Best 10 bolt actions ever made

[Bluehawk]

1: Mauser '98
2: '03 Springfield
3: Enfield S.M.L.E. #4 Mk1
4: Howa ( Weatherby Vanguard, S&W, Mossberg) 1500
5: Remington 788
6: Savage 45 Super Sporter
7: Mossberg 144 LS
8: Japanese Arisaka Type 99
9: French MAS 1936
10: Swedish Mauser
11: Mosin Nagant (all variants)

These are just my opinion and not necessarily in the proper order.

 

[PzGren]

Haxby


Geno said it.
Mauser 98, followed by 9 Mauser variations, with Winchester at the top of those 9.

Hear, hear!

There is wisdom in this short post.

 

[SaxonPig]

Well, obviously everyone will have his own idea of what constitutes "best." What are the criteria? Cost to manufacture? Strength? Accuracy? Reliability? Many variables to consider.

Number one has to be the Mauser Model 98. This is the quintessential bolt action rifle. So much so, that the remaining 9 on the list will all be derivatives of the 98. The 1903 Springfield, the M70, the M700, the M77 are all basically knock offs of the 98 with increasing levels of degradation from the original design to facilitate cheaper production.

OK, I'll try to make my list.

1. Mauser 98 (obviously)
2. The Remington Model 30 (just because I like it, not for any real reason).
3. The Win M70 and Rem M700 (for being the most popular sporting rifles)
4. The Moison Nagant M91 (for being produced in so many numbers)
5. Weatherby MK V (for taking power and elegance to the next level)
6. Savage M110 (for being an accurate yet inexpensive "everyman" gun)
7. Enfield (I am not that big a fan but it did defend an empire for decades)
8. Rem M600 (for being innovative)
9. CZ 550 (for recognizing the obvious and cloning the best rifle ever)
10. Mannlicher (talk about smooth with panache)

 

[forindooruseonly]

Realizing it's a rimfire I don't see how anyone can leave out the Winchester Model 52. I'd give my eye teeth for a really clean example.

This. I'd didn't think about rimfires. I wish I could convince myself to spend the fortune it costs for a genuine Winchester 52B sporter. Here is my 52, it is my absolute favorite rifle.

 

[GuysModel94]

Winchester (Pre-64) Model 70
Winchester (Post-64) Model 70
Multiply the above by 5.

Yes i am biased!!

 

[PzGren]

GuysModel94 wrote:

Winchester (Pre-64) Model 70
Winchester (Post-64) Model 70
Multiply the above by 5.

Yes i am biased!!

It's okay to be biased but have you ever shot another rifle?

 

[GuysModel94]

Yes i have, maybe because i've handled them (Winchester) since my youth they just seem to fit me. I'm a Winchester guy like my father and grandfather before me.

 

[Picher]

What about the Anschütz 54? There is no rifle that has won more competitions.

The question was about the 10 best HUNTING bolt actions. The Annie 54 and Win 52 in sporter form may have taken squirrels, but not what most folks think about as a hunting rifle.

I've used several bolt-action rimfires for hunting also, including Rem 514, 504, 581; Win 67 & 69A, and though they've killed plenty of squirrels, rats, porkies, skunks, woodchucks, crows, etc., I don't think of them as "top ten" hunting rifles.

 

[jpwilly]

Win Mod 70
Mauser 98
Rem 700
Savage 10/110
Ruger M77
Weatherby Mark V
Sako 85
Browning A-Bolt