OT: Best bolt action rifle

Bobwhite

Bobwhite

Joined
Nov 30, 1999
Messages
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Hey guys, shooters especially. I am in the market for a .30-06 or .308 bolt action. Looking at either the Winchester 70 or the Remington 700 in particular. I will be shooting in cover mostly, so I am going to forgo a scope in favor of open sights, I am much more comfortable with open sights and I will not be shooting past 200 yards most likely. Any thoughts or comments on either caliber or either gun is welcome. I am open to suggestion for a different gun, but I am set on the calibers. Accuracy and reliablity are my main concerns. I also want a wood stock, no fiberglass it just lacks soul. Thanks all.
 
What game do you intend to shoot and do you handload?
I favor the Winchester, though with any of the top six, including Ruger, Browning, Savage and a good Mauser 98, there isn't any 'best'.


munk
 
Remington 700 30.06
With it you can hunt anything in North America. I've had mine for 30 years with no problems. My 2 cents worth.

Semp --
 
I plan to hunt deer, elk and bear in North America. I will handload, but shoot factory loads too.
 
then I'd go 30.o6 because you can load the heavier bullets. Thing is, with most factory ammo, 06 doesn't even meet its adverstised velocity, and I mean less than is typical of other rounds. Also, the .308 just may be the most accurate sporting cartridge sold commercially, and its actual ballistics are closer to what is advertised. Manufacturers have watered down the .270 as well, don't really know why.

munk
 
...a little farther down the road, and the only things i know about are antique bolt action rifles and some old ruger revolvers...




munk
 
I concur with Munk on the rifle choices; however, given the conditions and types of game you've described, I strongly suggest you reconsider your decision to use open sights. I think a fixed 4X scope would be advisable.

At 200 yards you can certainly hit a large animal with open sights, but you're not going to be able to consistently place a precise killing shot under real hunting conditions no matter how good your eye is.

Conversely, a fixed 4x scope will perform well under up-close snapshot conditions.

Please consider this, you owe it to the game you're hunting to be able to kill them quickly and humanely.
 
Check out the CZ bolts too, especially for a classic mauser well made. Seemed to me that the 223 mini mauser I had briefly was just plain right in all aspects without any little shortcuts others take. And I've heard the action top is cut properly to take the Rem 700 rings. Some of the models may be stained but not have the finish so you can make small modifications to make it right for you, a plus to me. Also they offer 3 lines, American stock, European stock and Mannlicher full stock. And it has a decent trigger and a push forward to set single hair trigger.

Savage, or Browning with the boss may be the most accurate, Remington also, if you want a push feed. Winchester Classics have the controlled feed, as do the later Rugers. CZ's likewise have decent reps for accuracy. Without a scope and with the wide range of factory ammo, to two hundred yards I doubt practical differences will be noticeable. Far as power, Hornady and Federal have light magnums in both calibers ( 308 and 30-06 ). The 308 tends to be more developed as a match round, the ought six, more powerful especially at the heaviest weights.

In your situation I'd grab the CZ with full ( mannlicher ) stock, mount a peep sight on top and a low power removable side mount scope for sighting and go for it. Get the 30-06 if you can get it without excessive trouble. 308 would do if it's too much hassle. ( I'd grab me a 7x57 cause of arthritis in my neck. The 30-06 gives me next to a migraine cause of that. Same with lightweight 308's. But that's me. )

You've got several months to make up your mind or get it like you want. Stretch the fun part of a new gun just right as long as you can. And have fun
 
Munk has it right. I like the pre-64 Win. & if you are only buying one rifle, you might want to spend a little & get something you really like. Ruger is a good rifle; I don't like the trigger pull, but that can be fixed easy. Lot of .308 ammo available at gun shows. Might look into some milled steel receiver sights; cost a little more, but are there for the long haul. Have you read Chairman Jeff Cooper's opinions on the "Scout Rifle?" Some good reading on the 'net; he knows whereof he speaks. Fr. Frog's web-site is a good one for posting a lot of Cooper's material.
 
KISMET;

DANG YOU

now i have mauser fever all over again....i love surplus mausers





munk
 
I've used them both. My current rifle is a M70 in .30-06. Every Winchester I've ever shot kicked like a mule. Must be due to the straight stock. The trigger on the Win. is the best around IMO. Very easy to adjust at home. Last year I experienced my first bullet failure (165gr.Rem.) Entered front obligue and never exited. All I found were some jacket fragments. The deer didn't go over 140lbs. I also shot a coyote not much past 200 YDS with similar results.:(
 
Excellent! Rusty said just what I was going to say! Go back up there and read it again.

Much as I love the controlled feed Winchesters or the accuracy of the Reminton 700's, the best deal on the market right now in bolt action rifles is CZ. Some eye popping deals. I'm currently lusting after the CZ 550 with full stock. ($519. The one with an "American style" stock is only $429.) One of those in .308 would fit your needs. I personally prefer 6.5x55 Swedish in a rifle like this. Super, super accuracy and plenty of power for anything I'm likely to be hunting.

And I really, really want one of those CZ 550 Safari Magnums in .416 Rigby. Although I would be hard pressed to say why! But a safari quality rifle like that in a special caliber for just over $600 is far better than what you would pay for a Ruger or Winchester. (No Remington for this kind of gun. Give me controlled feed if I'm going to use a cannon on things that bite or stomp people that foolishly shoot them!)

http://pdmall.com/CZC/rifles~3.htm
 
Pax-V, the straight stock is generally considered better handling with recoil than a stock with pronounced drop at heel or/and comb. But I trust what tells me what fits and what does not. I follow that. You'll be the better shot.

Tulsamal, Winchester sells a wood stocked safari that also sells for a little over 600. (at least the ffl price is still under 600)

If I was going to use open sights I'd look hard at either that Persian Mauser for about 200 or that Spanish Mauser for over 100. I wish I could buy one for a truck gun.

munk
 
I did not know about CZ. I am only book read with firearms. Not a lot of shooting experience outside of airguns and .22s. I have a surplus Mauser in 8mm. It is either Czech or Romanian I think. I like it but I would like to use .30-06 as it is more versatile and ammo is more readily available. Would it be worth it, is it possible to re-barrel it for that caliber? Should I just get it tweaked and leave it in 8mm and work up reloads? Sorry for the ignorance guys, that is why I wanted to get some info from you all. Many of the gun boards are too unfreindly to newbies who ask dumb questions.
 
the Spanish Guardia Civil .308 isn't the BEST rifle, nor is it the prettiest, and I didn't buy synthetic stock, etc., but it's under 6 pounds, a little short-stocked (but I put an old recoil pad on--works fine), and it was fun to mess with. If I do MY part of the shooting thingie, it does its part.

I don't remember precisely, but it might be the same price now that it was in 1988. Neat rifle.

Sorry.
 
Kismet, you can get a select one without frills in 308 for a little over a hundred bucks, and the persian same thing over 200. GEEESE
I wish I had some money. I'd only fret a little bit about the chamber cut with the .308 being OK. I betcha it is.
If I had the money I'd get the persian and reload. It is almost too nice to throw into my beater truck!!!

munk
 
Bob, I have an 8mm Mauser that I got for a song a few years ago for essentially the same purposes as you've described. As much as I like to handload, if I could do it all over again I would have gone with a 30 caliber or 7mm instead.

I've acheived success with the 8mm, but it took a lot of experimentation as I found it to be a very finicky rifle to work with. Good factory ammo is virtually nonexistent, and as a handloader you won't have much variety in 8mm bullets to choose from.

8mm barrels generally come in two bore sizes, either .318 or .323, and quality of actions is variable and sometimes questionable depending on date and place of origin.

Bottom line, if you want to go 8mm be prepared to invest a lot of time and effort developing handloads.

Just my two cents worth on a topic that's near and dear to my heart.

:)
 
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