Buy it for life- bolt action rifle

[tactical lever]

Im a die hard M70 fan, second choice is a 700 from the good years. But to be fair to Tikkas, in the 11 years behind a gun counter i sold A LOT of T3's, back when the syn/blued was $599. In all those years i only ever encountered 2 issues of magazines breaking. 1 was straight from the factory and the other the owner dropped and the way the gun fell the mag smacked the edge of the bench as it fell. Never an issue with cold weather, which was most peoples concern. " its just as cold and colder in finland" was my standard reply. I also witnessed one suffer a severe failure and was very impressed how it handled pressure. A 338 fed was fired in a 30-06. Shroud blew over the shooters should mag blew out the bottom. Shooter wasnt wearing eye protection but no gas in the face. Had to hammer the bolt open case was fused in the chamber.

Overall, compared to pretty much ever other maker i saw very few tikkas ever come back for warrenty service, and the ones that did stoeger took care of promptly.

That plastic shroud blowing out past his shoulder is part of the reason I'd steer clear. Could have taken out an eye. It may have been an overpressure situation, but barring a total failure, most of them aren't spitting parts back at you.

They did go to a steel shroud I gather, but not sure it's a big step ahead.

Little details and corners cut to meet a price point show up to kick you in the pants every now and then.

 

[porpoise]

They are all built to last, I'm pretty sure an axis will last a long time. If you want an older style gun, a t3 is not for you. I have read people who prefer a howa over a tikka because of its older style of construction, but I have had both and found the howa inferior from the bluing to the crappy stock and trigger and everything else. So neither of those would be appropriate for you although both are "built to last". A wood rem 700 can be pretty nice and not cost a bundle, other than that and the model 70 don't they all have plastic now?

 

[iron cat]

If I was going goto buy a new wood stocked bolt action factory rifle in 308 it would likely be either a Featherweight or Super Grade M70.
My overall main choice however would be a Ruger#1 in 308 then upgrade the wood
Cat

 

[porpoise]

But if you buy a blued gun over a stainless plastic gun, you are not buying the one "built to last"

 

[Weatherby Fan]

I’m wanting to buy my first wood stock bolt action hunting rifle (likely in 308 calibre). Wanting to get something built to last the test of time.


Are the newer guns that are in my price range of used below $1,200 worth getting ; browning hunter/browning x) or should I stick to a classic that is older- that was probably built to a better quality, as old is gold.

Pick up a used late model Winchester 70 featherweight controlled round feed 6lbs 8oz or a Tikka Hunter, Tikka will be a little lighter weight wise 6lbs 2oz
Or save up and buy a new one.

 

[DGY]

But if you buy a blued gun over a stainless plastic gun, you are not buying the one "built to last"

What?? All my rifles are blued and wood and most of them are older than me(53) and all of them are users and all of them have been used in pretty harsh conditions, from + 30c to -45c and they are all in good conditions!!

 

[uberti77]

Zastava lkm 70. Nice rifle for the price.
All steel , nice wood. Crf action. Good accuracy. Under 1000$ for sure.

 

[Cole]

I’m wanting to buy my first wood stock bolt action hunting rifle (likely in 308 calibre). Wanting to get something built to last the test of time.


Are the newer guns that are in my price range of used below $1,200 worth getting ; browning hunter/browning x) or should I stick to a classic that is older- that was probably built to a better quality, as old is gold.

I picked up a Carl Gustaf model 1900 Deluxe a few years ago , chambered in .30-06 and it is by far the best quality older rifle I've ever owned. They can be had for under $1000 , they are rock solid and they shoot lights out. And, they are probably the smoothest action out there, mine makes my Tikka Roughteck feel gritty by comparison.

 

[porpoise]

What?? All my rifles are blued and wood and most of them are older than me(53) and all of them are users and all of them have been used in pretty harsh conditions, from + 30c to -45c and they are all in good conditions!!

If they were stainless and plastic they would last longer, they would not coŕode and the bore would erode slower, it is true that if you don't take care of a blued rifle and store it improperly it can be damaged easily where a stainless plastic would not. It seems the o.p. believes an older style rifle will last longer because he likes it better but this is not true

 

[sillymike]

For that budget, should I be looking for a hunting rifle with hand-me-down potential... I'd certainly be tempted to go weird and get a combination gun.

- Good enough for big game, take the scope off and it's probably a tad over 6lbs. Light enough to carry to chase grouse.

- Heym in 16GA - 7x57R

 

[iron cat]

But if you buy a blued gun over a stainless plastic gun, you are not buying the one "built to last"

My blued guns last, but I take care of them.
Even if the bluing does get worn it is not an issue to re-blue it.
You will NEVER see a stainless and plastic hunting rifle in my rack, ever.
I draw the line at stainless barrels, and even they are not infallible, I have seen many that need re- ceracoting or re- blasting

Cat

 

[hoytcanon]

Buy used, keep to the 7's... 70, 77, 700... or any number of solid European makers. Good Walnut and steel... take care of it and it will take care of you and yours.

 

[DGY]

If they were stainless and plastic they would last longer, they would not coŕode and the bore would erode slower, it is true that if you don't take care of a blued rifle and store it improperly it can be damaged easily where a stainless plastic would not. It seems the o.p. believes an older style rifle will last longer because he likes it better but this is not true

Well not all stainless is equal, the stainless in stainless rifle is not 100% foul proof, it can and will rust if you don’t care for your rifles and that is a fact!! As for barrel life it is true that a ss barrel will last longer… but how much longer and what difference it will make at regular hunting range. I have rifles that have less than perfect barrels, dark, some pits and still shoot between .75-1.5” at 100m, can still hit the 300 clanggers with out problems… so really I don’t see the real life advantages of going full ugly plastic and ss but you believe what you believe and I do the same every one is happy!

 

[Wizebuck]

I picked up a Carl Gustaf model 1900 Deluxe a few years ago , chambered in .30-06 and it is by far the best quality older rifle I've ever owned. They can be had for under $1000 , they are rock solid and they shoot lights out. And, they are probably the smoothest action out there, mine makes my Tikka Roughteck feel gritty by comparison. View attachment 862952

This is the bomb!! Many many rifles out there like this that are the most gorgeous and a thrill to handle.

 

[porpoise]

I have 2 original 1873's that shoot pretty good and several other obsolete lever guns. If they were stainless/plastic they would be in better shape today curse those oldtimers

 

[45C]

I’m wanting to buy my first wood stock bolt action hunting rifle (likely in 308 calibre). Wanting to get something built to last the test of time.


Are the newer guns that are in my price range of used below $1,200 worth getting ; browning hunter/browning x) or should I stick to a classic that is older- that was probably built to a better quality, as old is gold.

It’s a wood stock bolt action right? Say 20 rounds a year ? It’s useless as anything else.
I got a wood stock Winchester xpr sporter barrel chambered in 6.5 PRC for about $800.
I’m sure that’ll last a lifetime lol
And if I bang it up ,no big deal.

 

[mikeyb]

I would look at an older Remington 700, Winchester Model 70, Sako (any), FN Browning, Weatherby (German-made), or pre-T3X Tikka if you want something that will outlive you easily. There are others for sure, but these are standouts - I'm watching like a dozen guns on the EE and they all fall into this category.

I mean, I love new guns and new gun innovations. A Seekins Havak or Fierce Mountain Reaper is about the coolest thing you could rock nowadays. But I also love old guns. My dad's Model 70 isn't even very old, but I love it, my last bear was felled by it in all its cranky, push-feed glory.

There's just something about old guns that resonate through the years. You can tune them, lots of parts out there, you can glass bed them and give up almost nothing to a modern rifle accuracy-wise, and they will have a "familiar" feel to them, like a broken-in baseball glove.

You can drop the fanciest scope you can find on them and they'll be right at home, same as they would be with a period-correct 3-9x or fixed 6x. With modern loading techniques and components you can take even a ho-hum old gun accuracy-wise and go punch tiny groups.

I'd say if you want to buy for life, there's lots of old guns with a lot of life left in them. I have a pile of modern Tikkas, Remingtons, Weatherbys, Brownings, and Winchesters and they scratch those itches but that banged up Model 70 in .30-06 will always be my ride-or-die gun.

 

[fat tony]

thanks all.
Are the newer guns built to last though?

The Remington 700's come with light alloy bottom metal. Are the USMC Remington M40A5's built like that? Hah! New Remington 700's are not old Remington 700's.

The Howa offerings look pretty nice to me anyways, but they do not come with open sights.

There is a vintage rifle out there called a Harrington & Richardson Ultra. They were imported by (legacy) H&R in the 1960's. FN was the msnufacturer, but there were two other manufacturers. They were offered in various calibers. The only thing is they may be harder to find in Canada.

 

[Joel]

The Remington 700's come with light alloy bottom metal. Are the USMC Remington M40A5's built like that? Hah! New Remington 700's are not old Remington 700's.

The Howa offerings look pretty nice to me anyways, but they do not come with open sights.

There is a vintage rifle out there called a Harrington & Richardson Ultra. They were imported by (legacy) H&R in the 1960's. FN was the msnufacturer, but there were two other manufacturers. They were offered in various calibers. The only thing is they may be harder to find in Canada.

Does the alloy bottom metal actually cause problems? Of everything that can d*ck up a 700 that sounds like the last one to worry about lol

Marine Corps sniper rifles also come in $1000 McMillan stocks that a hunter does not need for a rifle that will last his lifetime

 

[pathfinder76]

If you are buying a rifle for a “lifetime” why are we worried about $1000?