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Bolt action rifle opinions |
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kaptainQ
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/01/2012 Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Posted: January/26/2013 at 21:55 |
Hello everybody, Just wanted to get your opinions. If you were going to buy a bolt action .30-06 tomorrow, what make and model would you go with and is there a specific reason why? TIA!
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Browning X-Bolt, Browning A-bolt... Browning is consistently one of the best performers on the market bolt action, semi-auto, pump, lever. I have several Brownings and they are in my "keep forever" pile... I may give one to my Marine son-in-law who has taken a particular liking to my 7mmWinMag A-bolt Stalker with BOSS. It's the only rifle he wants to shoot when he comes to visit... and I have a few to choose from...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Tip69
Optics Master Extraordinaire Tip Stick Joined: September/27/2005 Location: Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 4155 |
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Hard to argue with KB. The 60 degree bolt throw is also nice.. as well as the palm swell!
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take em!
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300S&W
Optics God Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Status: Offline Points: 10592 |
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First off WELCOME to OT.
My suggestion would be a Winchester M70 Classic Featherweight.
For someone looking for one firearm to do it all (especially in .30-06!) this with the right scope makes for a well balanced,not too light,simple,dependable,hunting rig. I like the field strippable w/o tools bolt just in case. It also holds it's resale value VERY WELL. I've got one in .270 Win. w/a 2-7x32 Vortex Viper.
Having said all that,any of the major brand rifles would do you fine. My suggestion is to handle, and if possible shoot, as many different ones as possible. You'll know when you've found the right one. |
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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bugsNbows
Optics God bowsNbugs Joined: March/10/2008 Location: North Georgia Status: Offline Points: 11201 |
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Older Sako 75. Great ergos (for me anyway), great trigger and very accurate.
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If we're not suppose to eat animals...how come they're made of meat?
Anomymous |
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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i like brownings as well, but its still hard to beat a ruger or winchester....
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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Bolt action hunting rifle, if you take a peek in my safe your gonna
see Remington(s), Browning, Rugar.... and one very old Springfield.
Lot's of great manufacturers out there, it's more of a personal preference (specs, ergonomics, experience, etc.) and what your budget is. |
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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tman1965
Optics Master Joined: July/20/2010 Location: South Georgia Status: Offline Points: 1456 |
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I would go with the tikka. but all the ones mentioned so far would do just fine by me.
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Sometimes my tongue outruns my brain and I say something I haven't thought of yet!
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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If price matters I would buy a Tikka they are guaranteed sub minute of angle or they do not leave the factory (most SAKO products are very good shooters). Considering the relatively low price it would cost double or more to get any better.
In the thousand dollar or so range if .308 or 300 Win Mag was an option the stainless Remmington R5 Mil Spec would be my first choice, but I tend to like a tactical rifle with heavier barrel profile. I am also quite fond of Savage rifles they tend to shoot very well. If money was no object I would custom order a rifle from GA Precision or TAC Ops but that will easily be over three thousand. For hunting guns its hard to not mention the Kimber Montana as one worth considering and it is in a more hunting friendly barrel profile. |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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trigger29
Optics Master Extraordinaire X = 180 Y = 90 (X+Pyro)+(Y-Pyro) = ? Joined: September/29/2007 Location: South Dakota Status: Offline Points: 4353 |
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I'd have to have one of these. Lightweight, guaranteed sub-moa accuracy, and good looks for a decent price.
I wouldn't expect to pay the price on the Weatherby site for one. I bought a stainless one for $869
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"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." |
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cbm
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/11/2008 Location: SC Status: Offline Points: 580 |
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I would get a Tikka T3 stainless and replace the stock with a BC Medalist. You would have around $800 in it then and the two I have owned have been good shooters. The trigger is very easy to adjust, the action is silky smooth, short bolt throw,and I have had no issues at all with mine. I have other guns, nicer guns, but the Tikka w/ medalist stock is probably my favorite!
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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I bet it looks and feels great!!! If I owned a T3, replacing the black OEM stock would be a priority for me. |
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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rustic
Optics Master Joined: September/30/2011 Status: Offline Points: 1461 |
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I agree with others T-3 lite stainless no downside... even with the stock STOCK.
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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what you should draw from this is that there are as many different LIKEs as there are rifles... I happen to prefer Browning, Winchester, and Remington... pretty much in that order (Weatherby is in there somewhere and others)... for bolt action rifles... Single shot, Ruger #1, Winchester High Wall. I don't particularly care for Tikka. Not because they don't shoot well, they do, I just "don't believe the hype... it's a sequel". Nothing wrong with Tikka, not as great as the press... it shoots fine and if you want one, get one. Try out Kimber, Sako, anything you can get your hands on. If you like lever guns, Marlin and Henry are great... There's nothing like a good lever action rifle...
Go pick a bunch of rifles up at a gun store, hold them, bring them to your shoulder, sight down the barrel if they don't have iron sights, get the feel. When you find one that FEELS RIGHT, feels good... get it. You won't be wrong...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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rustic
Optics Master Joined: September/30/2011 Status: Offline Points: 1461 |
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A Tikka T-3 lite stainless may not be the best looking(not bad though). The appeal is one of the lighter rifles out there with being above average accurate and won't break the bank.
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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Hard to go wrong with any of the above choices (the Browning bolt lift helps with mounting some scopes), but I would just get a Savage 116. It would be reasonably priced, shoot like a custom, and be ugly enough to abuse in the field.
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-Matt
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kaptainQ
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/01/2012 Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Thanks for the replies guys! I currently own a Rem 700 30-06, two ruger M77"s (35 whelen, 280 rem),and a Marlin 336 35 rem. Im just debating what my next purchase should be. My wife probably wont allow me to spend more than $800- 900 on a rifle.
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AstroVic
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/18/2010 Status: Offline Points: 161 |
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I am a big fan of Savage rifles. I own several of them. While I can afford more expensive rifles, I'm drawn to the quality:price ratio of almost everything I purchase and Savage rifles easily fit that bill. They are more than acceptable in the accuracy department and they just WORK like they should....every time. Good options would be the Savage 114 American Classic (stainless or blued) or the Savage 116 Weather Warrior. The rifle alone would run you about $700.
If your $800 budget includes the cost of glass, then you might consider a Marlin. I once owned a Marlin XS7Y in 7mm-08 and that thing was a dead-on shooter. I literally hit everything I aimed at with that gun. It was far better than I expected. (The Marlin XL7 would be the comparable model in .30-06.) I think I paid around $300 for the rifle new at Academy Sporting Goods, so if you put some respectable glass on top of it you'd definitely stay within the $800 price range and you'd have a great shooting rifle. There are plenty of good options out there. You just have to find the ones that suit your needs and budget. Let us know what you decide, and be sure to post a short review of it!
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tman1965
Optics Master Joined: July/20/2010 Location: South Georgia Status: Offline Points: 1456 |
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Well, you've already got some right fine one's! I especially like the 336 in 35 rem. one of mine is a 1960 that accompanies me on my hunts quite often.... if there is anything prowling these Ga. woods and swamps that it won't drop, I sure as heck ain't come across it yet!
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Sometimes my tongue outruns my brain and I say something I haven't thought of yet!
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Peddler
Optics God Joined: July/04/2012 Location: Oswego,NY Status: Online Points: 13528 |
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CZ anyone?
Peddler |
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When you are dead, you don't know you are dead.It is difficult only for others.
It is the same when you are stupid. |
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