Budget bolt-action rifles, which is most durable?

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@dirtyharry: I've been following this too and it is an interesting read.

I have two savages: a new .223 hog hunter, and a 20 year old heavy barreled .220 swift. The .220 swift gives bug-hole groups. Other than the flimsy stocks, I didn't have any of wthbyfan's problems, but his sample size is a lot larger than mine and I will defer to his experience.

As for the accu-trigger, ruger, marlin, and remington have all copied it, although whtbyfan may be correct in stating that it is just a short cut for a finely tuned trigger.

Wthbyfan is also resoundingly right about one thing: the howa/vanguard rifles. For some unknown reason, they seem to be the best kept secret out there for value, craftsmanship, and performance. Well...that's more for me.

One rifle not mentioned so far is the remington 783. Gun Test magazine reviewed the remington 783 several months ago and gave it a high rating. It is a different rifle from the 770. (Gun Tests is a great magazine. They accept no advertising and tell the plain truth.)

I'm also thinking wthbyfan may be right about another thing. It is probably time for a kimber or cooper in my life.
 
It's too bad Winchester no longer makes the 670, basically a no-frills Model 70. I hunted with one for over twenty years and shot thousands (but not 19,000) of rounds thru it before a bit of rifling let go. Yes, it is a push feed and it came in a cheap birch stock. No-frills metal finish and the trigger was not good-but easily fixed. I "replaced" it with a Weatherby Vanguard, Ruger M77 stainless/composite and even a new Winchester Super Grade. None measured up, I snatched up a decent used 670 from the used gun rack and with the stock off my old 670 and a new Redfield scope it out-shoots every rifle in my safe!
Original 670 is on the way back from being re-bored, a custom stock from Boyd's is due in tomorrow and a Leupold VX-3 is on the way from Midway...it's no longer a budget rifle but I could have gone that route.
My point? Sometimes the best budget rifle isn't the latest inexpensive rifle from Savage, Ruger, Marlin, Howa or whoever. Sometimes it's a good solid rifle of proven design with a good variety of parts & accessories available. A solid used Winchester, Remington, Ruger or Savage may cost a little more than the cheapest new "entry level" rifle but I think the value is there, just have to look a little harder for it.
 
Brand new unfired (outside of the factory) but cleaned Savage 12 LRP barrel. Brand new unfired (outside of factory) but cleaned Tikka T3 barrel.

Any guesses which is which?

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First shot at 110 yards by itself and then the next 3 stacked in a nice group. First 4 shots.

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Next 3 at 220 yards. That's 0.286 MOA. I literally have no idea why anyone would ever buy a Savage (and not return it).

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Weatherby Fan, excellent pics of barrel finishes. I have the capability of photographing internal barrel problems now but when I didn't I bought one that was buttom rifled and not reamed, just drilled and there was build ups of metal on the edge of the lands.

They would shred a patch! ! ! I couldn't return barrel as guy was dead that made it. I had them in storage for several years before pulling one out to use.
Now I borescope them when they arrive.

Now here is the kicker I turned some bullets from oil hardening drill rod and at first I made them .300 to ride the top of the lands. Shot three and borescoped it and no difference. Then I started making them bigger and last one I fired was .305 diameter and still it did not take down the peeled up metal ! ! ! ! One would think it would have at least taken the drill marks off the top of the rifling but alas I could see no difference.

I forgot to add I heated them to bright red and quenched them in oil before loading them so they were quite hard.

I gave up, pulled the barrel and I guess I will put it on a 03A3. It shoots about 2" at 100 so it is not a total waste and would be OK for a hunting rifle but as a shooter it is a lost cause.

I bought two of the barrels at the same time and I haven't brought myself to look at other one as I packed it with grease when I got it knowing it would be a long time before I used it.
 
(Weatherby Fan - Looks like your second group was 0.628" as shown on the digital caliper, not 0.286".)

BTW - I have a .243 Win, Tikka that also shoots sub-moa out of the box. It shoots just as well as my customized, match-barreled, Rem 700 in the same caliber.

I was surprised when browsing Cabelas a few days ago. If my memory serves me, the Weatherby Vanguard S2 was priced higher than the Tikka T3. It was part of a package deal, but the price shown on the package showed it as being over $600.
 
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