Best Handling Rifle?

After much buying and trying my list for best handling bolt action is:

#1- Sako A7 (soft touch) short action. Grew to despise the "Plastic fantastic"

#2- Winchester M70 featherweight short action. Still have it still love it, a classic.

#3- Ruger M77 Scout. Put many hours in with this platform, my favorite but not the "best" handling.

#4- Remington M700 "classic" long action. Traditional full size rifle that just seemed to fit and balance really well.

#5- Browning X-bolt short action walnut. Solid, comfortable, well thought out design.
 
My Winchester model 70 featherweight shoulders nicer than anything I've ever used.
Definitely nice to carry too. I have the long action too.
I suppose I'm easier to fit some rifles as I'm 6'1 240lbs with long arms like another guy that posted.
Browning is also nice but I do notice a bit extra weight.
 
Thanks Brad,

Do you favor the M77 tang safety or MKII? My Ruger issues are caliber specific(lot of research on this) and many with the same setup add a bit of weight to the buttstock to balance the magnum contour barrel.

Hotycanon has posted many Ruger pics that I drooled over.

A limited budget has caused limited experience. I'm hoping to "try" a few rifles in the next few years(like carry and hunt with)

I am interested in the Kimbers and Sakos

Thanks for all the great input so far.
 
wilbar said:
Thanks Brad,

Do you favor the M77 tang safety or MKII? My Ruger issues are caliber specific(lot of research on this) and many with the same setup add a bit of weight to the buttstock to balance the magnum contour barrel.

Hotycanon has posted many Ruger pics that I drooled over.

A limited budget has caused limited experience. I'm hoping to "try" a few rifles in the next few years(like carry and hunt with)

I am interested in the Kimbers and Sakos

Thanks for all the great input so far.
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I favour the mkII safety, and that is not a product of the tang being bad, but more a product of wanting the safety on all of my rifles to be the same......

I will always be a proponent of a three position, and will always be a proponent of a safety that blocks more than just the rigger itself for what that is worth.....
 
trebor2880 said:
x3.
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Hi,

Graham made a couple points in his post, are you agree that Vanguards handle well or do you think how well a rifle handles is too individual to be helpful to others?



Brad, I do like my 3 pos Ruger safety my Rem is new enough the Safety doesn't lock the bolt which has been an issue in the thick stuff.
 
Having carried and hunted with somewhere between 100 and 200'different rifles and shotguns, I would have to say that unless it is custom fitted or very very high end, the Savage model 99 is probably one of the best handling rifles ever made in standard run of the mill, off the shelf, not too expensive rifle.

Yeah, I know, it doesn't have the CGN approved fan base or "elite status", but that rifle just plain points and shoots for most people like it's an extension of their arm and fingers.


I would give it a solid 9/10
 
Cleftwynd said:
Having carried and hunted with somewhere between 100 and 200'different rifles and shotguns, I would have to say that unless it is custom fitted or very very high end, the Savage model 99 is probably one of the best handling rifles ever made in standard run of the mill, off the shelf, not too expensive rifle.

Yeah, I know, it doesn't have the CGN approved fan base or "elite status", but that rifle just plain points and shoots for most people like it's an extension of their arm and fingers.


I would give it a solid 9/10
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Bolt action only...

I would have put a few others ahead of my bolt action list.
 
For what it's worth, since it's such a personal thing, I can comment on two of your choices, Sako and Kimber. Full disclosure, I only got the Kimber a little while ago, and have not carried it in the bush at all.
The Sako is a M85 Finnlight, and is relatively light. The action is definitely the smoothest of the 2. I really like the detachable magazine, there is no chance it's going to fall out, and it's easy to get in. I like the palm swell of the pistol grip, but I've got fairly large hands. The balance is OK, it's quite muzzle heavy though. The safety is 3 position, but it is a bit small. The dovetail on the receiver sort of limits your options for scope mounting, but the options that are out there are all good.
The Kimber is an Adirondack, and is very light. Due to the fluted bolt, the action is a bit rougher than the sako, but it's still pretty good. No detach mag to worry about, no floor plate either, can't get much simpler. The stock is very good, but the bedding left a bit to be desired. The stock is very slim, and the balance is just about perfect. The pistol grip is just a tiny bit on the small side for my hands. 3 position m70 style safety, works well.
Even though I haven't had a chance to carry it in the bush, the Kimber wins hands down. It's light, short, balances well, and is a pleasure to shoot. It actually feels similar to a win 94, which is not surprising, since they are exactly the same length and similar weight.
 
Absolutely hands down the very best handling bolt action "rifle" of all time is the old pre-war Mannlicher-Schoenauer fullstock carbine (but not the slightly longer M-S rifle and not with a scope). They point themselves and there is no modern rifle (including the early Sakos and the Brno 21s) that compares to it.

(I have extensive shooting and hunting experience with all the guns I have mentioned.)
 
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Rob said:
Hands down the best handling bolt action "rifle" of all time is the old pre-war Mannlicher-Schoenauer fullstock carbine (but not the slightly longer M-S rifle and not with a scope). They point themselves and there is no modern rifle (including the early Sakos and the Brno 21s) that compares to it.
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I agree, but the Ruger M77 International rifles come close. That Dumoulin .358 of yours strikes me as a nice handling rifle?
 
hoytcanon said:
I agree, but the Ruger M77 International rifles come close. That Dumoulin .358 of yours strikes me as a nice handling rifle?
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Agreed as well, too bad it's bolt only, I would add the #1 international to one of the best handling rifles.

Most European styled rifles have a stock built to fit the Hunter, instead of the cabinet with a scope. A good rifle will shoulder properly with enough heel drop, and have a comb of the proper height for either open sights, OR, a scope, you can't have both fit right.
 
^ I don't want to stir the pot with the ruger guys. But the No.1 is downright chunky compared to kipplaufbüchse stutzen's made in Europe.

I am really curious about the stuzen brno single shots; the older ones not the modern ones. I can't seem to find any info on the model; I have seen them called k-1's.
 
. I've got a couple Kimber select grades that I find difficult to set down. Slim, trim , lively and fit in my hands like they were made to be there. The 300WSM is a bit livelier than the 7 rem.
 
My brno 22H in 7x57 is hard to beat as far as slim and fast handling. My Husky 4100 featherweight in 7x57 is also not far behind.
 
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