CA Ridgeline

[Scalloper]

I am considering a new short action I can keep and build on in the future if needed. I was at a local shot yesterday. They have a Christiansen Arms Ridgeline in 308. Price is $2,100. They made me a very fair offer on a rifle I may trade in towards the CA.
Mu question is with what you get are they worth the money? What should I plan on doing to the rifle to get more accuracy?

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

I think if you need to ask what you're getting for the $$$s, you need to understand what you're spending $2,100 on, before doing it.

308 Win is a great round that will take any game in NA, but you haven't said what you plan to use it for and you posted in the gunsmithing forum.

Christansen Arms is a known decent off the shelf rifle. You still need a scope, and then you could think about a trigger upgrade possibly, a muzzle device and/or suppressor. And of course working out a load. I would think you'll be into that rifle at about $3500 just to buy it, get a scope and some minor tweaking and work a load up. If you can afford that, and it fits your needs, nothing wrong with what you've posted.

 

[Scalloper]

I have owned a CA in 28 Nosler for two years. It shoots great and carries well while hunting. But IMO its to much for deer inside if 200 yds. I did take a nice buck with it this year at 635 yds and it worked perfectly.
SSo this short action will be a hunting rig out to 250 yds or so. I do load and shoot many weekends so the SA will be used to keep me in practice as well. I really like the Leupold CDS scopes for my hunting rigs. I have 3 set up with those now. So $3,500 is probably close to where I will end up. I was leaning towards a 6.5 cm but the 308 will work fine after all its normally the Indian not the arrow.

 

[46and2]

I am considering a new short action I can keep and build on in the future if needed. I was at a local shot yesterday. They have a Christiansen Arms Ridgeline in 308. Price is $2,100. They made me a very fair offer on a rifle I may trade in towards the CA.
Mu question is with what you get are they worth the money? What should I plan on doing to the rifle to get more accuracy?

I try not to leave negative feedback if I don't have to but, I'll never spend another cent on CA.
I bought a Ridgeline 300wm. Their reamer was so worn I couldn't use Lapua brass. I called and asked for their reamer print.

They said reloading voided my warranty.
Had to neck turn perfectly good Lapua brass.

It was not close to MOA.

Didnt come with the Limbsaver, had to replace the cheap one that came with it.

The bolt was so hard to cycle I had to add an extended bolt handle,

The two electors overpowered the extractor and dropped every piece of brass back into the action, had to remove one ejector spring,

Had to bed the stock,
Bed the base,
Tried replacing the brake,
Tried replacing the scope,
Tried replacing the trigger with lighter pull weight,
650 rounds of component combinations.

Still wouldn't shoot,

Had to rebarrel.

Please, look buying a Tikka or Savage or 700.

With all that said, I have the worst luck drawing the short straw when it comes to winning a lemon.
I'm sure a lot of other people have great success, not me.

 

[Sniperhandle]

CA has had a lot of Quality Control issues the last few years, If you got a good one, Consider yourself lucky.

 

[JB10]

I bought a mesa a few years back. I did finally get mine to shoot but took just over 100 rounds to find a load that shot good. With prices these days thats a lot of reloading components down the drain. Had a friend buy a browning and when we took it out to sight it in found a load it liked with in first 10 shots.

 

[Scalloper]

Thanks, these are the answers I was looking for.

 

[boltfluter]

Many not so happy CA owners in most reviews. Personally I would buy a Tikka and live happily ever after. Never seen a dud yet. And now you have plenty of cash for a scope and accessories.
Paul

 

[TrapperBR549]

I worked up loads in 2 CA Ridgelines. One was a 280AI, the other a 300prc. Both shot very well and were not finicky about the load.
For a hunting rifle I personally would build one on a M70 controlled round feed action.

 

[Scalloper]

I own 2 Tikkas and I do like them very well. The actions are glass smooth. I cant see how the recoil lug/ or lack of does any good at all. Seems like there should be a better option.
I posted this to see what modifications smiths have done to the CA's to bring them up to par. I am not only going to keep firearms that I use and no more safe queens.