If you're looking for a rifle for hunting in 6mm Creedmoor then the Ruger Predator is the best for portability. If you're looking for a magazine fed bolt action with a very rigid stock for use off of a bipod then you might look at a Browning X-Bolt. Not many choices for the type of rifle you're looking for in 6mm yet and this one is top end of your budget. I have no experience with this rifle, just offering options.
Picking a bolt gun?
- Thread starter Chainsaw.
- Start date
Stay away from the overbore 6mm's. Great for competition, and those that don't mind the expense of rebarreling often. Throat life is similar to .243, you'd need to load light to get more than 1000-1500 rounds.
6.5 is a great compromise. It'll shoot flat enough for you for a long time to come, with probably twice the barrel life.
My recommendation is to get a Savage 10, or Remington 700. Savage is a much better bet for out-of-the-box accuracy IMO.
Either of these will allow you to modify and customize as your abilities increase with practice and round count.
While rifles such as the Ruger and Howa will shoot well, they're not the "caliber" of a precision stick. Depending on how badly you get bit (if you don't handload- you'll need to in short order) it won't be long until you want a better stock, trigger, barrel, etc.
Of course, you could consider this one a "learning" rifle, and just buy or build another one when you can shoot better than the rifle. Be sure to put your $$ into the glass- it takes clarity and repeatability to be effective at long-range.
6.5 is a great compromise. It'll shoot flat enough for you for a long time to come, with probably twice the barrel life.
My recommendation is to get a Savage 10, or Remington 700. Savage is a much better bet for out-of-the-box accuracy IMO.
Either of these will allow you to modify and customize as your abilities increase with practice and round count.
While rifles such as the Ruger and Howa will shoot well, they're not the "caliber" of a precision stick. Depending on how badly you get bit (if you don't handload- you'll need to in short order) it won't be long until you want a better stock, trigger, barrel, etc.
Of course, you could consider this one a "learning" rifle, and just buy or build another one when you can shoot better than the rifle. Be sure to put your $$ into the glass- it takes clarity and repeatability to be effective at long-range.
With what you hve described, I would run down to Cabellas and look at their Cabella only Savage offerings.
12FV: - Currely $318 with rebate: This is a (24" I belive) basic Varmign gun with a very Heavey Barrel (.850 on the end) - that is a barel weight that will stand up to a lot of shooting and no warmp out on you.
In many ways as a reciver barrel combo its the most desirable Savag setup, it has the Top Bolt Release and it has the semgneted nut.
TBR is a lot nicer ergroniic than the new Bottom Bolt release and does not get in the way of in and out of the stock.
The segmented nut only needs an action wrnec or a barrel vice to remove.
Other calbiers avialbe but the two I would consier are the 6.5 Crred and the 308. 6.5 Creed would be number one at this point though I do have the 308.
It does have a low cost plastic stock. In 6.5 it is probably at least ok. 308 not so much (more recoil).
When you are ready to spend a bit of money, Boyds makes fantastic stocks and the fit is good enough you don't need to bed (you will want to check the back tang and ensure no contact.
The Laminated stocks are the best, both good looking and as solid as the tactical composites. Thumbhole is very good and while I don't have one, I have shot what I call the Super Grip style and liked it in another gun.
Savage 10T: This is a bit more tactical with a rail, large bolt knob, but not nearly as blatant as the rest. bottom bolt release and non segmented nut. $550 with rebate. The nut is easy enough to get off with a pipe wrench most of the time. Not that much for a new segmented nut.
24 inch barrel, 6.5 creed and 308 offerings. Heavy barrel as well.
Stock a notch up - other than the bottom bolt release which I don't like (the one Savage I had that in I converted) its a nice setup and equally solid for Boyds stock and barrel down the road.
Both come with the Savage Acu Trigger and in this case its a 1.5 lb low setting. Not a hunting weight, but long term is about the max for target. It has a very good feel, pretty consistent. Not perfect but by far the best factory trigger I have ever shot. I am ready to see if I can get the kit to lower that (they have a Target Acu trigger that does down to 8 oz or so)
It does save having to buy an after market trigger.
Either one if you shoot a lot and use up the original barrel there are a ton of Pre Fit Savage barrels that are chamber, all you of a gun smith has to do is screw it in, head space it with a gauge and tighten it with the nut wrench and its done. No indexing, no chamber reaming, all done.
While I like the 308, the 6.5 Creed as better performance out at 1000 yards if you get out there. Soft shooter, and trust me, if you spend a whole days shooting you get a bit iffy with the recoil.
As per 444, I no longer hunt, I am a pure if low grade target shooter and I have been able to work down to a decent 1/4 to 1/2 MOA shooter with this setup.
Consider getting an Nightforce Scope, I have the 32X and like it a lot, I also got the Target dot and that works very good.
I have not been out as far as you, but did have it out at almost 1000 feet and was shooting about 7/16 MOA with it.
12FV: - Currely $318 with rebate: This is a (24" I belive) basic Varmign gun with a very Heavey Barrel (.850 on the end) - that is a barel weight that will stand up to a lot of shooting and no warmp out on you.
In many ways as a reciver barrel combo its the most desirable Savag setup, it has the Top Bolt Release and it has the semgneted nut.
TBR is a lot nicer ergroniic than the new Bottom Bolt release and does not get in the way of in and out of the stock.
The segmented nut only needs an action wrnec or a barrel vice to remove.
Other calbiers avialbe but the two I would consier are the 6.5 Crred and the 308. 6.5 Creed would be number one at this point though I do have the 308.
It does have a low cost plastic stock. In 6.5 it is probably at least ok. 308 not so much (more recoil).
When you are ready to spend a bit of money, Boyds makes fantastic stocks and the fit is good enough you don't need to bed (you will want to check the back tang and ensure no contact.
The Laminated stocks are the best, both good looking and as solid as the tactical composites. Thumbhole is very good and while I don't have one, I have shot what I call the Super Grip style and liked it in another gun.
Savage 10T: This is a bit more tactical with a rail, large bolt knob, but not nearly as blatant as the rest. bottom bolt release and non segmented nut. $550 with rebate. The nut is easy enough to get off with a pipe wrench most of the time. Not that much for a new segmented nut.
24 inch barrel, 6.5 creed and 308 offerings. Heavy barrel as well.
Stock a notch up - other than the bottom bolt release which I don't like (the one Savage I had that in I converted) its a nice setup and equally solid for Boyds stock and barrel down the road.
Both come with the Savage Acu Trigger and in this case its a 1.5 lb low setting. Not a hunting weight, but long term is about the max for target. It has a very good feel, pretty consistent. Not perfect but by far the best factory trigger I have ever shot. I am ready to see if I can get the kit to lower that (they have a Target Acu trigger that does down to 8 oz or so)
It does save having to buy an after market trigger.
Either one if you shoot a lot and use up the original barrel there are a ton of Pre Fit Savage barrels that are chamber, all you of a gun smith has to do is screw it in, head space it with a gauge and tighten it with the nut wrench and its done. No indexing, no chamber reaming, all done.
While I like the 308, the 6.5 Creed as better performance out at 1000 yards if you get out there. Soft shooter, and trust me, if you spend a whole days shooting you get a bit iffy with the recoil.
As per 444, I no longer hunt, I am a pure if low grade target shooter and I have been able to work down to a decent 1/4 to 1/2 MOA shooter with this setup.
Consider getting an Nightforce Scope, I have the 32X and like it a lot, I also got the Target dot and that works very good.
I have not been out as far as you, but did have it out at almost 1000 feet and was shooting about 7/16 MOA with it.
A quick note about the Savage 12FV at Cabelas:
They are backordered. Who knows when they are going to come in.
They had a recent sale for $318 out the door. There was mention of ALSO getting a $100 gift card for Cabelas. This would make the rifle $218 out the door. However, I have read that, that offer applies to these rifles and I have read that it doesn't. I don't know. But either way, it is a hellava deal on a new rifle that, in my opinion, is an excellent rifle.
I ordered two. One in .308 and one in .223. When I heard about the sale, I was at work, so I checked the inventory of my local Cabelas on-line and they were out of all calibers of the 12FV. So, I ordered the .308 on-line. About a week later, I was thinking about what a fantastic deal this is and ordered a second one in .223. They said, 5-8 business days and the shipping to my local store is free. So about two weeks later, I went to my local Cabelas to the customer service department and asked what the status was. They said they were backordered, she didn't know anything but advised me to check with the gun department. So, I went over there and talked to one of those guys.
He said that the morning of the first day of the sale, he got to work and there was a line from the door WAY down the sidewalk into the parking lot. They sold out of 12FVs (every chambering) in about the first five minutes they were open. He said that he has no idea when the on-line/backorders are going to be filled. He said as fast as Savage can make that many rifles.
In other words, there was a run on Savage 12FVs that rivaled the run on the banks in 1929.
This is perfectly OK with me. I am in no hurry. In fact, I basically just bought those two rifles because it was an incredible deal and I intend to use the actions to rebarrel into other cartridges. Initially I wanted the .308 but a couple days after I ordered it, I ended up trading for a .308 Savage chassis rifle (Savage-Ashbury). So, now I don't really need another .308 but I didn't cancel the order because I have ideas of what else I can do with that action.
As I said earlier, after buying my first Savage rifle, I am a true believer. I wouldn't really consider anything else in a production rifle as a budget long range shooter. Again, I went from never having owned a Savage, to owning two with two more backordered in the span of about six months.
Since the topic of optics came up..............I bought my 6.5 Creed for $499 on sale and ended up putting a Vortex Razor on it. Not to belabor the point, but the first couple times I showed up at the range I mentioned earlier that goes out to 1200 yards; several guys commented that if they had known you could buy a rifle that shoots like mine for $499, they wouldn't have spent the money on their custom set-ups. My buddy paid $3800 for his rifle in 6x47 Lapua and he says, every single time we have been shooting long range, that he wishes he would have just bought a Savage like mine instead of spending $3800 on his rifle. His rifle absolutely shoots better than mine. I would say, significantly better. But, he spent $3300 more to get it. And obviously he doesn't feel it was worth the money. When I saw him shoot an 10" group on paper at 1000 yards, I tend to disagree with him, but...................he does have a point from the financial standpoint.
They are backordered. Who knows when they are going to come in.
They had a recent sale for $318 out the door. There was mention of ALSO getting a $100 gift card for Cabelas. This would make the rifle $218 out the door. However, I have read that, that offer applies to these rifles and I have read that it doesn't. I don't know. But either way, it is a hellava deal on a new rifle that, in my opinion, is an excellent rifle.
I ordered two. One in .308 and one in .223. When I heard about the sale, I was at work, so I checked the inventory of my local Cabelas on-line and they were out of all calibers of the 12FV. So, I ordered the .308 on-line. About a week later, I was thinking about what a fantastic deal this is and ordered a second one in .223. They said, 5-8 business days and the shipping to my local store is free. So about two weeks later, I went to my local Cabelas to the customer service department and asked what the status was. They said they were backordered, she didn't know anything but advised me to check with the gun department. So, I went over there and talked to one of those guys.
He said that the morning of the first day of the sale, he got to work and there was a line from the door WAY down the sidewalk into the parking lot. They sold out of 12FVs (every chambering) in about the first five minutes they were open. He said that he has no idea when the on-line/backorders are going to be filled. He said as fast as Savage can make that many rifles.
In other words, there was a run on Savage 12FVs that rivaled the run on the banks in 1929.
This is perfectly OK with me. I am in no hurry. In fact, I basically just bought those two rifles because it was an incredible deal and I intend to use the actions to rebarrel into other cartridges. Initially I wanted the .308 but a couple days after I ordered it, I ended up trading for a .308 Savage chassis rifle (Savage-Ashbury). So, now I don't really need another .308 but I didn't cancel the order because I have ideas of what else I can do with that action.
As I said earlier, after buying my first Savage rifle, I am a true believer. I wouldn't really consider anything else in a production rifle as a budget long range shooter. Again, I went from never having owned a Savage, to owning two with two more backordered in the span of about six months.
Since the topic of optics came up..............I bought my 6.5 Creed for $499 on sale and ended up putting a Vortex Razor on it. Not to belabor the point, but the first couple times I showed up at the range I mentioned earlier that goes out to 1200 yards; several guys commented that if they had known you could buy a rifle that shoots like mine for $499, they wouldn't have spent the money on their custom set-ups. My buddy paid $3800 for his rifle in 6x47 Lapua and he says, every single time we have been shooting long range, that he wishes he would have just bought a Savage like mine instead of spending $3800 on his rifle. His rifle absolutely shoots better than mine. I would say, significantly better. But, he spent $3300 more to get it. And obviously he doesn't feel it was worth the money. When I saw him shoot an 10" group on paper at 1000 yards, I tend to disagree with him, but...................he does have a point from the financial standpoint.
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Well we got you a start (grin)
Your signature reminds me of the time my wife and I were on a combined hunting and camping trip.
I had a Caribou in the scope and was trying to decide if I wanted that one, the one behind it or if there were others (I never got a nice rack, sigh)
My wife who is quite practical is behind me saying, "Just shoot the damned thing"
Ok, she was right, both the same size, no more around. Great eating.
jetinteriorguy
New member
I just got one of the Savage 12FV deals from Cabelas a few weeks ago in 6.5 Creedmoor. I put my cheap Nikon 3-9 Prostaff on it just to give it a try. Got out to the range at the base in Quantico on the 300 yd range using Hornady 123 gr factory ammo. Sighted it at 300 yds shooting clay pigeons, once I got it sighted could easily hit them most shots. Then brought it back to 100 yds, windage wise it was spot on and about 4 1/2" high and my first 3 rounds were at 1/2" no problem. This is only the second bolt action center fire rifle I've ever owned, the last one being in 1972. To say I'm happy and impressed with this rifle is an understatement. Can't wait to see how it shoots when I get some good glass, a decent rest, and work up my handloads.
Precision CNC's and million dollar hammer forging machines have no doubt lessened the "accuracy gap" between factory rifles and customs/high-end factory. But, it's still there and will always be-but I expect it will continue to tighten a bit.
While there's very little consensus about most anything when it comes to precision shooting, I've yet to meet anyone that won't agree the barrel is #1- and by a large margin. If you're shooting 1,000 yards, 1/4 minute of accuracy can mean a hit, or a miss. Given all the other variables, those that are serious about the sport (and have the financial means) happily spend the coin to get that extra accuracy. In the overall scheme, rebarreling is looked at like tires on a car- hot loads and barrel burners can rule for some, again for that "edge".
$3,300 is serious coin for most. For some, it's the tip of an iceberg of reloading equipment, range supplies from LabRadar to $1000 front rests. Go to your local 1,000 yard range on a competition day- some amazing equipment to see, and most importantly- almost to a person shooters are very friendly and happy to help and share their knowledgeable.
All of us need to encourage and grow the shooting sports. With firearms constantly under assault from the Left, we need to normalize the sport in the eyes of those that don't understand it. If you've never taken a Liberal shooting and heard them say " Wow! I never knew it could be this much FUN"...
Hate to bust a bubble, I am a progressive at the very least and have been shooting for 58 years or so (yes we started young)
I think the ardent 2nd amendments group (maybe 10% of the US) thinks we hate guns, we don't.
My liberal uncle and a friend who has now passed, both WWII vets, combat, not rear support. Ditto another acquaintance from the 82nd.
I too took a fellow progressive shooting and she liked it. She also saw the abysmal and dangerous gun handling that was going on and the question as asked and continues to be, they are allowed?
I know some hardened 2nd amendementers that are questioning the right vs a privilege.
Unfortunately what we have is a document that while it has by en large stood the test of time, has flaws that do not account for changing times.
There were no semi automatic let alone full auto guns when it was written. People who had guns had to know how to load, shoot and maintain them. That's not close to true now.
Slavery was a given and was accommodated (not happily but it was)
Women were not allowed to vote.
The electoral college was a way to control the "masses" as was the Senate (and its funny, Senators are now elected not appointed, the masses got a win despite loosing the vote by 3 millions, so that is now unbalanced the original checks and balances intended.
The two vestiges left in the constitution (my opinion) that should have been reconsidered are the 2nd and the Electoral Collage.
You could not wreck mayhem with a horse and carriage but you can a car, that is a licensed privilege (severely abused but only because the powers that be will not enact legislation to ensure they can't get back into and drive a car without a license.)
The majority of gun owners believe there should be restrictions.
What those are we can discuss (or should be able to). Bump stocks has come up and magazine size another.
But to ignore it or insist that we need more armed people when we have them running around in the streets unhindered already is pure fantasy. Its got go be very up close and specific before I would consider pulling a gun out. More guns means what I have seen at the range, more clowns shooting them, who are at the best unsafe, worst outright dangerous to the rest of us (at or off the range)
Those who have them, affects them not at all.
Much ahs been made about Supreme court rulings, Dred
Scott was a ruling that was found in the long flow of history to have been horribly wrong.
I think the ardent 2nd amendments group (maybe 10% of the US) thinks we hate guns, we don't.
My liberal uncle and a friend who has now passed, both WWII vets, combat, not rear support. Ditto another acquaintance from the 82nd.
I too took a fellow progressive shooting and she liked it. She also saw the abysmal and dangerous gun handling that was going on and the question as asked and continues to be, they are allowed?
I know some hardened 2nd amendementers that are questioning the right vs a privilege.
Unfortunately what we have is a document that while it has by en large stood the test of time, has flaws that do not account for changing times.
There were no semi automatic let alone full auto guns when it was written. People who had guns had to know how to load, shoot and maintain them. That's not close to true now.
Slavery was a given and was accommodated (not happily but it was)
Women were not allowed to vote.
The electoral college was a way to control the "masses" as was the Senate (and its funny, Senators are now elected not appointed, the masses got a win despite loosing the vote by 3 millions, so that is now unbalanced the original checks and balances intended.
The two vestiges left in the constitution (my opinion) that should have been reconsidered are the 2nd and the Electoral Collage.
You could not wreck mayhem with a horse and carriage but you can a car, that is a licensed privilege (severely abused but only because the powers that be will not enact legislation to ensure they can't get back into and drive a car without a license.)
The majority of gun owners believe there should be restrictions.
What those are we can discuss (or should be able to). Bump stocks has come up and magazine size another.
But to ignore it or insist that we need more armed people when we have them running around in the streets unhindered already is pure fantasy. Its got go be very up close and specific before I would consider pulling a gun out. More guns means what I have seen at the range, more clowns shooting them, who are at the best unsafe, worst outright dangerous to the rest of us (at or off the range)
Those who have them, affects them not at all.
Much ahs been made about Supreme court rulings, Dred
Scott was a ruling that was found in the long flow of history to have been horribly wrong.
Pathfinder45
New member
Well. RC20, you have some interesting viewpoints that are not un-worthy of discussing, perhaps in another thread somewhere.... But, lest we get too far off topic, I think we should stick to the relative merits of the various bolt-action rifles, so that Chainsaw, and others can make an informed-choice.
There are a lot of rifles that would fit the purpose intended by the OP. For a production bolt-gun, the model 70 Winchester, stocked in Walnut, gives me everything I want in such a rifle. There are others that will also do the same job, so there is an individual-preference factor involved here. Scopes were also mentioned to a lesser degree, so I will say that I like the Leupold 3-9x40. Target shooting is fine, and I do it whenever I can. But, for me, I'm mainly interested in it as an exercise for a practical woods/hunting firearm.
There are a lot of rifles that would fit the purpose intended by the OP. For a production bolt-gun, the model 70 Winchester, stocked in Walnut, gives me everything I want in such a rifle. There are others that will also do the same job, so there is an individual-preference factor involved here. Scopes were also mentioned to a lesser degree, so I will say that I like the Leupold 3-9x40. Target shooting is fine, and I do it whenever I can. But, for me, I'm mainly interested in it as an exercise for a practical woods/hunting firearm.
I would recommend the Savage 10VT. It's a Dicks Sporting goods exclusive. Of course they own Field and Stream. So you can pick up at either place.
And they are not on back order. At least not in central PA.
If you don't like the plastic stock on the Tikka T3, then i would recommend their Hunter line.
And they are not on back order. At least not in central PA.
If you don't like the plastic stock on the Tikka T3, then i would recommend their Hunter line.
Don Fischer
New member
6mm Creedmore. Is that on the 6.5 CM case? If it is, what's the difference between it and the 243? I've only seen the 243 mentioned once, the Creedmore a number of time's. I'd lots rather find case's to make 243's out of.
Bottom line on the rifle itself is your just gonna have to crap shoot it. Every rifle has it's admire's and they are sure they got the best shooting one. But, maybe they did and maybe they didn't. The only thing they really know about the rifle it's self is how it looks and feels. Normally you can't shoot them at the gun counter.
If you like looking at it and it feel's good in your hand's and the price is right, get it! It may or may not shoot with the other similar rifle's but it will probably shoot better than you need! If you think that every Ruger American that come's off the line shoot's just as well as all the other's, your miss informed!
Bottom line on the rifle itself is your just gonna have to crap shoot it. Every rifle has it's admire's and they are sure they got the best shooting one. But, maybe they did and maybe they didn't. The only thing they really know about the rifle it's self is how it looks and feels. Normally you can't shoot them at the gun counter.
If you like looking at it and it feel's good in your hand's and the price is right, get it! It may or may not shoot with the other similar rifle's but it will probably shoot better than you need! If you think that every Ruger American that come's off the line shoot's just as well as all the other's, your miss informed!
"...soft-point expanding hunting bullets..." Those don't guarantee much excitement either. They do in a varmint cartridge like a .223 though. It was 48 ounce cans of tomato juice at about 10 yards. .30-06 SP's weren't as, um, satisfying as the .223.
A Savage Package rifle in .223 will do it.
A Savage Package rifle in .223 will do it.
Pathfinder45
New member
I will also suggest avoiding the magnum calibers as magazine capacity is reduced, etc. My Winchester is a 5+1 rifle in 270 Win. In my observations, water-filled milk-jugs explode quite violently when hit by ordinary soft-point ammo from 30-'06, 270 Winchester, and even 30-30. But when hit with 7.62 Nato ammo, they just sit there leaking. The exploded jugs tend to remain in large pieces if not completely whole, making for an easy site clean-up, as it is the water that explodes without shattering the plastic to bits.