.308 bolt action rifles

[ZenMaster]

Good evening folks,

I'm in the market for a .308 bolt action rifle. Who makes the good ones? What kind of questions and considerations should I ask myself before buying?

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Intended use? Price range? Accuracy requirements? Do you reload?

 

[Spyco]

What purpose is this rifle? Hunting? Competition? Plinking? A combination? If you can tell us this, we can help narrow down the options because right now, it sounds like the world is your oyster.

 

[Lee11b]

Ruger Gunsite Scout - rugged, reliable, 10 round box mag - accurate

 

[oldpink]

Ruger M77.
If you can find one used in good condition, get the tang safety version.
Otherwise, the current version (Hawkeye) should be very nice as well.

 

[jwh20]

I bought a Mossberg ATR NightTrain a couple of years ago and I really like it. The gun itself is very nice and performs flawlessly. The Barska scope that came with it does the job and I had intended to upgrade it but I really have no complaints about it either.

Mossberg® Patriot? - Night Train? Archives | O.F. Mossberg & Sons

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

What's your total budget ( rifle, optics, mounting gear etc.) and whats the intended purpose? Answer these two questions so that answers aren't all over the world.

As it's poised now it's like asking I'm in the market for a four door car with an engine, who makes a good one.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

The rifle that shot these groups has over 3K rounds through it. 5 rounds in less than 20 sec
the circle is teh trace of a dime set out at 100 yards
you get what you pay for

 

[Ngdonut]

Another question for you that may possibly be answered by the "intended use question", but why a .308? It is a great caliber, I am not questing that. I am really just curious why you chose .308 over the variety of other calibers out there.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

Another question for you that may possibly be answered by the "intended use question", but why a .308? It is a great caliber, I am not questing that. I am really just curious why you chose .308 over the variety of other calibers out there.

because the people who ask these types of questions aren't familiar with the capabilities of or in need of what the other chamberings offer. .308 allows for"match" grade ammo to be purchased at most big box stores at a reasonable price.

 

[seedubs1]

You should definitely go full custom off of a Surgeon action.

 

[indyjohn]

And then reality set in for the OP....

With a modest budget and a capable gunsmith, you can go a long way with a Remington action mated to a 26" barrel.

This comes from the factory capable to shoot as good as or better than you with high quality ammo.

Centerfire Rifles - Tactical - Model 700 XCR Tactical - Long Range - Remington Rifles

Then when you're ready to do what ROLEX likes to do, you can take it to your gunsmith and give him a lot of money to get into the sub-moa game.

 

[bulletsmith]

And then reality set in for the OP....

With a modest budget and a capable gunsmith, you can go a long way with a Remington action mated to a 26" barrel.

This comes from the factory capable to shoot as good as or better than you with high quality ammo.

Centerfire Rifles - Tactical - Model 700 XCR Tactical - Long Range - Remington Rifles

Then when you're ready to do what ROLEX likes to do, you can take it to your gunsmith and give him a lot of money to get into the sub-moa game.

Get out of my head.

 

[indyjohn]

Get out of my head.

I know what you mean... 10 inch groups at a 1,000 yds....

Remington 700 XCR TACT 308 GRN/BLK $1,194.00 SHIPS FREE

 

[Leo]

Before a guy drops too much money on the long range game, he really needs to develop his own skills, esp wind reading. Even if your current hand me down old hunting rifle will only print 3 moa groups, practice, study and learn until YOU can print 3 moa groups. Start close, like 300 yards. Then move to say 600 and practice on windy days. If you can reliably hold 3 or 4 moa, take it out to 1000. If you are printing even 4moa at 1000, it is a safe bet you will do well with a precision rifle. You can spent $8,999 for a top rifle and glass, and if you cannot read and respond to the wind, you will not hit anything. I have shot in conditions where I needed 10 FEET of windage to get on paper at 1000. Pretty tricky when your sight can only compensate less than 6 feet. You have to be able to figure things like that out. Conditions like that are where true riflemanship begins. Long range is one of the few games where you get to the place that you can outshoot your firearms capabilities.

If you buy or have a fine sub moa rilfe built, you will probably wear out that rifle before you develop your skills.

Now if a guy buys a nice rifle just because he wants it, I am all for that too !

 

[indyjohn]

True Leo. Good point sir.

 

[bulletsmith]

Before a guy drops too much money on the long range game, he really needs to develop his own skills, esp wind reading. Even if your current hand me down old hunting rifle will only print 3 moa groups, practice, study and learn until YOU can print 3 moa groups. Start close, like 300 yards. Then move to say 600 and practice on windy days. If you can reliably hold 3 or 4 moa, take it out to 1000. If you are printing even 4moa at 1000, it is a safe bet you will do well with a precision rifle. You can spent $8,999 for a top rifle and glass, and if you cannot read and respond to the wind, you will not hit anything. I have shot in conditions where I needed 10 FEET of windage to get on paper at 1000. Pretty tricky when your sight can only compensate less than 6 feet. You have to be able to figure things like that out. Conditions like that are where true riflemanship begins. Long range is one of the few games where you get to the place that you can outshoot your firearms capabilities.

If you buy or have a fine sub moa rilfe built, you will probably wear out that rifle before you develop your skills.

Now if a guy buys a nice rifle just because he wants it, I am all for that too !

This is where I find myself. Buy a reasonable rifle and build your skills. I may not be shooting my dream rifle while I learn, but at least now I have a better idea of what I want and why I want it.

 

[ROLEXrifleman]

An off the shelf 700 or savage 110 will out perform the average shooter off the shelf. no need to get a smith involved to get a sub MOA bolt gun.

 

[oldpink]

An off the shelf 700 or savage 110 will out perform the average shooter off the shelf. no need to get a smith involved to get a sub MOA bolt gun.

Yep
A decent smith can undoubtedly get the most out of a given rifle, but there are several decent off the shelf bolt guns that can indeed get right at or inside MOA.
My own off the shelf tang safety M77 .30-06 squeezes five rounds from two of my own handloads right at 1" @ 100 yards.
The only thing I did to modify the rifle was when I glass bedded it myself.
This kind of accuracy from any gun would be enough to make a person smile, but it's even cooler because .30-06 is well known as a tougher caliber to accomplish that with than with other calibers, its short action son, .308 Winchester to name but one.

 

[throttletony]

Another question for you that may possibly be answered by the "intended use question", but why a .308? It is a great caliber, I am not questing that. I am really just curious why you chose .308 over the variety of other calibers out there.

because the people who ask these types of questions aren't familiar with the capabilities of or in need of what the other chamberings offer. .308 allows for"match" grade ammo to be purchased at most big box stores at a reasonable price.

I think he might also be saying that the OP could consider something like a .223 also (or even a .22).
If you're keeping the rifle under $600, I'd suggest T/C Venture, many Savage offerings, a Rem 700, Ruger Ranch rifle, etc.
Then the options start multiplying as you approach $1000+