New to rifles (and THR): Recommend a bolt-action target rifle. Specifications inside.

[SA Town]

I ask for a non-american, bolt-action, modern (black please), accurate, good quality, and $700-1400 USD price ranged target rifle.

Why not American? Though they are incredibly powerful, accurate, and reliable, I'm a bit tired of shooting my friend's American-made rifles and am looking for change.

Sorry if this is bargaining for WAY too much. You can probably tell I'm a newbie.

Any comparisons for accuracy would also be nice (I'm guessing the standard of comparison is to a Remington 700), so if you own/know of such a rifle that shoots anywhere from sub MOA to 2 MOA, I'd greatly appreciate that.

Again, sorry if this question does not make any sense or is asking for too much. I look foward to learning form you guys here at THR.

Thanks in advance to all of those who reply.

 

[jpwilly]

Tikka or CZ...

 

[RonE]

New to rifles (and THR): Recommend a bolt-action target rifle. Specifications inside.

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I ask for a non-american, bolt-action, modern (black please), accurate, good quality, and $700-1400 USD price ranged target rifle.

Why not American? Though they are incredibly powerful, accurate, and reliable, I'm a bit tired of American-made rifles and am looking for change.

How can you be "new to rifles" and tired of American rifles already?

I suggest you get a Mousin-Nugant 91/30 and paint it black. By the time you have $1,400 in it it shoud shoot ok.

 

[SA Town]

How can you be "new to rifles" and tired of American rifles already?

I worded that wrong, thanks for correcting me. I meant to say that I am unkowledgeable (for the most part) about rifles in general, although I have shot a few thousand rounds of ammo from them. All of these rounds came out of the muzzle of American rifles, which eventually led to my boredom of them, and further lead to my curiousity of other mfg. countries bolt-action rifles.

 

[jester_s1]

Sounds like you are looking for a Sako. They are on the upper end of your price range, most are sub- MOA, and the 75 and 85 models have a very nice black and grey stock. They are hard to beat.

 

[lykoris]

sako guarantee 1moa for a 5 shot group out of the box with match ammo and are one of the best bolt action rifles you can buy.

they are expensive and probably outside of your price range but the Tikka T3 rifles (sako own Tikka) are extremely accurate also but have less 'refinement' so to speak than a sako.

www.sako.fi

take a look at the 85 models or you can click on the tikkaT3 link to look at the T3 models.

we have to wait 9 months on ordering a sako 85 here cos the orders from the US keep the Finns too busy to service Europe properly

 

[Fergy35]

As mentioned above, take a look at the CZ line. Very Nice, and with your price range they would allow room for some good glass. There are several others, like Tikka, Sako and FN, but I don't have direct experience with them so I can't say much about them.

 

[n00b]

Funny that the Howa 1500s have not be mentioned.

 

[FullEffect1911]

I am having a hard time seeing how a foreign made bolt action rifle will be all that much more exciting then a domestically made one. If your bored with bolt action rifles, then a bolt action rifle isn't the cure. Maybe it's time you got into some long range service rifle shooting.

Just a thought anyway.

 

[jbech123]

Why not American? Though they are incredibly powerful, accurate, and reliable, I'm a bit tired of shooting my friend's American-made rifles and am looking for change.

It probably won't take you very long to get bored of a European bolt action then. Yeah it will look and feel a bit different but probably not so much so that you wouldn't get bored again pretty quick. Nothin wrong with a Sako or CZ, just at the end of the day they are not all that different than a Kimber or Savage. If you wanted something significantly different go to a semi auto platform.

 

[benzy2]

I would suggest the CZ as well. I do enjoy mine very much. I don't get why it matters where the rifle is made. In the $700-$1400 range you pretty much get what you pay for, be it domestic or import. I would personally want the best rifle for the money. Barrels on $700-$1400 rifles from outside the US aren't on a different quality level than those on US rifles. Triggers on $700-$1400 rifles from outside the US aren't on a different quality level than this on US rifles, etc etc. I'm not saying to not buy a rifle from outside the US, just that I think it is a weird stipulation to exclude domestic firearms. I ran across a great deal on a CZ 527 and am glad I bought it. If I came across the same kind of deal on a US rifle I would have been glad to have jumped on it as well.

I guess my point, beyond I like my CZ, is to not limit yourself based on rifle origin, buy based on the best rifle for your shooting for the dollar you want to spend. What if those rifles you had shot were the best you could get for the money you want to spend? Would you rather a lessor quality rifle just because it isn't what you have used?

 

[krs]

I'd have to agree with these fellas that Sako bests fits your criteria.

 

[Grey Morel]

Sounds like a funny request to my ears, but it takes all kinds. Here are your options.

As already stated:
* Howa
* CZ
* Tikka
* Sako

Those are good options. You may also want to chek out:
* Steyr Pro-hunter
* Zastava rifles (Remington and Charles Daly)
* FN-Herstal bolt rifles

Good luck in your descision.

 

[UnTainted]

Sako rifles are very accurate, and they are a favorite brand of mine, but I will have to vote for CZ based on your criteria.

The CZ set trigger is sweet. You push the trigger forward from its position (something you have time to do when target shooting) and it "sets" itself in a position where the break is much more crisp and the pull is super sweet. It's hard to explain, but it is worth it. My dad loves his CZ in 300WM.

 

[USSR]

You may also want to chek out:
* Steyr Pro-hunter
* Zastava rifles (Remington and Charles Daly)
* FN-Herstal bolt rifles

FN bolt rifles are made in the good 'ol USA (SC).

Don

 

[JImbothefiveth]

A foreign bolt action rifle won't be very different from an American one. Why not get a semi-auto?

I would reccomend a marlin 795, remington 597, or ruger 10/22.