Best .308 bolt gun for $1500

This is dead on advice on the .308 vs 6.5cm debate. Covered all the bases. Rarely does much longer barrel life and heavier bullets within effective range get mentioned between the two. It's always flatter shooting beyond 5-600, but there's more to factor.

As for a rifle if you want to just shoot it go with a Howa/Vanguard and put the extra into the best scope you can afford.

If you want to build it into exactly what you want it to be go with a good used Remington 700.

Potato boy said:
The 308 with a 200 grain bullet is a lot more powerful as a hunting cartridge,for large games such as moose and elk and out to 400 yards the difference in trajectory is so slight, it's not worth talking about. I have shot and moose with a 6.5 and while many of them are killed in Sweden, it's not my first choice, people forget our moose are a lot bigger than the European moose,also with 200 grain bullets a 2500 to 2550 ft./s and a high BC,there's not as much of a difference between the 6.5 and 308 out to 1000 as many people would believe, in reality there's not that many of us that shoot beyond a thousand.The other thing that the 308 does better than a 6.5 is availability of ammo and components, the price of amo is also a consideration . The 6.5 crowd also fails to mention is that you'll get about three times the barrel life out of the 308 compared to a 6.5 those are all important points the 308 is not near as dead as some would have you believe
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Consider a Tikka T3 varmint.

Most likely a 1/2 moa rifle out of the box.

The Varmint/Tactical barrels are reported hand lapped from the factory and are on par with any good ones from the after market.

A YoDave trigger spring ~$30 to your door gives you a match grade trigger.

Talley rail ~$90

Burris Signature Zee Rings ~$100

If you want to go < 1/2moa (5 shots) then do a Nathan Foster style bedding job , should put you into the 0.3's.

This has been my experience with the T3
 
Anyone tried a Lithgow 102? The synthetic version should be right around $1500. Cold hammer forged barrel, triple lug lock up, medium heavy contour, cerakoted out of the box, integrated picatinny rail, adjustable trigger. The reviews look good on the .308 version.
 
Ryan_mcle said:
What is your reasoning to go with a 308? The 6.5 creedmoor is a much nicer shooting cartridge for that distance and use.
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Is 6.5 Creedmore available everywhere? I mean, does a gun shop in the middle of nowhere carry it?

When it comes to "new shooters" it's a much simpler to stick to the basics. .308, 30-06, 300WM, .270, and 7MM. You won't feel button-holed. I was a new shooter and started with 8mm Mauser. Ask me how that went.
 
Another vote for Howa's HCR (Howa Chassis Rifle), or the conventionally-stocked heavy-barrel model 1500 action (Rem 700 Short-Action footprint) of your choice. I hunt with a .308 cal Model 1500 in a basic nylon stock and it shoots MOA at 100m and consistently rings the vitals-sized gong out to 400 yards (my personal hunting limit). It is the best hunting rifle that I have ever owned, hands down. The factory FDE Cera--kote finish and Multicam synthetic stock are low-profile and weather-proof. I added the Pacific Tool and Gauge bottom metal for the AICS pattern detachable magazines - a very cost-effective enhancement to the basic Howa Model 1500.

Howa summed up = excellent value and performance!


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Myself had this 308 vs 6.5CM debate late last year.
Went with 308 as the number of outings past 550M are very limited (still load in function of 1000M to be ready in case an opportunity arises), extended barrel life (although i wouldn't say double barrel life) and some local events to me do not allow 6.5CM (Barneys precision rifle events at Petawawa).

For 1500$, if i would do it again i'd go the same route.
Savage 10, strip it off and sell parts, buy match barrel, buy nice stock.
I do have to admit the Howa rifle does peak my interest.
Except in the 1500$ budget you don't end up with a custom grade barrel vs savage.

If money wasn't a limiting factor sure i'd go with an Insite arms build , ATRS build or something of the like.
Since money was a factor here, and for the above mentioned reasons, i found that savage with a custom 308 barrel serves me damn well.
 
I'd choose the CTR. Pretty much GTG out of the box the way it is and even comes with a 5/8x24 threaded muzzle so finding muzzle brakes is easy. Then if you decide later on to swap the stock, there are lots of options.
 
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