Choosing a hunting/range shooting bolt action rifle?

Question

I was wondering if someone could help me with this.

For just choosing a basic rifle that I might use for hunting and also target shooting at the range mostly, what is the major difference between the popular designs from the most common manufacturers.

Say I'm going to get one in .308.

You have Ruger M77's, Browning A-Bolt, or Remington 700. These are all popular bolt action sporting rifles available in many different calibres. All three are to my knowledge companies highly regarded for the quality of their products. Someone I know reccomended Sako rifles, but they are twice as expensive as these ones, and all three are American companies with a long history and popularity.

So ultimately, when it comes to choosing one, is it more or less a matter of personal preference? Is there something one of these three models posesses that sets it above the others? They're all similar in price.

Thank you.

Answer 1

In the end-it boils down to personal preference. I have owned them all and would probably buy a Remington. The 700 has been made in greater numbers and in more configurations and calibers than the other two; there are more accessories for the Remington. Also, the Remington has the greatest inherent accuracy, out of the box.

Answer 2

i have never been a great fan of the Ruger 77 - I prefer the trigger, bolt, and safety of the Remington 700 first, with the Savage 110 a close second, followed by the Winchester 70.

The Rem700 just fits me the best, especially the ADL/BDL stock with the Monte-Carlo and cheekpiece. I have no liking for skinny stocks on any rifle, and actually prefer the Winchester XTR in magnum calibres for its big fat heavy stock which does wonders in taming the .338 and larger bores. For the .308, however, this may be a bit much.

Accuracy best-to-least: Remington, Savage, Browning, Winchester, Ruger.

The Browning certainly has looks on its side, but the wood seems rather light-weight, not to say flimsy, and this affects the overall feel of the rifle. With the Remington, everything just feels right. But that's just me.

Answer 3

Yes, it's personal preference, and here's mine (like that matters to you!):
I've never bought an A-bolt for purely aesthetic reasons. I simply don't like the look or feel of the things.
Right now, I only have one 77 Mk II (and I wish they'd kept the tang safety of the Mk I). It seems to me that if you get a good shooter, you have a good rifle, but if it doesn't behave like you want it to, it's harder than a Remington to "tweak."
The 700 seems to be my "default" for small-bores. That may be because I've been shooting them for over forty years. They may not come out of the box ready to hunt with, but they're easy to get to shoot.
I bought the Sako 75 for one of my Southpaw kids (pre-Baretta) and was truly impressed. Out of the box, it had great fit and finish, that pretty European oiled stock, a great trigger, and was a good shooter. I worked up three loads for it all under 1" ten-shot strings easier than I've ever had with any other rifle. Of course, the price tag is something, and I've bought a CZ, a Winchester 70 and two or three Remingtons since then without splurging for a Sako for myself. If I could dial back the clock to the pre-Baretta days, though, I'd have bought one instead of the CZ (and it's a 9.3x62, so it doesn't fit the mold of the small-bores).

Answer 4

A branded bolt-action in 7mm might not be a bad choice; the 7mm projectile has better sectional density and a superior ballistic coeficient than a .308 or 30-06. Does Ruger still make the Sendero? I have heard good things about that rifle.

Answer 5

Since you've just about decided on the caliber, and it is a great choice, about half of your work is done. I love the Remington 700 series of rifles, but the A-bolt is hard to beat and Ruger also makes a great gun. So it comes down to personal choice. Though I don't own one (yet) but I've shot both of my bro-in-law's Browning A-bolts (in .243 & .270) & became enamored of them I have to recommend the A-bolt particularly now that it is available in stainless. Still, you just can't go wrong with the 700.

Good luck deciding!

Best.

H

Answer 6

You're right. Decide what type of rifle you want, and what features you could go either way on; synthetic or wood, bull barrel or featherweight, detatchable magazine. From there figure out what you're willing to spend, and pick whichever one feels and functions best. Make sure you don't underestimate one rifle just because kids on the internet like the 700 and say it's better than, say a Savage, and don't give any reason why.

Answer 7

No matter which one you get, you will do well to try different brands of ammo and bullet weights. Some will shoot better than others, and two guns of the same model and caliber may not shoot the same box of ammo with the same accuracy results. Be prepared, the firearm may need some gunsmithing to make it as accurate as it can be. Barrel bedding, freefloating, trigger work, and sight/scope replacement to name a few. The gunsmithing can make a good or bad gun shoot great and a great gun shoot better.

Answer 8

Go to the shop and handle them. See which one feels "right" to you. All the firearms you listed are excellent. The fit of a rifle or shotgun is very personal. Each individual has to find his or her right gun. Your choice of .308Win is a good one. It's a very versitile cartridge. It relatively inexpensive and available everywhere. I like the 30/06 more as it is loaded in heavier projectiles if you need one someday.

Answer 9

Before you buy take a good look at the Savage Brand.* It is not as expensive and is reliable, accurate & dependable. Its not what you pay for something. its what you get for what you pay.* Savage is great value for the price you pay for a quality rifle.*