utility rifle

[M. Jager]

ultility rifle

I am looking to purchase a rilfe for my father. Rifle will be used for a truck rifle and once a year for prairrie dogs. All method of prairrie dog hunting does not favor heavy barrels as we do a lot of walking at the place we shoot. They rifles I am thinking about are.
Savage 16 - I have an older 116 and it shoots like a dream. I know many don't like Savage for one reason or another but all we really care about is whether it puts the bullets where they need to go or not. So while the cosmetics may not be there it is not important.
Tikka T3 - don't know nothing about them but I hear good things. Whats is the difference between the t3 and the other tikka models?
CZ 527 - we have three cz 452s and they are wonderful but dad really likes stainless rifles. Also the barrel seems very thin and I am worried that it would heat up too quickly on the dog town
Howa 1500- heard good things about them and my cousin has one that feels alright to the hands. I think I might ask to run a few rounds threw it to see how it shoots for myself as most of the information coming from him is well a bit "stretched"
Winchester Coyote- a friend has one he wants to sell and I thought if the weight didn't put me off and it shoot well I might get it and give my Savage to my father.
The prices on all these rifles are very close so given my intentions (truck gun with ocassional prarrie dogs) what would you suggest?
Thanks
Matt

 

[BDM]

AR-15,preferably a carbine good for all the critters you mentioned as well as the two legged variety.

 

[Kaylee]

"truck rifle" meaning it stays in the truck year round?

Honestly, I'd go with the cheapest one on your list so you're not out too much if the rig is broken into, it rusts over if Dad forgets to bring it in and clean it regularly, truckgoo bunnies crawl into the muzzle etc etc etc......
Well, cheapest one with a solid set of mounts anyhow.

Heck... one good idea might be to have iron sights set up for "truck rifle" duty and then put the glass on with removable QRW rings when it's time for the trip to dogtown. Unless Dad's eyes are going bad, I can't think of any conceivable reason you'ld need a good scope on a truck rifle, and that way you're not putting a lot of wear on the reticule and mounting from all the virbrations and bouncy bouncy that a work truck gets. Sure a good scope can prolly take it just fine, but why shorten its work life without need?

Personally, I tend to think an AR is overkill for truck rifle duty (unless you live in gangland or som'n)... but to each their own.

-K

 

[M. Jager]

Ok, let me clarify.
AR=bad, dad isn't fond of them, they cost too much, its not our idea of an ideal rifle in a prarrie dog town (probably main use for the rifle) Plus, dad has a mini for closer encounters with coyotes and the like.
By truck rifle I mean occasionally packed in the truck checking cows to whack the odd coyote, groundhog, ect. The rifle will not be left in the truck. Nor will it be abused although it won't be babied either. Really all we are looking for is something that goes bang when the trigger is pulled and shoots good groups. Because of my previous experience with Savage I wouldn't hesitate to go that route, but took I would get some opinions on other rifles in the price range first.

 

[Art Eatman]

M. Jager, any of the rifles you first listed would do just fine. I'd select the one with the heaviest sporter-weight barrel, given your comment about firing length strings at a PD town. An adjustable trigger is a plus.

One thing: The setup oughta be a good fit for the primary shooter. Length of pull, angle of stock, height of comb, all that sort of thing. The September issue of The American Hunter has a good article about shotgun stocks, but many point are true for rifles as well.

Whatever you get, you might consider free-floating the forearm, and then putting in a low-pressure shim out at the tip. About a five-pound pull to separate the barrel enough from the stock to insert the shim. The shim acts as a damper, helping to maintain uniformity in vibrations as the barrel heats up. (A gun barrel behaves as a spring, during firing, if you didn't already know...)

Art

 

[dakotasin]

tough to beat a marlin 336 in 30-30 for all around work.

rifle isn't real expensive, ammo is cheap, 30-30 is flat-shooting enough for going out to 150 yards, and the marlin is accurate enough to utilize 150 +/- yard shots.

just a thought.