Suggestions

[vern]

Thinking about new bolt action centerfire for deer and varmints.Any manufacturer better and caliber?

 

[cayuga]

There are so many gun makers now that make a really high quality rifle, its hard to say, this is better then that. And of course price deals into this whole picture.

I personally always like a Ruger for a bolt action rifle. After Ruger, it was a Remington 700. But my friend always sore that Winchester Model 70 was the best bolt rifle ever made.. It comes down to .. what you like.

 

[vern]

I like my remington 700ML so am partial to the 700 but also like my 10/22 Ruger also.Love your posts on the sig sauer also.

 

[wesley396]

Dollar for dollar it is hard to beat some of Savages new riflers like the Edge an the Axis . But myself I like the feel of the Remington line of rifles.

 

[vern]

Yeah I wanna check them out

 

[wesley396]

One of my hunting buddys has a Axis in a 7mm-08 and that thing will flat out shoot.

 

[Widude]

How much $$ & where you you live & hunt? My main deer gun for years was a Model 70 in 308, then a Browning A-Bolt in 308. Now I use a Model 7 'Predator' in 243 or my A-Bolt Micro Medallion in 284 Winchester.

I have 2 Sako's in 243 that I couldn't pass up, a 75 & a 1966 Forester, both about 'as-new' condition. I've never even shot either of them.

If your budget is a little tight nothing wrong with a Savage. Nothing wrong with a 243, especially down South. I have hunted MS & GA, the deer weights seem smaller than up north. I wouldn't go above a 308 or maybe a 30-06 if it's mostly for deer hunting.

I see you mentioned 'varmints', if that's coyotes & such I'd lean 243. With my 95 grn partition bullets my 243 works just fine on deer. It's also my favorite coyote round.

 

[GM54-120]

If its for varmints and deer, 243 would be my choice. I also like many of the 6.5 offerings like 6.5x55 but its easier to find good 243 hunting ammo. The 243 will also fit in a short action and saves a bit of weight.

Hornady has a new 80gr GMX bullet in 243 that is getting some very good reviews on deer. Its similar to a Barnes bullet but made from guilding metal.

Check out the Tikka T3. Its barely above 6lbs for the T3 Lite and as low as $600. A friend got a T3 Lite fluted SS in 30-06 and i could not believe how light it was with a scope. Bolt was super smooth and the trigger was very very good.

 

[vern]

Anyone know about the Ruger American? Checked it out today along with Savage,Remington,Marlin and Mossberg. I think 243 is going to be my choice instead of 30.06. The guy said the remington was junk it was a 770 model not a 700 which he said is impossible to get why I dont know. I liked the Ruger and Savage I still wanna check out the Tikkas and Weatherby but probably will co the cheaper due to the abuse it will get.

 

[Widude]

Vern, if you want to do a little homework how about seeing what Armslist has to offer in your area, for a FTF buy? Most of the rage right now is handguns & semi-auto rifles, shotguns & deer rifles much less so. You can usually go up a rung or 2 with the quality level looking for slightly used.


You can also que up elitedealseeker.com to look at all the common gun classifieds, use the search function. I just bought a Ruger 4" SP-101 in 357 yesterday from a local guy, FTF cash, hardly used. I don't need much these days in the way of guns, but when a deal is on my lap I get weak in the knees.

Just an idea, after Christmas is the best time to gun shop.

 

[GM54-120]

The Remington 710 and 770 are very entry level rifles. IMO you can do much better for only a little more money, such as a Weatherby Vanguard for $349.

http://www.cabelas.com/bolt-action-weat ... fles.shtml

The 243 is fine for deer and the varmint ammo is pretty darn fast too.

 

[Mountainam]

It's tough to beat a remington 700 or model 7. T/C came out with a bolt gun called an ICON. It was supposed to be the "be all- end all" of bolt actions. By the shape of it I'd gues the action is investment cast like a Ruger. I also say 30yrs from now no one will know or remember what an Icon is. I've never lost one cent on any Remington I ever sold. And 30 years from now when the Remington 700 is 80 years old most will still know what one is. Your choice of the .243 is a sound one. Most owners of .243's can shoot one well. The same cannot be said of .30calibers. It takes a lot of practice to shoot a .30/06 the way it was intened to be shot. There's more value in a Remington than other brands. Meaning if you have to sell it you won't lose. Good luck with your choice.

 

[vern]

Thanks to all replys. I got my hands on the tikka t3 today and the 700 at the same time.Very impressed with the tikka very much so but think I will go with the 700 as soon as I can find one they didnt have it in 243 had it in 30.06 but I am going with the 243.Plus we have a gun show coming up at the end of the month so wanna see what I can find there. Thanks muskrat will check that out.