Best factory Rifle???

[Buzzsaw]

Budget is $1,000 (rifle only), what is the best factory rifle available? Long rang capable (600yds), Weigh in around 7.5#, short action caliber re 7mm-08. Mild recoil, my daughter will shoot it. Whitetail deer primary game. I'm in Texas so I can stretch the shots out. ACCURACY is paramount. Anybody tried my top choices: Sako A-7, TC Icon, Browning X-Bolt, I love Remington but their accuracy has fallen off except on their premium tactical rifles.

I'm spoiled as I shoot the LSR rifle below in 7WSM. It is great once I get to my blind but is a little heavy. The tan rifle is my daughters .243. It's a 700ADL bedded in an H&S stock with a trigger job. The thing shoots 1.5-2.0 inches at 100yds, definately not accurate. I could rebarrell but... and I can't afford another full blown custom. Thanks for your suggestions.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o257/buzzsawbucket/DSCN0036.jpg[/IMG]

 

[britz]

my vote is for the Sako

 

[woods]

Hey buzzsaw

She must have gotten her looks from her mother!

You need to also look at Steyr. Never shot one that wasn't a tack driver.

 

[Jim Oliver]

Not what you asked, but if that .243 isn't shoothing any better than what you say, there is a lot being left on the table!!

Cheers,
Jim

 

[biff's reloading]

accurate factory rifle? savage...

 

[jcoop]

Savage and for $1000 total you could put a nice stock on it and it will hang with some customs.
If accuracy is what matters.

 

[britz]

I know that you guys have had excelent luck w/ the savages, but ever since I got my 22-250 I cringe at the sight of savages! Not gunna buy another one.

 

[WildcatB]

I have 3 Tikkas, made by Sako, and all shoot .5 to .25 with factory ammo. My nephew has one that'll shoot .25 - triggers are great and the actions are buttery smooth. That's my vote for the best factory gun. Sako's are supposed to be a even better but I've never shot one.


Paul

 

[ebd10]

Have you thought about a CZ? Solid rifles and accurate out of the box.

 

[rtv900]

I am a huge Remington fan. That aside I have been buying several Tikka T3's lately. I love them. They are accurate, light and smooth. What a wonderful gun.

 

[Norsky]

My vote is for the Tikka T3 - I own 4 Tikka's .243, .270WSM, 30-06, 300WSM - all are great shooters and with some load development are in the .5 MOA range if not better. I also have a Weatherby Vangaurd that I just picked up for under $350.00 new in .270WSM that is a shooting aprox. .25 MOA with very little load development at this time. The Tikka's barrels heat up a little faster and require a little more cooling time on the range (my opinion) but are all excellent gun's for under $600.00. Norsky

 

[hvy barrel]

Buzzsaw,
With the budget you have, I would pickup a good used Remington & see how it shoots. If it did not meet my expectations you should be able to have a good smith blue print the action & adjust trigger on it & come in below budget.
I have two Rem. 700's in 7mm08, one is a VLS & the other a mountain rifle. They are both shooters, with the right hand loads the mountain rifle is capable of sub .5" 3 shot groups at 100 yards. The only mod was a trigger job on the VLS. I have not done anything to the MTN rifle.

The 243 that your daughter is shooting now should shoot alot better than it does. I believe that there may be more accuracy left in that rifle.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Tikka or Sako.

Steve

 

[trebark]

Buzzsaw:
What will you do with the .243? Just put it away and not shoot it? Rather than roll the dice on a new rifle for $1k, how about spending $650 and rebarrel the .243 in 7-08. That way you get the caliber you want, without another rifle and the odds of it being a shooter are much better with a custom barrel and action job than you would with a new rifle.

Hart does a great work. Hart Rifle Barrels

They handled the work on my deer rifle: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/my-280-a-32771/