I have a Savage (.300 Win Mag) and three 700's (.30-06 and two .308's). The Savage gets the nod for price, but it also won't be worth as much later, either. Honestly, I'd get the best I could afford. The Savage is a good rifle, I wouldn't say anything against it, but if I had to choose one it would be the Remington. Purely personal preference on my part. The Savage barrel system is only a real advantage if you plan on changing barrels. The bolts on my 700's are smoother than the Savage, and the Remington has a cleaner look (I think). There's plenty you can get for a Savage, but there isn't anything you can't get for a 700. You'll notice that you don't see custom rifle builders using Savages to build on, but they nearly all offer 700-based rifles. Just my .02!