Help picking a rifle...

N

napkinholder202

New member
Things I'm looking for:

*Bolt action
*20" stainless steel barrel
*Around a 60 degree bolt lift
*High quality solid fiberglass/Kevlar stock with No foam or poly fill
* Prefer a Remington style action, I like the Winchester model 70 action but I can't get over how lose the bolt is while it's on safe.
*caliber will be 308 Winchester, plan on using the rig for mainly hunting but will do some range shooting out to 700 yards.
* open to a factory, semi custom, full custom, AR, traditional style
* max budget $4000
*** Would like to have the setup (bare rifle) weigh in around 7 pounds, if that's at all possible
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
You have a lot of room to work with with $4K. Is there a particular brand you're interested in?
What is your primary purpose?
 
You're not gonna find it off the shelf.

High quality solid fiberglass/Kevlar stock with No foam or poly fill
Click to expand...

ALL of the high quality stocks made by McMillan, Brown Precision, Manners, High Tech Specialties, and MPI use foam filler inside of hand laid fiberglass or Kevlar cloth shell. That is just how the high end stocks are made. The mid grade stocks such as HS-Precision and B&C use a metal chassis surrounded by a mixture of chopped fiberglass and molten plastic poured into a mold. The cheaper budget stocks are solid plastic of some type.

Buy a SS Tikka T-3, have the barrel chopped to 20". Put it in a McMillan Edge stock. With your budget you can buy 2.

I have a Winchester EW set up very similar. I kept the barrel at 20". Weight is 7.25 to 7.5 lbs depending on the scope. It is 7.25 as pictured, but currently 7.5 with a bigger scope. I've not shot it past 600 but it did fine there.

 
Thanks for the info on the stocks, I didn't know they were all made like that. I looked at the Win EW and really wanted to buy it, the bolt seemed a little too lose imo.

Primary purpose is field hunting out to maybe 400 yards, secondary purpose is paper shooting out to 700 yards. Brand doesn't matter to me really as long as there's no plastic parts and its sub Moa at 100.
 
A big price does not always buy a great Rifle . Years ago I bought a Remington PSS Rifle in 223 it shot very very well . I thought if it shot so well a real custom shop Remington Rifle would be much better . I bought a new Remington 40 X in 223 Stainless barrel it shot like crap .

I could of bought three Remington PSS rifles for the price I paid for one sorry 40 X . Now I mostly buy clean used Rifles and make them shoot it cost less for me to build one good rifle and I get just the gun I like .
 
"Now I mostly buy clean used Rifles and make them shoot it cost less for me to build"

Yeah thats what I am leaning towards after a lot of research. I was thinking of buying a Browning X-bolt Stainless Stalker, then swap the stock out for a McMillan or oregunsmithing pendleton stock. Have it bedded, try like heck to shoot the barrel out of it (I know it'll take a few years) then putting a Krieger 20" SS barrel on down the road…. Just a thought.
 
I only consider bolt rifles with a short bolt throw. I don't have any over 70 degrees.

With your budget you have quite a few options. I would take a look at the Browning X-Bolt, Mauser, M-12, Sako 85, Sauer 202 or 404, Steyr SM-12, Weatherby Mark IV Ultra Light. All of them have short bolt throws, smooth actions, and great quality.

The Sako 85 Carbon Light sounds about as close to what you want out of the box. It has a SS 20" barrel, 70 degree bolt throw/lift, matched action length, and has a carbon fiber stock. It's on the light side. If it's too light you could add weight or get the Finnlight and put an aftermarket stock on it.

http://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-85/85-carbonlight
 
Never heard of Howa Alpine but i'll check them out.

I for some reason forgot all about the Sako carbon light. I think your right that'd be a really hard rifle to beat. Only thing i've heard is mixed reviews on their mounting system. Hopefully Warne makes QD rings for them… Or i could always get it drilled and tapped. I don't think it'll be to light, I plan on putting a NF scope on it, Atlas bipod, and monopod.
 
The Howa Alpine is a 5.7 lbs rifle without scope, like I said it's not stainless but cerakoted chrome moly action and barrel. You have the option of traditional bottom metal or a detachable magazine system. It has a 20" barrel and comes in an LAW composite stock (formerly Banaser/High Tech Specialties). It is only offered in a short action cartridges (.243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08, and .308). While it does have a 90 degree bolt throw, it isn't going to be significantly slow down the bolt throw.

I know it's a little light at 5.7 lbs from your weight of 7 lbs. However when you add the weight of a NF scope you should only come in slightly under 8 lbs. That is a great weight for packing all day hunting the mountains.
 
Nothing really wrong with the scope mounting of the Sako. The Opti Lok system does cost a little more than most. It's very strong and you have 4 different heights to choose from in either 1" or 30mm. There are also aftermarket options available.

The Sako 85 Carbonlight at 5.3 lbs should be fine in .308 win. in terms of recoil. One other thing with the Sako 85's in SS models is their internals are also made of SS.
 
Not a fan of a 90 degree bolt throw, might cause some issues with the scope.

SS internals…sounds good to me. Is the Sako a 70 degree bolt throw? It wouldn't be to much more expensive after swapping the stock out on a Browning x-bolt and cutting the barrel down Vs just getting the carbon light. so i might as well go with a Sako. Smoother action and better barrel from what i've read. Although I've never shot a Sako, I have a Browning x-bolt though and on a bad day its 3/4 moa at 100 yards with factory ammo.
 
I've never had an issue with a 90 degree bolt throw not clearing a scope on anything other than a poorly forged bolt handle on a military sporter. I'm sure that it is a rarity to have an issue with a commercially produced rifle. Sako rifles have a known ejection issues with cases not ejecting properly because the brass hits the bottom of the scope and falls back down into the action. That doesn't mean you'll experience either issues if you buy a rifle with a 90 degree bolt throw or a Sako, just that they do exist.
 
Surgeon scalpel short action start at 4700 I'd say save up a little more. They guarantee sub moa.
There is another company (I can't remember the name just now) that makes customs that guarantee 1/2 moa if you send them your remington 700 or they will build one from scratch and guarantee less then 1/2 moa. I'll reserch the company again and post back soon as I find out
 
Masterpiece arms is the company. The rebuild option is well under your 4k budget. Build rifle from scratch is under 4k.
 
The Sako 85 has a 70 degree bolt throw/lift. I don't like the 90 degree lift as I like my scope mounted as low as possible. Never anything even close to an ejection issue with my Sako, any of my buddies, or the other that I've shot hear or there.

I won't say the Sako is that much smoother than a Browning. Both are pretty good but, have a different feel. The Browning's bolt body is the size of the lugs where the Sako is thinner in the middle. Both would likely work well for you.
 
i bought a rem sps 700 youth left hand 7mm08 when they first came out, planning on replacing the syn stock, but after adding a one inch slip on recoil pad and working up a load and adding a 2.5x8 leupold BC scope. with 44 grs varget and a nosler 120 BT bullet at 3000fps i have killed a ton of deer and last month i shot two prong horn, one at 280yrds and the second one at 320yrds. both one shot kills thru the lungs with no trailing. i think i paid around 500.00 for the rifle and won the leupold scope on a ticket at a sports drawing. i think it weights 7.25-7.5 lbds scoped-loaded. eastbank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top