Need help picking a bolt-action

[six 4 sure]

First title was a little lame. This one sums it up a little better.

I did some searching and I haven’t’ really found the answer I was looking for so I thought I’d ask here.

A little background first. Unfortunately I have to replace a rifle and I’m working on a $1000 budget. The $1000 budget is if I get it in the next couple of weeks, I could wait another month or so, and add another $500, if that makes any difference is your answer. I plan on this being a multi-functional gun. I’m buying it to have something for big game, but I’m starting to save up for a trip to Africa, and I’d like to be able to use it there too. Just to be more specific, if I make it to Africa I’ll be hunting plains animals, (kudu, oryx, and impala) no dangerous game. I already have a Shepherd’s scope that will be going on the gun, but I have a question about the rings. I plan on using the dual dovetail Leupold’s. I’ve been told these are some of the best to use, is this true or do I need to consider something else? The dealer I’m buying it from is also a gunsmith, so I’m going to have it bedded and the barrel floated before I even pick it up.

Now for the $64,000 question. What should I get? I sort of know what I want, but I’d like a few suggestions. The only bolt gun I’m familiar with is the Winchester Mod 70, but I open to new suggestions. I’m thinking about something in stainless (it’s pretty hot and humid here in Alabama), but it isn’t necessary. None of my other rifles are stainless. At the moment I’m leaning toward a .300 Win Mag (I already have dies, but I can always buy more dies). Do you think this will get the job done? Or should I move up to a .338 or get really crazy and buy a .30-378? Thoughts and suggestions are most welcome. Thanks in advance.

Six.

 

[Soap]

I think that fit is more important than the caliber choice. What sort of stocks fit your body well? After you figure out what rifle fits you, caliber and model are like picking an orange out of a display of oranges.

 

[six 4 sure]

Anyone else have a suggestion?

 

[sasnofear]

for £1000, then your going to have to buy a Sako, I swear by them, FAR better than Remingtons & Winchester will go out to 1000yrds with 'extras' but as your looking for a closer range up to 300yrds ? or less? then the standered version will shine and take pride of place in your collection. 300mag is big enough if thats what you want, no need to go any higher, it will pack the extra punch for big game.

http://www.sako.fi/

the synthetic stainless is my weapon of choice.

Also dont take my opinion or anyone elses to seriously 'try before you buy' the best place to see if it suits you is a gun shop with a educated gunsmith = your flying.


good luck & happy hunting

Adam

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

I purchased a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker w/BOSS in .338 a while back that has me rethinking what guns I should keep in the collection.

I mean---the deer isn't going to care if he's been hit with a .338 or a .308--the brake will keep the recoil down------and I'll already have a bigger gun for the bigger stuff.

I'm thinking about keeping the .338 and trading off just about everything else---then getting one of the new A-Bolt Varminters in .223 and a new DSA .308------well along with one of the Commie guns I'm considering.

Back to your question----a .300 Win or .338 Win should do just fine---maybe a little too much gun for some things----but then again---the deer ain't gonna care.

As for scope mounts---I prefer detachable mounts---better for travel and cleaning----think Talley--Warne--and Leupold QRW.

 

[Soap]

Anyone else have a suggestion?

Was my suggestion that bad?

If it were me I would go with anything with a straight comb stock. I'm not a big stainless fan either. The chambering I would choose would be .30-06, .300 Win Mag, or .300 WSM. The guns would be chosen from:

Winchester 70 LT- The shape of the stock on this one is just incredible!
CZ-550 American

 

[Marshall]

You might look at one of these Browning BAR's. or A-Bolts. I have each and would travel anywhere with them. The Boss feature is nice also. It gives you the abiltiy to adjust it for various weight bullets without have to re-sight in. You get both, the Boss that reduces recoil and the one that allow's adjustment while retaining std. recoil and muzzle flash. Both are available in short magnums if you prefer, as well as std. magnums.


BAR Safari

Browning A-Bolt


I can think of half dozen other nice rifles also, like the Sako already mentioned. I just happen to have these Brownings and can testify to them. If you like them also, they will make you very reliable, accurate and dependable guns! Oh, and they are nice right out of the box, no need to go spending gunsmithing money, unless you just want too.

Touching and feeling is the next thing to do! Good Luck.


Marshall

 

[Robert Farrar]

Hi Six,
As Daniel Flory said fit is most important. If it were me, since you are going to hunt non-dangerous game, I'd go with 30'06.
There's plenty of choices concerning bullet weight and construction. Since you handload, you'll be able to load for the game & conditions without having to resort to magnum cartridges.

Bob

 

[Rebeldon]

Browning A-Bolt II Stalker

 

[Art Eatman]

I'd go for whatever rifle fits you best. You'd be hard put to find any modern rifle that's worse than one MOA, as a generality. I'd choose either an '06 or a .300 maggie, whether long or short. (Dies are cheap.) After it's all set up to suit, I'd do a bunch of off-hand practice to 150 and 200 yards, as well as using hasty rests and sitting and prone positions.

A rifle that you're "all married up to" and comfortable with is gonna be the best. Folks been killing African plains game with everything from the .243 to the .375 H&H...

Art

 

[cratz2]

I think you should get a Pre-64 Winchester Model 70, deep blue with a high grade walnut monte carlo stock chambered in 257 Roberts Ackley Improved with a well used but un-abused Schmidt & Bender 6x scope with heavy #1 retcile.

Nah! That's what I want.

I think you should really get a Stainless Remington 700BDL in 338 Win Mag...

Honestly, if you're looking for something that can do double duty of almost anything here here and cover all non-dangerous game in Africa, I'd look at something in the 7mm Magnum range. I'd definately limit myself to one of the following calibers: 270 Win, 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag, 375 H&H. Mostly to ensure access to ammo. Synthetic stock with blackened stainless medium heavy fluted barrel would be what I would want ideally.

Go handle a bunch of different rifles, see what suits you. Cycle the actions. Sakos and Weatherbys are nice but on the high end of your price range. Tikkas and CZ 550s are also great values and well below your max price but if something should go wrong in Africa, parts might be difficult to find. Browning A-Bolts are certainly worth a look. Lots to recommend Winchester 70 or Remington 700 - lots of variety etc. Rugers are nice and solid but I would count on a trigger job for any serious use. I prefer the Winchesters and if they would build the Super/Ultimate Shadows in standard chamberings, I would think they would be about ideal for a budget non-dangerous game rifle to take to Africa.

Some people swear by the Shepherd scopes but I would really consider a fixed power scope by Swarovski, Zeiss, Schmidt & Bender or Kahles. Lots can go wrong with a scope and chances (and Murphy) are working against you when you're in a far away land. A 6x can do just about anything you will want to do in Africa and be 99.999% reliable. Plus, once you get one genuinely top notch piece of glass, you will hate having to go back to anything less. I think if you look around, you should be able to get your choice of a Winchester Model 70 with a good 6x scope for somewhere in between your $1,000 and $1,500 budget.

 

[Bostonterrier97]

You need a Rifle built on a MAUSER 98 Action chambered in 375 H&H Magnum.

You need a MAUSER because: (a.) like the Winchester Model 70, it has a controlled feed and large claw extractor, and (b.) because UNLIKE the Model 70, it doesn't have a swept back bolt handle with will smash your hand when you rifle is recoiling from a powerful load.

Why 375 H&H Magnum? Because, most countries specify 375 to be the MINIMUM caliber to hunt with, and because occasionally you might come across a very onery Cape Buffalo or other critter.
And 375 H&H is the MINIMUM to use on Buffalo.
And 375 H&H Magnum because it is easier to find ammo in Africa and because it has a lower pressure than other rounds..which is pretty nice because Africa can get pretty hot, and if it gets really hot sometimes a spent cartridge case will stick in the chamber.

You can get REALLY good advice on cartridge and rifle choices over at www.accuratereloading.com they have a lot of guys there who go on Safari's especially Saeed.

 

[DeBee]

Since you are ordering your rifle from a gunsmith, you have a slight advantage of having an expert look the rifle over upon delivery... If it's wrong, he can send it back.

I would go for a stainless Winchester 70 in .300 Win magnum (only because you plan on hunting African Plains game). Get one with the steel bottom metal and slotted screws. The last one I inspected had phillips screws and painted aluminum bottom metal yack!- and now Winchester is putting some far out plastic sculpture stock on the .300WSM...

After the smith has inspected the rifle to make sure the barrel is screwed on square, the chamber and the bolt face are square to each other, and the crown is concentric, get a detail clean and relube, have him put a trigger tune on it about 3 lbs, dehorn and smooth the saftey, make sure the cocking notch is not soft, get a steel follower to replace the plastic one (if necessary). The metalwork will be complete.

Throw the rubber factory stock away. Get a McMillan or Rimrock THEN pay the gunsmith to bed the rifle into a real stock preferably pillar bed and a get a Decellerator pad. Add your favorite sling. Stockwork done.

The Leupold Dual Dovetail mounts are fine. I like the black matte finish on the stainless guns rather than stainless rings. I might flip for gunsmith installation on the bases and rings as you should have cash left over from the $1500...

The Shepherd scope is interesting but the ranging circles are small and tough to use unless you have a rest- offhand is shakey- how far do you shoot game on average? Normally, I'd recommend the 2.5-8x36mm Matte Leupold but I don't know if it would stretch the magnum action span and still meet your eye relief needs...

 

[LevelHead]

If you won't do any work to it - Sako 0 hands down in my book.

If you want to do work to it... Sako.

Seriously if you're looking for after market stocks and parts etc. Sako may not be the best choice (Though McMillan does make Sako Stocks - just not tactical ones).

A Sako with Optilock rings will outperform any leopold rings with the exception of Mark IVs.

That's my opinion.

 

[six 4 sure]

Well it looks like my purchase will be put off until I get my end of year bonus in March. That means I should have about $2500 or so to spend. At the moment I'm leaning toward a Weatherby Mark V in .378 Weatherby. I think this should cover just about anything I should ever want to hunt.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Six

 

[Art Eatman]

I doubt you'll do much shooting, with that .378. It's a pretty serious animal at both ends. It's certainly way more than needed for any North American game besides the brown bears of Alaska. It's more than is needed for African plains game, for that matter.

And, unless you're a handloader, the cost per shot is almost as severe as the recoil.

My Weatherby Mark V in .30-'06 has served me well for some 30+ years. The 26" #2 profile barrel makes it a bit heavy; with scope, ammo and sling it's 9.5 pounds. Negligible recoil, of course. I did replace the Weatherby trigger with a Canjar, and did some tweaking with the bedding of the forearm. For a hunting rifle it's quite accurate.

I handload, and would have no qualms about using it in Africa. (I'd be picky about range and the "pose" of an eland, of course, compared to the smaller antelope.)

FWIW, Art

 

[dakotasin]

agree w/ art that the 378 is a beast. just that the question is being asked (what gun to get?), leads me to believe that experience w/ centerfire rifles is at least somewhat limited.

personally, i am a remington 700 fan, but the brand of rifle is, methinks, less important than caliber. after all, most of the modern rifles are pretty equal as far as accuracy goes (weatherby's 1.5" guarantee is easily met by most bolt-guns, not exclusive to weatherby).

since the rifle will not be used for dangerous game, i submit that the 378 is uncalled for and due to expense and recoil, will be shot so little that proficiency will be wanting. even a 338 win, as good as it is, may be a little over the top, but a far better choice than a 378. my personal reccomendation is for something a little more mundane... 7 rem mag is the route that i would take, though a 30-06 or 308 win would fill the bill just as well; if you are truly unaffected by recoil, maybe check into one of the 300 mags...

whichever caliber and rifle you choose, you have to get what you want or you will never be happy w/ it, and will always find fault w/ it...i just think maybe a little more research is necessary, and finding a hard-kicker to test-fire would be necessary.

good luck.