Question Recommendation for Bolt Gun under $1000

[Ryan Gosling]

i have never seen someone say "man i wish i didnt get this howa". add in a SWFA 12x and you have a good beater/trainer

i use the weatherby version and its fantastic. I would only trade it out for the tikka CTR

 

[wtf_calguns_migration]

How do you like it so far? I have the Gen 2. Standard in .223 and my only concern would be impact shift due to heat. Barrel is a little thin some I'm thinking of a few things I can do...I can either re-barrel the Ruger or sell it and get a Howa 1500, or sell it and get a Tikka T3x in .223 and re-barrel that. For me, I need it to be in .223 so there's not a ton of heavy barreled options.

This is where prefit availability becomes an issue.
Replaceable bolt head can be a massive win depending on your use cases.
Tikka has carved out their niches with the ability to easily convert from short to long action when you don't know what you want.
Mag availability/tuneability is a problem for some.

I do not like paying a premium to get under 10lbs for a packing/hunting rifle, a precision/game gun, purpose built recreational gun.
Very quickly guns like Bergara, Tikka, Howa, and Savage get parted down to a bare action and built up to a compromise.

 

[hispeed1]

Remington Model 700

 

[CWINSD]

Remington Model 700

Any experience with Rem post bankruptcy? I had a 700 purchased about a decade ago and it was a solid shooter.

 

[Ryan Gosling]

Any experience with Rem post bankruptcy? I had a 700 purchased about a decade ago and it was a solid shooter.

bergaras will fit most any rem 700 chassis, and dont have that remington baggage. the bergaras are better rifles fresh out the box, the rems need mods to perform to the same level.

i usually see people start with the remington, and then switch platforms to tikka/bergara etc when they have experience. its not bad choice though

 

[hispeed1]

Any experience with Rem post bankruptcy? I had a 700 purchased about a decade ago and it was a solid shooter.

From what Ive read, the new ones arent as good as the pre-bankruptcy ones, but they still work

 

[CWINSD]

bergaras will fit most any rem 700 chassis, and dont have that remington baggage. the bergaras are better rifles fresh out the box, the rems need mods to perform to the same level.

i usually see people start with the remington, and then switch platforms to tikka/bergara etc when they have experience. its not bad choice though

I like the Bergara a lot, but I don't think they have a heavy barreled .223.

 

[wtf_calguns_migration]

I like the Bergara a lot, but I don't think they have a heavy barreled .223.

Thats where a fast upgrade starts to stack up $ quickly. Bergara threaded prefits are way more limited.

bergaras will fit most any rem 700 chassis, and dont have that remington baggage. the bergaras are better rifles fresh out the box, the rems need mods to perform to the same level.

i usually see people start with the remington, and then switch platforms to tikka/bergara etc when they have experience. its not bad choice though

As long as there isnt an upgrade cycle within 6 months where you are left with a "build kit" worth of factory parts its fine. Bergara can use 700 triggers, a $300+ match trigger for a tikka is WAY more limited.

 

[EL Pistolero]

RUGER GUNSITE SCOUT .308.

 

[tedster]

RUGER GUNSITE SCOUT .308.

That's a nice one. Although, barrel is really short (16.5"), it's rather pricey for what it is (>$1400) and the sample I had in hand, the fore end channel did not clear the barrel to the extent of a dollar bill thickness.

Rem 700 is still an adequate product. Too much 'thin air' talk on the web.

https://caguns.net/threads/official-bolt-action-picture-thread.4939/#post-23066

 

[wtf_calguns_migration]

That's a nice one. Although, barrel is really short (16.5"), it's rather pricey for what it is (>$1400) and the sample I had in hand, the fore end channel did not clear the barrel to the extent of a dollar bill thickness.

Rem 700 is still an adequate product. Too much 'thin air' talk on the web.

https://caguns.net/threads/official-bolt-action-picture-thread.4939/#post-23066

Howa and Savage have skus with Oryx and MDT chassis.

Remington has their Alpha skus.

Tikka has up market skus outside the price range.

Hell, I've gotten on people's new hunting guns like Browning A bolts or Proof and thought "that's a repeatable cold bore shot".

Problem is people being vague about their requirements for gear that should be specific. Usually walking up and down a rifle line before whatever season with a fistful of your own ammo will get you enough info to inform your own purchase.

Man, I miss being able to do that with 308 GMM. I guess I can still do that with mk262 or mk318 clones, but I know I'm out of gas at 600yds no matter what the rifle is.

 

[tedster]

Howa and Savage have skus with Oryx and MDT chassis.

Remington has their Alpha skus.

Tikka has up market skus outside the price range.

Hell, I've gotten on people's new hunting guns like Browning A bolts or Proof and thought "that's a repeatable cold bore shot".

Problem is people being vague about their requirements for gear that should be specific. Usually walking up and down a rifle line before whatever season with a fistful of your own ammo will get you enough info to inform your own purchase.

Man, I miss being able to do that with 308 GMM. I guess I can still do that with mk262 or mk318 clones, but I know I'm out of gas at 600yds no matter what the rifle is.

I think all the above are reputable Makes & brands within their given price range, give & take.
I agree, being vague is very common concerning a segment where gear requirements should be specific.
So many different kinds of shooting, your long gun just needs to suit the person & the purpose.

Heck, it took me the longest time to arrive at my current point. Probably, I am still not there.
In fact, I am considering dropping the bolt action and just go with my 2 semi-auto scout rifles.

And lol, in a cold hard world where I could only have 1 gun. Hand gun, rifle, shotgun, just 1 gun, I would opt for the M1A Tanker and call it a day.

 

[wtf_calguns_migration]

I think all the above are reputable Makes & brands within their given price range, give & take.
I agree, being vague is very common concerning a segment where gear requirements should be specific.
So many different kinds of shooting, your long gun just needs to suit the person & the purpose.

Heck, it took me the longest time to arrive at my current point. Probably, I am still not there.
In fact, I am considering dropping the bolt action and just go with my 2 semi-auto scout rifles.

And lol, in a cold hard world where I could only have 1 gun. Hand gun, rifle, shotgun, just 1 gun, I would opt for the M1A Tanker and call it a day.

People confuse fighting with sport shooting.

The there's nostalgia. I spent most of my childhood around pre-66 Nam vets. They're definitely "bigger bullet wins" types. Those guys instilled a deep fetish for the M14 in me that made me chase boutique builds.

Sport or recreation is its own chase. Some things have to be focused and singular to enhance your productivity in your use cases. It's the ultimate freedom, as long as you can pay for it.

 

[sjb323]

How do you like it so far? I have the Gen 2. Standard in .223 and my only concern would be impact shift due to heat. Barrel is a little thin some I'm thinking of a few things I can do...I can either re-barrel the Ruger or sell it and get a Howa 1500, or sell it and get a Tikka T3x in .223 and re-barrel that. For me, I need it to be in .223 so there's not a ton of heavy barreled options.

I like it, but realistically, for what it is, I probably put too much into it. I just threw another $80 at it to try and smooth out the action. AD Arms makes a cocking piece that may smooth things out a little.

Even with the chassis and a bipod, it's pretty damn lightweight, but since it's a 5.56 it's still a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. I have the 16" barrel, so with all other factors equal, I'm sure you can expect better groups at a higher velocity. Here's the mostly finished gun.



A buddy of mine has a Tikka in .308, and that thing is pretty sweet. Trigger is a little unconventional in that it has a heavy first stage, but it's very smooth and easy to get used to. Definitely a tack driver out of the box.

 

[CWINSD]

I like it, but realistically, for what it is, I probably put too much into it. I just threw another $80 at it to try and smooth out the action. AD Arms makes a ing piece that may smooth things out a little.

Even with the chassis and a bipod, it's pretty damn lightweight, but since it's a 5.56 it's still a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. I have the 16" barrel, so with all other factors equal, I'm sure you can expect better groups at a higher velocity. Here's the mostly finished gun.

A buddy of mine has a Tikka in .308, and that thing is pretty sweet. Trigger is a little unconventional in that it has a heavy first stage, but it's very smooth and easy to get used to. Definitely a tack driver out of the box.

That looks great! I have a stock from MDT that I got on Black Friday on the way for my RAR, but I still may end up switching to a Howa or I may go balls out and grab a Tikka CTR in .308

 

[wtf_calguns_migration]

That looks great! I have a stock from MDT that I got on Black Friday on the way for my RAR, but I still may end up switching to a Howa or I may go balls out and grab a Tikka CTR in .308

I like it, but realistically, for what it is, I probably put too much into it. I just threw another $80 at it to try and smooth out the action. AD Arms makes a ing piece that may smooth things out a little.

Even with the chassis and a bipod, it's pretty damn lightweight, but since it's a 5.56 it's still a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. I have the 16" barrel, so with all other factors equal, I'm sure you can expect better groups at a higher velocity. Here's the mostly finished gun.

View attachment 25382

A buddy of mine has a Tikka in .308, and that thing is pretty sweet. Trigger is a little unconventional in that it has a heavy first stage, but it's very smooth and easy to get used to. Definitely a tack driver out of the box.

This is where those little quality of life advantages for the $ matter.

I don't need anything right now, but trolling Reddit, long range only, rokslide, and snipers hide to see what I could part together is fun this time of year.

 

[sjb323]

Any experience with Rem post bankruptcy? I had a 700 purchased about a decade ago and it was a solid shooter.

No experience with post-bankruptcy 700s, but I do have quite a bit of hands on experience with their new 870s. Absolutely not the guns that they used to be! For someone who shoots a few dozen rounds a year, no problem. But if you actually shoot your guns, don't even consider a new 870. Based on my experience with that gun, I would be hesitant to purchase a 700.

 

[wtf_calguns_migration]

No experience with post-bankruptcy 700s, but I do have quite a bit of hands on experience with their new 870s. Absolutely not the guns that they used to be! For someone who shoots a few dozen rounds a year, no problem. But if you actually shoot your guns, don't even consider a new 870. Based on my experience with that gun, I would be hesitant to purchase a 700.

If you are buying factory ammo and shooting less than 200rds a year anything will work.

If you plan on playing any rifle games you will spend more on glass, components, accessories than you will on the rifle.

The farther out your expected targets are, the more skill and/or gadgets you'll want to skew your hit ratio in your favor.

No amount of gear will help you consistently print groups the size of a quarter at 100yds if your fundamentals aren't rigorously practiced. Don't care what caliber, load, truck bed of junk you brought to the range.

The idea is that you practice shooting small so your conditions allow your groups to open up minimally when you need to take a shot.

Some people, that's a 3 day hike up and down mountains and rivers. Others is on their belly pointed at a 10" bullseye at 1000yds. You could be running down a line contorting around constructed obstacles purpose built to affect your comfort. Your uncomfortable condition could simply be a timer set to 1sec per shot on a 1" plaster at 100yds.

 

[Ryan Gosling]

I like the Bergara a lot, but I don't think they have a heavy barreled .223.

Just saw one down at my lgs, b14 model

 

[CWINSD]

Just saw one down at my lgs, b14 model

For .223 it's a #4.5 barrel contour which is a little too light for me. I'd like for it to be at least a #6.