Planning new rifle - Suggestions

[OleMan]

I'm planning on buying two new hunting rifles in the next year to two - probably .270, 7mm or .30/308 cal. I would appreciate any experience with bolt and sem-auto rifles. I have been looking at Browning BARs, and Savage or Mossberg bolt actions. Also, if you know of reviews of these, I would appreciate hearing about them.

I'll be posting a similar topic on shotguns in the Shotugns forum.

Thanks.

[PawnQuixote]

I've heard fantastic things about Savage rifles. Very accurate right out of the box (at a fairly reasonable price too). However, I personally have never owned one, so I can't give you my own experience.

Also heard fairly positively opinions about the Mossberg 100 ATR. Not as accurate as the Savages, but a solid rifle in it's own right. Again though, I don't own one.

[gunderwood]

IMHO, hunting in VA is basically a short range game except in very limited circumstances. Any of the rifles you have mentioned will do just fine. I have seen out of the box Savages shoot long range (500-1000k) much better than other low cost rifles. The accutrigger is also one of the best triggers around on a low cost factory gun.

The .308Win is a great general purpose round. I'm not a big fan of the 7mn Mag unless you are doing long range hunting in which case it is excellent.

[davasmith]

I have a 7mm savage sniper setup I have had for quite some time. During my ownership I can personally attest to the savage accuracy and long range performance. Not to mention the absolute knock down power of the round. My suggestion is make sure you get a comparable scope for the setup you choose. Anyone who knows can tell you about the effects of recoil on a less than correct scope. A good rule of thumb I've lived by is the scope should be similar or slightly higher in price to the weapon its used on. IMHO, Josh

[gunderwood]

I have a 7mm savage sniper setup I have had for quite some time. During my ownership I can personally attest to the savage accuracy and long range performance. Not to mention the absolute knock down power of the round. My suggestion is make sure you get a comparable scope for the setup you choose. Anyone who knows can tell you about the effects of recoil on a less than correct scope. A good rule of thumb I've lived by is the scope should be similar or slightly higher in price to the weapon its used on. IMHO, Josh

+1 on the scope. For short range hunting it matters much less, but for long range a good scope is a must.

The round is excellent, but it also isn't cheap and it does eat throats much faster than a less overbore cartridge. That is why I prefer something like a .308 for an entry level gun.

[davasmith]

Your dead on gunderwood, the rounds are pricey, but man the accuracy is worth it! (Not to mention the recoil if your not used to firing heavy rounds).

[jrswanson1]

You've already got a nice hunting rifle in you 6.8 SPC Mini-14. That's good for deer, especially in Virginia. Now if you're talking Elk and anything bigger, I'd get a bolt gun in a minum of .308.

Jim

[OleMan]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice. I guess the choice will come down to 7mm Mag, .30-06 or .308. If I wind up getting two rifles, maybe two calibers. I'm getting older and can't climb hills like I used to, but I have a son who likes to shoot and almost any kind of hunting, and two grandsons coming along, so these may be 'legacy' rifles more than Gandpa's. Maybe Grandpa will get a chance to hunt in TX or MT with some relatives or here in VA, western NC or WVA; and hope the new generation hunts them for decades.

I'm glad to hear that Savage's reputation for accuracy is true. The prices on Savage are downright reasonable.

Again, thanks very much.

Oleman

[OleMan]

You've already got a nice hunting rifle in you 6.8 SPC Mini-14. That's good for deer, especially in Virginia. Now if you're talking Elk and anything bigger, I'd get a bolt gun in a minum of .308.

Jim

Thanks. With any luck, I'll get to do some hunting with the Mini-14. Maybe deer, feral hogs and/or coyotes - but I wouldn't try the 6.8 on anything larger. And it will be fun to have a Garand style action (always loved Garands) and accurize it. I just got it a little over a week ago so it hasn't been to the range yet to sight in the iron sights. I got a barrel strut today, and after I shoot 75 - 100 rounds thru it, it is going to get some basic accuracy work from a gunsmith in MT reputed to be the best at accurizing the Mini-14 without high cost customization.

From all I have read on the 6.8 SPC it is one of those cartridges that has better terminal results than the ballistics and bullet weight would indicate. My initial choice for ammunition is Silver State Armory, with Hornady second.

Guess I gave myself away - on old man getting excited again by shooting, arms and hunting - so he's bought hisself a hobby gun. You know those books like Windows for Dummies? Been so long since I did any rifle shooting that I'll be looking for the Dummies book on rifle shooting -

[gunderwood]

Another good option which Remington just released is the 700 SPS Tactical AAC edition. You get a 1:10 vice 1:12 twist barrel, an OD stock vice a black one, and a threaded barrel over the regular 700 SPS Tactical. The trigger is still not so hot, but it is easily upgraded. The 1:10 is a huge advantage because a 1:12 is a touch slow for the heavier .308s. I still think you get a more value for your money with the Savage, but the SPS is decent too.

[OleMan]

Another good option which Remington just released is the 700 SPS Tactical AAC edition. You get a 1:10 vice 1:12 twist barrel, an OD stock vice a black one, and a threaded barrel over the regular 700 SPS Tactical. The trigger is still not so hot, but it is easily upgraded. The 1:10 is a huge advantage because a 1:12 is a touch slow for the heavier .308s. I still think you get a more value for your money with the Savage, but the SPS is decent too.

That looks like quite a rifle. I have a brother-in-law who has a couple of Remington 700's and loves them. I am suprised that rifles don't cost more in today's market. I have looked at Weatherby's and Browning's web sites recently and they are less than I expected.

I bet the BATFE slaps some heavy handed or expensive requirement on a suppressor - like reducing the blast and sound of your rifle by a moderate percentage makes it something dangerous and therefore must be 'controlled'.

Thanks for the info.

Edit: Good reminder from you also to get a good scope. The gunsmith in MT who I plan to do the accurizing job on my Mini-14 says they are hard on scopes and don't go cheap and get a scope that won't hold up.

[zephyp]

Personally I like the 7mag but way too much gun for deer around here. Too much velocity for the brush. Hunting in the winter never shows just how much crap you might be shooting through. 7mags really shine out west where many shots are long distance over clear terrain. Around here the .308 will do nicely and much easier on the wallet and shoulder...plus they make for nice play on the range.

[jrswanson1]

You've already got a nice hunting rifle in you 6.8 SPC Mini-14. That's good for deer, especially in Virginia. Now if you're talking Elk and anything bigger, I'd get a bolt gun in a minum of .308.

Jim

Thanks. With any luck, I'll get to do some hunting with the Mini-14. Maybe deer, feral hogs and/or coyotes - but I wouldn't try the 6.8 on anything larger. And it will be fun to have a Garand style action (always loved Garands) and accurize it. I just got it a little over a week ago so it hasn't been to the range yet to sight in the iron sights. I got a barrel strut today, and after I shoot 75 - 100 rounds thru it, it is going to get some basic accuracy work from a gunsmith in MT reputed to be the best at accurizing the Mini-14 without high cost customization.

From all I have read on the 6.8 SPC it is one of those cartridges that has better terminal results than the ballistics and bullet weight would indicate. My initial choice for ammunition is Silver State Armory, with Hornady second.

Guess I gave myself away - on old man getting excited again by shooting, arms and hunting - so he's bought hisself a hobby gun. You know those books like Windows for Dummies? Been so long since I did any rifle shooting that I'll be looking for the Dummies book on rifle shooting -

That smith wouldn't happen to be Gun Doc, would it? He's got a great rep in the Mini community. I'd suggest geting the chamber reamed to the new updated spec versus SAAMI which it is now. Bill Wilson is taking feral hogs on his ranch with the 6.8, and the hogs there are pretty big! I think the round is good for most of the black bears in the area with the right bullet. And SSA is the go to company for 6.8 ammo.

Jim

[OleMan]

[/quote]
That smith wouldn't happen to be Gun Doc, would it? He's got a great rep in the Mini community. I'd suggest geting the chamber reamed to the new updated spec versus SAAMI which it is now. Bill Wilson is taking feral hogs on his ranch with the 6.8, and the hogs there are pretty big! I think the round is good for most of the black bears in the area with the right bullet. And SSA is the go to company for 6.8 ammo.

Jim[/quote]

Yes, it is Gundoc at Great West. I contacted him after seeing the degree of work and cost of Accuracy Systems' rifles and mods. Heard a lot of good things about Accuracy Systems work, but it seems centered more on heavy barrels and tactical equipment -costing as much or more than the base rifle. For my intended uses, Gundoc suggested the $95 Accustrut and his $220 "A" package - trigger job, receiver bedding, added recoil buffer and moderate gas port bushing. That should make the rifle shoot much better than my capabilities. Gundoc recommended waiting on reaming the chamber to SPCII. With more velocity from the 18.5 in barrel, the Mini (SAAMI chamber) will regain a fair amount of the velocity 'lost' to the SPCII, and safely fire all current commercial ammo. He did say that he would do the reaming later if I wanted or needed. He also observed that the 6.8 SPC cartridge has suprised him - ' helluva lot more than he originally expected from it' and that it does a great job of stopping those 'tusked bulldozers'.

I've read Bill Wilson's article in American Rifleman and posts he has made to the Perfect Union forum. Reading on SSA in a couple of forums, and the wide selection of loads, convinced me to go with thier ammo with Hornady as a backup brand of ammo. Jeff at SSA even e-mailed me a detailed response to my questions on thier ammo.

Sounds like you may have a 6.8 SPC rifle. If so, I would be interested in your experience with the cartridge whether it's an AR, Mini-14 or bolt gun.

Oleman

[gunderwood]

I bet the BATFE slaps some heavy handed or expensive requirement on a suppressor - like reducing the blast and sound of your rifle by a moderate percentage makes it something dangerous and therefore must be 'controlled'.

You don't get the suppressor with that gun, you just get a threaded barrel which is useful for more than just suppressors (e.g. flash hider). Yes, they are controlled and you have to through a special process and pay a $200 NFA tax.