Buy it for life- bolt action rifle
- Thread starter CowboyMaxy
- Start date
- Location
- Alberta, North America
Not expensive percentage, there's a ton of them out there, not hard to find a 308 in wood - do it.
If its a "for life" deal I'd be prepared to be spending some downtime waiting for Bergara to ship replacement extractors etc, or just replace them with billet versions upfront.
Feeling "best out of the box gun" is a stretch but lots of people are happy with em
OP asked for a wood blued "for life" gun. Not an 800 dollar howa (which are nice guns and a great buy). He also said 1200 bucks.
I understand everyone has different means. In the scheme of an entire lifetime, waiting a year or a few months and adding some to that budget and buying a 2000 dollar used gun will get him something really special. Even the forest model tikka. I find the wood and stain on the t3 hunters to be pretty mid, as the kids say.
I understand everyone has different means. In the scheme of an entire lifetime, waiting a year or a few months and adding some to that budget and buying a 2000 dollar used gun will get him something really special. Even the forest model tikka. I find the wood and stain on the t3 hunters to be pretty mid, as the kids say.
fat tony
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I looked at a Howa recently, it had a green polymer stock and a decent scope, sling, no sights. It was a solid gun, but the lack of any open sights - an annoyance. I think they make darn high quality rifles in Japan at Howa. A bit on the heavy side but it is how they build them.
If I had one I'd get open sights for it.
If I had one I'd get open sights for it.
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Tikka T3x stainless. Will be able to pass that rifle on to the next generation! Now it's not a wood stock, but it is sturdy and weatherproof. If you want a wood stock, Tikka does offer the Hunter version with a wood stock. I'd recommend getting a Hunter bedded though, IMO, or any wood stock for that matter.
I'm kinda laughing at the concern with re-sale value. If you intend to keep it for life...why worry about re-sale? Are you concerned about your heirs? If they are gun people, a rifle they inherit from you will be priceless regardless of its monetary value. If they aren't, they will likely sell it immediately, and in any case you won't be around to worry about it. I for one won't be keeping and using a rifle for years or decades based upon what my kids can sell it for after I'm gone. But my old Ithaca 37, originally purchased new by my father long before I was around, is not for sale during my lifetime, at any price.
Custom rifles virtually always have terrible resale compared to their cost to build. You don't have a custom rifle built to resell at a profit. But again...if you want to keep it "for life", who cares? You only get to keep it for your life, not it's life.
Keep in mind also: just because you buy it for life, doesn't mean you will be in love with it for life. I've had lots of "favourite" rifles that gradually fell out of favour and went down the road. You might go through several "lifetime" rifles before you find The One. Nothing wrong with that; guys do it with wives all the time...
Custom rifles virtually always have terrible resale compared to their cost to build. You don't have a custom rifle built to resell at a profit. But again...if you want to keep it "for life", who cares? You only get to keep it for your life, not it's life.
Keep in mind also: just because you buy it for life, doesn't mean you will be in love with it for life. I've had lots of "favourite" rifles that gradually fell out of favour and went down the road. You might go through several "lifetime" rifles before you find The One. Nothing wrong with that; guys do it with wives all the time...
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tactical lever
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Fox Creek, Alberta
To me, it seemed possibly as though he asked with the misapprehension that an inexpensive gun wouldn't. So I attempted to scale the response in each direction. Still nice used guns that can be had for under $400, and likely even the new guns built as cheaply as humanly possible will last "for life". Heirloom quality is a little different.
tactical lever
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Fox Creek, Alberta
Pretty sure the Vanguards made currently are still made by Howa.
The Vanguards that are vintage however are a completely different rifle, and "real" Weatherby with pretty wood.
did anyone suggest the ruger Hawkeye hunter 308? nice little 20" threaded/capped stainless walnut with red recoil pad, all 77 bugs worked out, excellent barrels/chambers very accurate, all stainless or wood, crf, good trigger, they out 70 the model 70 now, they retail a little higher than budget at around $1500 I believe but it's in my 308 top 3 list
If you don't mind pushfeed, husky 1900, cg1900 etc. I have a classic 2000/fairfox (greek ebo) in 6.5 swede and the quality is excellent. 3 lug slick as snot bolt, 60* lift, super deep blueing and a nice walnut checkered stock. Accurate as all heck with 140s. (Not like 6.5x55 is hard round to load for)
I bought it from intersurplus and the description said good ++ condition. It looks brand new. They have one in '06 in stock and it keeps tempting me to grab it.
I bought it from intersurplus and the description said good ++ condition. It looks brand new. They have one in '06 in stock and it keeps tempting me to grab it.
I said m77 stainless with a synthetic paddle stock. They are the best new gun in that price range right now for sure
BRNO 601.
High quality, true Mauser CRF action, good iron sights, everything forged steel even the hinged floorplate is machined steel.
You can probably get a VG for $750.
It will be miles ahead in quality compared to any modern new rifle, especially less than $1000.
High quality, true Mauser CRF action, good iron sights, everything forged steel even the hinged floorplate is machined steel.
You can probably get a VG for $750.
It will be miles ahead in quality compared to any modern new rifle, especially less than $1000.
