Need some bolt action rifle suggestions

[res308]

Right now I'm running a Ruger Gunsite Scout in .308. It has the 16" barrel on it with a Leupold Scout scope. If it had the 18" barrel I probably wouldn't be looking around because I love the Ruger M77 action. I'm thinking about finding a .308 bolt gun in a longer barrel length that still uses the AICS pattern magazines. Something reasonable. .308 is not exactly a barrel burner, so I want a little more barrel length for the sake of velocity. I love the scout in the woods, but I'd like to be able to do a little longer range target shooting at some point, although any rifle will have to do double duty for target shooting and primarily for hunting.

I've been looking at the Bergara rifles, but a lot of them are too heavy for lugging around in the woods all day, or too expensive, or both. I've been eying the new Remington 700 Magpul Enhanced, but I don't know if Remington's quality has climbed back up out of the gutter or not. I've also been checking out the Savage 110 Tactical. And, somebody recommended the Ruger American Gen II, but I have yet to handle one.

I wish there was such a thing as a highly accurate rifle with a medium contour fluted barrel with backup iron sights on it (cause I'm old fashioned), but dreams don't often come true.

I'm sticking with .308, or maybe .30-06, because I don't want to have to go through the trouble and expense of re-tooling everything for a different caliber. Otherwise I would LOVE to go back to a .270.

Any suggestions?

[deerslayer]

Bergara.  Several hunter and semi-target versions can be found for under $1K.  If I buy another deer rifle, it will be the Bergara Ridge.  

Edited March 12 by deerslayer

[Alleycat72]

I run two Christensen arms mpr rifles.

One is a 6mm Creedmoor. The second is technically a 12.5 308 mpp, but I form 1ed it and it was approved 2 weeks before the pistol brace ban. I do love both.

[Alleycat72]

 

[res308]

Very nice!

[Prod951]

What's your price range? Do you care about the action because you could just get a savage axis. I've own pretty much all the major bolt actions my current PRS is rig is a KRG Whisky 3 and Bergara primer. I've got about 5k in that gun but my wife savage axis 2 is just as accurate the action may suck but she loves it.  If price and weight is the only thing you care about get a Ruger America they don't always feed. Also the Ruger America don't have a lot of after market support like the R700/Savage. If you happen to find a bottom release savage action 110 I have a new stock I would give you came off a 110 XP.

Edited March 13 by Prod951

[res308]

 

On 3/13/2024 at 1:17 AM, Prod951 said:

What's your price range? Do you care about the action because you could just get a savage axis. I've own pretty much all the major bolt actions my current PRS is rig is a KRG Whisky 3 and Bergara primer. I've got about 5k in that gun but my wife savage axis 2 is just as accurate the action may suck but she loves it.  If price and weight is the only thing you care about get a Ruger America they don't always feed. Also the Ruger America don't have a lot of after market support like the R700/Savage. If you happen to find a bottom release savage action 110 I have a new stock I would give you came off a 110 XP.

The Ruger American gen 1 is definitely off the table. I have heard that they are quite accurate, but, like you said, I've also heard about the feeding problems. The jury is still out on the Gen II. 

I do care about the action. The smoothness is important to me, but most actions can be smoothed up. Most important of course is reliability in feeding and extraction, followed by accuracy. 

To answer your  question, I haven't really settled on a budget yet, but I can't go overboard since I'm kind of "gunned out" this year already. 

It'd be nice to have an accurized barreled action with the smoothness of a Krag Jorgensen and the reliability I've always had from a Ruger M77 action. 

I might have to open up a little bit and start looking at the Tikkas and some others. 

And I might just revisit my options with the Ruger M77. I don't often hear "Ruger M77" and "utmost accuracy" in the same sentence, but you never know. 

Edited March 14 by res308

[Handsome Rob]

For the wallet: Ruger American with AICS pattern magwell. It absolutely cannot be beaten for value. The original is cheaper,  the Mk2 is prettier & smoother & has a 3 position safety. Stocky's is also going to be releasing one of their awesome VG carbon stocks that'll fit either, later this year. Both require a couple of upgrades, trigger at minimum, but are still amazing for the cost. 

Best: Tikka T3x (although it doesn't use AICS mags & at the moment, nobody makes a compatible bottom metal) Light years ahead of 90% of factory guns at ⅓ to ½ the price. Fantastic aftermarket, tedious accuracy, lightweight & just generally a spectacular rifle that's at home in the woods or on the 1k gongs.

[Handsome Rob]

 

In fact, in your shoes, I'd just go buy this & call it good. 

[res308]

Dang dude! Where you been? Haven't seen you on here in a while. 

[res308]

Question: I know the Ruger American Gen II is supposed to be smoother. I have always heard of feeding problems with the Gen 1. Are the Gen II rifles reliable?

Edited March 14 by res308

[Handsome Rob]

6 hours ago, res308 said:

Question: I know the Ruger American Gen II is supposed to be smoother. I have always heard of feeding problems with the Gen 1. Are the Gen II rifles reliable?

As far as I'm aware, yeah. It's pretty much the same action, but the bolt has had the micro ridges polished off (I did the same thing with my gen1, some 800grit wet & dry & a half hour with nothing better to do. Smooth as a baby's butt now! 

The only feeding problems were with the rotary mags. They just flat out suck. They all crap the bed at some point. Some right out of the box, some a year down the line. The AR magwell version & AICS version feed just as reliably as anything else that eats from this mags. My .223 is closing on 1500 rounds & hasn't had a single hiccup yet. 

The only known complaint with the gen2 is the stock. It's a terrible design, the geometry is all to cock & it makes the gen1 seem like a super stiff benchrest job (it isn't. It's serviceable, better than an Axis or others in the price range, but I'll be changing mine out the very day Jennifer at Stocky's tells me the VG Carbon is available!)

[Handsome Rob]

7 hours ago, res308 said:

Dang dude! Where you been? Haven't seen you on here in a while. 

I lurk. All seeing but unknown in the shadows.

Like a demon ninja.

Or something. Probably.

[res308]

I forgot to mention Browning. I did have an A Bolt many years ago. Loved it but taded it off for something or other. 

Don't know much about the X bolt.  

[Prod951]

Just get a b14 and never look back lol

[Handsome Rob]

On 3/14/2024 at 6:58 PM, Prod951 said:

Just get a b14 and never look back lol

You spelled 'T3x' wrong. 

Edited March 17 by Handsome Rob

[res308]

Rob, since this is about a general purpose rifle, I'm surprised you haven't recommended the Savage 110 Hog Hunter. Seems like there was a picture on here a while back with you holding one of those. 

My son has one now but I haven't tried it out yet. 

Edited March 18 by res308
Schpelling

[Handsome Rob]

24 minutes ago, res308 said:

Rob, since this is about a general purpose rifle, I'm surprised you haven't recommended the Savage 110 Hog Hunter. Seems like there was a piture on here a while back with you holding one of those. 

My son has one now but I haven't tried it out yet. 

The old model is a damn good, all around rifle, but for a little more cash you can get much better. I've had them & enjoyed them, but they're heavy for what they are & are.....unrefined, shall we say. For an extra two bills, you can get into a blued Tikka & that's like comparing a 1996 Malibu to a Bently, quality wise. 

I've actually come to dislike most everything about Savage these days. The bottom dollar Ruger American is as good as the better Savage models at the same price point as the Axis. It's smoother, has a better trigger, has more available upgrades, has infinitely better magazines, 60⁰ rather than 90⁰ bolt throw & is just as accurate out of the box. 

Edited March 18 by Handsome Rob
Typo

[Prod951]

Rob, I like tikka but I'm more of a tactical/PRS chassis guy so I tend to focus more on the R700 action. Regarding savage outside the trigger i have a old 110 in a KRG bravo chassis that does very well but it took some work.  

[res308]

Good to know. I'll wipe Savage off my list. I guess there's a good reason that, on some of the more snobbish forums, I'm seeing Savage referred to as "Salvage."

I don't intend to ever get into any of the long range competition, and I like things to be muti-purpose, hence the need for an all around rifle. 

Edited March 18 by res308

[FrankD]

Was in your shoes a year or so ago and ended up with the Bergara B14 and a vortex viper PST Gen II and haven't looked back.  Although I have considered that MDT chassis that is in the classifieds......

[res308]

Which b14 did you get?

[Prod951]

I went with the HMR B14.

[Thursty]

I have 3 Ruger Americans and I’ve never had a feeding issue. I’ve heard the rumors, but I’ve got to wonder if more internet hysteria than actual real world. My dad has a Gen 2 American that he likes. If feeding is a concern get one with the ACIS mags or a gen 2. I don’t care for the bolt throw on Savage rifles, so for my money, the American can’t be beat. My 6.5 shoots 3/8 inch groups. 

[leroy]

Rebarrel your Ruger with an extra good barrel.  Pick out a custom you like.  Ya get what ya want that way...

leroy...