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What rifle, besides Tikka, would you pick?

  • Winchester model 70

    Votes: 10 9.4%
  • Remington 700

    Votes: 13 12.3%
  • Savage: Any savage

    Votes: 26 24.5%
  • Bergara

    Votes: 21 19.8%
  • Kimber montana

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • Ruger m77

    Votes: 11 10.4%
  • Ruger American

    Votes: 7 6.6%
  • Sako

    Votes: 17 16.0%

  • Total voters
    106
No experience with Tikka, my interests lie elsewhere.

My real love when it comes to bolt action rifles is the 1903 Springfield, either in original military dress or well done custom target and sporters.

I also have custom target rifles based on '98 Mauser and a Winchester 70 actions that I'm very pleased with. Recently picked up a Howa that I'm hoping will make a good general purpose long range rifle; so far I'm fairly impressed with it.
 
I didn't start this thread because I don't love my Tikka's. I was just curious what you guys would choose if we didn't have the Tikka's. We all know there is a "fan boy" club in regards to the Tikka as well, and to some that is a turn off. Personally I haven't let that affect my decision on whether to buy or not. My thoughts and actions are based on what I have experienced/what I've seen first hand. I'm not going to poo poo on some of your guys' choices, but I've seen some rifles here with inherent major problems. Enough of a problem/failure that it would ruin a good hunt or a good range day. In actuality, I'm more like USMC-03 or Andy, Jruby, mountain bear, etc and appreciate the older rifles. The old mauser 98 derivatives were robust and just kept on going and going... They were made to do that. The newer pushfeed rifles of today, not so much. This is where the decision could get tricky too because then you have to consider customer service when you buy a new rifle. Its like sorting through the weeds to find the best rifle/rifle manufacture. I'll share a story with you guys about a recent event that happened to one of my buddies rifles. We were at the range and I was shooting my buddies savage predator 22-250. He wanted me to shoot a 5 shot group to see how accurate it was. I was using his factory Barnes vortx ammo. Had it been my rifle, I would have been using my handloads. Anyway, on one shot the rifle made a weird boom and there was smoke coming from the action. The bolt had just about seized up, but I was finally able to smack it open. Upon inspection of the rifle and fired cartridge I saw that the primer was gone and there was a primer sized hole in the back of the case. The bolt face on the savage was still there, but the extractor was gone and the plunger for the ejector was stuck inside the bolt face. The rifle was done shooting at that point. When we were done, I took the rifle home and rebuilt the bolt with a rebuild kit I keep handy, just for the purpose of fixing these rifles when they go bad. Anyway, my buddy gets on the phone to Barnes and explains to them that their ammo, "just about blew up his gun and his buddies face"... Long story short, Barnes sends him 3 boxes of unwanted ammo, even though my friend said, "I DO NOT WANT YOUR AMMO, please just do what is right and refund the cost of the bolt rebuild kit my buddy had to install". Don't worry, I pulled all those bullets and powder and primers and they went bye bye... Well, I'll use the bullets but I don't trust their primers or powder. Now, getting back to the rifle's (Savage) customer service guy. My buddy calls up Savage and tells them the story and he said he only wanted Barnes to cough up the dough for the rebuild kit I had to install ($35.00 approx) and Savage says, "here's what we will do for you...... You will have a complete bolt rebuild kit in the mail promptly, we are sorry you had poor service from Barnes"..... My buddy must have a way with words, but Savage sent out a bolt rebuild kit to replace mine. They didn't have to, because it was not the rifles fault (and yes, just to be sure I checked the headspace and also had my buddy take it down to the local smith and he said it was perfect), it was just crap ammo.....but dang nice customer service from Savage...
 
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I'll be a Winchester M70 guy forever. People that talk about how "smooth" a T3 action is, must have never felt an M70. The T3 with its single column magazine feeds with little resistance, but it doesn't feel slick like an M70.
I'm with you on loving winchester model 70's, but only if they are the old ones. Pre 64 and the classic models. Now that they are made in Portugal, they really aren't what I'd consider the "rifleman's rifle" anymore... Unless, there again, we are talking pre 64...
 
Ya Ya Ya Its just stupid to knock one of the best rifles made out of the box just because a bunch of us like them and recommend them to everyone. I find it funny as hell.

They are good rifles. Although I'm not sure what qualifies them as being "one of the best". Accurate? You betcha. Fit and finish? Average. Stock? Lousy. Magazine? Proprietary.

Not knocking them brother, not at all. In fact I wish I had kept my .223 Tikka. But I don't consider them "one of the best". Good? Absolutely.
 
What, no multiple choice?

I Gotta go with Ruger M77 first, only because they are a hell of a lot cheaper and easier to get then a good Pre 64 Winny M-70!
Savage are shootas, no doubts, but they are ugly, and Remington hadnt built a good rifle in years now! If money was no object, Sako would be my first choice, and if Howa would build nicer looking and fitting rifles I would have some! They are all good choices really, though I havent experienced a Bergera or a Ruger American yet, so I cannot comment on them!

Yep. I have an M77 I had made into a .257 Weatherby decades ago. One of the most accurate rifles in my safe. To which I'd like to add: nothing makes an accurate rifle more so than a great barrel put on by a competent gunsmith.
 
Look at Weatherby Vanguard. Great shooters.


I have an original iteration Back Country (all stainless) in .30-06. I'd buy another if I could find one. Just in case.


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