What does my "once in a lifetime" hunting rifle look like? Answer Given

Sauer 202 outback (synthetic, light, iaflon coated for durability, fluted barrel, single set trigger) that is how I would order it. It also allows you to switch calibers in less than a minute. Get some EAW claw mounts and a Zeiss Victory scope with the integral rail. (No need for rings and the rifle/scope will hold zero every time you take it off and put it back on).
 
TJCote said:
As a retirement gift to myself, I plan on ordering a rifle and scope to commemorate the occasion. I've always hunted with good rifles but never had a custom or semi-custom hunting rifle. This may be the last new rifle that I order and possibly the last opportunity at acquiring that special "once in a lifetime" rifle.
There are many experts on this forum. I would appreciate your help, advice and ideas on what would be a fitting purchase.
1) The budget is not really limited...but let's say a maximum of $10,000 for everything...rifle, scope, and mounting hardware. I'm not sure, but I think that most custom and virtually all sem-custom rifles with premium glass would fall well under that limit.
2) This will be a hunting rifle...not a museum show piece. I don't want a hand carved, gold inlayed work of art. I don't like the distraction that I feel when I'm bush whacking with a fine piece of furniture attached to my rifle. As such, the rifle should have a composite stock.
3) The choice of caliber should be suitable for most western prairie/mountain hunting...something that I can shoot out to 500 or 600 meters, if need be. I'm a little recoil sensitive, so most of the magnums are probably not suitable. The principle game is deer, caribou, and sheep.
4) The rifle should be relatively light weight (but not ultralight)...I like to walk and stalk.
5) The rifle needs to be very accurate. This probably goes without saying, but sometimes accuracy is sacrificed to get the weight down on the ultralight rifles. Also recoil becomes more of an issue as weight goes down. So in this case, I feel that accuracy is more important than the rifle being ultralight.
6) The scope needs to be relatively light but I'd like the best possible glass. Calibrated elevation turrets would be an asset.

From your experience what rifle/scope/mount combination would you suggest? I would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks,
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Addressing points #1,2,4 & 5...for such a rifle I would add, as a "compulsory feature" that will help achieve the accuracy you require is it must have an adjustable trigger (can't imagine a top quality rifle not having one but would make sure just the same) and a fully free floating barrel.

#3; The game you list can be handled quite readily by any of the .25, 27, 28, 30 cal "standard, not magnum" offerings chambered these days, however the fly in the ointment for you is the 5-600 yrd range you want to shoot them at. At that range I would stick with the higher powder volume/good bullet selection, cartridges in your recoil preference such as .270 Win, 280 or 30-06. Personally at the ranges you mention I would disregard 25-06, 7-08, 308 Win, not that these cartridges can't hit at longer ranges, more that they start to loose ballistical efficiently at those ranges.

#6; this is where the rubber meets the road for 5-600 yrd shots. Rather than spending your whole wad on the rifle, glass is where I would start pricing. With the ranges you specify Huskemaw or Nightforce would fit the bill, they both offer turret range adjustments calculated to the caliber you choose. The second part ( just as important for long range shooting as the scope) of the glass formula to make use of the expensive rifle & scope would be a very good laser rangefinder that WILL range out to a 1000 yrds ( G7 comes to mind)...not a budget priced one that will only range 1/2 (my Bushnell for example) the advertised distance.

To capsulize: For the ranges you list, I would decide on the glass & rangefinder first and then fit the rifle into what's left of the budget. Everything you want in your rifle package can probably be had for 1/2 the budget you mention.
 
Have you looked at a Mauser


The M03 or the M12 may fit your need. U can buy different barrel and still keep the stock.


M03
http://www.mauser.com/en/products/m03/

M12
http://www.mauser.com/en/products/m12/m12extreme/

Options

There is a recoil reducer in the stock as a options on the M03

http://www.mauser.com/en/products/m03/options/



Here is a link to the calibers available in pdf format

http://www.mauser.com/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/Mauser_M03_Caliber_Overview_07-2013_EN.pdf


Videos

http://www.mauser.com/en/mauser-world/videos/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOd8sbuty5A
 
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Cooper Custom Classic in 308 Norma Magnum.

On top, a Leupold VXL 3.5-10 x 50 B&C. in Talleys.

I'd be happy to hunt this one till I die. [A lot less than 10K as well. :)]

Dave.
 
For a composite stalked stainless hunting rifle, you would be hard pressed to do better than a Sako 75 in a McMillan stock. You could spend more, however I'm not sure you would see any benefit from those dollars. Rifle and stock would be around the 2K mark. Top it with optilock ringmounts, and the glass of your choice and you would still be at less than half of the original amount.
 
fingers284 said:
Addressing points #1,2,4 & 5...for such a rifle I would add, as a "compulsory feature" that will help achieve the accuracy you require is it must have an adjustable trigger (can't imagine a top quality rifle not having one but would make sure just the same) and a fully free floating barrel.

#3; The game you list can be handled quite readily by any of the .25, 27, 28, 30 cal "standard, not magnum" offerings chambered these days, however the fly in the ointment for you is the 5-600 yrd range you want to shoot them at. At that range I would stick with the higher powder volume/good bullet selection, cartridges in your recoil preference such as .270 Win, 280 or 30-06. Personally at the ranges you mention I would disregard 25-06, 7-08, 308 Win, not that these cartridges can't hit at longer ranges, more that they start to loose ballistical efficiently at those ranges.

#6; this is where the rubber meets the road for 5-600 yrd shots. Rather than spending your whole wad on the rifle, glass is where I would start pricing. With the ranges you specify Huskemaw or Nightforce would fit the bill, they both offer turret range adjustments calculated to the caliber you choose. The second part ( just as important for long range shooting as the scope) of the glass formula to make use of the expensive rifle & scope would be a very good laser rangefinder that WILL range out to a 1000 yrds ( G7 comes to mind)...not a budget priced one that will only range 1/2 (my Bushnell for example) the advertised distance.

To capsulize: For the ranges you list, I would decide on the glass & rangefinder first and then fit the rifle into what's left of the budget. Everything you want in your rifle package can probably be had for 1/2 the budget you mention.
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Some good points but you lost me at "Huskemaw", rolls off the tongue like a turd in the punch bowl.
 
I have a Steyr mannlicher luxus in 30-06 with a hair trigger and a zeiss diavara scope. Think it's great but a super fancy Blaser with a zeiss or swaro. As for caliber some type of 300 would do mostly anything. I swear higher end rifles appear to kick less as mine is a joy to shoot....also someone mention a mauser and my Dad has an FN Mauser from the early 60's in 30-06 and it will put three bullets in the same hole it wears a swaro.
 
Mauser M03 is a heavy rifle. Not light stalker rig anyway - 7¾ lbs / 3.5 kg naked. Just saying.

Mauser M12 on the other hand is a very "budget" for the "once in a lifetime achievement".
 
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SuperCub said:
Buy ^this^, scope it with a higher end Leupold and spend the remainder of your budget on the hunting trip of a lifetime.
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Not going to get better advice than this. I own some decent guns, but I'd give any up tomorrow to make memories. You'll always remember the hunts, you may or may not remember the guns, and they likely won't be a huge part of the memory.
 
Fierce Arms video on their site states that it is controlled round feed. It is not. It is very semi-crf.

In fact looks like a copy of Sako 85 up to the point of the bolt shroud lines and magazine. But they don't say that. I wounder why that is.

The website is all hype. I would not buy that.
 
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