Help pick accurate hunting rifle

[Telum Pisces]

Any rifle that you like under $800 will do the trick. The best thing you can do to help you out in this aspect will be to put the money in the optics and make sure you pick an optic for your type of use. For example, don't get a target type reticle that is thin and hard to see in low light. A scope that gathers a good amount of light and you can see in that last 10 minutes of shooting light can mean the difference between getting the shot off or not on that trophy sometimes!

Many people do not put the necessary thought or money into the optics on their hunting rifle. I think it's more important than the bullet slinger!

 

[Nature Boy]

no locking bolt handle. I realize that this feature isn't important to everyone...........

.....until you see that buck you want to take, look down at your rifle and realize the bolt fell out somewhere along your journey to your hunting spot

 

[troy fairweather]

.....until you see that buck you want to take, look down at your rifle and realize the bolt fell out somewhere along your journey to your hunting spot

I've had two bolts open on me, so a locking bolt is very important. if I do use something that won't lock I have a heavy rubber band in my pack, wrap it around the scope and wrap it under the gun and around the bolt nob.

 

[Telum Pisces]

I just got a T/C compass in 6.5 creed. Ridiculously accurate for the price. Baseball sized 5 shot groups at 500!! Kygunco had them for $250 or so with shipping.

The only nit I can pick, is the light barrel which requires lots of time to cool down. But this is a virtue in a hunting rifle.

I will say that I bought a T/C Compass thinking that I would pick up a cheap secondary hunting rifle. I picked it up a few years ago when there was a rebate on a scoped rifle. It has a Vortex Crossfire II 3-9x40 scope on it and I got it for less than $200. It was a steal! I took it out and I was punching holes that touched each other at 100 yards with Federal Fusion 150 grain rounds. Tried another round and the point of impact shifted a tiny bit, but still touching each other. It's turned out to be one of my most accurate rifles. I'm no expert shooter and most guns can shoot better than I can. But this one has proven to be the best I can be.

 

[Telum Pisces]

Classic rifles are neat, but dinging them up is more upsetting.

This is a true statement. One reason all of my "real" hunting rifles that I take out into the field are synthetic stocks and not some fancy wood! I scratched a good looking wood stock and I had a pit in my stomach afterwards.

 

[MCMXI]

.....until you see that buck you want to take, look down at your rifle and realize the bolt fell out somewhere along your journey to your hunting spot

Exactly! A good friend lost (and then found) his Remington 700 bolt on a mule deer hunt, and I heard from two sniper trainers at MCBH that losing bolts from M24s is fairly common. I don't want the bolt to do anything that I don't want it to, and that includes opening or closing unintentionally. Even if you don't lose the bolt, if the bolt opens and you don't notice it while crawling through snow on your belly (done that before) or working your way through some scrub, a bunch of bad things can happen. At the very least you've probably dumped a round onto the ground never to see it again. I had snow fill up the lens cups on a pair of binos without my noticing thereby rendering them useless when I needed them. I would hate to have that happen to the action of a rifle.

 

[Hookeye]

Never had a bolt open on me afield.

Scopes transmit light, not gather it.

Lower Xs helps exit pupil.

Gun/scope fit IS important.

 

[MCMXI]

Never had a bolt open on me afield.

I've never been in a car wreck but I still wear a seat belt.

 

[MCMXI]

According to Black Market Arms LLC customer service, the weight is 6.72 lbs.

OK ... thanks.

 

[troy fairweather]

Exactly! A good friend lost (and then found) his Remington 700 bolt on a mule deer hunt, and I heard from two sniper trainers at MCBH that losing bolts from M24s is fairly common. I don't want the bolt to do anything that I don't want it to, and that includes opening or closing unintentionally. Even if you don't lose the bolt, if the bolt opens and you don't notice it while crawling through snow on your belly (done that before) or working your way through some scrub, a bunch of bad things can happen. At the very least you've probably dumped a round onto the ground never to see it again. I had snow fill up the lens cups on a pair of binos without my noticing thereby rendering them useless when I needed them. I would hate to have that happen to the action of a rifle.

I had what mush of been a 1/8" of ice on a rifle one time, I shot the deer and fed a new round and even on that old Argentine mauser I had to use some force. The ice came off in a sheet stuck to the extractor and it all pushed off when the bolt passed thru the rear receiver ring.

I've had scope fill up with snow, can only take a few minutes if it's coming down good. Same with water, this last week we hunted in the rain I try to hold the gun under my arm and have the muzzle pointed down.

 

[Hookeye]

I've never been in a car wreck but I still wear a seat belt.

Drunks and soccermoms on cell phones are not where I tote my rifles.
30 yrs of Rem 700 usage. Not a problem.
I check my rifles often afield, and tend to be a bit more aware of myself, my gear and my surroundings.

Not every body is like that, I get it.
Bolt probably falls open, rifle proly wearing see through rings too LOL

 

[Hookeye]

Dug around this afternoon, found a box of 100gr .243 win, only had 3 fired. 17 to burn for fun.
Hopefully take the Sako out to the range this coming weekend.
It has a cheekpiece, factory walnut. I like the higher comb but the cheekpiece is a little thick for me.

 

[MCMXI]

30 yrs of Rem 700 usage. Not a problem.
I check my rifles often afield, and tend to be a bit more aware of myself, my gear and my surroundings.

Not every body is like that, I get it.
Bolt probably falls open, rifle proly wearing see through rings too LOL

Interesting how the USMC sniper students lose so many bolts in Kaneohe but you've managed to keep yours for 30 years. Oh ... I get it.

 

[LoonWulf]

Never had a bolt open on me afield.

I've never been in a car wreck but I still wear a seat belt.

You can both bite me.........
Ive had a bolt on my American pop open, and been in 2 wrecks....

 

[Nature Boy]

If a bolt could fall out in the field I’d be the guy it would happen to. I’d lose my ass if it wasn’t wired to my legs.

 

[Sniper66]

The TC Venture I've shot (not 6.5CM) is very accurate and inexpensive. I load .223 for my friends TC Venture and he can shoot quarter size groups at 300!! Now that is ridiculous! I frankly do not understand why the Venture doesn't sell as well as other brands. Give the TC a try; you won't be out much money.

 

[KCAce]

Thanks again to all for all the helpful comments. I’ve started checking local stores to see whats available. Still thinking hard about the Tikka and Thompson Venture with the Savage 110 and Winchester as possibilities.
Will post range report after purchase. Hope I can find some ammo!!
Kcace

 

[MCMXI]

Still thinking hard about the Tikka and Thompson Venture with the Savage 110 and Winchester as possibilities.

I strongly suggest that you dry fire each of the contenders from the shoulder and then try to open the bolt without lowering the rifle or moving the butt off your shoulder. Savage rifles have some of the heaviest (worst) bolt lift of any rifle I've ever owned or shot. It might not be important to you but just something to think about if you want to run the rifle from the shoulder without losing your sight picture.

 

[Sniper66]

Oh hey OP..I forgot to mention in my other response that I have a Savage 110 Desert Tactical 6.5 CM. It's actually my newest rifle. Didn't mention it because I hadn't thought of it as a hunting rifle in the same group as the others you are considering. It is a bit too heavy to tote around the woods or shoot free-hand so I use my Rem 700 CDL .243 mostly. The 110 is certainly within your budget. I paid $537. The scope on it is a Tract for $424. Add the rings and I have a pretty nice set-up for right at $1,000. Still breaking it in and building loads, but have been able to produce 1"-1.5" groups with some 140 gr Sierras at 100yds. I'm ordering more bullets and looking to build good groups at 300-400 yds. My hope is to have it sitting on a tripod to whack coyotes at 300-500+ yds; the ones that sit down at that distance and refuse to come any closer to the caller and decoy. The heavy bolt lift notwithstanding, it's been a good shooter so far and I think with some work I can make it better.

 

[3Crows]

I do not think the bolt would open sufficiently to fall out on the Savage Axis (II) as it must cam over and then you have to to pull the trigger and some other stuff to free it. My stainless 6.5CM Axis II was a Walmart deal, added a Boyds, a Nikon scope (close out from Dicks) and I have a nice and supremely accurate hunting rifle for not much more than usual retail. I did add the extraction/ejection improvement kit also. I would vote Kimber due to light weight and it is darn accurate also though I would bet on my Savage if it was a contest.

 

[Nature Boy]

Savage rifles have some of the heaviest (worst) bolt lift of any rifle I've ever owned or shot.

This is true. As you know, my son shoots one in F Class matches. There are bolt lift kits out there and they’re pretty simple to install. It made a big difference in his rifle

 

[3Crows]

I would counter concerning the cam over in the Savage Axis is a safety feature for hunting for a hunting intended rifle. For match shooting I could see the value of reducing the lift but for deer hunting, one maybe two shots, not so much.

 

[MCMXI]

I would counter concerning the cam over in the Savage Axis is a safety feature for hunting for a hunting intended rifle. For match shooting I could see the value of reducing the lift but for deer hunting, one maybe two shots, not so much.

I don't see any benefit of heavy bolt lift for any shooting situation. Heavy bolt lift is just bad, lazy , good-enough engineering. No one sets out to build in heavy bolt lift in a bolt action rifle, and it could even get you killed on a dangerous game rifle when you need quick follow-up shots.

 

[Nature Boy]

I don't see any benefit of heavy bolt lift for any shooting situation

I can't think of a single reason either . It's an annoyance

 

[troy fairweather]

There nothing worse then a heavy bolt lift, mine as well have a single shot.