10 Hunter ships with an MSRP of $1,481. Certainly not chump change, but that number does place it firmly in the ballpark for hunting-ready AR-10 designs. Plus, you're probably going to find it on shelves somewhere south of $1,400.
We'll have further coverage of the Savage MSR line—both in print and online—in the near future. Stay tuned!