What's out there for $4-600 in bolt action?

[SWModel19]

I'm generally a handgun, milsurp and Evil Black Rifle kinda guy, but with the political climate beginning to label them as "cop killer sniper rifles," I've decided that I should have at least one or two "hunting rifles."

Other than an old Remington .22LR, I know nothing about modern commercial bolt action rifles, so any advice is usable at this point.

I would prefer to stick with .308WIN, as I have plenty of .308 and 7.62NATO around, and my price range is about $4-600. I know my 7.62s will shoot .308 just fine, but will a .308 handle 7.62 just as easily?

Also, I am a target shooter, not a hunter, but the idea has crossed my mind from time to time.

Thanks in advance for any info/ideas.

 

[Grizzley Adams]

i don't know about 308 but you can pick up many fine 30-06 rifles in that price range.and thats a pretty versatile caliber and ammo isn't to expensive either.i would think you could pick up many nice used ones in good working order in your price range though.you just have to look around and see what is out there in your area or available for order.

 

[1 old 0311]

Look at Savage.

 

[doc2rn]

Ruger 77

 

[mndfusion]

ruger m77 for sure, those rifles are awesome!

 

[kentucky_smith]

cz550's.

 

[trainwreck100]

Ruger M77

 

[Will Learn]

savage savage savage- should be able to get a nicer one w/ a good stock for 6 bills.

 

[Sniper4Life]

savage 12fv .308, Heavy barreled. I got mine for $420. Shoots better than i can.

 

[glockman19]

Toward the upper end of your price range would be a Remington 700

 

[W.E.G.]

I hope nobody is too offended if I mention the fact that if you go with the Ruger, you are stuck with using Ruger-type scope rings which will not attach to any other rifle than a Ruger. Moreover, you cannot use a Picatinny rail on a Ruger Rifle via any practical method.

All that before I get on my soapbox about Ruger politics.

I have about equal affection for Savage or Remington.
There are vast choices of accesssories available for Remington.
Accessory choices for Savage are improving rapidly.

Winchester is good too - but probably at the upper end - or beyond - your budget cap.

 

[Ian Sean]

I have a Ruger 77 in .308....I am very happy with it. My daughters Savage in .243 is a real tack driver though.

Both should run you about the same....and don't skimp on a quality scope.

 

[ndolson]

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=295628

 

[dmftoy1]

+1 for the Savage . . .if they made mine with the HS Precision stock (left handed) then I would've bought it that way, but for the money it's damn hard to beat. (Great trigger, incredibly accurate)

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[woof]

I'd look at various rifles in the cz line, maybe .223 as well as .308

 

[CB900F]

SWM;

I'll also suggest you look at the CZ & Tikka's. I've got one Tikka & 2 CZ's, all 'keepers'.

900F

 

[Travis McGee]

Savage!

 

[jefnvk]

Same as others have mentioned: Rem 700 (got one, nice rifle), Savage (shot one, not as nicely finished but shoots great) and CZ (haven't shot a big bore, but love my rimfire)

 

[chaim]

When I buy a bolt rifle again, I'll be in that price range. I'm primarily going to look at CZ and Howa.

Savage makes a good rifle (and my prior centerfire bolt rifle was a Savage). I sold the one I owned because of a combination of the stock, weight and cheap recoil pad with the .30-06 caliber. It wasn't fun to shoot, so I didn't shoot it enough to start to get good with it. I may consider a Savage again, but it will definately have to have a better/heavier stock than the base model and/or be in a much milder caliber (maybe 6.5x55, .243 or even .223).

 

[sublimaze41]

Following my wedding I had $2,000 to spend on a rifle,optics and dies for a hunting trip to Africa. I bought a .30-06 Savage stainless and 3x9 Leupold. Cost with mounts and new brass and new Dillon dies..... Under $1,000. Loaded with 168gr Branes TSX it is a killer. I own 5 other Savages and like those it shoots under 1MOA. The trigger is GREAT it adjusts just fine for me. It's American made, company stands behind it and did I mention it's accuracy?

Nice thing about the .30-06 is it is everywhere and it's recoil is quite managable. You can load up or down for that round. I just wish I had come to it earlier in life. I was primarily fascinated with the other calibers. Guess there is a reason it is 100 + years old.

 

[jd46561]

How bout a used K31 for $150.00 that shoots POA right off the rack..

 

[GRIZ22]

Savage a wide variety of calibers and configurations available in your budget. 7.62 NATO and 308 are interchangable in a bolt gun and a versatile caliber.

 

[sansone]

I'm a big fan of Ruger but Savage shoots just as accurately(maybe better) and Ruger has priced those m77's to the sky. I just sold a Savage stainless/fluted varmint boltie (.22-250) w/laminated stock + adjustable trigger ($600).. The customer had to pry it from my hands. It may be the prettiest rifle on earth.

 

[txgolfer45]

Remington 700. Lots of variations to look at. My ADL in .270 is a tack driver.

Scott

 

[Walt65]

http://www.savagearms.com/11fxp3.htm
Should be about $450 at the local Wally world.
Hint. The longer they have them, the more they get marked down.
I found one of these for $225 at my Wally world in .243.
Ask to see what is in the safe.
http://www.savagearms.com/10gxp3.htm