Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
The Savage 110 Core Tactical pairs a thoroughly modernized Model 110 with the low-recoil reach of 22 ARC. Ours was shooting around three-quarter MOA with factory ammunition almost immediately, then making repeatable hits all the way to 1,024 yards.
Table of contents
- Watch the Savage 110 Core Tactical 22 ARC in Action
- Savage AccuFit V2 Stock: Fast, Tool-Free Fit Adjustments
- Savage 110 Core Tactical Features That Actually Matter
- Savage 110 Core Tactical Accuracy: Factory 22 ARC Gets Serious
- 22 ARC at 1,024 Yards: Where the Savage Starts Showing Off
- Savage 110 Core Tactical Verdict: More Than a Tactical Rifle
Savage 110 Core Tactical Review: The 110 Gets a 2026 Overhaul
Savage has completely revamped the Model 110 lineup for 2026, and the new 110 Core Tactical may be one of the most interesting versions, especially now that it is available in 22 ARC.
I’ve been shooting Savage rifles for a long time. In fact, years ago when I was a broke college student, I used Savage 110 actions because the barrel-nut system allowed me to swap barrels and build accurate rifles without a pile of expensive gunsmithing equipment. I even shot F-Class with one out to 1,000 yards.
The new Core Tactical is still unmistakably a Savage 110, but Savage has substantially modernized everything surrounding that action. That combination of a familiar action and much more useful furniture is what makes this version worth a closer look.
Watch the Savage 110 Core Tactical 22 ARC in Action
Savage AccuFit V2 Stock: Fast, Tool-Free Fit Adjustments
One of the biggest improvements is Savage’s new AccuFit V2 stock. Comb height and length of pull are adjustable without tools, and the cheekpiece can be raised or lowered simply by turning the adjustment dial. Savage says length of pull adjusts from 12.75 to 13.75 inches while comb height has 0.75 inch of adjustment. The rifle also ships with small, medium and large interchangeable grip modules.
I particularly liked the cheek adjustment. It is simple, quiet and easy to dial exactly where you want it. We needed quite a bit of additional comb height with the optic mounted on our rifle, and getting the proper cheek weld took seconds.
The stock also has a wide beavertail forend with an integral ARCA rail and M-Lok attachment points, making it easy to move between a bipod and tripod. Savage also includes its new LimbSaver recoil pad, although recoil from 22 ARC is so minimal that it is almost irrelevant here.
Savage 110 Core Tactical Features That Actually Matter
The 22 ARC Core Tactical uses an 18-inch medium-contour, straight-fluted barrel, a one-piece 20 MOA Picatinny rail, a 10-round AICS-pattern magazine and Savage’s user-adjustable AccuTrigger. The barreled action wears a Platinum Cerakote finish while the jeweled bolt is black and uses a threaded bolt handle. MSRP is $1,099.
Our 22 ARC barrel was threaded 1/2×28. Given the rifle’s intended use, I personally would have preferred 5/8×24, but that is hardly a deal breaker. We mounted a Banish Varmint 223 SS suppressor for testing the 110 Core Tactical.
The AICS magazine deserves a mention because feeding was flawless. The 22 ARC magazine uses an internal spacer to accommodate the shorter cartridge, and despite shooting a substantial amount of ammunition during testing, we did not have a single feeding problem.
The AccuTrigger on our sample was also excellent: crisp, clean, and adjustable. Savage retains its three-position tang safety, allowing the shooter to either lock the bolt completely or leave the rifle on safe while still operating the bolt.
Savage 110 Core Tactical 22 ARC Specifications
🛒 Check Current Price for Savage 110 Core Tactical on GunsAmerica| Model | Savage 110 Core Tactical |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 22 ARC |
| Barrel Length | 18-inch |
| Barrel Profile | Medium-contour, straight-fluted |
| Muzzle Thread | 1/2×28 |
| Optics Rail | One-piece 20 MOA Picatinny rail |
| Magazine | 10-round AICS-pattern |
| Trigger | User-adjustable AccuTrigger |
| Finish | Platinum Cerakote barreled action |
| MSRP | $1,099 |
Savage 110 Core Tactical Accuracy: Factory 22 ARC Gets Serious
We tested three Hornady loads: 62-grain ammunition, 80-grain ELD-X and 88-grain ELD-M. The rifle shot all three well, but the 88-grain ELD-M was clearly the standout.
The rifle was essentially brand new when we started shooting groups. The 80-grain ELD-X put four shots into roughly three-quarters of an inch after an unexplained first-round flyer. The 62-grain load produced a sub-MOA five-shot group even including its first-round flyer.
Then we tried the 88-grain ELD-M, and that was where the Savage 110 Core Tactical really started to separate itself.
Five shots went into approximately 0.75 MOA, with only a little vertical stringing that could easily have been shooter-induced. Our chronographed velocity was approximately 2,690 fps from the 18-inch barrel.
That was enough accuracy to see what the rifle and cartridge would do at distance.
22 ARC at 1,024 Yards: Where the Savage Starts Showing Off
We moved from the bench to steel targets beginning around 400 yards and worked our way through roughly 475 and 655 yards before stretching the Savage to 1,024 yards.
The little 22 ARC made the intermediate targets almost boring.
At 1,024 yards, the wind finally became the real challenge. After getting the wind figured out, we were making repeatable impacts, including on a relatively small 10-inch target. The 88-grain ELD-M performed impressively at that distance, and the combination of minimal recoil and a stable rifle made it extremely easy to spot our own impacts and corrections.
That may be what impressed me most about this combination. The. 22 ARC launches a high-BC .22-caliber bullet fast enough to make legitimate long-range hits while producing almost no recoil. That makes the Core Tactical unusually easy to stay behind through the shot, watch what happens downrange and make a correction without fighting the rifle.
Savage 110 Core Tactical Verdict: More Than a Tactical Rifle
Savage calls this a tactical rifle, but in 22 ARC I think it may be even more interesting as a predator and varmint rifle. Add a suppressor and thermal optic and you have a 10-round, tripod-ready rifle capable of handling coyotes and other varmints while retaining legitimate long-range capability.
The new stock is a substantial improvement, the trigger is excellent, the rifle fed flawlessly, and our sample was shooting around three-quarter MOA with factory 88-grain ELD-M ammunition almost immediately out of the box.
Savage rifles have always had a reputation for shooting better than their price tags suggest. Based on our first outing with the new 110 Core Tactical, that tradition appears to be alive and well.
Savage 110 Core Tactical Pros & Cons: What Stood Out
- Pros: Around three-quarter MOA performance with factory 88-grain ELD-M ammunition, repeatable hits at 1,024 yards, minimal 22 ARC recoil, flawless feeding during testing, excellent AccuTrigger, fast AccuFit V2 adjustment, integral ARCA rail and a 10-round AICS-pattern magazine.
- Cons: The 1/2×28 barrel threading works, but for this rifle’s intended use I personally would have preferred 5/8×24.
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As the Editor-in-Chief of GunsAmerica, Hunt365, Decoding Darkness, and Suppressor Academy, True Pearce brings a rare blend of legal expertise, competitive shooting credentials, and deep hunting knowledge to the forefront of the firearms world. A former professional sponsored 3-Gun and Multigun competitor with multiple championships and titles, True’s shooting career began in long-range and tactical sniper matches—and he still burns powder in precision competitions, now branching into Hunter NRL.
A certified firearms instructor who has trained over 10,000 students face-to-face, True has also served on both sides of the courtroom as an attorney and currently as an elected Prosecuting Attorney. He has prosecuted and defended high-profile self-defense and firearms cases, giving him a unique, real-world perspective on the Second Amendment.
Outside the courtroom and off the range, True is a true western outdoorsman. A lifelong hunter and rancher, he rides and hunts off his own string of horses and pack animals, chasing elk, mule deer, wolves, coyotes, and anything else in season. He’s a longtime reloader, producing both precision rifle ammo and, back in the day, handloading over 40,000 rounds of 9mm and 5.56 annually for competition.
He’s also a thermal and night vision expert, known for his obsession with high-end optics, and is rarely found without a camera or a guitar nearby. Whether he’s glassing a distant ridge, reviewing cutting-edge gear, or deep in legal research, True brings passion, precision, and grit to everything he does.
Experience:
– Professional Shooter – Sponsored 3-Gun & Multigun competitor with multiple titles and a foundation in long-range and sniper/tactical matches.– Firearms Instructor – Certified instructor with over 10,000 students trained face-to-face.– Elected Prosecuting Attorney – Attorney with real-world experience defending and prosecuting self-defense and gun-related cases.– Hunter & Rancher – Horseback hunter with a working ranch, passionate about elk, deer, predator, and backcountry hunting.– Reloading & Ballistics Expert – Precision reloader and former high-volume competition handloader.– Optics Authority – Known for his deep knowledge and unrelenting standards in optics, thermal, and night vision gear.– Outdoor Creative – Avid photographer, guitar player, and outdoorsman with a sharp eye for gear and storytelling.– 2A Advocate – Committed to protecting the Second Amendment and educating Americans about their rights and responsibilities.