Help me pick a .308

[joshlm]

I would like a savage bolt action rifle for shooting at ranges out to 300 yards.(paper,gongs, tin cans, Watermelons ) I really like the savage with the heavy barrel and the choate stock but I am not sure it is in my price range. I would like to have a scope, and rings as well as a bipod and powder, cases and bullets to round out the package. Now comes the hard part. I have about $900 to spend on the package. opinions anyone

 

[dakotasin]

consider starting w/ a sporter weight gun, and customizing it over time into what you want. any sporter weight bolt action rifle w/ a decent pedigree (rem 700, savage, win 70, etc) will have no troubles at 300 yards.

eg: a rem 700 adl in 308 (paid $309 recently for a nib model on closeout). then, re-stock it w/ the choate stock (i'd go mcm, but if you really like the choate...), $179.99 at cabela's in mitchell sd right now. subtotal $481. talley lightweight mounts (not for the weight, but for the strength) $40. subtotal $521. harris bipod $100, subtotal $621. bushnell elite 3200 10x mil-dot $180 at bear basin, subtotal $801.

then, save your pennies for a couple months, and send it off to a 'smith for a heavy barrel of your choice, lapped lugs, trued/squared receiver, etc - as low as $300, as high as $600 (really, the sky is the limit, depending on options like coatings, fluting, etc)...

 

[orionengnr]

keep an eye on some of the websites

like gunsamerica.com or gunbroker.com. I'm like the Remington 700, and I found a nice 700VLS laminated stock, heavy barrel .308, with custom trigger, crowned barrel and less than 100 rounds through it, for "well under" $600 about a year ago. I've seen a lot of others I'd be interested in, but gotta get a gun safe first...did I mention that it came with Leupold rail and rings?

 

[wintermute76]

I have a Savage 10FP-LE1 Standard. Got it from an FFL I know for just over his cost + tax and transfer fee, ended up at $500. $80 for a Farrell base and Burris Signature Zee rings, and $220 for a Sightron 3-12x42 mildot scope. What's that? $800. The Choate version of the 10FP-LE1 is about $100 more IIRC ( I was looking at a .223, but went AR instead ).

Should be doable for $900.

 

[Kramer Krazy]

I'd suggest a Ruger M77 Mark II Target 308 which is $551.47 at Walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2685644

Get the knockoff Harris bipod at Walmart for $39, and that leaves you close to $300 for a scope (I picked up a closeout 6-24x50mm Simmons for $79 from Natchez before Xmas).

I have a Ruger M77 Target in 223 with the 6-24 Simmons scope and a Harris bipod on it, and it rocks!

 

[Farnham]

Savage 10FP, 24" barrel $529
Super Sniper 10x42 Mil-Dot $299 (swfa.com)
Leupold 2 Piece STD Bases $20
Leupold STD High 30mm Rings $40

$888, all told.

 

[joshlm]

Thanks guys, this gives me some options to look over. I had not even thought about a ruger. The rifle looks pretty nice, but I have heard mixed opinions from ruger owners on their abilities. I think I liked the idea of the adjustable stock but maybe I should save the money and get the standard stock and spend the leftovers on better glass. The remingtons are very nice looking rifles, however it seems from looking around here and on another forum that it takes a fair amount of smithing to get them to shoot with the savage.

 

[Kramer Krazy]

The least expensive Ruger is the all-weather 308:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2685636

or standard:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2685620

You save about $90 off of the Target, but the Target is just too sweet in my opinion (the Target has a 26" barrel and the other two have 22" barrels). Not too sure about accuracy of the rifle in 308, but I don't don't complain about the accuracy of my 223, even with cheap ammo. I'm just out to have fun shooting, though. My only experience with a 308 is a Springfield Armory SAR-8 (HK-91 clone). I'm playing around with the idea of getting the M77 Target in 308, too, though.

 

[dakotasin]

josh- that's a pretty common misconception... however, it is the overriding opinion on this forum... the other two i frequent hold the opposite opinion... it is my own personal opinion that no new production gun will shoot any better than any other brand's new production gun. the difference then, is in the fit to the shooter, and other intangibles (ease of upgrades or whatever else)...

at any rate, if you are sold on the savage, i sincerely hope you get it as soon as possible... spring is coming, which means it is time to get serious about lots of shooting!

 

[GooseGestapo]

I would recommend you look around and find a good used Remington or Ruger. I saw two days ago at just three shops I went too, several rifle/scope combo's that would have met your needs for less than $400.00.

Very few of the guns I've picked up used have been fired more than 200-300rds. Most less than 100rds. Consider that a well maintained .308 will maintain match accuracy for over 15,000rds, and you get a little perspective on the residual value of a quality firearm. Like Chevy's and Fords, they loose approx. 60% of their "new" value as soon as you sign the ATF-4473 form.
Heck, two weeks ago, I saw a Sako 75 in .308 with a Ziess scope on it for $900.00. I'd bet that it will shoot MOA or less with most any RemChester ammo you'd care to feed it.

A Remington 700-BDL in '06, .308, .270,or 7mm can be had for less than $500, with a decent scope.

Except perhaps for the 7mmMag, they will last several lifetimes. The 7mm too with judicious cleaning and loading.

RE: Ruger accuracy. I was of same general opinion as most on this forum regarding the accuracy of the Rugers. However, in '03 I helped a friends wife buy him a Ruger S.S. m77 "All weather" in .30/06, as a christmas present. (His choice, not mine). I mounted the scope, a "discount" variety 3x-9x. Imagine my suprise when I took it out and sighted it in and was getting 3/4" 3 shot groups, and 1.2" 5-shot groups (100yds) with 150gr Rem.Cor-lokts loaded over 52.0gr of RL-15, for chrono'd 2,950fps!. Just out of curosity, I fired a 5-shot group with some Sierra 150gr GameKing (flat base), and got a 7/8" five shot group! Not bad for an out of the box, untuned "sporter". And as for the bargain basement scope, after 18mos. of his "banging" it around, and running some 200rds through the gun w/o even cleaning it, the scope had "miracle of miracles" had held zero, and would still shoot near MOA groups!
So much for "conventional wisdom"!

 

[dbshabo]

I bought a Savage 10FP-LE2B .308 last summer. It's the first bolt gun I have owned and I can say I have 0 regrets with going with the Savage. With good quality ammo I can easily shoot MOA @ 100 yds. I have a bipod on the front and I don't use a rear bag as many do to get those sub MOA groups. I am the limiting factor in the accuracy of this rifle.

From what I have read here and on other forums if you want a reasonably priced, accurate, quality rifle outta the box get the Savage. If you want a platform to enhance in the future get a Remington 700. There are a lot aftermarket products for the Remington, a lot more than for the Savage anyway.

One rifle I was considering at the time is the CZ 550 Laminated. It's a .308 and I'll bet it's a very nice rifle. I had trouble finding much info on the rifle except on the CZ website. Not many posts or responses to my posts with questions about the rifle. The price was under $600 if memory serves correctly. I also read some good stuff about the Winchester 70. Enjoy whatever you get.

Shabo

 

[ruger270man]

im going with farnham, thats the setup im plannin on buying myself this summer

 

[Fred Fuller]

Ranges no longer than 300 yards will not push the capability of any good rifle/scope at all. Problem is, once targets at 300 yards get boring (and they will), you are going to be backing up to keep things interesting. That Savage/SWFA combo is a great one, I have one too...

lpl/nc

 

[joshlm]

Thanks for all the responses. I have recieved a better response than I could have ever asked for. I think before I make my decision final I will look through the local used rifle racks and see what I can find. If I don't like anything then I can always go ahead with the savage. Thanks again for all the responses.