Need a new rifle -- Recommendations!

Brydawg512 said:
I just want a rifle that is accurate and won't break on me. Ideally, a rifle that is both for hunting and my occasional personal long range shooting endeavours.
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We talked about a reloading press, so you know me. NOTHING wrong with a Rem 700, period. They strong and well made and accurate. Right out of the box about as good as it gets, and if not, easy to fix. Go for the 700 and be happy.
 
Brydawg512 said:
Hello all,

I'm in the market for a new hunting rifle, chambered in 7mm rem mag. I hunt black bear, deer and elk and I would like accuracy capabilities on game out to 500-600 yards and steel out to around 1,000. I plan to use handloads as well.

I had my eyes on the Bergara B14 Hunter, but just recently heard some less than satisfactory things about them and I am now directing my eyes elsewhere. For my budget, I'd like to stay under $700, but if it's really worth it I can move up to $800.

Please let me know your recommendations.

Much appreciated!
Click to expand...

As FIGAM said, one can't go wrong with a REM 700... Usually?

OTOH I've had one good, and another an abomination; inletting so poor that I took a half cubic inch of wood out the stock to make it fit correctly (and I promise you the person did the final assembly knew it was not right and din't care one whit?) That one with a barrel so nasty that even fire lapping would not bring it about. 22-250: fire one shot, take an hour to get the copper out the bore?

That made me swear off 700s unless the price was right (missed a maple stocked 270 win @$550 by about ten seconds at a PHX gun show about a year ago?) If my spouse had not interrupted me before departing for the gun show, I would own that sucker to day?

I've a couple of Sakos, and they are quite literally works of art. Tikkas are said to be made in the same factory, on the same tooling. My Sakos are both extraordinary rifles, this coming from a guy with a couple or three dozen long ones?

THE Sako Varminter 6PPC of mine is a bug hole driller. The 338 Lapua, well, can anybody hold one of those well enough to really make a freakin' group??? Five shots are more than enough FUN? in a day.

Sakos/Tikkas are usually supplied w/hammer forged barrels. The plusses on that kind of barrel are really starting to outweigh the minuses? Esp. w/regard to the surface hardening that happens to the bore during the creation of such.

I've read nothing but praise for the Bergaras.

---> Perhaps I've not read where you have.

I know the Bergara prices have been coming down lots. And, I understand they have been making barrels for other manufacturers for decades+ ?

The REM 700s never fail to be awesome rifles after you have spent $1200 blueprinting the action, pillar bedding the stock, with a new Krieger attached.

I've got two of those R700s?

The first one, a 700 Police (PSS?), was pretty good, in the beaver tail HS Precision (?) stock with an aluminum mounting block built in.

The second R700, a 22-250 in a laminated stock varmint configuration was, again, an abomination. It sings now after Jim Grunning's (Riverside, CA) overhaul w/ a Krieger and upgrade to a 22-250 AI chamber. Grunning told me my ~2.3# self-adjusted orig. Rem trigger was too light. Then he could not make it discharge until one actually pulled the trigger. He left the trigger alone :) Those old suckers have awesome triggers that one can easily tweak.

The big deal is understanding how to make them intentionally misfire to make a judgement of your work.

If I had a limited budget at this time? I'd be looking for a Savage. Their bolt head floats, making minor mechanical deficiencies in the receiver not matter so much. Plus, you can set the headspace pert near w/evah you want it?

...
 
Brydawg512 said:
Hello all,

I'm in the market for a new hunting rifle, chambered in 7mm rem mag. I hunt black bear, deer and elk and I would like accuracy capabilities on game out to 500-600 yards and steel out to around 1,000. I plan to use handloads as well.

I had my eyes on the Bergara B14 Hunter, but just recently heard some less than satisfactory things about them and I am now directing my eyes elsewhere. For my budget, I'd like to stay under $700, but if it's really worth it I can move up to $800.

Please let me know your recommendations.

Much appreciated!
Click to expand...
HI from Australia,
Have several Tikka T3s including one chambered in 7mm rem mag. Great rifle well worth a look.
Remember to spend more on your scope than the rifle - (if you can't see it you can't shoot it)
 
Brydawg512 said:
Hello all,

I'm in the market for a new hunting rifle, chambered in 7mm rem mag. I hunt black bear, deer and elk and I would like accuracy capabilities on game out to 500-600 yards and steel out to around 1,000. I plan to use handloads as well.

I had my eyes on the Bergara B14 Hunter, but just recently heard some less than satisfactory things about them and I am now directing my eyes elsewhere. For my budget, I'd like to stay under $700, but if it's really worth it I can move up to $800.

Please let me know your recommendations.

Much appreciated!
Click to expand...
 
If planning on reloading, get a Blaser R-8 in 7mm Blaser Magnum with 1/8.24" twist and the switch barrel in 25 SAUM with a 1/7.5" twist. These barrels are specific to 195 EOL and 180 Hybrid in Berger and the 25 SAUM in 131 Blackjack. You can shoot all North American game with these two superlative Calibers. Blaser is a straight pull bolt action and comes in 7mm Remington Magnum, too.
 
[QUOTE="Brydawg512, post:

I'm in the market for a new hunting rifle, chambered in 7mm rem mag. I hunt black bear, deer and elk and I would like accuracy capabilities on game out to 500-600 yards and steel out to around 1,000. I plan to use handloads as well.

I had my eyes on the Bergara B14 Hunter, but just recently heard some less than satisfactory things about them and I am now directing my eyes elsewhere. For my budget, I'd like to stay under $700, but if it's really worth it I can move up to $800.

Please let me know your recommendations.

Much appreciated![/QUOTE]

Ok, so i'm pretty much a newbie here... And im sure there will be gasps and quiet whispering going on after my comments.. Thats expected

Dont underestimate the Weatherby Vanguard S2.

35yrs ago I purchased an original Vanguard in '06 when the promise of "quaranteed 1.5" groups at 100yds" came out and it has lived up to its promise with every brand (including old handloads that wouldn't cycle in a buddies Win Model 70), weight, and age of ammo put through it. My Nephew uses it now

2 years ago i got into handloading to cut costs and regain some of that accuracy missing in todays factory loads...I also bought another Vanguard (S2) in 6.5x55 Swede.

Yup.. Its slow, my handloads are just cresting that 2700fps window with not even the slightest hint of pressure on the brass

Penetration? 140gr Sierra in the Swede is penetrating an average of 4" deeper than 165gr Sierra in 06

Is it North American? No... Mostly made by Howa in Japan using Weatherbys specifications.
If someone can tell me how to upload a photo WITHOUT photobucket.. Ill post my 5 shot group at 100... A little larger than a dime with my flyer

Bergara? My 2nd boss swears by them, but he also distributes them, so he maybe a bit biased. I will say I havent seen very many in his warranty shop.. Maybe 2 or 3 tops

My .02c

Update 10/22/20
Photo: 5 shots @100yds
 

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Brydawg512 said:
Well, here's my question... what the heaviest bullet weight I can stabilize with a 9.25 twist? This is in reference to the Remington 700 Long Range. Also, what should I expect to change, other than the trigger? Will the stock form of this rifle allow 500yds for time being? What problems do people have with the 700s?
Click to expand...

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/7-mm-195-berger-vld-1-in-9-twist.191143/

Looks to me like the 180s would be fine, 195s may be pretty marginal.
 
Yes,,, most medium size case cartridges along with the larger work on furry critters at given distances,,, all of have seen the 243 on Elk at 800 plus yards and the 338 Lazzeroni's on Moose at 1300 ++ beyond take downs...

Simply endless opportunities or possibilities of what could or might happen... Ha

I could of stayed with my magnums had I decided to load down since my old shoulder wasn't keen to the pounding,,, returning to the mid size cases worked for me so far... Who knows...

Either time will play out in my favor,,, or I'll hang in there for another 40 years to take up the smallest of big game cartridges. LOL.

Life is good when we encounter the unknowns.
 
Start out with any good hunting rig for the 500-600yd shooting. Save your money for bonafide LR rig for the 1000yd stuff. Enjoy yourself, shoot, hunt, load, plan, dream in between the two! :) I have a young friend who is starting out and he has the Bergara B-14 Hunter ( with the synthetic stock) in 7mm Rem Mag and he is tickled pink. He has not had any issues with his, so far. Any rifle can have issues, each can have its own kinds of "bugs". But for my own observations, make do won't do. You won't he happy lugging a truck axle in the field nor trying to hit at 1000K with a lWT sporter. Weigh out how much time you spend doing either one of those 2 extremes, start with that one first, save for the other extreme. :) And buying used ( in the classifieds) is a grand way to get a lot of rifle for the money! I cruise the classifieds and Gunbroker all the time. Its fun, you get an idea of "whats out there" and you can find good deals. I like the older Remington 700 Classics, for example. I have only paid what I call "high dollar" @$900 or so for like new, hard to find calibers I wanted. Most I have found for @ $500-600 or so. Yes, I do put more $ in them for bedding/trigger, etc. But I would do that anyhow. OTOH, I see on this site many "already tricked out" LR rigs at very reasonable prices, and just about anyone will "negotiate", ha. So, have fun, but be realistic in your own mind of what you "want: vs what you "can". My SIL and I regularly hit breadbox size rocks out to 1000 yds with tricked out M1 Garand, M1A1 w/10x scope, and Mod 700 Medium weight sporter custom I had made for him in 300 RUM (5.5x20 Huskemaw). We only hunt elk with the RUM (so far "furthest-450yds"). The other two would work but are too heavy to tote, ha. And I have way more than $800 in all three!
 
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Ger34 said:
[QUOTE="Brydawg512, post:

I'm in the market for a new hunting rifle, chambered in 7mm rem mag. I hunt black bear, deer and elk and I would like accuracy capabilities on game out to 500-600 yards and steel out to around 1,000. I plan to use handloads as well.

I had my eyes on the Bergara B14 Hunter, but just recently heard some less than satisfactory things about them and I am now directing my eyes elsewhere. For my budget, I'd like to stay under $700, but if it's really worth it I can move up to $800.

Please let me know your recommendations.

Much appreciated!
Click to expand...

Ok, so i'm pretty much a newbie here... And im sure there will be gasps and quiet whispering going on after my comments.. Thats expected

Dont underestimate the Weatherby Vanguard S2.

35yrs ago I purchased an original Vanguard in '06 when the promise of "quaranteed 1.5" groups at 100yds" came out and it has lived up to its promise with every brand (including old handloads that wouldn't cycle in a buddies Win Model 70), weight, and age of ammo put through it. My Nephew uses it now

2 years ago i got into handloading to cut costs and regain some of that accuracy missing in todays factory loads...I also bought another Vanguard (S2) in 6.5x55 Swede.

Yup.. Its slow, my handloads are just cresting that 2700fps window with not even the slightest hint of pressure on the brass

Penetration? 140gr Sierra in the Swede is penetrating an average of 4" deeper than 165gr Sierra in 06

Is it North American? No... Mostly made by Howa in Japan using Weatherbys specifications.
If someone can tell me how to upload a photo WITHOUT photobucket.. Ill post my 5 shot group at 100... A little larger than a dime with my flyer

Bergara? My 2nd boss swears by them, but he also distributes them, so he maybe a bit biased. I will say I havent seen very many in his warranty shop.. Maybe 2 or 3 tops

My .02c[/QUOTE]
Ger34 the Howas have good reputations. I have handled older Remingtons and the current howa, and the quality feels very similar. I handled numerous rifles in my search, and the Howa felt as good as the Fierce Fury, but with a better stock. Howa has a reputation for good barrels also, and a Howa stocked in a Hogue or regular composite stock is.in the 500 or 600 dollar range. Mine was 900 because of the stock and additional features.
 
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