If you want quality in a bolt rifle look at flagship models....winchester M70 featherweight, Remington 700BDL. Are great examples. I see nothing appealing in plastic guns that cost the same. A Tikka T3 is far over priced for what you get. But a Howa 1500/Weatherby VG2 is a far better buy and what a budget rifle should come in at
Which Current rifle manufacturer has best manufacturing & quality control
- Thread starter rustybarrel
- Start date
Great insight!
- Location
- Steel Town
Find a nice Howa or VG2, toss on a B&C stock with a full aluminum bedding block and you have a great rifle for a reasonable price: deep bluing and quality finishing in a rubust, well-designed action from a company that made the famous Arisaka (which I do believe was stronger than Mauser 98 and Lee Enfield) 
It truly takes a backseat to no modern production bolt-action rifle under $2000.
It truly takes a backseat to no modern production bolt-action rifle under $2000.
BeaverMeat
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nanaimo, B.C.
It’s much easier to ask “which rifle has the worst QC”
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I would put my money on the top lines of the main German manufacturers - Heym, Blaser, Sauer and Mauser. Consistent high quality from a standard production rifle. Comparable quality from an American maker costs more and is only available as a custom order.
I think there are big differences between German companies. Mauser/Sauer with their "throw away" rifle versions built like bic lighters or solid true quality rifles like Heym. The whole Blaser group seems to be inspired by the German car industry, products guaranteed to fail after a certain time... great marketing though.
I had a factory tour at Heym last year, great set-up and nice to see each rifle being accuracy tested in their indoor range.
edi
I had a factory tour at Heym last year, great set-up and nice to see each rifle being accuracy tested in their indoor range.
edi
Friends were outfitting/guiding a factory sponsored waterfowl hunt up here awhile back; with execs, engineers and those considered worthy of a work paid hunting trip. My friend, is a gun enthusiast at a level that makes the rest of us seem sane, so it was just a matter of time before he cornered a honcho with a question on rating the commonly available in the North American market rifles.
Without batting an eye he came up with, and I quote:
"Sako, Cooper and Weatherby are 90% of what they could be, Kimber is 80% and everything else is junk".
Things have changed a little since then, Kimber has upped their game and Winchester isn't wandering in the wilderness/Limbo near as badly as then. That's just me interjecting though; his observations were of a learned and jaded eye who knew exactly what was possible versus what made it to the shelf. FWIW he worked for the junk.
Without batting an eye he came up with, and I quote:
"Sako, Cooper and Weatherby are 90% of what they could be, Kimber is 80% and everything else is junk".
Things have changed a little since then, Kimber has upped their game and Winchester isn't wandering in the wilderness/Limbo near as badly as then. That's just me interjecting though; his observations were of a learned and jaded eye who knew exactly what was possible versus what made it to the shelf. FWIW he worked for the junk.
i sure like the looks of a bergara...
Doc Rainbow
CGN Regular
- Location
- Beautiful B.C.
In my experience recent Browning Cynergy and my Japanese-made Winchester Miroku leverguns in 1892 and 1873. Solid . Always perform as expected.
Weatherby Fan
CGN Regular
- Location
- Maple Ridge,BC,Canada
I owned a Bergara B14 6.5 CM, it was a dandy rifle, very well made and shot 3/4"moa with any factory ammo I threw in it, I think for the money its a great rifle.
I certainly know it's not Weatherby after the trouble I had with a Mark V Outfitter Range Certified 6.5-300.....shot Minute of Moose right out of the box, even came with a electronic test target saying it shot .73" ??? boy oh boy ! Nonsense I say !
I certainly know it's not Weatherby after the trouble I had with a Mark V Outfitter Range Certified 6.5-300.....shot Minute of Moose right out of the box, even came with a electronic test target saying it shot .73" ??? boy oh boy ! Nonsense I say !
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Buttery smooth action.
Tapered bolt lugs and breech face.
Sako style extractor.
Remington 700 footprint fits Remington 700 triggers, bases and stocks.
Bergara barrel.
Sub MOA guarantee.
Some of the best customer service in the industry.
Firstfishman
Regular
- Location
- Edmonton, Alberta
Over double the price....
Is it a line from market material? How is their customer service any different at all? O'Dell Engineering is the distributor, is it not? So if anything you go to a dealer, dealer goes to O'Dell and then something magical best in industry happens? I kinda doubt that. I also doubt that you would be able to ever claim a Sub MOA guarantee from ANY manufacturer.
Not that I have anything against Bergara, but marketing and hype is bit too much for all brands these days.
