.308 options?

C

Coinneach

Staff Alumnus
I'm about ->this<- close to adding something in .308 Win/7.62NATO to Ye Olde Arsenal. Trouble is, I can't decide what to get.

I fired a Steyr Scout last weekend and absolutely loved it, but the sticker is waaaay too steep for me.

I'm kind of leaning towards the Remington 7400 (semiauto) or 700 (bolt), but I've heard ugly things about their reliability (extractors breaking, &c).

The Winchester 70 looks good, but I don't know enough about their guns to make an informed decision.

Any input/suggestions/howls of derision at my ignorance? :)

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"America needs additional gun laws like a giraffe needs snow tires."
--Rabbi Mermelstein, JPFO
 
dZ, Looking for a .308 alternative myself and your links have increased my interest. Can you tell us more about your opinions of the rifle and the optics in the pics? Are it and its parts readily available? Hi-caps? Definitely priced in my base budget range.
 
I recently purchased a Winchester Model 70 Heavy Varminter with a synthetic stock and a fluted Stainless Steel barrel.

I am still breaking in the barrel but am thus far quite pleased with it. It is easily a 1 MOA gun and probably a lot less... truth is I wont know till I finish breaking it in and get used to it.

As with most factory guns the damn trigger on this thing could hold the weight of a small car before releasing so I Jerry Rice over at Nor-Cal Precision do a trigger job on it and its much much better. :-)

I looked at the Remington 700 pss as well and frankly I liked the Winchester a lot better. To me the feel of both the action and the stock was far superior.

As far as fouling and the barrel, I have found that it started out a little rough and there was a fair bit of copper buildup early on but with 169 rounds through it I am getting very little copper fouling comparatively and the groups are tightening up.

It loves to eat Federal Gopld Match in 168 but has also done surprisingly well with cheaper ammo as well.

To tell the truth I have not considered buying a Winchester since the last one I got was a 22 in the late 70s and was horrified to see nylon or plastic parts in the action... I looked long and hard at this gun and in my personal opinion Winchester has cleaned up their act.

In any case, so far so good, and as I say I have not even broken it in al the way (I consider 200 rounds break the way I am doing it) so the jurry is not back on this one yet, but so far it is a real charmer and I enjoy it.

JT



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One useless man is called a disgrace, two are called a law firm, and three or more become a congress.

Stop by my site: http://www.memorableplaces.com
 
Savage savage savage.

Stainless, bolt action, available with or without detachable magazine, muzzle break etc. Well made, strong action. Deadly accurate (sub moa) (oh they make a scout rifle too)

Really depends on how much you want to spend and what exactly you want the rifle for?

there is a huge range of what you can buy between a steyr scout and a savage 110.

Dr.Rob
 
Coineach,

My vote for cheap-yet-reliable goes to the Remington 788 carbine in 308Win. Priced about $250 new2U, detachable mag fed (single stack).

Extremely fast lock-time, and rear-locking lugs (like the Steyr's). Spare parts (very few needed) are cheap and avail at most gunsmiths & gunshows.

My 2 mils worth, FWIW/YMMV.

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Mykl
~~~~~
"If you really want to know what's going on;
then, you have to follow the money trail."
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$




[This message has been edited by Mykl (edited October 15, 1999).]
 
the vepr is an RPK derived hunting rifle
the largest mag is 10 rounds
optics on mine is a 7x pso-2 russian scope
i paid $129 with the mount from k-usa

there is some talk about 10 us parts making it high cap legal with .308 galli mags

SOF claims 1.5 MOA
others have been seeing 3 MOA in the field...
its a nice .308 at about half the cost of an AR10

here is the importers page
http://www.robarm.com/vepr%20page.html

dZ
 
Something about .308. I own five .308 rifles.

Oldest: Savage 99 brass rotary mag.

Classic, elegant, accurate, reliable.

Most accurate:Rem 700 PSS Leupold 10X Mildot

1/4 MOA 100 yds-Head shots 800,reliable

Most dependable: Springfield M1A Std issue

Works every time, 20rd mags, 1 MOA

Springfield M1A Scout

Same as above but easier in the woods,Smith muzzel break/Loud

Ugliest mutt dog: Ishapore Tiger Scout

Ishapore, India Enfield, converted to esrzatz scout rifle. Sinthetic stock,front sight w/flashider,new rear peep modified from M1 carbine, TC pistol scope w/lighted reticle on old rear sight bridge, custom tip off mount, Five 12 rd magazines, Ching sling

Winter project last year.

Past projects/cast offs:

Rem 788-problem with bolt lugs shearing.
Savage Bolt-poor quality control,bolt problems
Remington 74-bolt rail problems/Fixed in new 7400 line(maybe).

Just a little of my experience. Next project Mauser 98/LR scouts for all of my step sons.

Happy trails,

ts
 
Coinneach: Go to Michael's add of 9/22 in the long guns for sale forum. He has (had) a Rem 600 in .308, which is darned near a Scout in all but scope location.

(I'm about halfway a customer for it, myself...)

FWIW, Art
 
Before we got the 700 PSS I spent quite some time researching and playing with 308 bolt guns. It was a real close tie between the Savage 308 tactical (forgot what model it is) and the PSS. The pss won out as we got one really really cheep. LOVE the rife and it shoots better than I do without a doubt.
 
Coinneach. I won a Winchester Ranger Youth Model in a raffle, a couple of years back. The stock was an abortion, and the gun was inaccurate as hell. I had a short action Ramline stock for the model 70 laying around that I had picked up in a trade. The marriage of the two was something made in heaven. Groups were cut in half. A trigger job (2.5 pounds)was icing on the cake. I have a Japanese made World Class Tasco 3x9 scope on it and it is definately a keeper.
I also have Model 70's in .300 Win. Mag., .338 Win. Mag., and 7x57. The .300 will put 3 200 gr. Speer spitzer flat base bullets into 3/8 inch at one hundred yards, as will the .308. The .338 is only a 1.5 inch gun, but I have not done much work with it. The 7x57 was giving me fits, till I figured out that the bulk Winchester 150 gr. PSP bullets were the cause of the problem. The jackets are too soft, and there were lumps of copper fouling throughout the barrel. I started the clean-up last Monday, and finished it this morning. Average daily time on that barrel was about 3.5 hours a day. I took her out with some better grade bullets,(140 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips, Sierra 140 gr. SPBT, and 139 gr. Hornady SP. Depending on barrel temperature, groups ranged from dime sized to quarter sized, with most of them being in the quarter size range.
The .338 is the oldest, being made in 1968. The rest are no older than maybe 4 years for the 7x57. The last two are maybe 2.5 years old at the most. I'd say Winchester (USRAC) is making a pretty fair rifle, based on the three newest models that I have.
Paul B.
 
For nice accuracy from autoloader buy Hk PSG1, just a joke, have a 700, Mk II, AND Mauser, if you are planning on modifications no other than 700, most common. Can be modified with Sako extractor for cheap.

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The beauty of the second Amendment is that it is not needed until they try to take it. T JEFFERSON
 
Joey: The Savage Tactic in .308 is the 10FP (short action) or 110FP (long action). Picked a 10FP up about 2 weeks ago and have put about 40 rounds through it while breaking in the barrel. Nice, accurate rifle right out of the box.
 
FWIW, I agree with Orsogato: M1 Garand in .308 Mine is a Navy conversion. You can buy clips very cheaply, I've seen brand new ones at 100 for $47 in Shotgun News. Lots cheaper than magazines from any other rifle.

[This message has been edited by PoiDog (edited October 16, 1999).]
 
In the same predicament, Coineach; gun locker is a .308 short.

The Steyr Scout is at the top of the wishlist - alas, import duty and such, it goes to $6 thousand here :(

I have an Argentine Mauser carbine - a model that was 'sporterized' at the "Fabricaciones Militares" Argentine Miltary factory; magnificent action, good stock and well fitted - I've considered getting a good .308 barrel to change the 7.65 Arg (a good caliber, but the only 'factory' is Norma - and its not a 308 which is the point in the first place). But a grade A barrel would be more than twice the US price also. In anycase, pity to ruin the 7.65. But then, it is a tad on the heavy side...

Definitely a bolt action. Suitable for a Scout type scope - better.

A Remington 700 seems a good choice, or the 600. Except for the scope - but does one really need to have the scope way out there?.

And would have to shoot the Winchester and Savage offerings some - and for toughness and reliability - well, there's Ruger.

And then again perhaps fortune smiles while I dither and it would be the Scout.

Decisions, decisions. A stressful life.

Peter
 
The Remmington 700 can be a fine rifle, well made and reasonably accurate, but definitely benefits from some slicking up and handloading. Like some other people have mentioned it depends on what you want it for. I've never had any problems with mine.
The Remington 788 is also another excellent rifle. Small, light weight and can be a tack driver with the right loads.
 
Coinneach,

I owned a Rem. PSS. Yes, it was pretty accurate, BUT. . .

1. Extractor failed for me on more then one occasion. I would hate to trust my life to it!

2. Stock trigger needs magor help.

3. Weight and balance of the gun were fit for shooting only from the prone or the bench. Sitting was okay, but offhand was horrible. (for me)

4. Accuracy of the rifle just never quite matched up to my expectations.

I would encourage you to check out the Sako model 75. It has a real extractor, much better safety and trigger, and mechanical ejector (not a plunger). I think a the 75's shorter bolt throw is good for not hitting fingers against scope too. To me the Sako has real nice quality. (I had my eye on one at the "Shootin Den", but I decided to wait until they start selling them reciver only to make a nice custum gun out of)

For a cheaper route, you might want to consider an Enfield.

xyz
 
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