I went to a couple of major chain stores today (Gander Mountain and Dick's) to take a peak at a couple of rifles. I found out a couple of things.
1) I didn't like the laminate stock on the savage varminter rifles. I don't think the problem was the stock so much as the way the barrel was free floated. The barrel seemed able to move around a little too much in the stock, and that made the rifle seem cheap. Is that the way they are suppoed to be? I could pretty easily wiggle the barrel an 1/8" or so laterally. This was on a .223 and a .22-250
2) The Winchester 70 doesn't seem to fit me very well. I didn't like where my eyes were when I brought the stock up to my shoulder.
3) The Remington 710 is a big piece of junk. The stock felt awful and it looked like the barrel was super-glued to the stock.
4) I did like the standard Savage rifle. The stock felt cheap, but it was light years ahead of the Remington 710 stock and it fit me well. I didn't mind it. Barrel was free floated. I don't know if that is a standard feature or not. Next door at K-mart they had a .270 Win combo on clearance for $289. I don't have the cash now but that looked like a steal.
5) I liked the Ruger M77 standard. It fit me well.
6) The CZ 550 American also fit me well, but the fit and finish of the gun I looked at left a bit to be desired. The barrel was not free floated, or at least not well as the right half of the barrel (looking down the gun) was touching the stock. Failed the dollar bill test. However, the CZ 550 American right next to it passed.
7) The Tikka T3 was a nice rifle that fit me well. I would rather have a short action though.
Since I was at the major chains I couldn't fiddle with the trigger and the guns at dick's don't even have the bolts in them. When I finally purchase the rifle I will do it at a gun store. I bought my last 2 guns at chains and feel a little dirty...even though they ended up losing money on my second purchase so I can't say that I feel too bad about it (like if I had the cash for the .270 at K-mart)
For the money I think I am going to check out the Savage line in more detail. They just announced that their entire hunter line is going to have the new accu-trigger so that could be interesting as well. I have basically decided on .223 for this rifle.
1) I didn't like the laminate stock on the savage varminter rifles. I don't think the problem was the stock so much as the way the barrel was free floated. The barrel seemed able to move around a little too much in the stock, and that made the rifle seem cheap. Is that the way they are suppoed to be? I could pretty easily wiggle the barrel an 1/8" or so laterally. This was on a .223 and a .22-250
2) The Winchester 70 doesn't seem to fit me very well. I didn't like where my eyes were when I brought the stock up to my shoulder.
3) The Remington 710 is a big piece of junk. The stock felt awful and it looked like the barrel was super-glued to the stock.
4) I did like the standard Savage rifle. The stock felt cheap, but it was light years ahead of the Remington 710 stock and it fit me well. I didn't mind it. Barrel was free floated. I don't know if that is a standard feature or not. Next door at K-mart they had a .270 Win combo on clearance for $289. I don't have the cash now but that looked like a steal.
5) I liked the Ruger M77 standard. It fit me well.
6) The CZ 550 American also fit me well, but the fit and finish of the gun I looked at left a bit to be desired. The barrel was not free floated, or at least not well as the right half of the barrel (looking down the gun) was touching the stock. Failed the dollar bill test. However, the CZ 550 American right next to it passed.
7) The Tikka T3 was a nice rifle that fit me well. I would rather have a short action though.
Since I was at the major chains I couldn't fiddle with the trigger and the guns at dick's don't even have the bolts in them. When I finally purchase the rifle I will do it at a gun store. I bought my last 2 guns at chains and feel a little dirty...even though they ended up losing money on my second purchase so I can't say that I feel too bad about it (like if I had the cash for the .270 at K-mart)
For the money I think I am going to check out the Savage line in more detail. They just announced that their entire hunter line is going to have the new accu-trigger so that could be interesting as well. I have basically decided on .223 for this rifle.
