Layout

The receiver is also black matte-finished carbon steel and nestles into the grey synthetic stock nicely. It’s textured at the grip and forend, and there are three QD studs, onto the most forward of which I mounted a Harris bipod for part of the field test.

The Prairie Hunter truly is a modular rifle that can be tailored to an individual shooter. This selection of interchangeable stock components is called the AccuFit system, and it definitely works. Once I mounted a scope (three different ones were involved in this evaluation), I picked the highest replacement comb and went to work.

Length of pull varies between 12.75" and 13.75" depending upon which of the various spacers are installed. The rifle also comes with four extra interchangeable combs ranging from low (straight) to high. It’s a simple process to swap these out. Just pull the recoil pad and remove the foam inner block, select which spacers you want and slide the selected comb back into place.

With an OAL of 42.25", the Prairie Hunter will easily tuck behind the seat of a truck or in an SUV.

Savage uses a three-position thumb safety at the rear of the receiver. It’s identical to the safety on my Savage Model 14/114 American Classic deer rifle chambered for .308 Winchester, so shooting the Prairie Hunter was like using an old friend. I prefer a three-position safety because it allows the safe ejection of an unfired round if the need arises.