Classic heirloom hunting rifle - $1000 budget

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I guess heirloom is a pretty broad term as alluded to by a poster. I would consider a pristine JC Higgins Model 50 to be an heirloom. A Mark X Interarms is very nice. Can’t beat a FN Commercial Mauser action, a Husqvarna or even an older Zastava. The older Zastava CRF actions seem to have much better fit and finish than newer ones. I forgot Safari Grade Brownings(FN).

If buying new I’d be pleased as punch with a Winchester or Montana.

Getting back to heirloom having broad parameters, the 700 ADL I bought in 1972 is considered an heirloom by myself and my son.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
If they are Wby bases those are like $100 right there.....
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Not sure. They had little wingnut looking levers on the side.

The main problem is, and I should have stated this before. The $1000 is coming from a friend who has done well for himself and insists on going wayyy overboard for gifts. This is for my 30th birthday party. I told him to get me a 6 pack of beer like a normal person but he insists on getting me a rifle to pass down. Sidenote is his dad is the one who just bought a bunch of property up in WI which is where I'll be hunting. He said the scope is my problem but he wants to get me the rifle. I think he gets a kick out of doing stuff like this. The point is, I can't buy that Weatherby MK V or any of this until he cuts the check just to be safe. We we're talking about maybe meeting up this weekend but he is busy and flakes a lot so we will see. It will happen though and I will post pics when it does.
 
I would go look at it again and if it gives you the warm and fuzzies ask if they can put it behind the counter for you.
 
someguy2800 said:
I would go look at it again and if it gives you the warm and fuzzies ask if they can put it behind the counter for you.
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It did give me the warm fuzzies. I'd consider doing that. Wonder how long they'd hold it for me... There is a lot of nice used mk v deluxe models on Cabela's gun library website. I'm not too too worried. I might look more at the Cabela's gun library website more frequently as they have a lot of fairly priced actual vintage Weatherby Remingtons and Winchester's. $25 to ship to my local Cabela's with no obligation to buy last I read. Hopefully that's still true.
 
If you wind up buying the rifle, insist that Cabela’s deduct the $25.00 from your purchase price. They will.
 
cdb1 said:
If you wind up buying the rifle, insist that Cabela’s deduct the $25.00 from your purchase price. They will.
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The salesperson straight up told me they will haggle as long as its nothing too ridiculous so I dont plan on paying whats on the tag for a used piece.
 
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Further on the heirloom idea, I guess a modern gun could in some ways be as much of an heirloom as buying an "antique" from 50-70 years ago. I think the important part is buying a gun that YOU think is the gun you want to own, then use it so that it's your gun, not just a collector gun to hand down. Today's modern Model 70 or CZ 550 may be the "pre-64" Winchester of the future. The CZ 550 is in the process of being discontinued in favor of the cleaper-to-produce push-feed 557. Sound familiar?.... ;)

The big ol' classic controlled feed Mauser actions may become more and more rare in the future. ;)

ACT43zL.jpg
 
ksalmi72 said:
The salesperson straight up told me they will haggle as long as its nothing too ridiculous so I dont plan on paying whats on the tag for a used piece.
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text your friend and attach a photo...let him know you're ready if he is. looks like you found a winner.
 
I6turbo said:
Further on the heirloom idea, I guess a modern gun could in some ways be as much of an heirloom as buying an "antique" from 50-70 years ago. I think the important part is buying a gun that YOU think is the gun you want to own, then use it so that it's your gun, not just a collector gun to hand down. Today's modern Model 70 or CZ 550 may be the "pre-64" Winchester of the future. The CZ 550 is in the process of being discontinued in favor of the cleaper-to-produce push-feed 557. Sound familiar?.... ;)

The big ol' classic controlled feed Mauser actions may become more and more rare in the future. ;)

View attachment 792979
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Man that is a beautiful gun my friend. That stock looks great. The great thing is this same buddy that wants to write me a check to go buy this is the same one I talked into getting a CZ 550 when we were 18. It has a wood stock, blued finish. Solid, well made gun.

Sniper66 said:
text your friend and attach a photo...let him know you're ready if he is. looks like you found a winner.
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I did text him the whole situation. He knows I know guns a bit better than him, so when I say it's a gun that's normally $2000+ new, going for $1100 used in really nice shape with the possibility of haggling to <$1000 he gets the situation. Problem is, as I said, he kind of runs on his own time. Kind of busy/Spacey. I'll text him this and maybe call him or something and a textbook move will be for him to call me a week and a half later saying "aww sorry dude I got caught up in this and that, meant to call you back, let's go up to Cabela's on this day" type of deal. So I'm certainly in no situation to rush my friend who is wanting to give me something worth $995 more than he should give me LOL If this MK V sells there will be other viable options. Noticed a lot of nice MK Vs for around $1000 but most were in those goofy Weatherby magnum calibers that cost 1.5x as much.
 
They are excellent rifles. They offer nice felt recoil reduction over a bolt action rifle. The only thing I don’t like about the BAR is the trigger and their are very few people who work on them.

If a BAR speaks to you then get one. The Safari is my favorite model.

I believe there may be some states where you cannot hunt with a BAR. I could be wrong. There are definitely some countries where you can’t hunt with a BAR.
 
If it were me I would get a Savage American Classic in stainless or blued. A close second would be Weatherby Vanguard. Both rifles are beautiful, have the classic wooden stock and lines, and can be had well under your budget.
 
ksalmi72 said:
Seems to be somewhat of a consensus given the M70s history. Definitely in the running.

So is this... Fits the bill for what I want also. Anyone have one, if so, thoughts?
http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/rifles/bar/current-production/bar-mark-ii-safari.html
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Just speaking personally, I inherited several Brownings (including a BAR) from my late grandfather and could not be prouder to own them. They're probably the nicest guns I have.

Everything about that brand says quality. Yes, including the price tag. But Browning doesn't make ugly or crappy stuff.

I would put their rifles in the same kind of league as the Model 70, where you're both paying for a good gun, but also high-quality wood stock and bluing that separates "$400 plastic deer slayer" from "I want to pass this down someday."
 
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I6turbo said:
I've never actually owned a Model 70 but they seem to be building some very good ones these days, and it's still kind of American. And there are always the older models that, along with the Model 700 would be the classic heirloom type gun.

I've owned 700s, liked them, but mine were from the 70s and that's the general era I'd go back to for a keeper.

These days I'm a fan of the CZ 550. I find them to be great quality and accurate, and there's something satisfying and captivating about the heavy Mauser action. And I have grown to love the single set trigger now that I've spent time to very carefully adjust it perfectly for my tastes.

There happens to be a couple of rare 550 Americans on GB right now with an oil-looking finish that is beautiful in person (I have one in what I think is the same finish, but a 527 instead of 550). These were considered "factory custom" guns by CZ. They built a few of them back in the 2010 time frame. I'm not sure how many 550s they built, but they built 120 of the 527s. In person the wood finish looks MUCH more high-end than the standard finish (at least my 527 does, and again, I'm assuming the finish is the same on the 550s). They have special wood, special wood finish, and Mahogany grip and forend caps. The 550s on GB have the spiral barrel, which some might like and some might not.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/772162901 (I think I'd go for this one of the two)
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/772701728 (this one has had the bolt coated)

Here's my 527 in a better quality photo than the GB sell offers for the 550s.
View attachment 792885

There's also has the 550 FS, which has been discontinued but still available if you look around a little bit. That style is pretty unique and would make a good heirloom type gun, IMO. With the hogback stock they are ideal for open sight shooting but if you mount a scope as low as possible they are not bad that way either (in terms of cheek contact for stability in aiming). The American would fit more people better when shooting with a scope.
View attachment 792896
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CZ rifles have some seriously impressive wood stocks on them. Not quite Browning level, but they look like $1000 guns.
 
cdb1 said:
They are excellent rifles. They offer nice felt recoil reduction over a bolt action rifle. The only thing I don’t like about the BAR is the trigger and their are very few people who work on them.

If a BAR speaks to you then get one. The Safari is my favorite model.

I believe there may be some states where you cannot hunt with a BAR. I could be wrong. There are definitely some countries where you can’t hunt with a BAR.
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The BAR II Safari is gorgeous. That would be the one.

KYamateur said:
If it were me I would get a Savage American Classic in stainless or blued. A close second would be Weatherby Vanguard. Both rifles are beautiful, have the classic wooden stock and lines, and can be had well under your budget.
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The savage American classic is a great looking rifle and actually American made. And savage has an american past that goes way back so those are some good bonus points. Will have to check one out.
Mosin Bubba said:
I would put their rifles in the same kind of league as the Model 70, where you're both paying for a good gun, but also high-quality wood stock and bluing that separates "$400 plastic deer slayer" from "I want to pass this down someday."
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That's how I feel too about the wood and blued finish.
Mosin Bubba said:
CZ rifles have some seriously impressive wood stocks on them. Not quite Browning level, but they look like $1000 guns.
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Yea the CZs are nice guns but the stocks on the current 2018 lineup don't do it for me. Maybe a used one?
readyeddy said:
Consider throwing in $1000 of your own money and get s Sako 85.
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I'm eyeballing the sako 85 synthetics that are on sale everywhere for $900 and $950 in .30-06 or .270. can always throw down $$ later for a high end wood stock and have it bedded and what not. Absolutely do not have the money of my own to justify putting into a gun at this moment
 
I'm in love with the looks of the Remmy 700 BDL. And I love that Remmy action. Probably more so than anything else. So scared to get a Remington though. Maybe a used Remmy?

ETA: Nevermind, I was just having a moment.

Also,my friend just got back to me, saidhe wants to go up there this weekend but maybe the next and make it a man date. Weatherby probably won't be there but we'll see what happens
 
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I'd suggest either a CRF Winchester M70, a CZ 550 or a Ruger 77 Hawkeye Standard. All are elegant, high quality, classically styled rifles and CRF makes them unique, at least in the present day. Personally, I really like the look and feel of a Mauser styled action with the claw extractor.
 
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ksalmi72 said:
I'm in love with the looks of the Remmy 700 BDL. And I love that Remmy action. Probably more so than anything else. So scared to get a Remington though. Maybe a used Remmy?

ETA: Nevermind, I was just having a moment.

Also,my friend just got back to me, saidhe wants to go up there this weekend but maybe the next and make it a man date. Weatherby probably won't be there but we'll see what happens
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Go give them $50 to hold it for you...if you are sure you want it.
 
Called Cabela's ready to man up and put this thing on layaway and they said since the merger with bass pro, they don't do that any more. Also called on one in -06 and that one was sold. Gahh. The consolation is that hunting/deer rifles aren't selling right now because of the time of year. Hopefully it is there in a week and a half.
 
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