For most firearm enthusiasts, the Savage 110 is an action that needs little introduction. The design has been in production since 1958, making it the oldest continuously manufactured bolt-action rifle in North America. Even the original Savage 110s were designed to be light and field-friendly, but technology has come a long way in the past 60-plus years, and Savage built in some serious cutting-edge tech on this 110 Ultralite Elite. Watch our video above to get a closer look at this light and fast-handling bolt-action rifle from Savage.
Unloaded, this Savage 110 Ultralite Elite comes in at just under 6 lbs., making it one of the lightest dedicated hunting rifles on the market. For comparison, Savage’s 110 Classic, which is outfitted with a walnut stock, weighs in at right around 8.5 lbs, depending on action length. Even when you move to a synthetic stock, like that found on Savage’s 110 Hunter, the rifle still weighs in at about 7.5 lbs in most popular configurations. To cut nearly two more pounds out of this platform and make it truly carry-friendly, Savage had to do some serious trimming.
The centerpiece of Savage’s weight-saving efforts came in the form of MDT’s HNT26 chassis. Crafted using a magnesium alloy, combined with a carbon-fiber fore-end and butt stock, this chassis weighs in at only 26 ozs. Despite its miniscule weight, it boasts a serious feature set, like an integrated V-block bedding system and custom length-of-pull and comb-height adjustments. The stock has an integrated folding mechanism that reduces the overall length for easy carry and transport. It also has an AR-style pistol grip, as well as a magazine well compatible with all AICS-pattern detachable box magazines.
The weight-reduction efforts don’t end there, though. Savage paid particular attention to the stainless-steel 110 receiver, which has some careful cuts that take every possible ounce of unnecessary weight out of the design while still ensuring durability. This receiver is paired with a PROOF Research carbon-fiber-wrapped stainless-steel barrel that has a threaded muzzle and an Omniport radial muzzle brake. A standard Savage 110 scope base comes mounted on the receiver and has 20-m.o.a. of built-in elevation for dialing in those longer shots. Other small but noticeable touches include a threaded carbon-fiber bolt knob, as well as a diamond-fluted bolt body.
On the range, the Savage 110 Ultralite Elite was incredibly handy, and despite the gun’s light weight, it was eminently shootable, thanks to this particular test rifle’s 6.5 mm Creedmoor chambering combined with that effective radial brake. The Savage AccuTrigger was crisp, and we appreciated the bilateral magazine release just ahead of the trigger guard, which was accessible, yet still low-profile enough to avoid being a snagging hazard. This streamlined approach was evident across this chassis rifle, yet there were still plenty of M-Lok attachment points for adding accessories, as well as an ARCA rail located on the bottom of the carbon-fiber fore-end. While the Savage 110 Ultralite Elite isn’t an inexpensive rifle, it has most everything any backcountry hunter might need without the added weight that usually comes with such feature sets. Plus, this platform is available in most of today’s popular hunting calibers, making it a great option for those looking for a capable hunting platform straight out of the box.
Savage Arms 110 Ultralite Elite Specifications
Manufacturer: Savage Arms
Action Type: bolt-action, repeating, centerfire rifle
Chambering: 6.5 mm Creedmoor
Barrel: 18" carbon-fiber-wrapped stainless steel; 5/8x24 TPI threaded muzzle, Omniport brake
Receiver: stainless steel; Black Cerakote finish
Magazine: three-round AICS-pattern
Sights: none; 20-m.o.a. Picatinny rail
Stock: MDT HNT26 folding, adjustable chassis
Trigger: 1.5- to 4-lb. adjustable AccuTrigger
Overall Length: 38.5"
Weight: 5 lbs., 12.8 ozs.
MSRP: $3,299
