"budget exotic" rifles: help me with a new hunting gun

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JeeperCreeper

JeeperCreeper

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Not really exotic...

But my last hunt got me craving a new rifle.

But I like things that are a little different. I've considered the usual suspects like Savage and Winchester and more hipster options like Tikka or Bergara.

But I'm really wanting something cool. I'm looking at the Sauer 100 or Mauser M18. Both are nearly the same rifle. Considered the new CZ 600 but their recall is a little concerning.

Thinking of 9.3x62 for bigger animals even though I already have a 338.

Or going 30-06 or 308 for variety.

Plan to use in Alaska, for anything from deer to sheep to caribou to moose or even black bear.

Any experience or opinions on the Sauer or Mauser budget options??

Might just go with a Ruger M77 compact if all else fails.
 
troy fairweather said:
The Sauer and m18 are great rifles, I'd take one over the tikka equivalent and I like tikkas. Think europtics had a nice deal on the 9.3 Sauer.
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Definitely have been watching Europtics. I feel like they might be the only company with consistent stock of the Sauer/Mauser twins.

Maybe some kind of exclusive distribution since they aren't really super popular
 
JeeperCreeper said:
Definitely have been watching Europtics. I feel like they might be the only company with consistent stock of the Sauer/Mauser twins.

Maybe some kind of exclusive distribution since they aren't really super popular
Click to expand...
They have been pretty popular considering there to sell know to most gun people. Most shops I've been in with a good amount of new rifles will have a m18 or a Sauer, Sauer I've seen the most.
 
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troy fairweather said:
They have been pretty popular considering there to sell know to most gun people. Most shops I've been in with a good amount of new rifles will have a m18 or a Sauer, Sauer I've seen the most.
Click to expand...

Well I'm glad they are getting popular!

I've only seen one in person when I visited home in Pennsylvania. So maybe I'm just not looking hard enough
 
Dave DeLaurant said:
You haven't set a price range. If your budget includes being made of money and you really want to be different, I think Blaser offers their R8 Professional Hunter model in 9.3x62:

https://www.blaser.de/us/products/f...e-r8/r8-safari-rifles/r8-professional-hunter/

You could also go the other direction and get a German double rifle like the current Krieghoff offerings (if 9.3x74 is close enough):

https://www.krieghoff.com/firearm/classic-double-rifle/
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Oh I wish!!!

I honestly don't want to go much over a grand.

Just because Alaskan hunts beat the crap out of gear. Most people don't have super nice stuff up here because it all needs to be as utilitarian as possible because everything will get rusty, broken, beaten, and muddy, an at once.
 
How about a Sig Cross in .308? They're short, suppressor ready, have folding adjustable stocks, take AICS, and as a rule shoot really well.

I bought mine in .308 and later swapped barrels with a guy who had a 6.5, both barrels shot really well. Only killed an antelope with the .308, but I'm taking it in 6.5 guise on my elk hunt this year.

I tried the 35 Whelan and 9.3x62, and figured out that I didn't really have a use for them that 30-06 wouldn't handle with better trajectory and much lower recoil.
 
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Nature Boy said:
What about a nice sporterized 03A3 or Mauser?
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Thats what my J.P. Sauer is, a sporterized Gew98, fully blued with a 30-06 barrel, fancy Fajen stock, redfield peep, and high class 1950s QD side mount Pecar-Berlin scope.

I know its a sporterized Mauser, but it was done by a pro many many moons ago and i value it at much more than the standard sporterized milsurp on the market. Its an awesome rifle and you wouldnt guess it was 106 years old if it wasn't stamped right on top of the receiver.
 
Ruger #1 tropical in .375 h&h. The only one I've ever seen in person is mine, it will knock the snot out of anything you wish, and ammo is easier to find than 9.3.

Everyone who's seen mine thinks it's exotic, gorgeous, and beastly. Show them a .375 cartridge and their eyes get big. Shoving one up the breech feels like loading an artillery piece.

I've seen a Tikka in 9.3 at the lgs sitting in a rack with other rifles and it looks exactly the same as all the others. I have a wthby vanguard...boring.
Not so with the #1.

With a bolt action, unless you get something visually distinctive like the blazer, it will look like every other bolt action..the same old traditional rifle like your grandfather's m70, another composite stock hunting rifle, or another tacticool "sniper" rifle.
Who wants to have to explain why their rifle is cool and different? Exotics should explain themselves
 
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Nature Boy said:
What about a nice sporterized 03A3 or Mauser?
Click to expand...

Yep, I just got my 1903A3 back from JES Reboring. I had Jesse bore and rechamber to 9.3x62. I still have several punch items to get it to where I want for a DG safari rifle. I think getting ~2400 fps out of a standard length non-magnum using a 286gr projectile is downright awesome. And all while not getting completely bruised-up... very appealing.
 
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