Suggestions for a .308 Win Bolt Action Rifle

[Mark85304]

I had a Ruger M77 in .270 Win many years ago and parted with it. I was not satisfied with the limited bullet selection for reloading and the commercial ammunition choices were even worse.

I have a Remington 760 pump in .300 Savage, but I really want a bolt action rifle, new or pre-owned, in .308 Win to be used primarily for hunting. I am open to suggestions as what to look at and what to stay away from. Oh, and I will be shooting cast boolits with it, too.

[starmac]

Kinda depends on what kind of money you want to spend, just about everyone makes a pretty good 308 bolt. I don't care for the rem 770's that I have had my hands on, but the marlin was pretty smooth.

[wildwilly]

You just can't go wrong with a Savage; accu-trigger, detachable box magazine. Accurate right out of the box.

[0verkill]

Wildwilly is right, can't go wrong with a Savage. I also liked the new Mossberg bolt actions. They seemed to fit me well, shot one in 30-06 next to a Savage and the Mossberg didn't feel like it kicked as bad. That's just personal and they're both in the same price range.

[JeffinNZ]

Those Savages do rather well in CBA matches.

[Tim357]

Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle

[XTR]

Depends on what you want to do with it. I don't know about their other rifles but out of the box a Savage F-TR is competitive.

My last "hunting" 308 was a Remington 700 VLS - 26" varmint barrel. In the factory stock it wouldn't shoot very well. I dropped it in a B&C and with my reloads it would hold 1MOA to 300 yards with 165 Sierra game kings and Varget loaded in left over Lake City brass. I sold it because I thought the varmint barrel made it too nose heavy for the hunting I do (built a 7-08 with a 24" fluted #4 to replace it)

[Artful]

Wow can you be a little more specific - what are you using it for? Do you hunt bean fields or hike the ridges - do have low budget or sky's the limit? - do you like controled round feed like Mauser 98's with the "Claw" or push feed is fine? Do you like Camo and blackened stainless steel or want blue steel and walnut - lots of options.

Shot in the dark - actually several shots

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/70970
Savage AXIS XP 308 CAMO W/SCP
under $350
http://ssllcstore.blob.core.windows.net/small/70970.jpg

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/finder/
Savage Hog Hunter 11 .308 Winchester Bolt-Action Rifle
under $450 usually
http://www.jgsales.com/images/58088-savage11hoghunter398calibernew-s1.JPG

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/remington-bolt-action-rifle-85914-winchester-black-synthetic-stock-black-finish-p-122837.html
Remington Model 7 $590


http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/ruger-hawkeye-compact-bolt-action-rifle-hhkm77crbbz-17110-winchester-black-stock-matte-stainless-finish-p-110901.html
Ruger 77 compact $720

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/remington-bolt-action-rifle-84062-winchester-black-laminate-stock-stainless-steel-finish-p-120690.html
Remington 700 BDL

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/remington-military-spec-rifle-29663-winchester-stainless-steel-finish-p-119700.html
Remington 700 with 5R rifling $1200

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/herstal-rifle-3108929252-winchester-fixed-stock-black-finish-p-127473.html
FN for $1300
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/images/ssi-2012/79619.jpg

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/browning-bolt-target-rifle-035189218-bolt-action-satin-gray-wood-stock-matte-blue-finish-p-110320.html
Browning A-Bolt with 28" barrel for $1300
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/images/browning/2009/guns/035189l.jpg


http://www.cabelas.com/bolt-action-savage-arms-tactical-rifles.shtml
$1,500-2,100

[Love Life]

If boolits are all you are going to shoot, just about any one on the market today will more than liekly meet your expectations.

[Lloyd Smale]

I have two. one is a rem model 7 stainless syn that is a go to gun of mine. It goes on about every hunt as a back up gun if bad weather comes. Its a good shooting reliable gun and would be hard to beat as an only rifle for a deer hunter. the second is a savage 110pd. Heavy short barrel, very accurate but nothing id want to carry around all day long.

[softpoint]

For looks, I like the Ruger International, (Yes, I know, Iv'e had several Rugers in the past that didn't shoot as well as I would have liked) Accuracy on a budget, Savage. Another one I like a bit better than Savage for looks, and a slick action is Howa. Having said all this first, most of my bolt guns are Remington 700's in one flavor or another, and a Remington 7.[smilie=2:

[softpoint]

Also, don't forget CZ

[Ben]

Mark85304 :

If money is a concern ( IT ALWAYS HAS
BEEN WITH ME )...........,look at the
Ruger All American in .308 Win.

My friend bought one, here is
a test report on his , he is very
happy with his purchase :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=153907

[MJR007]

Wetherby Vanguard S2

[HiVelocity]

Thompson Center Contender Pistol Barrels in:
.22LR - .22 Hornet - .22 K-Hornet - .223 Rem - 7MM TCU - 7-30 Waters - .30 Carbine - .30-30 Win -
.30 Herrett - .32-20 Win - .357 Magnum - .357 Herrett - .35 Rem - .375 Winchester - .375 JDJ -
.44 Magnum - .444 Marlin - .45-70 Govt

Mark-

I'm assuming that you're' a big T/C fan from the "list" of Contender calibers you currently have. Why not just buy either a .308 pistol barrel? Or, one of the rifle length barrels in .308W and add a stock and forearm to your current frame.

Just my @.02 worth.

HV

[Mark85304]

Mark-

I'm assuming that you're' a big T/C fan from the "list" of Contender calibers you currently have. Why not just buy either a .308 pistol barrel? Or, one of the rifle length barrels in .308W and add a stock and forearm to your current frame.

Just my @.02 worth.

HV

I've actually thought about getting the Encore in .308 Win, but I'm not convinced that S&W is going to continue either the Contender or Encore lines, from my conversations with customer service. I have toyed with getting one of the T/C bolt action rifles, but I want to wait to see how they perform and hold up. There has already been one recall on at least one of the lines.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I am voting for the Ruger Gunsite Carbine.

My gun shoots cast well, however I did have to push 500 rounds of 147gr FMJBT's thru it to break the barrel in nicely so that it would shoot cast well.

The gun is a joy to shoot beyond that, and as a hunter you could do alot worse. Plus it has the capibility of using 10 round magazines if you need to go into combat mode.

it is worth looking at. You wouldn't be disappointed if you got one as it is a more versitile gun than most.

Randy

[Blammer]

marlin XS-7 in 308 or 7-08

[wv109323]

I use a Plain Jane Remington 700 ADL with a 2-7X Leupold. Nice light Rifle and I have shot 5 shot 1/2" inch groups with mine at 100 yards. That was with WW748 and a Sierra 168 Match bullet. It also likes 150 J-word. I have not tried cast in it.
I don't know about price but a local gun shop has a 30-06 ADL for $429.00. It has a cheaper scope on it.

[Mark85304]

All the feedback was very helpful. Today I purchased a Savage 11 TH/XP in .308 Win. Nice rifle.

54276

I already have a couple of moulds for it in 150, 165, 175, 200 grn that I will eventually try. Now to start amassing my components and get dies. :-)

A guy could do a lot worse.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have an Encore in 308W which is pretty neat, breaks down small. You are already into T/Cs, this would be a natural extension of that. Mike Belm does a conversion using 444 brass necked down which will also fire 308W.

If you want a bolt, the Howas are one of the most popular rifles here in Australia, for good reason. The Weatherby whatever it is, is the same rifle, they are even cheaper lately. 308 length action and all, nice stocks standard, camo and fancy modernistic stocks also available on the Howa.

[o6Patient]

WHooe, there are so many choices now, mostly all very good ones.
Depends on budget and the way it feels in your hands.

[swamp]

My favorite is my Rem 600. Very handy and it seems to hit what I point it at.
swamp

[Mark85304]

I've posted to the thread that I purchased a Savage M11 THX in .308 Win. The reason I was so interested in a rifle chambered in .308 Win is it is becoming harder and more expensive to find .300 Savage brass or loaded ammunition for my Rem 760 pump in .300 Savage. I am not disappointed in my choice of the Savage M11 THX, it is a fine rifle.

While doing some research on load development I ran across this tidbit of information that floored me:

"The .300 Savage distinguished itself further by serving as the parent to the .308 Winchester (7.62x51mm NATO) cartridge, a round that was developed for the U.S. armed forces in the 1950s and which is still in use today."

Imagine that. Sure enough, the cartridge dimensions are so close it should be easy to form .300 Savage cartridges from .308 Winchester cartridges. I am going to experiment with this a bit. I think it will be as simple as running the .308 Win through the .300 Savage full length sizing die and trimming to the proper length.

.300 Savage

The original intent of its designers was to offer a cartridge that could approach the ballistics of the .30-06 Springfield, while at the same time using a smaller case that could be cycled through a short-action lever rifle. Although it fell somewhat short of its ballistic goals (by about 150 ft/s), its performance outclassed other contemporary .30 caliber lever-action cartridges including the .30-30 Winchester and .30 Remington. It soon became a popular deer and medium-sized game cartridge among North American hunters, and by mid-century nearly every major US firearms maker offered a .300 Savage chambering in at least one of its rifle models.

.308 Winchester

The .308 Winchester has slightly more drop at long range than the .30-06 Springfield, owing to its slightly lower (100 ft/s) muzzle velocity with most bullet weights. Cartridges with significantly higher muzzle velocities, such as the .300 Winchester Magnum can have significantly less drop at long range.

I love doing research. No telling what one will find. :)

[Jack Stanley]

It's a good call for a rifle , in the recent past I've bought two Savage bolt rifles . Both are accurate but , both needed bedding work done to them to make them right . I would rather have paid Savage a little more rather than fix it but that's the way it goes . Not to beat up on Savage alone , the last Remington 700 I bought had to have some marine-tex stuck into the bedding too .

I'm sure once you get running with it you will be real happy with it .

Jack

[HiVelocity]

You can't go wrong with the Savage, good rifle. Now, to find a scope! Lol! Tons of loading information on line and specially, on this forum. Just figure out what you're going to hunt and within what distance. The rest is simply assembling and testing for accuracy.

Unless you've got some sentimental attachment to your 7600, I bet a collector would snap it up in a second if you were to offer it for sale. In any case, enjoy your new rifle.

HV in SC

[Mark85304]

Oh yeah, I have a sentimental attachment to my 760. It was my Grandfather's. He taught me to hunt and took me on many hunting and fishing trips. I ended up with most of his guns after he passed away.

[starmac]

Marks my go to rifle has always been the 300 savage. Sportsmans here generally has brass, and ammo too. For loaded ammo the 308 is usually quite a bit cheaper though.

I have an old M110 left hand bolt savage that is SMOOTH too though.

[GabbyM]

Those Savage M11 are nice rugged rifles. I’d paint over the black stock with desert tan or cammo. Like desert tan with speckles.


Pick just one rifle??

I recently purchases a FN-Win M70 in 30-06. Weighs 7 ¼ lbs with 24“ barrel. So that’s my preference. I far prefer a 30-06 to the 308. For it’s neck length and it’s ability to easily shoot 200 grain boolits at relatively low chamber pressures.

In a 308 I’d get a M70 Featherweight. You get a 22 inch 1:12” twist barrel at 6lbs 12 oz.

Another one I like is the Savage Lightweight Hunter. At under six pounds I’d think it would have stout recoil in a 308 though. Depends if you plan to carry it more than shoot it.

Downside of the savage in 308 is there 1:10 twist barrel. My opinion is the 1:12 is better as it allows a 180 grain boolit to run faster. Although the recoil of a 180 to 200 grain boolit at 1,950 fps from a 1:10" barrel is about enough.

On the economy side. Marlin X7 in 308 has a 1:12 twist barrel as the Remington’s do.

On my M70 I used aluminum bases and rings by Weaver. Toped with a Burris 2 x 7X. Weight staid pretty light and the rifle is easy to handle. PACHMAYR® DECELERATOR® RECOIL PAD is great. Even with 180gr J bullets recoil is not harsh.

[rmatchell]

I like my CZ 550 Varmint. It's a bit heavy but at 300 yards its flawless.