First Look: Savage Model 16 Lightweight Hunter

With a compact, flyweight design built for long hauls and tight quarters, the new Savage Model 16 Lightweight Hunter is a great option for hoofing it through the Rockies on a backcountry marathon or maneuvering for the shot inside a cramped blind.

Savage engineers' showed remarkable ingenuity in shaving away every possible ounce without sacrificing accuracy and reliability. As a result, this svelte new addition to Savage's purpose-driven Specialty Series weighs in at less than six pounds, more than a full pound lighter than typical deer rifles.

Such a notable reduction in mass was realized by making a number of adjustments, including machining out the receiver, fluting the bolt in a fine spiral fashion and capping the stock with a 20-inch, light-contour barrel.

Designers also borrowed the lightweight magazine and framework from Savage's Trophy Hunter Series, replacing the standard heavy metal components found inside many heftier hunting rifles with a bulletproof base pad and rigid cross-bracing system crafted from light but extremely durable polymer.

As a result, the Lightweight Hunter tips the scale at a scant 5.65 to 5.8 pounds, depending on caliber, making it a blessing for hunters who burn serious shoe leather in pursuit of their favorite quarry.

A hard-hitting featherweight firearm is especially handy when hunting high country terrain, which makes the Savage Model 16 Lightweight Hunter a natural for tackling mule deer and elk. It can also be used on any extended adventure afoot, whether you're stalking High Plains antelope or tracking down whitetails in the Adirondacks.

---

Thanks to a 40.25-inch overall length, the compact powerhouse is also a boon in ground and box blinds alike. No more spooking game by accidentally clunking your barrel against the side of the blind. Likewise, going through awkward contortions while maneuvering a long, unwieldy firearm from resting to shooting positions is also a frustration of the past.

The Lightweight Hunter is available in popular hunting calibers. It's available in short- and long-action options in five calibers: 223 Rem., 243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., 308 Win. and 270 Win.

Accuracy is helped through a number of Savage advancements including a hand-straightened, button-rifled barrel and self-adjusting, floating bolt head that yields a fit normally available only with hand-lapped locking lugs.

Zero-tolerance headspace, achieved by carefully matching barrel, action and bolt, further fuels world-class accuracy. The Savage Model 16 Lightweight Hunter also offers Savage's trademark, user-adjustable AccuTrigger system, which lets shooters tailor trigger pull to personal taste.

Rising to the challenge of extreme conditions, long-lasting performance is assured even in all weather conditions, thanks to a rugged synthetic stock and stainless steel barrel. Additional amenities include a reliable, easily engaged tang-mounted safety and detachable box magazine.

The Savage Model 16 Lightweight Hunter retails for $729.

Savage Model 16 Lightweight Hunter Technical Specifications

Caliber: 223 Rem., 243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., 308 Win. and 270 Win.

Handed: Right

Rate of Twist: Model-specific

Weight: 5.65 or 5.8 pounds, depending on caliber

Overall Length: 40.25 inches

Barrel Length: 20 inches

Ammo Capacity: 4

MSRP: $729

Action: Long and short available

Drop at Comb: 1-1/2 inches

Drop at Heel: 1-7/8 inches

Length of Pull: 13.5 inches

Series: Specialty Series

Trigger: AccuTrigger

Magazine: Detachable box

Stock material: Synthetic

Barrel material: Stainless steel

Stock finish: Matte

Barrel finish: Matte

Stock color: Black