Clearance rack at the LGS - help me decide

New rifle clearance rack - Which would you buy?

  • Tikka T3 Lite in .270 w/ scope rings -- $350

    Votes: 33 35.5%

  • Savage 11 in .243/.270/.30-06/7mm Mag w/ Bushnel 3X9 scope -- $300

    Votes: 32 34.4%

  • T/C Venture in .270 -- $250

    Votes: 6 6.5%

  • Weatherby Vanguard (plastic) in .30-06 -- $300

    Votes: 6 6.5%

  • Weatherby Vanguard (wood) in .30-06 -- $400

    Votes: 16 17.2%
  • Total voters
    93
  • Poll closed .
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ngnrd

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Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
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Location
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Ok, I was at a local shop just checking out the rifle rack when I noticed that they have quite a few rifles on clearance. I wasn't really planning on buying one, but at these prices I don't think I can afford not to. I don't know why they are on clearance (probably has something to do with the holiday season), but they are all brand new rifles.

So... if you were looking for an inexpensive new rifle, which of these would hold your attention the longest? (All of these are blued steel in plastic except for a low-ish grade wood stock on one of the Weatherby's.)

Tikka T3 Lite in .270 w/ scope rings -- $350

Savage 11 in .243/.270/.30-06/7mm Mag w/ Bushnel 3X9 scope -- $300

T/C Venture in .270 -- $250

Weatherby Vanguard (plastic) in .30-06 -- $300

Weatherby Vanguard (wood) in .30-06 -- $400



To make things more interesting, I already own rifles in the following calibers:

.223 Mini-14 (my only plastic stocked rifle - rarely shoot it)
.270 Rem 700 (my all-around go-to rifle for deer, caribou, moose, sheep)
.270 Win 70 (pre-war)
.30-06 03-A3 Sporter (was grandpa's rifle)
.300WM Rem 700 (was dad's rifle)


Alright... which one would you get? Or, just spend my money on more ammo for the ones I already have?
 
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That Weatherby with wood stock should be a Vanguard Deluxe. That is a smokin' deal, at least $200 off retail. The Tikka would be my choice if you want a lightweight rifle. The Savage is a great rifle, but the scope doesn't add any value to me, so it is a $300 model 11-good price but not great IMO.
 
Of those the Tikka is the best rifle, and the best deal. But the Savage in 243 fills a void in what you already have. You don't really need 3 rifles in 270. Unless you plan on selling one or both of the others you have.

Of course keeping your money is not a bad idea either.
 
And, I guess I should also say that I have a Leupold Vari-X II 2-7x scope laying around that will probably find a new home on one of these.

The Tikka would probably be my first choice, with the wooden Weatherby an honest second. But, I don't know if I could live with another .270 on the rack, and I don't really need another '06 for that matter, either. So, I was thinking of passing up both of these and getting the Savage in .243... but, I really do love .270's.... and, would it really be a bad thing to have another '06? I mean... really? AHHHHGHGHGH!!!
 
Changed to the 7mm bc you already have the 270 spot covered. But Tikka over the others.
I wouldn't buy something heavier than a 270 in plastic: personal choice.
 
I chose the Savage in .243 before even reading your list of existing rifles.

In my experience, .243 is a very accurate cartridge with relatively low recoil.

Most who have experience with Savage rifles would agree they are relatively accurate with free-floated barrels and good adjustable triggers coming standard from the factory.

With the .243, you can take game as large as Mule Deer and 'some' say smaller Elk. (Though, that's certainly debatable on the Elk.)

As much as I love the accuracy and potency of my .308, I'd be perfectly happy carrying a .243 Savage for most of what I could/would do otherwise.
 
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Let's face it, you don't NEED any of these. Get the one that excites you the most.

CraigC, lighten up, life is too short to not buy a gun that you want only because the deal is too good to pass up. Clearly he wants them all, otherwise he wouldn't have asked.
 
CraigC, lighten up, life is too short to not buy a gun that you want only because the deal is too good to pass up.
Click to expand...
Is that what I said?

Lighten up??? Life is too short to spend your hard-earned money on something you don't want, just because it's on sale. Life is also too short to waste farting around with guns we bought, that we didn't want, just because they were on sale. Lighten up? Grow up! :rolleyes:
 
The Weatherbys may or may not be made in the USA, the Tikka isn't, the TC and Savage are.

I have a Savage in .243. One of my buddies at work has a Savage in .243, and another has one in .223. My teenaged daughter's friend from school killed a cow elk with her Savage .243 a few weeks ago. My daughter destroyed a 12x6" steel plate with my .243 on Saturday at over 100 yards, just kept smacking it.

I think I'd get the Savage .243, if you want a .243. If you have a kid you need to give a rifle to for Christmas, then pick the one that would be best for that kid. IMHO, except for the fact that you are listed as being in Alaska, that would be the Savage .243. If it's an older teenager, especially a boy with a bit of muscle on him, then maybe one of the .270 rifles - whichever you like, of course, but the Savage would get alot of attention from me.
 
Weatherby Vanguards are the exact same as a Howa 1500 and still made in Japan by Howa. Tikka is made by Sako in Finland and distributed by Beretta in the US.
 
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