Need Help Deciding

[Frankie_2_Times]

I've been looking for a new rifle for a while and have narrowed my my choices down to three. Being that I'm left handed and wanted something in stainless for a trip to Alaska the choices become limited. In what order would you put these choices. Lefties are always short changed.

1) Remington 700 in 300 WIN; SS with a composite stock ($850) on line. Took a while to find one since there aren't many left handed stainless left hand 700s out there.

2) Ruger MKII in 300 WIN; SS with laminate stock ($575).

3) Weatherby Mark V Ultralight in 300 WBY ($1650).

Now price is a factor, but not the decision maker. The price of the Ruger puts it in the running. From the looks of it is seems to fairly well made. The Weatherby is light, which makes it nice for backpack hunts and long stalks, but its pricey. And the Remington 700 has a reputation and ofers lots of options as far as customizing it later, but they are very hard to find. The price of the one I found it high for a stock 700 and the only one in 300 WIN I was able to find.

Looking for some help deciding. Most of my hunting is a resonable ranges for whitetail. I'll be toting it to AK for moose and bear. And then on elk and sheep hunts in the future.

 

[lovdasnow]

take it for what it's worth, but I would go with the 700. I have a ruger m77mkII and it's decent, but would not buy another. My buddy has a weatherby and his is a shooter, but you do pay more for it.

The reason I would go with the 700 is that it is so upgradable. There are tons of aftermarket accesories, and also a lot of great gunsmiths that recommend the 700.

don't think you'll regret the 700.

either way, good luck and have fun in AK!!

 

[Frankie_2_Times]

Lovdasnow,
Why wouldn't you buy another Ruger???

I just double checked with the listing for the Remington 700, and its not a 300 WIN like I was told, but a 338. Great round for AL, but rather limited for everything else I plan to chase. Looks like I might have to take that one off the list. I just can't find a model 700 in 300 WIN and SS. Being a lefty SUCKS!!! If I had more time I would just have a custom rifle built and get it over with. But I'll never make building a rifle before this hunt, so I'm stick buying one off the shelf. Looks like its between the Ruger and the Weatherby unlessI can find a Remington. I would go with the Remington if I could find one, but no luck yet.

 

[gonehuntingagain]

[ QUOTE ]
Lefties are always short changed.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ain't that the truth. I have decided that the only way to get what I really want is to buy the cheapest Rem 700, Win 70, or Savage lefty action that I can find, then send it off to either Kirby, Shawn or Chris and have them build it right, and get a good stock. Sure it will cost a little more than a factory rifle, but having what I want (not what the factory decides I need) is SO worth it and probably would cost as much or less than the Weatherby that you are looking at.


Since time is a factor, have you looked at Savage Rifles - I think they have a better selection of lefty rifles than anyone else.

 

[deerkiller]

How about this lefty?
http://www.savagearms.com/116flss.htm

deerkiller

 

[lovdasnow]

Frankie_2_Times...to answer your question... I just have had a hard time getting the ruger to shoot very good at all. I'm just starting to get a handload to show some promise, but nothing really great yet. But, I have seen them shoot really good though, but that was just my opinion as far as leaning toward the Remington's.

Are you sure you couldn't buy a cheap lefty, and get it worked over? Is your hunt next fall? I think you would have time...Maybe Kirby will chime in here and let you know.

Ruger's are well made, I just got one that won't shoot very well, and smiths don't like to work on rugers as much as the 700's.

you could just get the 338... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif bigger is better right... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[royinidaho]

What's wrong with the savage shown above? (May not have the 'cool' factor but it will do the job.

Also what's wrong w/the 338 Win. It'll span the game you have listed. I wouldn't feel bad about taking coyotes and chucks with it.

 

[RBrowning]

Frankie,
I am right handed but left eye domenant so I shoot rifles and shotguns LH. I was curious as to why you didn't consider either the Savage (great value and great accuracy) or the Browning Stainless Stalker (available in size from 270 to 375)?

Both companies have good products and would seem to cover your needs. Also both companies are showing an increasing selection in LH rifles.

Nothing against the Weatherby selection, I am really pleased with mine, and I loved my Remington too.

 

[lovdasnow]

although I think they are a little on the ugly side, I would say that savages are one of the most accurate factory rifles out there and they happen to be one of the cheapest also.

something worth checking out...

 

[nksmfamjp]

Well, here it is. The Remington will probably be average all around out of the box, but if you send it out, it will be the one most easily gunsmith'd to perfection. A Rem 700 is a known quantity. It has a lock. Which means in my case there is always the chance it is locked in AK and my key is at home.
The Weatherby seems like a good choice, but I think the post buy gunsmithing options are limited. Also, I cannot see myself behind anything with the words "300" and "ultralight". . .ouch! I have heard that atleast with some Weatherby's, the trigger and barrels are very good if not the best of the < $2000 factory guns, but then $1650 is pretty spendy if you look at what it would cost to buy the Rem 700($650), and then put the trigger($150) and barrel($600 with bedding) of your choice on it. BTW. . .all of my estimates are high, but close.
Next is the Ruger. . .Well, it is a given that ALL Rugers have a bad trigger from the factory. Tell me if I'm wrong in your case. Also, their rifles tend to shoot average 1.5 MOA to poor >2.5 MOA. Again, please refut. We tried a lot of loads in my dad's with no luck. I think if I would have had the time and energy, we would have bedded it and we probably could have made it shoot well enough.

Last is the Savage. Savage accutrigger guns have raised the factory rifle concept way up. The trigger is pretty good from the ones I have handled. Many are pillar bedded. They probably need epoxy bedding done also to be perfect. The action design takes out a lot of the need for precision fitting required by all other action designs. Their barrels are the only button rifled factory barrels which seems to make them the best shooters. Do a search, many NIB Savages are shooting .5 MOA groups. I don't think all of these reports can be wrong.

My choice was the Savage 12BVSS in 300WSM. Ordered it last month. I hope it comes soon!

 

[oldfamily]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=45395767 I think that you might be interested in this.

 

[bailey1474]

Of the three you listed, it's a no brainer. Take the 700.

I would also lood very hard @ the Savage if I were you!!!

 

[screech]

Never have owned a ruger but I have a lot of friends that do. One is a 243 with a tasco scope on it and it shoots sub 1moa @100yrds with anything in the 55-70gr pills so far. It would shoot better if you could see what your aiming at but the scope limits that and his money limits the scope. Another on of mine owns alot of rugers and is happy with all of them. Had to twist his arm pretty hard to make him buy the 300rum in the sendero a few years back but he did it and now he's a believer in remingtons to. as for savages the only one I have dealt with was a 22-250 and it shoots as good as the sendero in the same caliber. Not had real good luck with the weatherby. Again only used one in a 338-378 in an accumark and it dosen't shoot very well but I had a load going that had some going for it but then it started to snow and now I have no where to shoot unless I feel like walking through a few feet of snow. My vote would be for the remington.

 

[AKBman]

I have a Ruger M77 MKII that I bought in 1999, the year I moved to Alaska. It is a 300 Win Mag in the ugly boat oar stock topped with a Leupold 2.5X8X32 VariXIII. I have just started working with it on paper at 300 yards, but at 100 it will shoot 5 shots into one big hole with just about any bullet or powder, it especially likes loads that approach top end, but will still shoot 1" or better with starting loads. In the field it is like a laser beam, longest shot was on a cow caribou, 225yards, drilled her between the eye and the ear, right where I was aiming. Killed a grizzly bear at 83 yards, 4 shots all entrance wounds were covered by my palm(exit wounds were a different story). The Ruger is reliable, and I for one would buy another in a minute, the triggers do need work, but aside from that, quality guns. I have a short action Rem 700 in 22-250, it is a great shooting gun, but is much more finicky about bullet weight, case length, powder, and powder charge. I have found 2 loads that shoot really well, one was IMR4064, and Sierra 55gr Soft Point(Part#1365), it managed a 3/8" group at 200 yards, but it has had a good deal of work done to it. If I were buying strictly to punch paper, I would choose the Rem, for hunting use, I'll take my Ruger everytime.

Dave