Thoughts on current factory bolt rifles

[CT10ring]

I am considering either re barreling a rem 700 I have or trading it. The gun will shoot minute of deer for my needs, however unfortunately it doesn’t like the loads or bullets that I want to shoot.
With that in mind, what should I be looking at for a reasonably priced factory deer rifle? Would like sporter barrel, prefer stainless, I want something that just shoots decent for hunting in 270win. (Maybe a 308) Maybee under $850ish before my trade, could go a bit higher if quality warrants but dont have the budget for a full custom.
Ruger American? Tikka? Savage? Winchester?

I bought a Mauser M18 in .243 2 years (?) ago from Eurooptics for $350.00. .270 available...
Shoots 3/8" groups. Highly functional and good accuracy at a bargain price. fwiw. Edit: Get an entire rifle for the cost of a barrel blank. Receiver scope bases drilling - same as a Rem 700.

 

[awesomeBLT]

I am considering either re barreling a rem 700 I have or trading it. The gun will shoot minute of deer for my needs, however unfortunately it doesn’t like the loads or bullets that I want to shoot.
With that in mind, what should I be looking at for a reasonably priced factory deer rifle? Would like sporter barrel, prefer stainless, I want something that just shoots decent for hunting in 270win. (Maybe a 308) Maybee under $850ish before my trade, could go a bit higher if quality warrants but dont have the budget for a full custom.
Ruger American? Tikka? Savage? Winchester?

My first 1000 yd benchrest rifle was a 6mm Krieger heavy varmint contour 6 Dasher with a modified Remington 700 action behind it. It would shoot 1/2 MOA far out as 1000yds conditions permitting. Have replaced it with a BAT 700 clone action and the same Krieger barrel only new in 6 BRA. It will shoot 1/4 MOA now in same conditions. That said there’s a reason the best of the best action mfg. make 700 clones: because you have to spend a fortune on the 700 for not much improvement so you might as well spend the same money and get a BAT action (choice of champions). There are alot of good rifles out there, but they are only as good as the barrel. Kreiger barrels are the best of the best and Ive tried them all in front of my BAT 3L, thousand yard benchrest rig. I’d say: find a good gunsmith, tweak 700 action for a sako extractor, get a Krieger barrel, a good trigger and bed the stock.

 

[Djfergus]

I've been through what you are contemplating. My opinion: buy yourself a bartlein barrel blank and send your 700 & barrel blank to LRI. Even if you have nothing done but having the barrel threaded, chambered & screwed onto your action.... It's a much higher probability that it's going to shoot tight groups than most $850 rifles that you will buy off of the shelf.

 

[butchlambert]

I've been through what you are contemplating. My opinion: buy yourself a bartlein barrel blank and send your 700 & barrel blank to LRI. Even if you have nothing done but having the barrel threaded, chambered & screwed onto your action.... It's a much higher probability that it's going to shoot tight groups than most $850 rifles that you will buy off of the shelf.

You think?

 

[Djfergus]

You think?

No doubts.

 

[FNSafari]

I've been through what you are contemplating. My opinion: buy yourself a bartlein barrel blank and send your 700 & barrel blank to LRI. Even if you have nothing done but having the barrel threaded, chambered & screwed onto your action.... It's a much higher probability that it's going to shoot tight groups than most $850 rifles that you will buy off of the shelf.

I must have lucked out. I have a T3 in 6.5x55 SM that is, as guaranteed, a sub 1" rifle for the first three shots out of a cold barrel. IMR4350 and a Barnes 120 TTSX.

 

[Djfergus]

I must have lucked out. I have a T3 in 6.5x55 SM that is, as guaranteed, a sub 1" rifle for the first three shots out of a cold barrel. IMR4350 and a Barnes 120 TTSX.

I've owned a T3 and worked up loads for a friend's TX3 or T3x which ever is correct. They do tend to shoot pretty well. They are ahead of the pack for any mass produced rifle.

 

[Ray123]

I use old Remington 700 actions. Just built a 6 mm dasher 28 in, and a hunting 22 inch 308, 1in 9 twist Bartlein rem varmint contour for the long Sierra 200 gr CN MK. Running single load at 2740 fps ave. And 225 eldm at 2500 fps, for long range and hunting 168 berger 2930 fps in 7.75 lbs with detachable mag no glass... it only cost me the barrel, about $400. I already had a 308 finishing reamer, a used hs precision 700 rem varmint stock. I have a milling machine and 2 lathes, and do my own action truing work . Added a muzzle break and detachable mag setup. Used the existing Remington trigger set at 2 lbs... The rifle cost me $560 and it shoots good I'm partial to 308's have built 5 of them 18 to 30 inch barrels...one on a long action and alum chasis, so you can mag feed 3.2" plus 308 200 and 225 grainers. Cheap mil spec brass shot 5 in half inch and Lapua brass shot 5 in .3" same bullet and powder charge...good enough for the intended purpose. Doing your own work it's all done in a day or two after ya order the needed parts. Trued Rem 700s and 5 R Bartlein barrels is what I now mostly use, Proof Research good too.

I am considering either re barreling a rem 700 I have or trading it. The gun will shoot minute of deer for my needs, however unfortunately it doesn’t like the loads or bullets that I want to shoot.
With that in mind, what should I be looking at for a reasonably priced factory deer rifle? Would like sporter barrel, prefer stainless, I want something that just shoots decent for hunting in 270win. (Maybe a 308) Maybee under $850ish before my trade, could go a bit higher if quality warrants but dont have the budget for a full custom.
Ruger American? Tikka? Savage? Winchester?