I have several Savage rifles. They are good, accurate rifles in my experience.
The floating bolt head is criticized by some, but is a superior design, permitting
minimal disturbance of the bolt during the firing process and ensuring both lugs
will bear evenly on the receiver. And they can be switched calibers within a bolt
head group pretty easily, too, if that attracts you.
My HB in .22-250 (IIRC, Model 12 or112) will regularly print 1" and under at 200 yds with selected loads.
The newer models have the excellent Accu-Trigger, too.
The least expensive models with the plastic stocks, the stocks are pretty flexible in fhe
forend, so you have to be sure that they don't push against the barrel, and easy thing to
deal with. Some models have really nice aluminum chassis embedded in a higher
grade composite stock, giving extremely consistent action support in the stock.
Congratulations on 65 years of marriage --- many of us won't make it that far, I suspect.
My wife got a Savage .270 to hunt in Africa. I was able to very quickly find a hunting load
with the 150 Nosler Partition which was very accurate, and a practice load with a less
expensive bullet (to shoot hundreds of rounds of practice) that shot to the same point of
aim and accurately, too. Easy rifle to please.
Bill