"high end" rifles

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DeerSlayer86

New member
What are your opinions on the rifles that cost a little more? Example: Cooper, Sako, some of the upgraded Weatherys...rifles that have a price tag around $2,000 and up. I don't have anything against them, I would actually love to have one! But is the price truly justified by the performance of such guns? Is the quality that much greater? I know Cooper gives you the test target with the load data and everything I have seen has been outstanding to say the least. As far as accuracy. So what do you guys think, Worth it or not?
 
Honestly, may Savages shoot as good or better than my Sakos. I don't worry about scratching them up, banging them or hurting the value when I take them out. You can tell the Higher end rifles from the woodwork, checkering, fit and finish and over all polish and quality. Not that I don't shoot them, I do and occassionaly hunt with some but its easier to take something with a plastic stock to the feild for me.

Its all personal preference, some of us collect guns like art where every peice has meaning, some hunt with those same peices.
 
For $2500 I would prefer one of my own custom rifles. I like Cooper and SAKO, but I firmly believe a well made custom Mauser made on an M-98 action is better then most everything else you can put against them.

Nothing is more reliable then a good Mauser. When the work is done right half inch to 5/8 groups are common. Such a rifle can be made to fit the buyer perfectly. Such a rife give you many options you don’t get with factory rifles and at $2500 I don’t think I would buy a factory bolt action just because I Can have anything I want from a custom build at that price.
 
Most of these rifles in the "semi custom" class represent more than anything else an upgrade in fit, finnish, and materials. Often they perform better. Coopers if nothing else give you wood generally unavailable on other alternatives. Something like a Cooper or Dakota also give you chamberings unavailable with most others. A Ford will get you to work as well as a Ferrari but I'm gonna take a shot on which you'd prefer,
 
I sort of think this kind of falls into "what kind of car do you drive to work?"

Are you happy hauling your butt around inside “EL Cheapo”, or do you need to be in a $45K plush mobile.

And then, many people own rifles whose grouping ability exceed their marksmanship capabilities.

Nothing wrong in that, but they would have been better off shooting the difference in price in ammunition.

I bought a SAKO back in the 80's. It is a real nice, slick, smooth, well built rifle. Also has an excellent barrel and bedding. I can say the Finns understand shooting and they got all the little shooting details right. Plus they got the pride of ownership details right.

But a problem with owning a high end gun is that you don't want to scratch the thing. So you end up taking your old reliable beater in the woods.

I would be very happy taking the lowest cost Win 70, Savage, Ruger M77 in the wet and mud. I know the rifles will function and shoot fine.
 
I'm glad my customers don't want to limit themselves to a $2,000 rifle. Heck, some of them don't limit themselves to $4,000 rifles. But the rifles you mentioned do get the buyer close to custom rifle features in a production rifle, without the 6-8 month wait.
 
Tim S Said, "A Ford will get you to work as well as a Ferrari but I'm gonna take a shot on which you'd prefer."

Personally I'd prefer my Fords...
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The gals must be diving in front of'em for rides, especially the ones that keep their teeth in a glass at night.:D
 
Performance may or may not be better. I have owned dozens of factory rifles, from .22 to .45 caliber, and every one of them has been capable of sub 1" groups with good reloads. Some have given sub 1/2" groups.

The main thing you get with the more expensive firearms is pride of ownership. How important is this to you? Beautiful blueing, near perfect wood to metal fit, smooth actions, crisp consistant trigger pulls, flawless checkering, etc.

W.C. Fields once said, "I'd rather have two girls of 21 each, than one woman of 42!" Firearms are the same way. One person would rather have two $1,000 rifles, another would opt for the one at $2,000. It's all personal taste.
 
I love my Savage Mark II GXP- which is a .22LR bolt action plane jane rifle that is so awesomely accurate and awesomely awesome- it shows you two things- you CCAN have amazing rifle for not a lot of money- and two, Savage is so awesome, IMAGINE their high end stuff. Their basic planest janest shooter is so amazing, their high end law enforcement stuff must be amazing.


I will say- I expectand hope to get an insurance settlement in 2012-- Probably anywhere from like 35G's to $135G's depending ... work injury to my back turned out real real bad, had major surgery, an the surgery has made me worse.

I will be geting a few new toys including at least one or two real awesome show piece rifles.. I had thought about a bolt action but I may just bipass that and probably get two ARs in 5.56 and maybe two .308s, probably either a pair of M1A's (a Socom 16 and a M21 for fighting and sniping respectively ) or maybe an AR-10 / AR in 308 - possibly a KAC M110 and an M1A Scout Scquad/Socom II, Loaded..

and the ARs, probably a pretty good 16" Recce or Main Battle assault AR andt hen a precision fire 18" SPR/MK12 ... one or two of all of those will be a top top of the Line rifle (LIke the M21 or etc.) Have considered POSSIBLY going with the real deal Remington M24 SWS ... you can drop like $13G on the entire Sniper Weapon System from the factory, it looks amazng.


Probably don't NEED expensive rifles but .. I have taken so much flak on the internet forums for having a Bushmaster and other trhings, IMMA SHUT DEM HATERS UP :)
 
There have been some JK Cloward rifles on Gunbroker for some time.

$1500-$2500

Can't get any better than that.
 
It's only the cosmetics and probably "smoothness" of the action. As was stated the Savages, Remingtons and others will shoot just as well and probably last just as long.

But when I win the lottery I'm getting a Blaser R8!! :D
 
One of the things that continues to impress me about my Sako is the smoothness of the action. In addition, the fit and finish (no pun intended) are terrific, and the wood is beyond pretty. The palmswell on the grip feels great to me. The barrel appears to be just a bit heavier than on my other rifles, and it's superbly accurate. I had it tuned up (trigger, action, bedding) by a high level gunsmith, so the accuracy may have just a bit to do with that. Bottom line is that it's just overall a better rifle than anything else I have now or have ever owned. Back in the early 80's when I bought it, the price was less than $800. Lord only knows what it'd cost now. I couldn't afford it now. I'll never sell it.

Regarding the action smoothness, I did once have a previously owned and well worn pre-64 Winchester that had an action that I think was as smooth as the Sako.
 
I doubt that you can get a truly custom rifle with nice wood for $2500. I would figure it to be closer to $5,000.

I think I would go for something like the Kimber with nice wood, and very light weight. Maybe a Wby if it would meet the weight and moa accuracy requiremtnts with full power loads.

If you do not really care for fine wood and craftsmanship then something like a Savage will probably be as accurate, and at a lot less money.
I am not sure that you get a more reliable or better rifle, in terms of practical use. It is more of the joy of owning almost exactly what you want.

Jerry
 
I'd be scared of using a gun that cost that much. I use my guns too much. I mean, I try to take care of them but you can't sling a gun over your shoulder, crawl through fields, haul it into a tree with a ropes, walk through pricker bushes.... without getting some character marks here and there.
If I was putting dents and scratches in a $2000+ gun I'd probably cry.
 
black mamba said:
W.C. Fields once said, "I'd rather have two girls of 21 each, than one woman of 42!" Firearms are the same way. One person would rather have two $1,000 rifles, another would opt for the one at $2,000. It's all personal taste.
Click to expand...

I'll take two girls of 21 each, a $1000 rifle and $1000 in cash, please. :D
 
Your budget & what you want out of a rifle have a lot to do with it. I own 4 Sako rifles that I mainly use for hunting.
Almost 30 years ago I purchased my first Sako 22-250. Since my brothers father in law was the importer back then ,it was the obvious choice for my first centerfire rifle - never did get a discount:( but we did open every box to make sure I got the best wood:) 30 years later I still hunt with that 22/250 which I had re-barreled a few years ago.
I bought a second hand Sako finnwolf lever action in 308 in the early 1980's that until recently was my primary deer/pig/goat culling rifle. I decided to retire this rifle about a year ago & decided to replace my primary hunting rifle with a bolt action.
After handling numerous brands of rifle I again settled on a Sako85 Bavarian in .308.
To me, Sakos are works of art in looks, function & fit.
I despise the term "safe queen". I hunt with all my Sakos & even my 1 year old Sako Bavarian proudly sports dents in the stock from a successful deer hunt earlier in the year. The Sako lever action .308 that some people would refer to as a collectible has accompanied me chasing red stags on New Zealands South Island (rainforest & mountainous), & has even accompanied me on falls from motorcycles.
A few months ago I was thinking of a .17hmr. I looked at the Savage, Marlin, Weatherby, Anschutz , & the CZ. I picked up my Sako Quad in .17hmr yesterday. This was the rifle that for me felt & looked "just right". Haven't got to shoot it yet but judging by my previous experience with Sakos it will be a shooter & keeper.
Its obviously a subjective thing and for me I like the look of Sako, Kimber, Cooper & other similar rifles in a wood/blued finish. I know my Sakos are accurate, but I also know cheaper, uglier rifles are just as accurate.
The broader range of Sako/ Weatherby/ Cooper rifles that are around $2,000 are a little more expensive than your Savage / Ruger/ Remington, but you also have to realize when you start talking "high end" rifles, that several manufacturers, such as Holland & Holland sell rifles for well over $100,000.
 
My only Sako is an older Stoeger-imported Finnfire Hunter from the pre-Beretta days. It's a fun plinker and extremely accurate, but after I bought a Jewell trigger for it I never got around to building it into a benchrest rifle. I could dial the trigger pull up easily enough (all the way to 4.5# if I like), but it's fun to shoot as it is with the 1.5-ounce trigger.

If I need a squirrel gun I have a Mountie and a Rem 541-S among others. I also have a Cooper Custom Classic .22 LR that I gave to my father some years ago. It's not really this red, I was trying to show the grain. It too is extremely accurate.

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"but I also know cheaper, uglier rifles are just as accurate."
They can be. I believe the odds of getting a good one are improved by paying a little more.
 
High-end *as opposed to custom* rifles also tend to hold their value very well. Try finding a used Blaser 93 or similar at an affordable price and you realize how much people value their investments.
 
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