trying to decide between bolt actions

[roadrunner681]

i would try the cz 550 american my self a very nice gun for the price and my 550 is very nice but i have the varmit model and i doubt i take it hunting where i had to carry it a long ways. the 550 american is what i would pick but any of the rifles you have on your list is a good choice.

 

[seawolfxix]

+1 for Savage. I like my 11FCNS.

 

[saleen4971]

i hear tons of praise about the savage rifles - but what about the ruger american rifle? seems to be in the same league as some of the savage stuff. obviously lower end, but the rifle is plenty accurate, and very light.

 

[Redtbird]

Take a look at the Ruger American. I am very happy with all of mine.

Yup! I have a .308 Ruger American I bought in March for $401 including a 3-9x40 scope. About three weeks ago, I put 20 rounds in a seven-inch circle at 100 yards in my third time of shooting it.

 

[Steve B]

I would buy a Tikka. They cost more but are well worth every penny. They're accurate as hell and the triggers are amazing.

 

[M67]

You know this thread is way too civilized. If we were talking ARs the word "snob" would have been thrown around many times by now.

 

[Yeah]

But....elk roll in mud and I know several hunters who's not taken down an elk because of the mud acting like armor. They get shot, you see a poof of dust, and they walk away. Those hunters for the most part now use a 7mm mag for elk.

That is hilarious! I've seen my share of hunters fail to kill their quarry, but that is one of the better fantasies I have come across. If only the natives had known to cake themselves in mud the Republic would have been held off until someone invented belted magnums.

As for the rifle queston, the TC is the best of the junk rifles: Savage Axis, Mossberg MVP, 770, etc. The stock, bottom 'metal' and mag are something you'd expect to find as the prize in a box of cereal, but the rest are worse. The 1500/Vanguard is easily the best in the 'bang for the buck' category, the a 700 offers a lot of improvement.

Elk are more accessible than ever and there are many places where a person can nearly drive up to them, step out, and take a poke. If it is raining or cold or windy, hunting can wait for tomorrow. Nearly any rifle will get that job done. Even a Savage.

 

[in625shooter]

My big thing is elk with a 308. The 308 is a fine cartridge and in most cases, capable of taking anything in North America. But....elk roll in mud and I know several hunters who's not taken down an elk because of the mud acting like armor. They get shot, you see a poof of dust, and they walk away. Those hunters for the most part now use a 7mm mag for elk.

That is hilarious! I've seen my share of hunters fail to kill their quarry, but that is one of the better fantasies I have come across. If only the natives had known to cake themselves in mud the Republic would have been held off until someone invented belted magnums.

As for the rifle queston, the TC is the best of the junk rifles: Savage Axis, Mossberg MVP, 770, etc. The stock, bottom 'metal' and mag are something you'd expect to find as the prize in a box of cereal, but the rest are worse. The 1500/Vanguard is easily the best in the 'bang for the buck' category, the a 700 offers a lot of improvement.

Elk are more accessible than ever and there are many places where a person can nearly drive up to them, step out, and take a poke. If it is raining or cold or windy, hunting can wait for tomorrow. Nearly any rifle will get that job done. Even a Savage.

This^^ is basically true except (and I say this as someone that lived in Montana for a couple years) Elk are pretty cautious and can distinguish 2 legs from 4. When we hunted on horseback we could get within 100 yards of them. When on foot they were very cagey and hard to get that close without a great deal of work.

As far as 7mm Rem mag. The 7mm mag is an EXCELLENT cartridge however most of the folks that migrated to the 7mm mag did it more because of their failure with a 30 06 or 270 than the 270 or 30 06's failure. Make a bad shot and a 338 Win mag isn't that great!

 

[Cerberus]

My big thing is elk with a 308. The 308 is a fine cartridge and in most cases, capable of taking anything in North America. But....elk roll in mud and I know several hunters who's not taken down an elk because of the mud acting like armor. They get shot, you see a poof of dust, and they walk away. Those hunters for the most part now use a 7mm mag for elk.

And me to the dog pile of those that think this is the most hilariuos thing ever written

 

[kolob10]

Any would be excellent. I've killed a bunch of game out west with a Weatherby Vanguard 270. I've shot a few with a 700 Remington in 308. and the T/c Venture/Icon are tack drivers. Whichever feels best in your hands. that is the one that will instill more confidence and thus greater accuracy/utility.

 

[flashpuppy]

Yup! I have a .308 Ruger American I bought in March for $401 including a 3-9x40 scope. About three weeks ago, I put 20 rounds in a seven-inch circle at 100 yards in my third time of shooting it.

Uh.... What? I like Ruger Americans. I have one in .270 even. But.... uh, huh? 7" @ 100yd? That's 3.8" .40S&W territory, not hunting rifle! I would call it reckless to try and kill an animal with that type of grouping. What, 20" spread at 200yd? C'mon.

 

[M67]

That is hilarious! I've seen my share of hunters fail to kill their quarry, but that is one of the better fantasies I have come across. If only the natives had known to cake themselves in mud the Republic would have been held off until someone invented belted magnums.

And me to the dog pile of those that think this is the most hilariuos thing ever written

Just saying what I've been told. I'm no hunter, don't have much use for hunting, I just finger a lot of guns and I hear more hunters' stories than I care to (have for years, it's just an ear raping anymore); but I know a lot of hunters who've said the same thing. They've had good shots at an elk with a 308 and at distance it won't take them down and most of them blame the hide being caked in mud.

But it's not like hunters don't lie and exaggerate. The little 4 pointer being the biggest 16 pointer they've ever seen. The biggest whitetail they've ever dressed out was 400 pounds. Or a foaming squirrel that attacked a turkey then charged charged them.

 

[Cerberus]

M67, any "hunter" that claims a little thin coating of mud will keep a round that in any decent loading retains more velocity at 600 yds than a 357 Magnum has at the muzzle, will not efficiently kill most game on this continent, and much of it elsewhere, is full of his own fecal matter.

It scares me that you know more than one saying this. Do their family trees resemble telephone poles?

 

[M67]

M67, any "hunter" that claims a little thin coating of mud will keep a round that in any decent loading retains more velocity at 600 yds than a 357 Magnum has at the muzzle, will not efficiently kill most game on this continent, and much of it elsewhere, is full of his own fecal matter.

It scares me that you know more than one saying this. Do their family trees resemble telephone poles?

I've been told that from a couple people who are seldom wrong, and since the only hunting I do is trying to shoot crows (hate those bastards), I don't have any reason to question them. Several layers of dried mud at 600+ yards, I could see it having an impact on bullet performance. However the longest I've ever shot was 500 and I was just hitting steel.

Like I said though, I'm no hunter, so I hardly ever chime in on hunting threads. However I am an opinionated gun "snob" and I hold grudges against companies/designs/etc so when it comes to X brand vs Y brand, that's when I usually chime in.

I'm just a redneck in the woods who's trigger happy

 

[in625shooter]

Just saying what I've been told. I'm no hunter, don't have much use for hunting, I just finger a lot of guns and I hear more hunters' stories than I care to (have for years, it's just an ear raping anymore); but I know a lot of hunters who've said the same thing. They've had good shots at an elk with a 308 and at distance it won't take them down and most of them blame the hide being caked in mud.

But it's not like hunters don't lie and exaggerate. The little 4 pointer being the biggest 16 pointer they've ever seen. The biggest whitetail they've ever dressed out was 400 pounds. Or a foaming squirrel that attacked a turkey then charged charged them.

M67,
I was just laughing but it wasn't at you. On a serious note I am no Jim Shockey but have hunted since I could walk and was fortunate to be stationed in Montana for a couple years. Hunters tell the same stories fisherman do. The 2 biggest issues for hunters (even some with moderate experience out west) is the do not have their game "ranged" properly in that they take a shot that is WAY farther away then they think it is and or their choice of bullet selection is sub par. In some cases both. I saw this time and again with many folks. That was one push why a lot jumped to a 7mm rem mag. They made a poor shot with a 30 06, 308 or 270 or underestimated the distance so of course the bullet didn't perform as it should etc.

M67, any "hunter" that claims a little thin coating of mud will keep a round that in any decent loading retains more velocity at 600 yds than a 357 Magnum has at the muzzle, will not efficiently kill most game on this continent, and much of it elsewhere, is full of his own fecal matter.

It scares me that you know more than one saying this. Do their family trees resemble telephone poles?

^^TRUE^^

 

[Redtbird]

Uh.... What? I like Ruger Americans. I have one in .270 even. But.... uh, huh? 7" @ 100yd? That's 3.8" .40S&W territory, not hunting rifle! I would call it reckless to try and kill an animal with that type of grouping. What, 20" spread at 200yd? C'mon.

Okay, so I'm not as good a shooter as you maybe, I've been shooting for only two years and not very regularly at that. As far as using the American as a hunting rifle, you don't have to worry about me missing an animal target because I'm not a hunter. The only hunting for food I do is in the aisles at the grocery store. Measuring the distance between the two holes furthest apart was a smidge over five inches.

 

[billt]

I shoot all 3. Weatherby (4), Remington 700 (4), and Savage (2). If you're leaving the gun box stock, go with Savage hands down. They are the most accurate out of the box rifle you can buy of the three. All 4 of my 700's were purchased new before 1985. So I can't speak about the quality of the newer ones currently being manufactured. All of mine have performed flawlessly.

Weatherby Vanguard's are rebadged Howa's. Both of mine are very accurate, (.30-06, .300 Weatherby Magnum), but they are not in the same category as the Mark V Deluxe. The Weatherby Mark V is an heirloom rifle, with a price to match. But they are very well made and accurate. Stocked in Walnut, you'll be hard pressed to find a more beautiful rifle anywhere. The prices on these guns run the gamut. So based on what you can afford, and are willing to pay, will govern your choice more than anything else.

Weatherby offers the Vanguard "Lazerguard", (Not to be confused with the Lazermark Mark V rifle), from Cabela's. It has the most beautiful piece of Walnut you'll ever see on a rifle in that price range. They often go on sale for $799.00. They are available in .30-06, .300 Win. Mag., as well as one other I can't recall at the moment.

 

[billt]

Weatherby® LazerGuard Bolt-Action Rifle : Cabela's

.30-06, .243, .257 Weatherby Mag., .308, .300 Weatherby Mag.

 

[flashpuppy]

Okay, so I'm not as good a shooter as you maybe, I've been shooting for only two years and not very regularly at that. As far as using the American as a hunting rifle, you don't have to worry about me missing an animal target because I'm not a hunter. The only hunting for food I do is in the aisles at the grocery store. Measuring the distance between the two holes furthest apart was a smidge over five inches.

My .270 will put five holes in a 1 1/2" group at 100yds. Twenty shots is rough though. IMO, by the time five rounds are through it the heat starts really soaking in and it'll wander all over.

Suggestion: Warm it up with a couple shots. Check barrel/receiver with IR thermometer. Sight in on a new target and send it. Open bolt, let everything cool back to the original temp. Repeat. Yes, it's time consuming, but I bet you'll be shocked at what happens to that group size.

 

[Coumtryflyer]

I think cost wise, a savage is the best bet. But know that you get what you pay for. You might get a perfect gun, but you may also have it sent to the gunsmith to improve things, and get it to where you want it.