Willing to spend up to $2000 on a .223 bolt rifle.. recommendations?
- Thread starter cpirtle
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788Ham
Member
I take a serious look at the Savage rifle, then as an earlier poster mentioned, put a Timney trigger on it. If a scope out to 100 yards. is all you're looking for, look at one of the Whitetail scopes on Midway, 6X24X50mm, truly a nice, clear scope for the money, $129.00. I have this scope on my Rem. 788, have taken P-dogs out to 300 yards with no effort.
LTR50flint
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- Dec 25, 2012
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.223-Ruger
I bought a K77RFP .223 with a Simons 4x12x44 for my wife's woodchuck, crow coyote rifle, many years ago, she did not like the long bolt throw of the 22-250.
I prefer my K77RFP 22-250 -NIKON 6455 4.5 X14X40 SILVER SHADOW, but if you want a .223 as companion, try the K77RFP .223 the wife's is more shiny stainless, I like the matte stainless for predator rifle, new Ruger are matte.
If like the Ruger laminated try the predator with two stage adjustable trigger, save you some future money on a timney.
Hope you having good luck finding ammo; I have Cabelas backorder in for Hornady 55gr sp since 12/24.
I bought a K77RFP .223 with a Simons 4x12x44 for my wife's woodchuck, crow coyote rifle, many years ago, she did not like the long bolt throw of the 22-250.
I prefer my K77RFP 22-250 -NIKON 6455 4.5 X14X40 SILVER SHADOW, but if you want a .223 as companion, try the K77RFP .223 the wife's is more shiny stainless, I like the matte stainless for predator rifle, new Ruger are matte.
If like the Ruger laminated try the predator with two stage adjustable trigger, save you some future money on a timney.
Hope you having good luck finding ammo; I have Cabelas backorder in for Hornady 55gr sp since 12/24.
Savage is by far the best choice you could make. Take a look at how they have dominated (not just competed - they have dominated) F Class and F/TR shooting with their rifles. And despite what some say, you can get a better rifle for $1200-$1400.
I don't see the point of a 4X scope on a rifle like that though. They are long distance shooters and I would think that a person would want at least a 9X.
I have a 12 LRPV. It has the target action and trigger (a huge improvement above their normal triggers) and it's a single shot which makes it much stiffer and therefore much more accurate. If I told you how that rifle shoots I'd be called a liar so many times it wouldn't be funny but I don't lie. It will shoot 2" groups at 500 yards. You can't do that with your basic Savage rifle. I have one of those too. It's nowhere near as accurate as the 12.
The rifles you mentioned are all fine rifles. I just won't believe they are superior to what Savage is building until I see them producing the kind of results I see Team Savage producing. Here's a rundown of their exploits. Remember these are stock rifles they are shooting and they are shooting against custom built rifles - and winning by a big margin. I know too many will see this as a personal challenge because it isn't the rifle they bought but Savage really does make exceptional rifles and they don't have the import taxes of the Euro rifles. Remember this is a description of just one tournament. They have been doing this for several years now. They are doing what many people think is impossible. I can almost guarantee someone will say it isn't possible here. But it is possible and it is truel
http://www.savagearms.com/news/article/?id=3ij567qnL
When I see "any" off the rack rifle dominate custom rifles like this I will change my mind about the rifles made by that company. And trust me, I've seen other types of rifles beat the same kind of Savage rifles (like rimfires against rimfires - a Sako rimfire has beat the pants off my Savage .22 many times and my Savage .22 shoots very well for what it is). But in the class of rifles you're looking at Savage is at the top. Spend about $1300 on a rifle and the rest on glass. You won't regret it unless you have the bad luck to get that lemon that's always out there.
Keep in mind though that these are target / varmint style guns. They are heavy duty. And the bolt is a long pull because it is a push design. I like that myself because I can toss a round in and have it feed perfectly without thinking about it. Others don't like it. To each his own on that.
I don't see the point of a 4X scope on a rifle like that though. They are long distance shooters and I would think that a person would want at least a 9X.
I have a 12 LRPV. It has the target action and trigger (a huge improvement above their normal triggers) and it's a single shot which makes it much stiffer and therefore much more accurate. If I told you how that rifle shoots I'd be called a liar so many times it wouldn't be funny but I don't lie. It will shoot 2" groups at 500 yards. You can't do that with your basic Savage rifle. I have one of those too. It's nowhere near as accurate as the 12.
The rifles you mentioned are all fine rifles. I just won't believe they are superior to what Savage is building until I see them producing the kind of results I see Team Savage producing. Here's a rundown of their exploits. Remember these are stock rifles they are shooting and they are shooting against custom built rifles - and winning by a big margin. I know too many will see this as a personal challenge because it isn't the rifle they bought but Savage really does make exceptional rifles and they don't have the import taxes of the Euro rifles. Remember this is a description of just one tournament. They have been doing this for several years now. They are doing what many people think is impossible. I can almost guarantee someone will say it isn't possible here. But it is possible and it is truel
http://www.savagearms.com/news/article/?id=3ij567qnL
When I see "any" off the rack rifle dominate custom rifles like this I will change my mind about the rifles made by that company. And trust me, I've seen other types of rifles beat the same kind of Savage rifles (like rimfires against rimfires - a Sako rimfire has beat the pants off my Savage .22 many times and my Savage .22 shoots very well for what it is). But in the class of rifles you're looking at Savage is at the top. Spend about $1300 on a rifle and the rest on glass. You won't regret it unless you have the bad luck to get that lemon that's always out there.
Keep in mind though that these are target / varmint style guns. They are heavy duty. And the bolt is a long pull because it is a push design. I like that myself because I can toss a round in and have it feed perfectly without thinking about it. Others don't like it. To each his own on that.
Abel
Member
If your budget is 2K, the Savage is not even in the top three. Kimber or Cooper.
Here's that link: http://www.snipercentral.com/scriflepackages.phtml
Sorry, I couldn't post it earlier, I was at work and that site is blocked.
Sorry, I couldn't post it earlier, I was at work and that site is blocked.
bushmaster1313
Member
There is a Cooper on Gunbroker that can be had for $1300
nastynatesfish
Member
This one.
Abel
Member
Maybe I missed the part where the OP said that he wanted a 17lb range toy. You did say that you want to actually hunt with this, right?
Savage 12 FT/R
I strongly recommend the Savage 12 FT/R in .223......mine shoots tiny bugholes with 80gr SMKs and TAC powder. It doesn't come up to the $2000 level, but you could put the difference in more X glass.
http://s1204.beta.photobucket.com/user/Vartarg/media/file-5.jpg.html
I strongly recommend the Savage 12 FT/R in .223......mine shoots tiny bugholes with 80gr SMKs and TAC powder. It doesn't come up to the $2000 level, but you could put the difference in more X glass.
http://s1204.beta.photobucket.com/user/Vartarg/media/file-5.jpg.html
Storz
Member
Tube gun
Refer to post 30. One man's negative post about one rifle does not make the whole company a unrefined inaccurate rifle maker. There are about 98% satisfied Savage owners on here. My Savage 93BTVS (22 mag) is a beautiful and accurate rifle. The fifth shot was me checking to make sure I was hitting the target. I aimed one grid lower.
chad1043 said:
I don't drink the Savage Kool-Aid and don't consider any Savage to be refined regardless of how accurate they are. As for that F-Class thread, I shoot F-Class and can see the woods for the trees. If you simply look at something for what it appears to be on the surface, either by choice or because you're incapable of doing otherwise, then so be it. Maybe the OP has better depth perception.
I like the taste of savage-aid. my unrefined savage 10 coming in around 1100 $ with glass will keep up with the overpriced yet pretty kimbers and coopers. I like savage because it allows a poor pesent like me to be able to shoot tiny little groups. paper targets and little varmints dont give a darn about what my rifle looks like. dont get me wrong, I love the look of a beautiful wood stock and a perfectly sculpted action. I just dont see why guys hate ugly accurate rifles cause they aint pretty... one day ill own a beautiful piece of tiger stripe or birdseye maple for my sexy custom mauser... but ill always love my mcmillian stocked savage!
+1, also you may want to buy better ammo as the bulk 5.56 ammo won't be that accurate if you want pinpoint accuracy instead of deer or body moa.
Despite the nay sayers, Savage has a "proven" record of extremely good accuracy for a rifle in any price range. Sorry your rifles aren't "refined" but mine certainly is. Savage has made incredible progress in the last decade with their target action rifles. I'm still surprised when I see people refuse to accept that a rifle that has demonstrated accuracy is somehow inferior to rifles that don't even bother to compete in the same league. F/TR and F Class are significant shooting disciplines and Savage is dominating those categories. I'm not talking just winning. They are dominating. And they are doing it against custom built rifles. That is extraordinary and I can see how people have trouble believing it. But I bought one and it shoots fabulous. My shooting is limited to 500 yards currently but these rifles can do 1000 yards effectively.
I'm not here to argue about the issue. There's nothing to argue about. Savage is better than any of the Coopers, Kimbers, or Remingtons that most people would traditionally rank as higher quality. I can only assume they haven't seen how a Savage made in the last 7-8 years really shoots. Not all of them are great of course. Rifles just don't work that way. You get a bad one from time to time. But mine certainly shoots extremely accurate. For me to shoot 2" groups at 500 yards is a testament to just how good these rifles are. And if you think I'm the only one maybe you should check out the Savage Shooters forum unless you're a person who just refuses to accept that times change. I've seen lots of press about how a certain group of shooters just refuse to accept what Savage has done because they think their 1990 Savage is the same as the new ones. I have a 1992 Savage 110. It's completely outclassed by my Savage 12 LRPV. It's not even close.
I invite anyone with an open mind to visit this web page where they will find a description of some of the things Savage has accomplished. In the article you will find this quote that seemed to be right in line with my experience. Then consider that this article was written in 2007 and since that time Savage has continued to improved their products. They don't even mention the target Accu-Trigger and action in the article and that alone is a huge improvement over the previous action. Also keep in mind that this person didn't even work up the right load for his rifle. We all know that having the right ammo can mean a world of difference. And this is not a Savage based web site either. They review all sorts of firearms. The proof is out there. You just have to look. It's the reason I bought my Savage in the first place.
" Around here, to test the long-range capability of the Savage Model 12 F-Class, I had to leave my shooting range and go back through the woods to a field known as Sugar Holler. There, I can get a bit over 400 yards, with a good backstop. The shooting platform has to be improvised, as prone is not an option with the terrain and vegetation. Now understand that a better shooter could get better results, but I was well-satisfied with the two and one-quarter inch group using the Hornady A-Max bullets at 400 yards. That is half-minute-of-angle groups, and the Savage could repeat that performance all day long."
I'm not here to argue about the issue. There's nothing to argue about. Savage is better than any of the Coopers, Kimbers, or Remingtons that most people would traditionally rank as higher quality. I can only assume they haven't seen how a Savage made in the last 7-8 years really shoots. Not all of them are great of course. Rifles just don't work that way. You get a bad one from time to time. But mine certainly shoots extremely accurate. For me to shoot 2" groups at 500 yards is a testament to just how good these rifles are. And if you think I'm the only one maybe you should check out the Savage Shooters forum unless you're a person who just refuses to accept that times change. I've seen lots of press about how a certain group of shooters just refuse to accept what Savage has done because they think their 1990 Savage is the same as the new ones. I have a 1992 Savage 110. It's completely outclassed by my Savage 12 LRPV. It's not even close.
I invite anyone with an open mind to visit this web page where they will find a description of some of the things Savage has accomplished. In the article you will find this quote that seemed to be right in line with my experience. Then consider that this article was written in 2007 and since that time Savage has continued to improved their products. They don't even mention the target Accu-Trigger and action in the article and that alone is a huge improvement over the previous action. Also keep in mind that this person didn't even work up the right load for his rifle. We all know that having the right ammo can mean a world of difference. And this is not a Savage based web site either. They review all sorts of firearms. The proof is out there. You just have to look. It's the reason I bought my Savage in the first place.
" Around here, to test the long-range capability of the Savage Model 12 F-Class, I had to leave my shooting range and go back through the woods to a field known as Sugar Holler. There, I can get a bit over 400 yards, with a good backstop. The shooting platform has to be improvised, as prone is not an option with the terrain and vegetation. Now understand that a better shooter could get better results, but I was well-satisfied with the two and one-quarter inch group using the Hornady A-Max bullets at 400 yards. That is half-minute-of-angle groups, and the Savage could repeat that performance all day long."
bayjoe
Member
Cristensen arms
You got the cash, these rifles are awesome!
You got the cash, these rifles are awesome!
nyresq
Member
If you want beautiful, get a lightly used kimber super america (that would be my choice) with a nice mid price scope. If you arent concerned about looks, a remington pss or 5R and spend the rest of the budget on good glass.
highbrow
Member
Jense Precision if you want top end. But you will need more than 2k.
I am happy with my $275 Stevens for plinking and coyotes.
I am happy with my $275 Stevens for plinking and coyotes.
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