Hunting bolt gun

[MickAK]

Savage 110 LW Storm in 6.5 Manbun is very comfortable to shoot for how light it is. Points and balances almost as good as a Sako.

[newyork]

Mocking me?

[gato naranja]

I would not rule out the 7mm cartridges, like a 7mm-08 and 7mm Mauser. There are lots of right answers. I hunt with a .270 Win, but anything from 6.5 up to a .30-06 would work just as well. If I were going to buy a new rifle today, I'd probably get a 6.5 CM, though I also really like the 6.5x55.

The 7x57 Mauser and the 6.5mm Swedish do both work nicely out of a light, trim bolt rifle and other than not being super-efficient (for lack of a better term) by today's standards, they remain good hunting cartridges that don't pound the snot out of the shooter. Neither gets much ink these days, but I still believe them to be the best of the milsurp rounds to live with when everything - accuracy, power, ease of reloading, versatility, etc - is considered.

A friend of mine who has a LOT of bolt-action hunting rifles and chamberings to choose from still uses an ex-military 7mm Mauser that was sporterized in the '60s on a regular basis, and he is sincere when he says that he doesn't really need all the other ones.

[okie john]

The rifles you mentioned are good choices. I’d also look at the Remington M-700, the Winchester M-70, and the Ruger M-77 Hawkeye at a minimum.

The Weatherbys you mentioned are all Vanguard models, which are built on Howa actions, possibly with Howa barrels, so I’d cut out the Weatherby markup and get a Howa. They’re known to shoot very well. The principal known issue is that bolt stops sometimes break and are a pain the ass to replace.

Sakos and Tikkas are built in the same factory and use the same barrels, so for the money I’d go with a Tikka. The drawback there is that they’re all the same action length so if you’re worried about weight that’s a factor. But they are superbly accurate out of the box and their triggers are perfect. Literally zero them and start hunting.

I’ve had very good luck with the Remington Package Rifles. My 308 shot MOA out of the box with cheap ammo and my 30-06 is almost as good. Triggers need a bit of work but aftermarket support for them is immense. The ones made right before the bankruptcy are considered among the best that Remington has ever built—the blueprinting that’s normally the first step in accurizing one isn’t necessary.

I’d avoid anything ultra-light. They can be hard to shoot well and they kick harder than slightly heavier rifles. Eight pounds loaded, scoped, and with a sling is a very good place to be, so factor in the weight of optics and mounts as you look at the overall weight.

You’re on the right track with common cartridges like the 30-06, 308, and 270. All will take deer and elk, blast and recoil aren’t bad. They’re among the last to run out and the first to return when times get weird like they are now. They’re also not expensive, which matters since you’ll spend more on ammo than on the rifle in the long run. Barrel length should be between 22” and 24”.

Definitely go stainless/synthetic. Factory synthetic stocks are better than you’d think, and paying the upcharge for a Bell & Carlson or HS Precision stock from the factory is not a bad call either. If you plan to upgrade to a top-drawer Bansner or McMillan later on, then definitely get the cheap factory stock for now.

Add a good 2.5-8 or 3-9 variable with an objective bell smaller than about 45mm in field-detachable mounts, zero it at 200 yards with the heaviest bullet that the chosen cartridge will move at 2,700 fps, and go forth.

A rifle like that will handle 99% of all game in North America, won't kick your teeth out, and will be easy to feed. You can add specialized rifles later, but those are best tied to a specific species or set of conditions so get a few hunts under your belt before going down that road.

On a completely separate note, get into a Hunter's Safety Course NOW if you haven’t already. You won't be able to buy a license without it, and classes fill quickly.


Okie John

[SD]

Have you looked @ Howa Rifles? They make rifles for several big name companies. Dependable and accurate with a NIB price around $600. On the other side of NY in grape country until recent times it was shotgun only for deer, rifle is now allowed in certain areas or zones. The most common rifle was a 30/30 in the beginning (probably already owned) but that has changed and i have seen more 30.06 and 243. in later years. Happy hunting

[newyork]

The JP Sauer in the shop was the Kuiu pattern in 6.5 creedmoor. Blue bbl which I didn’t get that combo. It was $1000. Shop online has the black stock with blue bbl in 6.5 and it’s $599. Loved the 60 degree bolt and trigger on it. Normally the black one is $799. There some other painted models that have cerakoted bbl too and in like 10 calibers. I liked that rifle a lot except the comb was a hair long. Not bad but not as cozy as a few others I held.

For $599 it’s tempting even in a blues bbl. kind of wish it were 308.

[newyork]

The rifles you mentioned are good choices. I’d also look at the Remington M-700, the Winchester M-70, and the Ruger M-77 Hawkeye at a minimum.

The Weatherbys you mentioned are all Vanguard models, which are built on Howa actions, possibly with Howa barrels, so I’d cut out the Weatherby markup and get a Howa. They’re known to shoot very well. The principal known issue is that bolt stops sometimes break and are a pain the ass to replace.

Sakos and Tikkas are built in the same factory and use the same barrels, so for the money I’d go with a Tikka. The drawback there is that they’re all the same action length so if you’re worried about weight that’s a factor. But they are superbly accurate out of the box and their triggers are perfect. Literally zero them and start hunting.

I’ve had very good luck with the Remington Package Rifles. My 308 shot MOA out of the box with cheap ammo and my 30-06 is almost as good. Triggers need a bit of work but aftermarket support for them is immense. The ones made right before the bankruptcy are considered among the best that Remington has ever built—the blueprinting that’s normally the first step in accurizing one isn’t necessary.

I’d avoid anything ultra-light. They can be hard to shoot well and they kick harder than slightly heavier rifles. Eight pounds loaded, scoped, and with a sling is a very good place to be, so factor in the weight of optics and mounts as you look at the overall weight.

You’re on the right track with common cartridges like the 30-06, 308, and 270. All will take deer and elk, blast and recoil aren’t bad. They’re among the last to run out and the first to return when times get weird like they are now. They’re also not expensive, which matters since you’ll spend more on ammo than on the rifle in the long run. Barrel length should be between 22” and 24”.

Definitely go stainless/synthetic. Factory synthetic stocks are better than you’d think, and paying the upcharge for a Bell & Carlson or HS Precision stock from the factory is not a bad call either. If you plan to upgrade to a top-drawer Bansner or McMillan later on, then definitely get the cheap factory stock for now.

Add a good 2.5-8 or 3-9 variable with an objective bell smaller than about 45mm in field-detachable mounts, zero it at 200 yards with the heaviest bullet that the chosen cartridge will move at 2,700 fps, and go forth.

A rifle like that will handle 99% of all game in North America, won't kick your teeth out, and will be easy to feed. You can add specialized rifles later, but those are best tied to a specific species or set of conditions so get a few hunts under your belt before going down that road.

On a completely separate note, get into a Hunter's Safety Course NOW if you haven’t already. You won't be able to buy a license without it, and classes fill quickly.


Okie John

Awesome response! Thank you! Haven’t seen any Howa available yet. I’ve been looking. Took that course a while back thankfully as it was brutal lol.

I’ll look over tikka and Howa more and see if the Sauer can be had in stainless or cerakote in my price range. They have a great rep from what I’ve seen.

[okie john]

Awesome response! Thank you! Haven’t seen any Howa available yet. I’ve been looking. Took that course a while back thankfully as it was brutal lol.

I’ll look over tikka and Howa more and see if the Sauer can be had in stainless or cerakote in my price range. They have a great rep from what I’ve seen.

Happy to help. Also check out the Mauser M18. It’s my next T&E item.


Okie John

[newyork]

Can you suggest rings for a Leupold 2.5-8 or 3-9? Maybe the 3.5-10? Also, which Tikka do you think? T3x lite or is that too light for 308/3006?

https://www.eurooptic.com/Mauser-M18...EMO-Excel.aspx

How’s that?

[okie john]

Can you suggest rings for a Leupold 2.5-8 or 3-9? Maybe the 3.5-10? Also, which Tikka do you think? T3x lite or is that too light for 308/3006?

Lots of folks make great rings. I like a Picatinny rail so I’d get low rings that work with that.

The T3x Lite is light in name only, especially compared to the Kimber Montana or other true lightweights. I think it’s just about perfect for cartridges in the 30-06 class.


Okie John