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Who Makes The Best Bolt Action Rifle?

11K views 102 replies 51 participants last post by  Smoke N Double 
#1 ·
should be a nice little topic,
grew up with shot guns, so rifles are a whole new ball game for me but it looks like ill either be in Alberta or Newfoundland in August and be buying a rifle. so,

who in your opinion makes the best bolt action rifle under $1,000.
who has the best action?
reliability?
accuracy? mind you its the shooter that makes it accurate

and more importantly in my opinion, which makers and models to stay away from.
 
#8 ·
I'd say its personal preference. Some guys could say (for example not putting anything down) Winchester are the best and other guys could say its garbage. Some say Savage are great others say no. Im just using this as examples as they are the brands posted above. So to me its up to the shooter and not what everyone else says.
 
#11 ·
for your dollar value the savages are hard to beat.are the others bad by no means.just why would you want to spend a grand on something without a scope. when you can spend 500 for a rifle and another 500 for the glass and have something that will shoot every bit as good or better than the one you spent a grand + for.
 
#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
Then you're not a very good friend... Savage is unbeatable for the price. The price doesn't always determine accuracy and or reliability. Sometime's you're just paying for the name/status and Browning seems more like a status rifle than anything else. If you have the money you can be part of the Browning club, then you can rip on Savage and other reasonably priced rifles that shoot just as well if not better.
 
#13 ·
I do not own a Savage bolt but I did and was very accurate with plain old Federal Classics. Presently I have an FN mfg Winchester Model 70 Sporter 30'06 which I only recently aquired. I have not taken game with it or spent much range time with it other than sighting it in. It fits me well and seems to be a shooter. Also it has the features of a pre 64. IMO finding a hunting rifle that fits you is very important as most factory rifles are more than accurate enough for hunting. Asking yourself if you want a removable mag? What style safety do you prefer? Blue or stainless? Barrel length? Wood or synthetic? Adjustable trigger etc, etc. Sakos are nice but maybe a bit more than your price range.(The Sako Bavarian Carbine is on my wish list.) It is nice to actually hold the rifle an be able to cycle the bolt and dry fire it. If you buy from an online dealer this won't be possible. My other two bolt actions are both Rugers, a Frontier and a Gunsite Scout. While neither are as accurate as the afore mentioned Winchester and Savage they both have shorter barrels. If it was me all I can say is NO REMINGTONS! There that will surely rile someone up. Good luck there's lots to choose from.
 
#14 ·
Never had a problem with my Mossberg or Savage. The Savage was on the center of the target out of the box and for less than 450 bucks for the rifle, scope, trigger lock and case. Had it for four years and never a miss at the range or in the field. I favour my Remington though only because I love the .270 over all other calibers.
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
depends on price you want to pay..
lots of sub moa rifles under a grand..
Savage makes a fine shooting rifle..very good barrels on them
 
#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
Whatever gun everyone owns...THAT is the best gun!!...at least for them anyways. Most guys will find fault with one type or another (( I'm no different )) I love most of them...I've had a lot of them....but it should come down to a few very important things before you make a decision....here's some considerations.

1))....what is my $$$ MAXIMUM $$$ budget ?
2))....what guns " fit me properly "...handle as many as you can...look to friends and gunshops ( don't forget heavy clothing)
3))....what guns can I shoot comfortably ( do I flinch with a big caliber)
4))....what's available for me if I want it locally....will I order one in or on line ??
5))....Is ammo readily available ??

All guns have their quirks...Savage L/A and short bodied scopes are a PITA...you'll need extension rings
Some Huskys and Mausers have no scope bell clearance...without modifications
Winchester B/A's have the big old clunky 3P safety
Tikka's ...plastic bolt parts

Hard to beat a Savage or Browning, Sako or Tikka tho...


I could go on and on...it is what it is. Your wallet will ultimately decide for you.

That being said, my favs are Sako, Browning, Tikka, Savage, Winchester, Ithaca, Beretta, Husky's, Rugers, Mausers, all of these I have owned / sold / traded along the way ...few others too !
btw...I left Remington out on purpose, cuzzz I no likey
 
#21 ·
I have a Savage Pkg deal. It does not have the accu trigger or stock. It is dead on line at a 100, 200, and 300 yrds from the bench in a rest. I only paid 429 taxes in. Before this rifle I only used what was around the farm, 30 30, 303. These guns are great. Had an edge/ axis as well it did feel a little cheap but still very accurate for a field gun.
 
#23 ·
I know some of you don't know who Jack O'connor was, but he loved his winchester model 70 in 270. I picked one up about 24 years ago, a month before my oldest son was born. I took it to the range sighted it in and one hole would touch the other hole on paper, the gun felt good and performed great,I thought to myself thats some gun.That season when I shot my deer I cleaned the gun all up and put it away for 18 years.when my son showed an interest in hunting deer I brought it out and said I bought this gun for you 18 years ago. he shot his first deer with that gun and so did his younger brother. I make him bring that gun to me every year after deer season and I look it over and clean it, and after all this time when I hold this gun I still say to myself thats some gun. Thanks Jack
 
#40 ·
Yup sure do know who Jack O Conner was,he was a great promotor of the 270 round ,grew up reading Out door life as my father had a subscription .Jim Carmicheal liked the Winchester 70 very much aswell,hard to argue with a guy with his shooting credentials.I ve been trying to buy an older model 70 from someone for sometime now,hope he gives in soon!
 
#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
okay so these are the results i figured i'd get in response to whats the best gun, now what are guns you'd stay away from?
i don't need a pretty gun, i'd prefer wood, also i guess i should have mentioned it but im looking at 7mm or 30-06

cheap parts? ie plastic parts
bad action?

any past experience with a warranty or lack of
 
#29 ·
Hard to beat the Old Winchester Model 70's. The ones that were really built by Winchester and not sub contracted.
 
#33 ·
I dunno if its the best...but of all the guns I had over the years....my all time fav was a model 70 Winchester 7 mm rem mag. Its the only rifle I kept. My next fav was a model 70 264 win mag. sorry I ever sold that one. so I vote model 70.......but that's just a personal preference....I doubt they are any better than comparable rifles
 
#34 · (Edited by Moderator)
This is my thoughts on your questions .as to rifles priced under $1000 that I have had the opportunity to shoot .
who has the best action? with out a dought in my mind the tikka has the smoothest action for under a $ 1000 .00
reliability? I will lump reliability and customer service into the same heading this goes to savage based on personal experience related to service not conserning reliability of the rifle .
accuracy? mind you its the shooter that makes it accurate . first off I will disagree that the shooter makes the rifle accurate . the shooter is only half of the accuracy of a rifle . but for over all accuracy out of the box savage rifles are hard to beat .

rifles to stay away from in my opinion are the Remington 710 ,770 line of cheap crap ,the Mossberg line of rifles like the 4x4 and such that are sourced out to the cheapest supplier .just my 2 cents like it or leave it .
 
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