Bolt action low price vs. high price rifles?

deadeyes40 said:
OP,ready to spend $900.is this for the rifle only or rifle and scope/bi-pod/sling/ammo.get the best/highest priced outfit you can afford.but do not spend 700 on the rifle and put a 100-150 dollar scope on it.be better off to spend a little less on the rifle and more on your optics and the mounts.better glass will make all the difference at longer ranges.if it is just for hunting i cannot justify spending $1000 on a rifle when the 400-500 dollar rifle will kill them just as dead at most hunting yardages and if it gets scratched/dinged i will not feel as bad.as for the 6-8 pound weight range on most sporting/hunting rifles.the heavier ones will have reduced recoil but are harder to hold steady and carry for extended periods.for target/bench rest shooting the heavier the better.
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I'm ready to spend another 300-500 for a scope so I'd say the $900 would be rifle + bi-pod and recoilpad. I would like to pick up hunting with it but I'd definitely spend a lot of time at the range. With all that has been said, it seems the more expensive rifles does not add too much to the accuracy so I'm now thinking it might be best to get a cheaper rifle capable of target and hunting in the $500 range for my first rifle just in case I ding it and also get a .22lr for practice so I don't blow a ton on ammo but still being able to hunt and go to the range. That would put me around the same price as if I just got a good $700-900 rifle at $400 scope. I figure I can always upgrade to a nicer rifle when I know what I'm doing.
 
T073 said:
I figure I can always upgrade to a nicer rifle when I know what I'm doing.
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Some advice. Buy once cry once.
When I started I bought cheap package guns because they were cheap. Then when I wanted to upgrade had to go through the hassle of selling those cheap ones for even less and buy something good. Would have been ahead of the game if I just bought something good in the first place. Biggest regret? Buying cheap. At least if you buy quality and dont like it you can sell it and get some money back.
 
A good rifle will sell for around 80% of the price of the same or comparable gun new in 10 years and beyond, if it's kept in good condition, and maintained... The cheaper ones will sell for a much lower percentage... From my observations, between 50-70%.
After WW2, a mauser rifle sold here for between $5-$10. Now, good examples in good condition sell for $500-sometimes $1000 if all numbers match and the gun is immaculate.... The Lee Enfield (which in my mind is a much poorer design of gun) at the same time sold for $7-14. Now, they sell for $150-$400.
I did the cheap gun thing too... I regretted it. I wished that I had saved a few more dollars and bought a better gun, instead of having the money burn a hole in my pocket, and trying to recoup losses later... And I lost in the end... Big time... Inflation adjusted, I lost 50% on each of those 2 guns... Had I bought a better gun, such as a CZ at the time, I"d have only lost 10% inflation adjusted... I kept both those guns for 10 years... They also made me dislike shooting...

As a side note, a friend of mine went shopping for guns with me and picked up a savage rifle, and shouldered it, and then said that it felt like a piece of junk... said he was buying a CZ or a CIL/anshutz.
For the OP, maybe he should look in the EE for a really good rifle and scope combo in .22lr, and get really comfortable shooting, sighting in, get an understanding of bullet drop, get past trigger flinch, etc, and save money for a while while he is learning to shoot, then buy a centerfire rifle.
 
Another rifle besides the Savage that has an excellent trigger and bedding, giving it great accuracy for as great price, is the Ruger American.
Get the Ruger American and you'll be very happy, and it's very inexpensive.
Take some of the money you saved and get a good quality bino for it, Bushnell Elite 4-12X40 AO...
 
I would suggest taking a trip to a well stocked gun shop (preferably one of the sponsors here), and handle as many different brands as possible. You will find one or two that seem to fit better. Put a few of those in a group then choose the one that fits your budget and quality expectations. Don't be deterred by the heavier ones as the extra pound reduces felt recoil and makes them easier to shoot.
 
Dont buy a remington 770, they are junk. The 700 is a good quality rifle for the money and so is the tikka, if you must go cheaper then a remington 700 sps or a tikka, buy a savage.
 
"...low price vs. high price..." Mostly the fit and finish. Triggers will be poor on all of 'em and the barrels not much different.
"...those Stevens..." Stevens rifles are lower end Savages. Savage rifles have always been the best bang for your buck. The cheap low end scopes on the Packages aside.
 
You can't really go wrong with a Remington 700....I'm pretty sure more custom rifles are built with the 700 action than all others combined, and there is a ton of after market goodies just waiting for your enjoyment.
Nothing wrong with the tikka either....either or, both are good choices.
As others have said, the 770 isn't the best choice but I've read that they can be quite accurate if you get a good one, although reliability reviews can go either way.
Savage makes some very reliable and accurate rifles in the model 11, 12, 16, 111, 116 rifles....might be worth your while to have a look at some of them before you buy.
Have fun and remember....its OK to buy more than one rifle!!!!
 
There is a positive correlation between price and accuracy. This BS that a stevens is inherently more accurate than a Sako is just that, BS.
 
mlehtovaara said:
Best gun for the money right now is a Marlin X7 hands down.

Anyone who has owned one will agree with me on this.
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Without any question they are the best for the money available today. Spend an equal amount on a good scope, and go to the range for less than $800.

I have bought them in every caliber except 308 Win, and they all have a great trigger, and shoot better than any of my Remingtons.

Ted
 
The Kurgan said:
I've spoiled myself with a Sako and a custom built Mauser sporter... and now I can never own a lesser rifle. Having said that, I am still impressed with Tikka centerfires and the Savage .22's. With the exception of the 870 police and marine magnum pumps and the 700 series bolt rifles, I wouldn't take a Remington if it was given to me for free or willed to me. Same goes for the new Marlins.
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That's funny, I'm totally the opposite.

I've spoiled myself with a Stevens 200 in .300 win mag that I paid $250 for.

It spits out 180's @ 3165 fps into a consistent 5/8", and I never worry if it's too nice to bring along with me.
 
Only thing I can comment on between the choices you are considering:

1. Avoid the 770 all together
2. Avoid the 770 all together
3. If you want the best chance of getting a shooter out of the box then buy the Tikka
4. If you like to tinker, toy and change things with your rifle to squeeze the last bit of accuracy out of it then the 700 is likely the choice. There is a lot of aftermarket opportunity for the Rem 700.

Best advice, decide on a budget (don't cheap out of the glass), do your own home work, shoulder them all for fit and make your own decision.

This maybe just my experience but I have always found I needed to tinker with the 700's I bought to get accuracy out of them (bedding, trigger work, barrel channel etc.), mabe I have been unlucky with them but after 4 I moved on to other brands. My only Tikka lived up to the billing and I am very happy. I think you find a lot of people stuck on big green for the big green of 20 years ago.
 
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