My buddy wants a .308 bolt for an all around gun. By all around I mean hunting, precision shooting, one he can walk around with and not feel like he’s dragging around a log on his shoulder. I think he will be willing to spend around 1Kish on the rifle (with no glass).
I was going to recommend he get the Rem 700, maybe a fluted barrel as he does want it light weight but with the new revelations with the Rem 700 problems I don’t know how best to help him.
What would your suggestions be? (let me know if I didn’t include enough info for your to give me informed advice.)
If you want to use a heavy barreled rifle as a walk-around hunting rifle, you need to make some compromises, as you noted. A 20" fluted barrel will cut some weight. I have a 26" Remington tactical rifle and a 20" FN patrol rifle with tapered weight fluted barrel, both in .308. I switched out the Hogue rubbery stock for a Winchester laminate sporter stock on the FN.
The FN is much more portable, and not any less accurate at 3-400 yards. No comparison. It is still heavy, but is at least portable. You don’t want to go hunting with a 26 inch heavy barreled rifle unless you are going to camp out in one spot.
The FN patrol rifle was available from CDNN, as were the Winchester stocks. But several other makers put out a similar “patrol rifle”, including Remington. It is becoming my favorite rifle. I have tried both a 10x and a 6x scope. I like the 6x scope better for general shooting.
I would not worry about the current Remington trigger. But read up on it before you adjust it. Don’t start messing with it until you have a plan. Personally, I like the FN/Winchester trigger a little better.
I am going through the same considerations and research for a bolt gun. My specs are a 20" 308 and a DBM is desirable as is 1:10 twist, but I could make do with a HFP and 1:12 if I had to. I will most likely swap the stock on whatever I buy anyway so that is not a consideration but total money is. Here is what I am considering as box stock rifles:
The most bang (no pun intended) for the buck appears to me to be the Savage 10PC DBM 1:11.25 5R threaded, followed closely by the regular Savage 10PC DBM 1:10, then the Remington 700 SPS AAC-SD HFP 1:10 threaded.
I am thinking about another bolt gun, actually a dozen or more. 204 Ruger, 223, 243, 260, 308, 338 Federal, 358 Winchester, 22-250, 25-06, 30-06, 35 Whelen, the WSMs, maybe a 264 Winchester magnum, on and on. I have always wanted to play with a bunch of different calibers but I haven’t the room in my safe for a dozen more rifles nor do I want to spend that kind of cash. I’m going to buy three Savage rifles, a short action and a long action with sporter stocks and a short action with a tactical stock. Then I will buy a $350 barrel when I want something different. I have been researching and paying attention to what the guys are shooting at the range and the Savages are very credible rifles even for very precise shooting.
I handled an FN recently and the detachable magazine was a real pain in the ass to load.:sad:
That is a nice looking rifle. Very well set up, and sounds like it does not give up much in ‘practical accuracy’ despite the lighter construction options.
I’m curious about another practical difference (compared with heavy barreled rifles). I wonder how many shots you can fire in a fairly rapid string before the thinner barrel heats up and begins to experience a wandering POI.
the bottom one, it is just about perfect. savage PC with 14.5 barrel and brake. Cold bore shots are spot on which is great for hunting, 175SMK will shoot .500 or better at 100yds, rifle is balanced great, and shoot barnes 168, and 130 TTSX(which are just devasting on white tails) bullets sub MOA. daughter will be hunting with it from tree in two days.
NULAs are wonderful, but my LTR shoots Federal PowerShok 150 SPs ($13.97 per box at Wally) into .5 MOA.
Got a 3.5-10X40 LRT on mine now, but if I were your buddy for what he intends a 6x42mm Leupold with LR dots and an M1 elevation dial would take care of most situations and save several ounces.
Ive got a 700 w/ xmark trigger and have had zero safety issues with mine the 5r is a nice option to have but may be overkill for what he is trying to do. make sure he researches stock options also
If he gets one that doesnt work and the shooters know its below par
he will have a tough time dumping it .
just my 2cents.
LTR is a good choice, I love mine
.5 at 300 yards and can do consistent hits at 750 on steel plates
will be switching to more of a tactical scope to get to 1k
it’s a fantastic rifle
it’s a bit heavy for an all day stalking rifle though…
but it’s a very good all around gun
a Tikka T3 stainless lite is another good choice if you want something lighter, mine was a tack driver as are the others I have shot
I am going to say it again the savage PC in .308 is great savage doesnt seem to get enough credit, it carries well and shoots great comes with accustock, and accutrigger, and removable magazine. hard to beat for the price, my daughters has been beat through the woods shot deer, and usually wins the varmint class in bench rest around here(they let 6ppc, and 36 power optics in this class, they laugh at it until the targets come back). 200 yard group with barnes 130ttsx handloads went into a .414 5 shot group the other day, not bad for a bonestock rifle except barrel chop to make it 16 inch with the brake. It seems to shoot better then any SPS, or LTR I have seen they may not have had the load development ours does, rifle has over 600rds through it. The .223 version we bought is not nearly as accurate. All rifles listed would do great, some will just carry better then others in the woods.
I never shot a string longer than 6 shots at about a shot every minute. At that cadence it stays on target. I guess if I heated it up some it should walk but I never wanted to get that thin barrel to hot and have to deal with excessive copper fouling in the barrel throat.
