if you were to replace many rifles with 1 awesome lelt hand bolt gun, what would you get/build?

[greyling22]

I'm experiencing something of a paradigm shift in the way I look at my gun safe tonight. instead of lots of guns, what if I just had a few that were nicer? for instance, I have 2 pretty meh left hand bolt guns: 2 optics, 2 calibers to load for, etc.

what if I sold 3 or 4 rifles and replaced them with 1 really great bolt gun?

Main criteria: LEFT HAND ACTION.

preferences:
1) no tang safety like on the ruger american. the ones on the old savages are ok.
2) no chassis systems. they are heavy and bulky.
3) it will never be shot without a suppressor, so no barrel over 20" (a factory barrel can be cut down)
4) I'd like it decently light so I could hike it a couple miles if I needed to, but not so light that it beat me around at the range.
5) probably a 308, but I'm open to a creedmoor.
6) I prefer a 60 degree throw like a browning, tikka, etc, but it's not a deal breaker.
7) rifle needs to stay under $2k for sure.
8) I'd prefer to stay away from blued and walnut. It's beautiful, but it gets beat up and rusty.

Couple obvious contenders:
a) tikka t3x lite. I wish the barrel was a little shorter and stiffer, but it could be cut down I suppose.
b) ruger american predator: it would need a lot of refining - action polish, replacement stock (does anybody but boyds make one? bell and carlson maybe please?) possibly a replacement trigger. I'm not a huge fan of the safety dingus on the trigger, and I'd probably cut the barrel down. also, oddly placed tang safety annoys my grip.
c) christianson arms mesa - wish the barrel was shorter, that is had a threaded barrel (maybe a phone call fixes that) and it's expensive
d) chop and thread a browning?
build a custom - uncharted territory for me, but ot sure gets expensive fast. actions alone are something like $800+, unless I built off a remington or savage action I suppose.

any other helpful suggestions? what would you build? This wouldn't happen today, this is the "dream build" for a guy with limited disposable income.

 

[WrongHanded]

I think you pretty well described the Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle. Didn't you?

 

[JCooperfan1911]

The Tikka T3X Lite would be a fantastic choice:




Chris Baker from Lucky Gunner did an article and YouTube video about using one as the basis for a practical rifle build. He cut the barrel back to 16.5” and had it threaded for a suppressor. Lightweight, high quality, excellent accuracy, and his build is versatile from everything from hunting deer and pigs to even personal defense. There are even quality 10 round magazines available from Waters Rifleman.

The Ruger Gunsite, while good, will be a bit heavier and will not be as accurate. In addition they have a 90° throw and the actions tend to be rough and can bind. The Tikkas are buttery smooth out of the box and don’t bind. Also at least right now you can actually find the T3X Lite cheaper than a Gunsite Scout despite the Tikka being much higher quality IMO.

 

[WrongHanded]

The Tikka T3X Lite would be a fantastic choice:

View attachment 1010893
View attachment 1010894

Chris Baker from Lucky Gunner did an article and YouTube video about using one as the basis for a practical rifle build. He cut the barrel back to 16.5” and had it threaded for a suppressor. Lightweight, high quality, excellent accuracy, and his build is versatile from everything from hunting deer and pigs to even personal defense. There are even quality 10 round magazines available from Waters Rifleman.

The Tikka website may say these are available in Left-hand, but prior to buying myself a GSR, multiple dealers could not get shorter barreled Tikkas like that in LH from anywhere. I was told by a couple stores (after they inquired) that Beretta didn't actually import them.

But I agree. Good rifle.

 

[LoonWulf]

For what your specifying id be looking at a Ridgeline with a 20" tube, https://www.eurooptic.com/Christens...308-Win-20-1-10-LH-Green-w-Black-Tan-Web.aspx and paying the premium.

Or on the other end of the spectrum, a ruger pred then adding a stock and some elbow grease....if those 2 extra inches are a deal breaker id have the barrel shortened to what ever you want then re threaded.

Those are my personal choices, and ones im willing to recommend. If you could find a left hand tikka ctr in .308 that would be w good one, only ones i found were .223 and 6.5, and only the .223 had a 20" tube.

 

[tbs]

View attachment 1010922 I already did that years ago. I had H.S. Precision build me this. 8 twist 22-250!!

 

[12Bravo20]

For an out of the box factory left handed bolt action, its hard to beat the Savage especially with the heavy varmint barrel. All of my left handed both actions are Savages with the varmint barrel. this goes for my centerfire and rimfire rifles.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

My buddy has the Tiikka and absolutely loves it. Buds had them in stock for, IIRC, $1700 a little while ago.

 

[Txhillbilly]

I assemble all of my rifle's anymore, that way I get what I want. You can go mild to wild with them.
You save a little money using a factory action, but then you don't get all the advantages of a custom action. I've built many semi-custom rifles using Savage actions. They are great rifles, and shoot very well but they are not near the quality of a Custom action built rifle.

Depending on the parts you use, you can build a nice Savage semi-custom rifle for around $1000 +/-. Using a Custom action will add several hundred more to the cost since the action will cost you at a minimum $300 - $500 more, and you will also have to buy a custom trigger for it.

With all the different companies that offer Pre-fit barrel's today, you can get a barrel for Savage, Remington, Tikka, and other's that allow you to install it yourself with a couple tools and a set of headspace gauges. If you don't like a barrel nut, then it will cost you more money for a shouldered barrel.

Example's -
Savage 7mm-08 semi custom build,

Used LH Model 12 FLV 308 donor rifle - $350
20" E.R.Shaw varmint contoured pre-fit barrel - $250
Choate Tactical stock - $250
NSS Recoil lug & Barrel nut - $75
So, I have $925 invested in this rifle before optics.

ARC Nucleus 22 Creedmoor custom build,

ARC Nucleus Action - $850
Trigger Tech Diamond trigger - $300
20" X-caliber varmint contoured pre-fit barrel - $300
ARC Bar-loc barrel nut system - $50
KRG Bravo chassis - $400
Going this route, I have $1900 invested before optics.

I love my custom action rifles. I have a Shilen DGR action, and two ARC Nucleus action's - a Gen 1 & Gen 2. I will never sell these rifles. I can't say that about any of the 6 Savage semi - custom rifles that I have.

 

[C-grunt]

I went through a similar decision late last year and decided to go with a semi custom build through Alamo Precision Rifles. Only about 700 dollars over your budget but you could get a truly top of the line rifle custom tailored to your wants. I went with the Ranger model for detachable mags and a more target oriented stock.

 

[earlthegoat2]

For me (lefty here)

I would start with a Defiance Deviant action. Douglas medium sporter barrel. AICS magazine bottom metal. McMillan Game Warden or Hunter stock. Leupold VX-3i 2.5-8x36.

45 Raptor cartridge.

Or follow through on my 450 Bushmaster Remington 7615 conversion.

 

[Micro]

You can build your rifle from a Howa barreled action from Brownells. Howa makes outstanding rifles. They've built Weatherby's Vanguard forever. Their actions are flat bottomed with an integral recoil lug, a la Winchester Model 70. They aren't expensive, but they aren't today's cheap budget rifle, either. They are well made rifles. A barreled action would allow you stock it however you like.

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-parts/receivers/barreled-receivers/1500-308-win-20-threaded-heavy-barreled-action-prod94615.aspx?avs|Manufacturer_1=HOWA

Or you could just start with a Howa complete rifle.

https://www.howausa.com/rifles/hs-precision/

Nevermind, you need left hand. Good luck.

 

[greyling22]

Well, I'm not going to lie, at the moment, a chopped and threaded Tikka is looking strong. While I like the idea of a custom, the cost is just SO high. I had underestimated my numbers. I was thinking maybe $800 for an action, 300 for a stock, and another 400 for a barrel. pay a guy 200 to put spin the barrel on. it looks like I forgot a trigger, and action cost more than I expected. Right now I'm unconvinced that a custom action is that much better. A tikka sure is smooth. I'll need to try a couple, but I might be better served putting that money in an optic superior to the weaver grand slams I've been buying.

Though what's up with these $900 tikkas? Last time I looked they were $650 or so.....

 

[Micro]

Though what's up with these $900 tikkas? Last time I looked they were $650 or so.....

It's what people are willing to pay for a budget rifle. Tikkas are, by all accounts, good guns. But they are in the class of budget rifles: Ruger Americans, Savage Axis, Remington 783, etc. Tikkas may be the best of the budget guns, but they are built to standards that ease manufacturing costs: one size fits all tubular receivers, separate recoil lugs, etc. When Tikka were were first introduced, they had extraordinarily low costs for a Sako-made gun. But prices have crept up into the realm of guns that aren't built to lower-cost standards. Maybe production costs have gone up, but I suspect it appears to be based on demand. If people are willing to pay $900 for a budget gun, why shouldn't the manufacturer charge it?

 

[eastbank]

a remington left hand 7mmo8 with 20" barrel and a remington 30-06 carbine pump with a 18" barrel are what i use alot. both pretty light and very accurett with loads they like.

 

[DM~]

I would call Melvin Forbes of Ultra Lite Arms, describe exactly what I wanted and it'd be worth the wait, at least that's what I did, and it was worth the wait!!

DM

 

[eastbank]

kimber makes a very light rifle. my 3006 with scope is about 6.5 lbs, but not left hand.