$400.308 bolt rifle suggestions.
I want to get a bolt gun for hunting and long range accuracy. Just don't want to spend over $400 for one. I have looked at the reviews and such on the net. just wanted to see if any of you have personal experience or suggestions on one. Thanks.
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Ya from what I have read for the price range savage seems to be the way to go.I just put a rifle together starting with a Savage Axis:
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I have yet to shoot it but I expect good things.
(Rifle itself was like $310)
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631 Posts
You can go wrong if you start with a Savage as your base rifle and make improvements from there. Two things you should consider up front and it worth spending a lil extra money on. Whether you want a detachable magazine or not. If you dont get the detachable magazine there are after market ones available, but they come at a price. And the second thing is to determine what barrel contour and length you want. Savages are some of the easiest to rebarrel, but youll save money in the long run if you get what you think youll ultimately want off the start.
-Nate
-Nate
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^ THIS ^I just put a rifle together starting with a Savage Axis:
![]()
I have yet to shoot it but I expect good things.
(Rifle itself was like $310)
Do some research on the interweb, and you will find some incredible write ups on the Savage Axis and Savage Edge (new name - same rifle).
I have one in 7mm-08.
Super accurate.
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have to respectfully disagree with you on that. The .308 is just a light version of the 30-06. When put into a bolt gun, you only loose going to the .308. Now if we were talking about a semi auto gun then yes there are trade offs. This is about a bolt gun though.
This is why I want it in .308. Because it is used by military. That and I have a semi auto in the same cartridge. That and it is cheaper for surplus ammo And more prevalent.
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631 Posts
Your certainly on the right track! The advantage of a 30-06 over a 308 are not worth the advantages gained by having a bolt rifle chambered in a semi rifle you currently have. Nor does it out weight the advantages of the 308's surplus availability.
Good luck finding any surplus 30-06 for the same price as the 308....
-Nate
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22,543 Posts
My Smith worked the trigger on the Savage down to a smooth, crisp, 4 pounds - it's shiny now 
:
Bushnell Elite 3200 10X40 with Mil-Spec reticule, Butler Creek caps and a Kill Flash fitted in.
Harris Bypod - 6" to 9" with swivel
Some Eagle gear as well.
:thumb:
:Bushnell Elite 3200 10X40 with Mil-Spec reticule, Butler Creek caps and a Kill Flash fitted in.
Harris Bypod - 6" to 9" with swivel
Some Eagle gear as well.
:thumb:
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5,161 Posts
Savage and Weatherby make youth models that are around $350. If you are looking for long range, then you need a reasonable optic and you are not likely to make it for under $400.
Just the rifle I got the optic covered. Weatherby huh? I will have to look into them.
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1,111 Posts
Well there is another angle you might consider which is get a 1903A3 Springfield that has been bubbaed for around 250.00 and rebarrel it to 308 and this gives you several advantages commercial rifles will not give you.
1. This action will feed a 308 round just fine and if you take a notion to have a really long range rifle it could be rebarreled at any point for 6.5X06 A Square which would get you to 1000 yards and beyond easily.
2. It has stripper clip feed capability. The Springfield was designed to allow a shooter to start from the standing position loaded, sit down and fire five rounds, reload with five rounds and fire them in under 50 seconds. You cannot do this with a hunting rifle.
3. The magazine holds a full five rounds and has a cut off so you can load/fire single shots while retaining five shots in reserve.
4. You can customize it for a scout scope configuration which puts the scope in the middle of the barrel and forward of the action so you have rapid reload capability while still enjoying a scope with plenty of eye relief.
5. You just get your gunsmith to order a barrel that is 1.200 for first 10 inches (from action) then reduce the diameter to .800 for remainder of the barrel.
6. Get a Weaver scope base for a Thompson Contender Super 14 (92A I think it is) and mount in on .800 diameter section of barrel just forward of the 1.200/.800 transition point.
7. I would get a 12 twist barrel which will stabilize a 190 bullet to 1000 yards. For long range I would use the Sierra 175 gr bullet which is the same bullet loaded by Lake City into the M118LR round which is the round is used in M24 Sniper rifles.
It is widely known as the barrel wears the throat just forward of the chamber and reloaders can seat their bullets out longer and longer to chase the rifling as it is burned away. This helps maintain peak accuracy longer. The 30.06 magazine length of the Springfield allows this where 308 mag length commercial rifles do not.
If you make your barrel at least 22" long you can have your gunsmith cut off the threads about 3500 rounds and set it back which brings in almost unworn rifling right back to where it was as new. You can do this twice and still have a 20" barrel.
Such a set up should allow you to attain sub 1" groups at 100 yards with right hand loads.
If you zero your rifle with 168 gr bullets at 300 yards you will hit about 6" high at 100, 4" high at 200, on the money at 300 and 12" low at 400 yards. If you select a duplex reticle for your scope using the 6 oclock post at the transition from heavy to thin cross hair as a aiming point you will most likely be on the money between 600 and 700 yards.
If you go one step further and have a custom reamer made to min dimensions you can reload your milspec brass over 75 times. This reamer will pay for itself before you fire the first 3500 rounds as you won't have to buy new brass. With the dimension I use in my reamers you could take 100 new LC cases and reload them 75 to 150 times if you care for the brass properly.
Another plus factor is the safety mechanism on the 1903 is the best out there and the bolt can be completely disassembled without tools and you can carry a spare firing pin (striker) and spare extractor under the butt plate.
There is no reason why such a set up will not allow you and your kids to keep it rebarreled for the next 100 years of hard shooting while achieving supreme accuracy at all ranges.
If you would like to talk about this hit me with a PM and I will be glad to walk you through the process and answer any question you might have.
1. This action will feed a 308 round just fine and if you take a notion to have a really long range rifle it could be rebarreled at any point for 6.5X06 A Square which would get you to 1000 yards and beyond easily.
2. It has stripper clip feed capability. The Springfield was designed to allow a shooter to start from the standing position loaded, sit down and fire five rounds, reload with five rounds and fire them in under 50 seconds. You cannot do this with a hunting rifle.
3. The magazine holds a full five rounds and has a cut off so you can load/fire single shots while retaining five shots in reserve.
4. You can customize it for a scout scope configuration which puts the scope in the middle of the barrel and forward of the action so you have rapid reload capability while still enjoying a scope with plenty of eye relief.
5. You just get your gunsmith to order a barrel that is 1.200 for first 10 inches (from action) then reduce the diameter to .800 for remainder of the barrel.
6. Get a Weaver scope base for a Thompson Contender Super 14 (92A I think it is) and mount in on .800 diameter section of barrel just forward of the 1.200/.800 transition point.
7. I would get a 12 twist barrel which will stabilize a 190 bullet to 1000 yards. For long range I would use the Sierra 175 gr bullet which is the same bullet loaded by Lake City into the M118LR round which is the round is used in M24 Sniper rifles.
It is widely known as the barrel wears the throat just forward of the chamber and reloaders can seat their bullets out longer and longer to chase the rifling as it is burned away. This helps maintain peak accuracy longer. The 30.06 magazine length of the Springfield allows this where 308 mag length commercial rifles do not.
If you make your barrel at least 22" long you can have your gunsmith cut off the threads about 3500 rounds and set it back which brings in almost unworn rifling right back to where it was as new. You can do this twice and still have a 20" barrel.
Such a set up should allow you to attain sub 1" groups at 100 yards with right hand loads.
If you zero your rifle with 168 gr bullets at 300 yards you will hit about 6" high at 100, 4" high at 200, on the money at 300 and 12" low at 400 yards. If you select a duplex reticle for your scope using the 6 oclock post at the transition from heavy to thin cross hair as a aiming point you will most likely be on the money between 600 and 700 yards.
If you go one step further and have a custom reamer made to min dimensions you can reload your milspec brass over 75 times. This reamer will pay for itself before you fire the first 3500 rounds as you won't have to buy new brass. With the dimension I use in my reamers you could take 100 new LC cases and reload them 75 to 150 times if you care for the brass properly.
Another plus factor is the safety mechanism on the 1903 is the best out there and the bolt can be completely disassembled without tools and you can carry a spare firing pin (striker) and spare extractor under the butt plate.
There is no reason why such a set up will not allow you and your kids to keep it rebarreled for the next 100 years of hard shooting while achieving supreme accuracy at all ranges.
If you would like to talk about this hit me with a PM and I will be glad to walk you through the process and answer any question you might have.
.270 savage bolt 110 &111
cant say enough
love them 90-110 grain bullets for long range
150gr for knock down, i have now switched to 130 gr. as the optimal ballistic compromise between these extremes.
my kid shoots 90 gr for prairie dogs when he goes with his gramps out west of here.
my back fence line is 1/2 mile also have a rem 7400 semi with 10 rd. boxes it was a disappointment in accuracy comparatively to the savages ..same case i am told just re necked am working on reloading set up hope my guy comes thru so i can really get to work on some stuff.
cant say enough
love them 90-110 grain bullets for long range
150gr for knock down, i have now switched to 130 gr. as the optimal ballistic compromise between these extremes.
my kid shoots 90 gr for prairie dogs when he goes with his gramps out west of here.
my back fence line is 1/2 mile also have a rem 7400 semi with 10 rd. boxes it was a disappointment in accuracy comparatively to the savages ..same case i am told just re necked am working on reloading set up hope my guy comes thru so i can really get to work on some stuff.
uuhhhh what?
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7,775 Posts
I humbly suggest you consider the Howa 1500 (page 51):
http://site.cdnninvestments.com/CDNN2011-1/index.html
A little research on the interwebs will tell you that they are well made, and are being used as the basis for precision rifle builds:
http://www.snipercentral.com/scriflepackagedetails.phtml?packageid=1
I'm looking to buy one myself, just working on the budget.
http://site.cdnninvestments.com/CDNN2011-1/index.html
A little research on the interwebs will tell you that they are well made, and are being used as the basis for precision rifle builds:
http://www.snipercentral.com/scriflepackagedetails.phtml?packageid=1
I'm looking to buy one myself, just working on the budget.
Joined
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6,646 Posts
I would say Savage Model 10 or Howa 1500 or the real answers for under $400 for the rifle
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