Interested in .308 or 6.5 Creed. Will be shooting factory Ammo at steel, no competition ( fun range gun ). Budget: $700-$1,200 ( gun only ). Chassis or conventional stock is fine. Just looking for experienced based feedback, I know I`ll get fans of various brands, but that`s OK for now. Doesn`t have to be side by side comparisons just yet. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
Bolt Rifle Recommendations, Range Only ( Bench ), Out To 1,000 Yards?
- Thread starter Turkeytider
- Start date
ken158
Silver $$ Contributor
For your limited funds, just buy a Tikka Varmint in either caliber and you will have spent your money wisely. As most threads, this one will go sideways quick as others will have you spending 3K for a wham bam special or within your budget for an ugly Savage… Hold tight and buy accordingly. Your scope will likely cost as much as your rifle.
Ugly Savage?
I have 5 of them. All of them work fantastically. My Savage Axis II Precision's shoot sub MOA's with just about any factory ammo and my reloads.
And my .308 Precision cost just under $1300.
I get compliments on all of them...well except for one but that's because I made it ugly!!!
Are you shooting off a bi-pod or front rest ?
10XSHOOTER
Gold $$ Contributor
.308 will have longer barrel life!
Front rest.
https://www.brownells.com/gun-parts...-creedmoor-24-threaded-heavy-barreled-action/
This would be somewhat of a enjoyable self build with a Bell&Carlson stock. Even if you wanted to upgrade to a Timney trigger, it should still be in your stated budget.
This would be somewhat of a enjoyable self build with a Bell&Carlson stock. Even if you wanted to upgrade to a Timney trigger, it should still be in your stated budget.
therifler
Silver $$ Contributor
I’ll second tikka blue or SS doesn’t matter either will shoot . I’m partial to the 308 win . Bullet choices but I have built some good shooting 6.5 creeds .
mtncwru
Gold $$ Contributor
For a steel smacking fun gun, I'd go Tikka T3x CTR or UPR in .308: great gun out out of the box, with plenty of aftermarket parts if you decide you want to go fancy down the line. The UPR might be hard to find in your price range, but I liked the UPR stock better than the CTR when I tried both.
For caliber I'd go .308 over 6.5CM just based on barrel life and price per round of factory ammo. Depending on how far out your steel is you might consider a .223, too.
For caliber I'd go .308 over 6.5CM just based on barrel life and price per round of factory ammo. Depending on how far out your steel is you might consider a .223, too.
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Currently shooting a .223 ( Savage Model 12 LRPV ) out to 500. Good fun trying to put rounds inside of a 5" aiming spot at 500 yards.
JohnHenry
Gold $$ Contributor
Save enough to buy a used custom rifle with a barrel that has been bore scoped.
In addition to this forum, one site to consider is https://theshooterscorner.com/
In addition to this forum, one site to consider is https://theshooterscorner.com/
I’d go tikka CTR in .308 if you didn’t plan on reloading. The Tikkas are fantastic rifles. The actions are just as smooth, if not smoother than some of my custom actions. Excellent, crisp trigger. Bolt lift will be a little heavier because of the 60 degree bolt throw. Haven’t seen a tikka not shoot well either, and I’ve seen a few.
Tikka aftermarket parts are plentiful as well. Triggers, stocks, prefit barrels. So if you wanted to upgrade you could.
I’d also check out a regular Remington 700 SPS tactical. Then you have the Rem 700 footprint, and your upgrade possibilities are endless, stocks, triggers, chassis’s, barrels.
Those would be my two choices. If you’re looking for a great firearm right out of the box Then Tikka all the way.
Edit: Remington would be choice number 3 after seeing what @Kracken McGraw Posted. great suggestion. You could get a barreled account like that and still have enough for a KRG bravo chassis or somthing else.
Tikka aftermarket parts are plentiful as well. Triggers, stocks, prefit barrels. So if you wanted to upgrade you could.
I’d also check out a regular Remington 700 SPS tactical. Then you have the Rem 700 footprint, and your upgrade possibilities are endless, stocks, triggers, chassis’s, barrels.
Those would be my two choices. If you’re looking for a great firearm right out of the box Then Tikka all the way.
Edit: Remington would be choice number 3 after seeing what @Kracken McGraw Posted. great suggestion. You could get a barreled account like that and still have enough for a KRG bravo chassis or somthing else.
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This is a no brainer, Tikka Varmint in your preferred caliber. No other factory rifle even comes close to all the quality features a Tikka has right out of the box! Happy shooting!
Paul
Paul
^Agree 100%^ that the the Tikka's are spectacular rifles but the new CVA Cascade rifles are near identical to the Tikka's within that price per value. These come with GREAT triggers, stiff, sturdy stocks and STELLER Begara barrels! If you haven't had the chance to put one through it's paces, then I highly suggest you try one out! They are real shooters!!! My CVA 6.5 barrel is just as good as my aftermarket Shilen barrels.
10XSHOOTER
Gold $$ Contributor
I can ring steel at 767 yds with a Rem 700 blueprinted and Krieger 7.7 twist barrel and IMI 77 gr ammo!
you've got to watch the wind. Good Trainer, cheap to shoot!
you've got to watch the wind. Good Trainer, cheap to shoot!
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
I disagree. Had a friend bought a new Cascade a bit over a year ago. Asked me to zero it for him. He had shot it but was not satisfied with it. He had not cleaned it so I decided to before I shot it. Looked at it with my bore scope. Ugh, looked like a barrel with thousands of rounds. Big .5 or longer gouges scuped out of 2 lands several inch up. We called CVA , guy said no problem send it back, we have pallets of barrels sitting here . Rifle came back with the same barrel and a letter stating it was in specs. It was at times a 2 in rifle with handloads, some time 2.5 or 3. I would not have given it space in the gun safe. He shot a nice mule deer and a pronghorh both near 400 yards. He is happy. I would not own it. I doubt if I own a used takeoff barrel as ugly as that new one on the Cascade.
I would go 6.5cm over 308, little less recoil, more energy on the plate at 1k yds.
Im very happy with my Savage's performance on target. They wont win subjective contests though.
Im very happy with my Savage's performance on target. They wont win subjective contests though.
That’s terrible. Very surprised they didn’t offer to replace it. Talked to a guy who had the same results with a higher end Christensen Arms rifle a while back. Said the bore looked like a dirt road
would not shoot worth crap but was within their “specs”. Guess their specs aren’t the same as ours! Haha
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