Which rifle would you buy?

[LarMoeCur]

I know not another which rifle topic :

I just can not figure out which is the better choice. A little back round: I'm finally transfering off of sea duty! I'm in the Navy for those who are thinking "what the heck is Sea duty?" I'm finally going to get in a few years of solid hunting in Texas. While on leave last month my buddy took me on a Nilgia hunt. I didn't get to shoot one just observed.

Anyway, it got me thinking that I don't have a big game rifle. 30.06 is the top dog in my safe. So, I started looking at building a custom 338 on a Predator action. I found out really quick that that was going to cost me over 3000 dollars. Just not in my budget at this time maybe when after a few more ranks. I started looking at the different 338s on the market and have kind of stuck on the Remington 700 Sendero SF II in 338 win mag. But I've also been looking at the 700 North American Custom in 338 win mag. To me they are both the same gun one is getting a little fine tuning from the Remington Custom shop.

Here's what I'm thinking and maybe one of you guys can point me in the right direction. I can get a Sendero SF in the 800-1100 ball park range. The 700 NAC is closer to 2100. Is the NAC worth the extra 1000 dollars? Remington's web site basicly says it's a blue printed action with a tuned trigger (3lbs). I'm thinking about getting a Sendero for as cheap as I can and sending ot off to a Smith for some tuning. From reading this site I'm looking at about 400 for that which is still way cheaper and I know who's doing the work.

Now I'm not sold on the 700 yet. Is there any other rifle I sould look at in the 800 - 1500 dollar range? I would love to get a Tikka T3 Super Varmint in 338 win mag but Beretta is not inporting that model at this time. Sucks for them they just lost my money.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

 

[Hammerhead]

I like my 700's but the Tikka is a SWEET gun.

Tim

 

[LarMoeCur]

Tim,

The Tikka's are a sweet deal. I got a T3 lite in 30.06 that is a tack driver. It loves 180g SST's but will shoot anything I feed it spot on. The same buddy who took me on the hunt has dumped a ton of money (all the bells and whistles) into a CZ550 in 30.06. My stock out of the box T3 out shoots it all day. He hates me because of that.

 

[cahunter805]

If your 30-06 is a tack driver with 180gr why not just use that for big game. It will take almost all north american big game besides big brown bears in normal situtations.
If it was me I would go with the sendero and buy a timney or jewell drop in trigger and go shoot it. You might be very surprised. I have found the sendero to be quite accurate. Let us know what you choose!

 

[whiskey08]

i recently bought a 700 varmit/tactical type. I was very disapointed in the accuracy, wouldnt feed cause the feed ramp was grooved/gouged, rails would cut into my brass, and lands were so far out i couldnt hand load to magazine length, for 600 bones i had a krieger barrel installed, action blueprinted, and bedded the stock. Now its a tack driver. Friend on the other hand bought his 700 at same time and its tack driver out of the box. Give savage and sakos a good look, both are doing well.

 

[LarMoeCur]

Cahunter,

My 30.06 was my first thought, with the right shot I can take any game with my 180g SST load. Here's the catch the Nilgia hunt I went on has some stupid rule about 300 mag being the smallest caliber they will allow. Now there is a difference balisticly in the 300 mag and the 30.06 at 200 yards but not that much. So, because you can never have enough guns I figured I'd use that as reason to get new gun. SWMBO has bought off on the idea. So, I'm looking at options.

 

[DukeDuke]

Which one is the 700 NAC?

 

[LarMoeCur]

NAC= North American Custom.

 

[LHSmith]

Take Remingtons "blueprinting" claim with a grain of salt......all the Custom shop does is dab some low grade epoxy in the recoil lug area...and possibly lap the lugs...No "select" barrels or actions. At least that is all that was done to my Custom Shop 700 in 300 RUM. This was one of the first so chambered around '98 when Remington quality was a bit better than now. The rifle as received had many issues ( i.e. feeding, gouging brass, nicked crown, poor bedding) and it cost several hundred $$$ to make it right. The Remingtons I have bought since have indeed become progressively worse in workmanship.
In short, don't base your purchase on Remingtons blueprinting claim, or think you're getting any "select" parts other than a stock upgrade.

 

[NateHaler]

Anyway, it got me thinking that I don't have a big game rifle. 30.06 is the top dog in my safe.

Correction: You already have a big game rifle. But if you want a rifle that will be legal for African dangerous game, and more than adequate for any game on any other continent, then get a .375 H&H.

I wouldn't even consider a .338.

 

[Rust]

If you want a true dangerous game rifle at a reasonable price, get the big CZ (a real Mauser action) in .375 H&H. Forged double square bridge receiver, set trigger, the express sights (at least on my Rigby) are pretty much on target, and I like the scope mounting which doesn't require mounts rather the rings attach directly to the receiver.

A lot fo rifle for the money.

 

[LarMoeCur]

Rust,

My buddy who took me on the Nilgia hunt used that exact rifle. A CZ in 375 H&H. Which I have shot several time. It is one of the best shooting big bore rifles I have ever shot. Now, I'm wondering why I didn't think to put that rifle on my list. I love this place, sometimes simple is better!

 

[CJ6]

+1 what Rust said 375 to 416 and up for true big game rifle and the CZ magnum is REASONABLEY priced.

 

[glo]

Unless you have a specific purpose for needing a .338 Win Mag, I would stay with the 06’.

If you are going after anything larger than trophy Elk or Eland, then I would either get a Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan in .416 Ruger ($1100) or CZ 550 Safari Magnum in .416 Rigby ($1200); then top your rig off with a Leupold VX-3 1.5-5x20mm ($400).

With a two gun battery of a .30-06’ shooting 180gr bullets and a .416 Ruger or .416 Rigby shooting 400gr bullets you can take nearly any of the big game plant earth has to offer. And you can do this within your budget for about 1600 bucks.

 

[bsc4444]

The SST's are fine for medium sized game [deer, antelope].I have loaded Barnes 180 gr. tipped
triple shock x-bullet. This bullet has 97% weight retention,expands great with deep penatration with great accuracy. You can shoot deer or big bears, it puts them DOWN. Barnes product number is 30879. Load some you'll be happy. Good luck on your new gun choice.

Brad

 

[butchlambert]

I have a 458 Lott built on a CZ550 receiver. It is a wonderful rifle. Out of the box the CZ needs a little attention to smooth them up, But if I needed a 375 or larger, it would be my choice.
Butch

 

[LarMoeCur]

BSC,

I have just under a 1/2 box of the 180 TSX. I loaded a bunch of 3 shot test loads. It could be my loads but I could not get them to group worth a darn. I'm oviously not looking for bench rest groups but these where the worst of the 5 or 6 bullets I tested. I'll have to look at my reloading notes but I think the 180g interlocks SP grouped well.

 

[rbertalotto]

For serious hunting........with a reasonable price tag.......Winchester "Classic" or CZ-550.........none better for the $$......Great triggers, great safeties, control round feed, huge extractors........Good accuracy. Both can be had in 338WinMag for under $500-$600 in the used gun racks. Even "new" at full price they are a steal.

For target rifles, Remingtons and many others are fine.........But for hunting there is nothing like the "Rifleman's Rifle"

 

[bsc4444]

I talked to Barne's, they said to not load them long like benchrest loads. On there web site they have load data available now.I am loading the new ttsx bullet....I should have mentioned also in 300 win. mag. The best load is Fed. case, 73gr-R22,WW mag primer loaded 3.370 col. This is a sub 1/2 moa load in my Sendro SF.