Need .308 recommendations

[SouthTXBowhunter]

OK guys, I'm looking for some recommendations on a .308 - which ones to look at for my fiance for Christmas. She's a heck of a shooter (4.25" groups at 650 yards with her Sendaro 300 WSM!) but she's wanting a compact .308 for riding around the ranch in the truck. We have a major coyote problem and it's just too hard to get that 300 out quickly enough, when one runs out in front of you. I'd like to find her a good starter/project gun that can be customized over time to be a pretty good long[i]er[/i] range rifle; but right now what she needs is something thats as reasonably light and short as possible but will still have enough accuracy to handle a coyote out to about 300 yards.

The other requirement that's essential is that the rifle be tough! Bouncing around as a ranch rifle in DUSTY South Texas is tough on both gun and optics. It's impossible to use a case because you only have seconds to deploy the rifle when a coyote runs out of the brush and stops! So, she needs something that 'can take a licking and keep on ticking!'

I'm leaning towards getting her a Remington 700 but I'm interested in Sako too. I hear a lot of people talking about Sako, but I don't know anything about them- including the models or the prices. I'm curious what models of the Remington or Sako you would recommend? Any other brands/models you would recommend?

Here are the Remington options I found:

700 SPS Tac ACC-SD

700 VTR

700 SPS Tactical

I looked at the Sako website and they are BEAUTIFUL guns but they look WAY to pricey and way to nice to be bouncing around a ranch day after day. Am I wrong?

 

[long450]

Look at the Remington LTR. I have two and both are almost as accurate as my $3,800 custom. They are available new on GunBroker. You will likely want the trigger cleaned up or replaced.
Mine shoots well with 150 to 165 gr. bullets.

 

[liltank]

Here are some options out side of Remington:

Howa Rifles

Howa Rifles Keep in mind that the Howa 1500 Action is the same action used in the older S&W Rifles and the Weatherby Vangaurd. It is a very sturdy action and built like the Mauser. It can be put into a LR stock of your choice. Most companies do build one for it. You also have after market component options.

Savage Arms Firearms > 16 FSS

Savage Arms Firearms > 16 FHSAK

Savage Arms Firearms > 10 Predator Hunter Max 1 if you are willing to change caliber, the 243 and 260 in this rifle would be awesome!

Savage Arms Firearms > 10 Precision Carbine

Hope this muddies the waters a little for ya!

Tank

 

[Miller Outdoors]

Get her a Remington Model 7 youth and slap on a tough piece of glass. It'll be short, quick handling, accurate out of the box and under 6 pounds with scope. I've got one and love it for carrying around.

 

[roninflag]

remington 700 sps varmint

 

[barthmonster]

.243, a .308 in a light rifle can recoil quite a bit...

My son has a S&W I-bolt (Howa ?) that's light, fast, tough-looking, and very-accurate more-so than the Sender I just sold...

 

[.30 CAL]

The Sps Tactical has a 20 inch barrel seems that would be pretty compact for a truck gun. The Hogue stock is also an improvement over the SPS plastic stock. Run a 110 V-MAX or a 125 NBT and start dropping some yotes.

 

[Willys46]

Here's my story,
Started with a 308 PSS Rem (26" barrel) great gun, shot .75 moa consistently. Yes it shot better at times and worse at times but .75 moa average. I used it in Tactical competition and shooting steel to 1250yrd (longest hit with a 308).

Thought I need it to shoot better, had a new stock added and new barrel, when its all said a done it shoots .5 MOA. A lot of expense for .25 MOA.

I wanted my brother to start shooting Tactical matches with me, So I got him a 308. Started with a HOWA Heavy Barreled action. Put it in a Joel Russo laminate A-5L, Out of the box it out shoots my custom 308! with 175 SMK and varget its stupid accurate..Actually it really ****ses me off!

I am now looking at selling my custom 308 and buying another HOWA and pocketing the extra $1000.00.


For all the nay sayers on HOWA, the factory trigger on the new one is GREAT! easily adjusted with no creep or over travel. The old ones were horrible.

Stocks, Joel in letts for them, B&C, and Manners and McMillan will in lett.

20 MOA base by EGW.
Here is the HOWA..

And then the whole metric thread thing, Not every one can cut metric threads, but most can..non issue.