Compact Beast for the Plains of Texas: My Review of the Savage 110 Trail Hunter Lite .308 Win, After Taking a Mature Scimitar-Horned Oryx

I by no means thought a rifle this compact and rugged might nonetheless ship full-size efficiency till I carried the Savage 110 Path Hunter Lite in .308 Winchester throughout a spot-and-stalk hunt within the open flats of Texas. I used to be in a position to harvest a good looking mature Bull on our second night on the ranch. That have cemented my perception that this little “Lite” mannequin is a flexible champ, equally well-suited for beginning hunters, seasoned stalkers, and anybody who values a gun that’s gentle on the shoulder but powerful in quite a lot of roles.

First Impressions: Mild, Rugged, and Prepared

Out of the field, the Path Hunter Lite shocked me with what it misses in weight.

At about 6.9 lbs with a 20-inch fluted, threaded heavy-sporter barrel, it’s noticeably lighter than most full-size searching rifles, but it feels sturdy and balanced excellent for lengthy stalks throughout uneven terrain.

Savage teamed up with Hogue to present the rifle a rubber-over molded artificial inventory. The grip is constructive in all circumstances, even below sweat or morning dew. That tactile really feel gave me confidence as I glassed over rising mud early that second night.

The barrelled motion and barrel characteristic a tungsten Cerakote end, sealing out mud and light-weight moisture simply the safety I needed when crawling by way of prickly brush on that glassing and stalking method.

Options That Matter on the Hunt

Just a few compact options stood out within the Texas scrub:

• Removable field journal holds 4 rounds (.308 model), plus one within the chamber, making reloads fast on the transfer.
• The motion is threaded, letting me mount a suppressor later if wanted.
• Two-piece Weaver-style bases are already put in so I merely pressed on my optic and was able to glass.
• A 3-position tang security gave me confidence transitioning into taking pictures secure through the stalk, then switched off when the bull got here into vary.
• And naturally, the AccuTrigger allowed me to dial within the set off to my choice easy, clear, and secure.

These options are perfect for spot-and-stalk hunters who want a rifle that stays gentle, is simple to govern below stress, and will get out of the way in which.

Within the Subject: The Oryx Hunt

On that second night, simply as the sector started to glow in waning hours of daylight, I crested a low rise and glassed a mature bull Scimitar-Horned Oryx at about 270 yards. My coronary heart pounded as I dialed my scope and shouldered the Path Hunter Lite.  The set off broke crisply the place I’d set it, and the shot rang out exactly the place I needed it proper behind the shoulder. The Oryx dropped cleanly.

Why This Rifle Shined

That second encapsulated what the Path Hunter Lite is designed for…. a stable, correct centerfire rifle that does the job with out bulk.

1. Mild sufficient to hold all day, but inflexible sufficient for correct firing.
2. Weatherproof end and over molded inventory imply no awkward pauses to wipe off dew or safe a grip.
3. Threaded barrel and removable journal give the flexibleness to customise for precision or predator work whereas holding issues gentle.
4. Prepared for optics bolt motion, bases put in, and adjustable AccuTrigger took out becoming guesswork just by including a scope and heading out.

Last Ideas: A Do-All Workhorse

I ended the day in a dust-choked area, being shortly approached by curious cattle and the Path Hunter Lite confirmed itself as a winner. It’s not a super-long-range, competition-grade rifle however if you need that Savage has loads of nice choices. However for the hunter who wants compactness, flexibility, sturdiness, and sensible accuracy, it hits the candy spot.

These of us who hunt rugged and diverse terrain will love the shoulder-friendly mass, balanced really feel, and readiness of this rifle. Spot-and-stalk hunters, predators, large recreation throughout open nation it’s constructed to do all of it.

For fall 2025, I’m assured this gun might be my pack staple prepared for whitetails, pigs, possibly even coyotes behind feeders. If you’d like a efficiency searching rifle that travels nicely, stays dependable, and gained’t put on you out earlier than the shot, the Savage 110 Path Hunter Lite in .308 is a compact beast that delivers.

Andy Husek

Andy has been a lifelong Outdoorsman and has hunted and fished all around the world however his house state of Michigan is close to and pricey to his coronary heart. He grew up fishing the Nice Lakes and principally hunted waterfowl and small recreation till his teenage years when he shortly grew to become an avid large recreation hunter. He has hunted North America from the northernmost components of Alaska to the southernmost components of Florida and in all places in between. When he’s not searching or fishing he’s teaching journey softball and watching his two daughters play the sports activities they love.