.308 choices

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peterk1234

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What would you folks recommend I consider for good accurate bolt action 308? For now it will be used for target, but I am planning for the day I am either living out west or at least go on an elk or mule deer hunt for vacation.

I cannot for the life of me narrow it down. I do not want to purchase a rifle and scope combo because I think ultimately I need to consider spending more money on the scope than the gun :)

Thx

Pete
 
There are lots of good choices. My personal go to rifle is my Winchester EW in 308. I have a McMillan Edge stock on it to reduce weight to 7 1/2 lbs as shown in the photo. For me this is the ultimate all around rifle. Light enough to carry easily, heavy enough too shoot well, and it shoots under 1 MOA with any hunting load I've tried. I like the idea of CRF and the SS/Synthetic makes for an all weather rifle There are more powerful rounds, but I figure this has enough for elk out to 400 yards and that is about as far as I can shoot. This photo is at just under 10,000' in Colorado on an elk hunt a couple of weeks ago. I was not successful, but had a great time.

But depending on your budget there are other less expensive options. A Tikka T-3 at about $500-$600 would be my 2nd choice for a lot less money. The Bergara rifles are well thought of and one I'd consider too, priced at $600-$700. If you don't mind something on the heavier end the Weatherby Vanguard is another good rifle and while not pretty, the Savage rifles have a reputation as shooters. Same with the Ruger American series.

You can find good, dependable, accurate rifles anywhere from $300-$3000. it just depends on how much you want to spend and if the features are worth the money. Everything on my rifle was bought used. Rifle, stock, and scope, so I don't have nearly as much in it as you'd think, just over $1000. But to buy the rifle, scope,and stock new the total would be closer to $2200. While I like it, it doesn't shoot any more accurately than my $400 Ruger American.

elk3 026.JPG
 
Really depends on your budget.

But it's impossible to go wrong with a Tikka, and for less money, a Savage.

Funny thing is, they are not only two of the most accurate out of the box, but they are two of the lightest rifles out of the box - both features that will likely serve you well moving forward.
 
My experience with nib bolts has been with the Weatherby Vanguard, Savage model 10, Remington 700 (sps, sps tactical, sps varmint), Ruger Hawkeye.

Every model I listed shot sub moa with reloads or quality ammo with the exception of the Hawkeye- which was just over 1 moa.

They're not "target" rifles exactly but then again I wouldn't want to lug a target rifle around out west.
 
Lots of good choices out there. As mentioned, Tikka would be a great choice. For a bit more, you could go with a Sako A7 (same company as Tikka). It has a better action, full 24” barrel, better magazine design, and a MUCH better stock.

Mine’s in 30-06 and I have been very happy with it over the last four years humping it all over for western game.

1F7E23A6-4D64-4299-B78B-6AA28E0FB09A.jpeg

https://www.cabelas.com/product/BERETTA-A-BIG-GAME-BOLT-ACTION-RIFLES/1872711.uts

I think your wise to stay away from gun/scope combos, but you probably don’t need to spend as much on optics as you do on the rifle. Something for around 3-400 bucks should get you a very nice scope for hunting.
 
Current production rifles from Savage and the Ruger American are good choices. Try to keep it light. FWIW, you may want to look at 6.5 CM. Most of the rifle/scope combos do tend to have less desirable scopes, but you could always re-purpose a scope like that for something else, or just keep as a spare.
 
Thank you for the comments. I really do not have a particular set budget in mind. But I always try to go with the best bang for the buck. This will be my first rifle that is not a 22 or an inline. I was originally looking at a 223 because in my State we are basically stuck using rifles for target practice. But then I started to think about out of state hunts, and of eventually retiring out west. Looks like a 308 is a great all round rifle for any game in the states. I am not in a hurry to purchase, and I want to do it right.
 
I've never seen a Savage that didn't shoot well. Some people may not shoot a Savage Edge/Axis well because they often have heavy-gritty triggers, but even those are very accurate with a Rifle Basix trigger. But I'd say any Savage in the chambering you want with the features you desire, AND with an Accu-Trigger would be a decent choice.
 
I really do not have a particular set budget in mind. But I always try to go with the best bang for the buck.

In my opinion that’s a Savage. Most are accurate right out of the box and the ease of swapping barrels gives you more options down the road for different calibers or better barrels.

The down side is they aren’t the prettiest rifles out there.

I’m a fan of the Winchester action. If you wanted to spend a few hundred more you could get one in a nice stock that you’d be proud to show off to your hunting buddies

As far as having a dual purpose hunting/target rifle goes I would advise against it. You have to make too many comprises and and can end up with something not well suited for either.

P.S. also a fan of your caliber choice. I shoot the .308 in NRA high power and I hunt with it. It’s a very versatile round
 
Depends on your definition of "target shooting". If you're talking about just practice with a rifle you may hunt with someday, get a good deer rifle. As above, Tikka or Savage M10 are probably in the best bang for the buck category. If you find one, the SAKO, a semi-vintage Rem 700 BDL or Ruger M77 would be nice and a little more refined and prettier. If you're handy and want to make something special, a Savage M11 accutrigger with a custom stock and glass bedding really turns heads whether in the gun cabinet or on the range. I did up the wife's rifle this way with a nice piece of figured walnut from Richards Microfit and an accraglass kit. Went from an already accurate rifle to a sub-1/2" rifle with superior ergonomics (especially for her short arms) to anything I could buy at any price factory made. Was a good winter project, lots of elbow grease but cost under $300 to restock, most of that being for the high grade of walnut I purchased. Cleans up nice for a Savage! And it is a .308! 13043208_1161890310512131_8127241187881827072_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.jpg

200 yard group 13062140_1161890373845458_1098357519518743700_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.jpg
 
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  • +1 M70 EW and caliber .308 (pretty, shooter, rugged, very well built, all the good blah, blah, blah stuff) - certainly worth a look-see.
 
Go to your local gunshop and look at what's available. Put different rifles against your shoulder and work the bolt briskly a few times. Some rifles are smooth. Some are not.

For awhile, I considered picking up a Ruger American. But the action tends to be rough. I've found the same to be true of several other economy rifles.

For optics, I prefer Leupold. Leupold offers a good balance of optical quality, weight and ruggedness.
 
There are lots of good choices. My personal go to rifle is my Winchester EW in 308. I have a McMillan Edge stock on it to reduce weight to 7 1/2 lbs as shown in the photo. For me this is the ultimate all around rifle. Light enough to carry easily, heavy enough too shoot well, and it shoots under 1 MOA with any hunting load I've tried. I like the idea of CRF and the SS/Synthetic makes for an all weather rifle There are more powerful rounds, but I figure this has enough for elk out to 400 yards and that is about as far as I can shoot. This photo is at just under 10,000' in Colorado on an elk hunt a couple of weeks ago. I was not successful, but had a great time.

But depending on your budget there are other less expensive options. A Tikka T-3 at about $500-$600 would be my 2nd choice for a lot less money. The Bergara rifles are well thought of and one I'd consider too, priced at $600-$700. If you don't mind something on the heavier end the Weatherby Vanguard is another good rifle and while not pretty, the Savage rifles have a reputation as shooters. Same with the Ruger American series.

You can find good, dependable, accurate rifles anywhere from $300-$3000. it just depends on how much you want to spend and if the features are worth the money. Everything on my rifle was bought used. Rifle, stock, and scope, so I don't have nearly as much in it as you'd think, just over $1000. But to buy the rifle, scope,and stock new the total would be closer to $2200. While I like it, it doesn't shoot any more accurately than my $400 Ruger American.

View attachment 812337
This is very true.
 
Browning X-Bolt, because it will be a .308, so the 22" barrel should suffice, and they come in many finishes, so it's likely one would appeal to you. I appreciate a flush fit detachable magazine. Put a Leupold 3-9x42 on it and call it good.
 
If you're in no hurry, browse gun shops and see what's available. If you have a knowledgeable friend or two, take them with you. Check out the used racks; best bang for the buck will be found there. You'll have to decide whether you like traditional blued steel and walnut stocks, stainless steel and synthetic stocks, or coated (Parkerized, Cerakote, etc.) and whatever stock. You'll have to decide if you want a medium to light weight rig to haul up and down mountains or a heavy-barreled gun for shooting from a fixed position. Lots of options!

I like older Remington 700s. One I am sorry I let get away was an original 700 VSSF in .308 that I'd had accurized by a competent smith. I'd consider it a middle weight rig, and it was very accurate. I also like the LTR and the XCR Compact Tactical in the "do everything" class. But a Model 7 in .308 was my go-to hunting rifle for a lot of years. I only got rid of it because I decided to concentrate on 6.5 caliber and get out of .308 altogether.

All that said, there are a lot of excellent condition used rifles out there. Remington is only one option. Winchester, Tikka, CZ, Kimber ... the list goes on and on. If I had to buy new, I'd look at a Bargara B-14. Lots of configurations, and I tend to agree with others who say the Bergara is now what Remington should have become.
 
As far as having a dual purpose hunting/target rifle goes I would advise against it. You have to make too many comprises and and can end up with something not well suited for either.

I've been contemplating commenting generally along these lines. Do you have an idea of what sort of target shooting you're going to be doing? If it's "low volume" - meaning you put a few rounds down range in order to keep your confidence with the gun high - then a hunting setup can serve both roles IMHO.

However if you see your target sessions involving a reasonably large amount of ammo, changing somewhat frequently shooting distance, etc.; it seems to me you're going to want more of a target/varmint setup for that....which gets you into bull barrels (heavy), possibly longer barrels (heavy) and glass that is oriented toward target shooting, not hunting.

I went through this in kind of the opposite direction: I basically started getting into target shooting but the only equipment style I knew of were hunting setups. (I don't hunt now.....but I did as a kid.) I bought a Rem 700 varmint rifle in .243. The twist is hunting-optimized.......so target performance was not ideal. I bought a Leupold scope that had traditional dust caps so they'd do well in hunting applications.....but found myself wanting to make scope adjustments MUCH more frequently than a hunting application. I ended up replacing the Leupold scope with a target scope.

So you might need to think about whether you're a target shooter that wants to do some hunting. Or a hunter that wants to do some target shooting. But IMHO both gun and glass decisions are sometimes at odds with each other in the target and hunting worlds.

OR
 
Another M70 Winchester fan. If you truly do want something to use for hunting, I would follow some of the earlier advice and look through the used racks. I picked up this stainless M70 Featherweight in .308 a few months back for a good price. Condition was great, shoots factory ammo really well and weighs in at 7 3/4 lbs scoped. Very nice little rifles.
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