Bolt Action Rifle

[really_good_guy]

Alright guys, I am looking to add a good bolt action to my collection. Right now I am thinking a good .308 is what I need. My budget is tentatively set to around 1k for the rifle.

I know everyone who has one swears by the Remington 700. I do really like the 700 VTR.

I have never shot any Savage rifles, but hear good things about the 110...does the quality suffer as a result of the low price?

I have heard conflicting things about the Tikka T3...seems as though either people hate them or swear by them.

I am also really thinking about the CZ 550 but have ABSOLUTELY no knowledge on them aside for what I have found on-line.

Just curious as to what you guys are shooting...I like to get opinions from real people as opposed to taking a magazines word that is all about the $$$ associated with their reviews.

[yetibear]

Savage rifles are far superior than their price would lead you to believe. You can easily spend twice as much money on another production rifle and it will never compete with the Savage. They rarely get the credit they deserve, they are truly one of the finest engineered weapons available.

[AK4Dave]

Remington is a great rifle no doubt. I shoot a 700 in 8mm.Rem Mag when I guided for moose and brown bear and it's been a great gun.
The 308 is a good round, I had one....in a lever action Savage. I sold it....trigger was too hard and not much you can do with them.
But if I was you, I would really think about the 30'06. Best all around caliber there is IMHO. Can load them light for for smaller animals, and heavy for animals as big as a brown bear. I saw a 10' brownie go down for the count with one well placed shot from an '06.
It's a great round...!!!

[Skoalman]

If you can find one for less than a grand, the Kleingunther is an excellent rifle.

[HappyCurmudgeon]

Alright guys, I am looking to add a good bolt action to my collection. Right now I am thinking a good .308 is what I need. My budget is tentatively set to around 1k for the rifle.

I know everyone who has one swears by the Remington 700. I do really like the 700 VTR.

I have never shot any Savage rifles, but hear good things about the 110...does the quality suffer as a result of the low price?

I have heard conflicting things about the Tikka T3...seems as though either people hate them or swear by them.

I am also really thinking about the CZ 550 but have ABSOLUTELY no knowledge on them aside for what I have found on-line.

Just curious as to what you guys are shooting...I like to get opinions from real people as opposed to taking a magazines word that is all about the $$$ associated with their reviews.


I had a couple 700's awesome rifles.

I picked up a CZ550 in 308 with the mannlicher (sp.?) stock a few years ago at a local gun store very reasonable. Mauser type bolt, EXTREMELY accurate after i bedded the stock a bit. NICE NICE NICE set trigger on it. push it forward slightly to set it for a very light pull, or straight back normal for a bit heavier. I still want a 700 and am keeping my eye out for one, but i wont be selling the CZ. It's got a permanent home (although i may get a synthetic stock for it in the future)

[Jeepin Dad]

Savage rifles are far superior than their price would lead you to believe. You can easily spend twice as much money on another production rifle and it will never compete with the Savage. They rarely get the credit they deserve, they are truly one of the finest engineered weapons available.

x2 Savage rifles are quality firearms. I haven't shot the 110, but my dad has a Model 93 .22 WMR that is a great shooting gun and my deer rifle is a Model 99 .308 that has never let me down.

[only_in_my_jeep]

Remmington 700 is a nice gun but I hear good things about the Savage 110 as well. I am not sure if you are talking about just adding another gun or adding a new dimension to your hunting say a long range rifle or something with more knock down power. As far as the 308 goes it is a good hunting round and used to be the snipers choice (still is for some). It makes a great deer and other large game round. That said if you are looking for something well rounded you with a lot of versatility (as was mentioned) there is a lot to be said for a 30-06. You can purchase at most places even worldwide (hell Wal-Mart used to have a wide selection) rounds to hunt anything from ground squirles to bear. There is a company here that custom builds a 30-06 to drop deer at 400+ yards easy they call them beanfield rifles accuracy limited only to the shooter. Also depending on your budget and ability to work on firearms you could get an old surplus 06 and do a conversion on it creating your own custom rifle. Then agian there can be cases made for all guns I know guys who swear by and ones who swear at the same MFG or caliber so a lot of owning the "perfect" firearm is subjective.

[yetibear]

There is no perfect firearm, you NEEDat least one of everything!!:yup::yup:

My old man had it good, my mother agreed with that! Want will get you shopping, NEED will get you buying, dang, I still NEED so much!:what?::ya::ya:

And the Jeep has needs also!:eek2::brows::brows:

[Rub61]

Last year picked up a model 700 .308 SPS Varmint. For the price $530ish has been a great long range varmint getter. Also fun at the range with some tight groups with the right ammo. :thumbsup:

[TripleJeep_99]

Have a Tikka .300 Win Mag and a Sako 7mm.

Out of these 2 rifles....I love the Tikka - very well made gun and it has never failed me out in the field hunting. The bolt has never froze on me while hunting in -40C weather hunting Moose & White-Tail. Where as the Sako did to me once bolt froze on me and missed a chance at a Monster White-tail!

I have taken a fair number of animals (Grizzly & black bear, Moose, Elk, Mule & White-Tail deer) with my Tikka rifle as I can't seem to part ways as it has been that good of a rifle for hunting.

Other than the frozen bolt the one hunting season the SAKO 7mm is still a very nice rifle & well built and nice bolt action like the Tikka and it also, has taken down game when I needed.

I am actually looking at getting a Tikka .270 bolt action just for pronghorn antelope and even think about using it for White-Tail deer.

[only_in_my_jeep]

Have a Tikka .300 Win Mag and a Sako 7mm.

Out of these 2 rifles....I love the Tikka - very well made gun and it has never failed me out in the field hunting. The bolt has never froze on me while hunting in -40C weather hunting Moose & White-Tail. Where as the Sako did to me once bolt froze on me and missed a chance at a Monster White-tail!

I have taken a fair number of animals (Grizzly & black bear, Moose, Elk, Mule & White-Tail deer) with my Tikka rifle as I can't seem to part ways as it has been that good of a rifle for hunting.

Other than the frozen bolt the one hunting season the SAKO 7mm is still a very nice rifle & well built and nice bolt action like the Tikka and it also, has taken down game when I needed.

I am actually looking at getting a Tikka .270 bolt action just for pronghorn antelope and even think about using it for White-Tail deer.

I can't blame the gun for freezing up. In -40C weather I would freeze up too. Damn that's extreeme hunting.

[really_good_guy]

Thanks for all the replies.
I am also a big fan of the 30-06 and was looking at a Marlin XL7, but since my old man already has a '06 I want to go with a .308 just to have something a little different. I still haven't ruled out the '06 though.

I plan for the rifle to primarily be used at the range. I just don't have the time to hunt much anymore (as much as the hurts to say). That being said, weight really isn't a concern for me...as a matter of fact for the range I would really prefer a heavier rifle as I have always felt more comfortable shooting something with a little weight.

Once again, I really appreciate everyones input...thanks for taking the time to post.

[TripleJeep_99]

I can't blame the gun for freezing up. In -40C weather I would freeze up too. Damn that's extreeme hunting.

Yeah, it's exteme, but I enjoy that time and it get's those animals moving out in the open scrapping for feed! Only thing is you just don't sit very long if you are rattling and grunting for White-tail!!!!

Also, nice thing about -40C is you don't get to many hunter's out in that weather.

I think the reason the Sako bolt froze on me was some snow fell off a tree when I started hoofing it in the bush and the snow melted on the bolt and then froze, as I believe the rife was still somewhat warm from the truck ride to my hunting grounds.