Hello all, my name is Jonathon and I am new to this forum. I am researching into a new (bolt action) rifle to hunt with throughout various regions of the states. I plan on getting back into the army soon and am hoping to do some hunting whenever/wherever I get the chance. I am mostly concerned with deer hunting but need a rifle suited for other exploits whenever the opportunity presents itself. With that said my choice of caliber will be either. 308 or 30-06, and between the two I am indifferent. I hope to keep the budget under $1500 for this and I won't top a rifle with anything other than a leupold 3-9x40.

I have been stalking all weather rifles for the better part of a month now trying to find which would perfect for me, all the time wondering if I even NEED an all weather rifle. I have hunted in the rain with several sporterized 03 springfields and never had an issue with rusting and stainless/synthetic combos are very visually unappealing to me. If I were to go with an all weather rifle I believe that my 3 favorites are the Kimber Montana, Savage Weather Warrior, and the Sako 85 Grey Wolf. My only clear choice outside the realm of all weather would be the Kimber 84m/84l. (though I am open to suggestions)

My questions are, at what point does one justify the "need" for an all weather rifle, and of those listed (or not listed) which would you choose if you needed ONE good multipurpose rifle for use in general shooting and hunting ANYWHERE in the lower 48? Why?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Kimber Montana 7-08, 257 Bob, 308
R700 stainless mountain rifle 7-08, 308
Either would cover all your needs.
I would rethink the scope choice though if weight is at all a concern. A VX3 2.5-8*36 or FX3 6-42 would be excellent choices.

I own two Kimbers and have owned Sakos. Both good choices IMO. Might be hard to stay in budget with the Sako and Leupold scope. Even the Kimber will be close to your price limit. I would suggest also if you go with a kimber look at the leupold 21/2-8x 36. It's a little more compact, and looks really nice on top.
At one point in my life I wouldn't own anything except walnut and blued rifles. I've evolved, and now own both. If you take care of your guns both will work, make your choice based on which gun appeals to you most.

Remington XCR in .30-06 with a Leupold VX-2 3-9X40 would be perfect.

Wareagle
Weight isn't really an issue, at least not in the direction you are speaking. I will say I am a little concerned with the weight (or lack thereof) of the Kimber Montana, I sometimes wonder if the rifle is so light that any shooter error would be greatly amplified or if accuracy would be up to par with such a light rifle.

Do you have any experience with the Kimber Montana? I have read horror stories about Kimber's QC being less than satisfactory and am a little weary of paying Kimber prices without any accuracy guarantee. I am a huge fan of the mauser type claw extrator and the winchester type 3 position safety though.

I will admit it will be hard for me to move away from wood/blued rifles as that is all I have ever known but I am trying to consider function over aesthetics and think of the rifle more as a tool than anything. I think the Kimber probably has the advantage with me because I am more familiar with it as my brother used to own an 84m in 308 and I loved everything about it.

On the other hand I have read as many good reviews as bad on the Kimbers which makes me weary. If I were to go with the Kimber I would be hard pressed not to get a blued rifle though, they are beautiful. Do your Kimbers perform well as far as accuracy? Anything more than 3" @ 300 yrds would be less than satisfactory for me, I couldn't care less how it groups further than that.

Welcome to the Fire Jonathon. Get yourself a Winchester or a Ruger in 338 Win. Mag, learn to shoot it well, and you'll be set for anything in the lower 48. I've been hunting for 40 years with walnut and blued rifles and have never had a problem with them given proper care. Some will say you don't need that much horsepower, but if you're going to hunt anything and everything down here I'd say it's better to error on the heavy side.

I'll echo Orion on this one. If I were buying a wood/blue rifle today it would be a Winchester M70 Featherweight. I'm not a fan of the R700 CDL and for me the wood and finish the std Kimber just doesn't cut it for the price.

Hi Jonathon, welcome to the fire! I am fairly new poster here also, but have been a browser on this site for years. You will find a lot of great information on here, and a lot of opinions. I will give you mine on the gun selection. I have a Kimber Montana in .308, and 2 Savage Weather Warriors, one in 25-06 and the other in .250 Savage. I usually grab the Savages when headed to the woods. Like you mentioned above, these rifles are tools, they are tough, they shoot damn good with minimal load developement, hold up well against the elements, and you aint afraid to scratch them! I would recommend a Savage .308 weather warrior, or 30-06, and spend the rest of your budget on a Leupold! Just my opinion.

If you live anywhere near Ghent Kentucky you can come on by and shoot a Kimber and a Savage before you make your decision! You aint gonna go wrong with either.

HeavyBarrel

Honestly all that have been mentioned will do what you need, rem xcr, model 70, ruger, savage, kimber. Its all in what feels good to you when you shoulder it. Just remember that gun stainless can still rust without the proper care. One gun that is pretty darn close to perfect when it comes to the weather would be the rem xcr. Its stainless then coated with there trinyt coating(not sure if I spelled right). I have all the above rifles minus a savage at the present time. I go for my model 70 and xcr the most. Thanks.

Also a sako a7 or tikka t3, which are both fantastic guns fit your budget. They would be fantastic guns too. Lots of choices in this day and age. Thanks.

I'm going to echo a few others here and say get what fits you the best. I'd look hard the 270 or 30-06. You'll be covered anywhere for anything (except shotgun only states).

The OP sounds like a prime candidate for a SC M70 FW in 30/06,wood/blue.

Kimber Montana 84L in 30-06 or 270
Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40
Talley LW Lows

or

Kimber Montana 84M in 308 or 7mm-08
Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x36
Talley LW Lows

First the good thing is that there are a ton of really nice hunting rifles that will get the job done and they range from utilitarian tools to works of art. I myself have gone thru the trading and trying all sorts of different guns phase and now that I am a bit older I have come to the realization that I probably should have just bought me a really nice rifle in any of the standard mid size cartridges and taken it hunting. It doesn't matter if it is all weather or not as to me a nicely worn blue wood rifle is a thing of beauty and speaks of lots of memories and adventures. Note I said worn not abused. Just look at pictures of Jack O Connors favorite rifle . It is still a beautiful rifle even after years of hunting and the worn spots and nicks and dings just add character. So to answer your question , If I were starting out again knowing what I think I know I would pick out something on the order of a nice Kimber, Model 70 super grade, or maybe even one of the O'Connor special issue model 70's in 308, 270, 30-06, or 7mm-08 . After all $1500 is not that much amortized over your lifetime and really that of your children. I would spend the same on a nice shotgun and figure I was good to go.

How about a CZ 550 in 9.3x62mm? You would be set for just about anything that walks the earth and you would be well under $1500 with the Leupold scope. If you want to make it even better you could send the stock to karnis here on the 'fire and have him slim down the stock

As to either wood or synthetic,if you are the normal hunter who might get caught in the rain for a while,wood and blue is fine.If you are the kind that will hunt all day in pouring rain,and spend days in the back country in a tent,I would choose stainless and synthetic.It's not that stainless won't rust under thoes conditions,it's that it won't rust as much and can more easily be cleaned up again and the synthetic is obviously impervious.

Since weight isn't a big concern,I would take a hard look at a new FN produced Winchester.Basically though,a Winchester,Savage,Remington or Browning would serve well.Handle them first and base your decision on what looks and feels best to you.

Between the Sako and Kimber I would choose the one that feels the best when I mounted it to shoot. Your scope choice is sound and mounting it on a long action will not be a problem. Since the long action and scope combo are a good fit I would go with the 30-06.

All weather need? That's for you to decide. I have two stainless rifles and two blued. They all have a laminate stock. If you decide to go with a stainless rifle I would not get a walnut stock. Stainless rifles can rust but you need to expose/neglect them more for them to do so.

With my experience with Ruger rifles I would get a stainless rifle with a laminate stock chambered for the 30-06. Not as light as the Montana but has a hinged floorplate. BTW, I could live with the synthetic stock.

Dealt with the wood/blue vs stainless/synthetic some time ago, cashiered all the synthetics and haven't looked back. Seal the wood well, ensure the guns hold zero well, go hunting. Life's too short to hunt with an ugly rifle.

Both of mine are easily 1 MOA, with handloads. Shoot plenty good enough for me. I have Montana 7/08 and an 84 .308.

as far as the "all-weather" rifles go, do you plan to hunt in the rain in an open stand? if you do, they're not a bad idea. If you are more likely to stay inside when you wake up and its pouring rain, they don't offer much benefit. I usually take one just because I don't mind 'em getting wet as much as I do a blue/wood gun.

Have you handled these guns that you are considering? that might make your mind up real quick. If I was going to drop $1500, I'd take the Sako out of the choices you listed. You can pay a lot less and get a very serviceable gun, but you do PFWYG.

In reality, I've been hunting with a couple of savages over the past few years, a .250 and a .308. they are dialed in, and I don't mind getting them dirty and scuffed up. The .308 is a better all-around gun, but I usually end up taking the little .250 pop gun just because it's such a nice gun to shoot.

Sounds like you aren't all hung up on the difference between the .308 and the 30'06. That's good. I own both and have hunted both. Not enough difference unless you have a strong perference for a lighter kicking round or are in love with 200-220 gr. bullets for hunting.
Your scope choice is great too. 3-9X40's are probably the most often picked, and Leupolds are as good as any.
As to rifles, I'm afaird I can't help you much. I hunt stainless aand synthetic rifles alot more than I do, or have, hunted blued and wood rifles. As far as reliability goes, I've had no reliability problems due to the rifle being stocked in wood and the rifle having a blued action. As has been pointed out, seal the rifle properly with marine spar varnish along the barrel channel, in the webbing area and under the recoil pad, and you can go any where in heavy rain. I like to free float the barrel with a shim as well. That helps when using a shooting sling.
I am a strong believer in buying and using something that you really enjoy and that you have absolute confidence in. Confidence comes with experience.
I might add that getting to know a good gunsmith is another good idea. They can adjust or modify triggers for better shooting, and tweak rifles in other ways for better performance. E

Of the 3 all weather rifles you mentioned I would go with the Sako 85 Grey Wolf. I prefer walnut and blued steel for my rifle. Of the blue/walnut rifles, I would look at a Winchester M70 Supergrade or a M70 Featherweight. The Sako Classic 85 is also a very nice rifle. Other all weather rifles you may want to look at are the Remington 700 Mountain SS, the 700 XCRII and the Winchester M70 extreme Weather. The cartridge I would go with is the 30-06, but the 308 is also very good. If you insist on Leupold scope I would go with the VXIII 3.5-10x40. My one rifle is a Beretta Mato in 30-06. I have both a synthetic and a walnut stock for the rifle. I prefer the walnut. The scope is a Burris 3-10x40 Signature Select. This scope is no longer available, so would also look at a Ziess 3-9x40 Conquest.

All you'll ever need.

For me I think of the Syn Stocked offering as more of a tool than fine firearm. I grew up with everyone having good looking walnut stocks and blued actions. That's what a fine rifle is "supposed" to look like. Ideally we would like them to just do their job but I feel that rifles can be real purtty.

Great thread and great question. Jonathan, welcome to the fire. My suggestion would be something you don't have on your list: A Winchester model 70 Extreme Weather chambered for the good ol 30-06 cartridge, or you could just buy my Stainless Ruger Hawkeye 308 with walnut stock and be done with your search ......Anyway back to your question: Your choice in cartridge is stellar and either would work for any animal in NA, just choose the appropriate bullet and rock on (as they say here).....

Here's the Extreme weather as mentioned above: Mods include Mcmillan compact edge stock, talley lightweights with Leupold VX3 3.5-10x40 with cds scope..:


Here's the Ruger M77 hawkeye "all weather" with walnut stock:


That's the route I'd take if I were looking. Good luck with your search.....

BSA,

What is the weight of your 70/edge combo without scope. That set up looks sweet!

It's a little more than 7.5 pounds with scope so I'd say it's probably around 6.75 pounds without scope.....It's just about perfect for me and is my lightest rifle. Great shooter too...

I would say screw the stainless unless you intend to hunt in hurricane conditions. IMO older Sakos are one of the best off the shelf rifles ever produced. With your budget you could easily find a Sako Forester in 308 or a Finnbear in 30-06. Dead sexy rifles and one hole accuracy is common. Good luck with your quest....it never stops.

If you loved your brother's Kimber 84, then duplicate it.

If you love walnut/blue, then get it. It won't matter, and you'll have the pride of ownership.

bsa
That's a pretty nice piece of wood on that Ruger for it being a newer one.

I would suggest simply taking a Tikka T3 stainless/synthetic and adding Talley lightweight rings with the optic of your choice.

Mine is in .308. It has proven to be a great rifle and filled my freezer with meat.

^That's what I would do^

Pretty much as close to a 'fire and forget' system for hunting rigs as they come.

I agree with the T 3 Lite SS --- only a 270 W is BETTER

Jerry

Wow a lot more recommendations than I expected, luckily it was 110 degrees today so my job today was to stand around inside with my hands in my pockets daydreaming about guns :-)

At this point I think I am going to pursue an all weather rifle over the more aesthetically appealing wood/blue combo. Though I doubt I will be hunting in "hurricane conditions", it would be nice to have the option.

As good as some of the recommendations have been I think the two that appeal most to me (both in 30-06) are the Kimber 84l Montana, and the Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather with the McMillan compact edge stock. Thanks for the idea there BSA! All that is left for me to do now is to get my hands on both actions and see which appeals to me the most.

I grew up shooting and hunting with a 30-06 and probably favor it a little more than the 308. I have experienced first hand what a properly loaded nosler partition can do to deer and can honestly say that with the 30-06 I have never had a deer so much as take a step after I sent my round downrange. I am unfamiliar with some of the other rounds you guys have mentioned which made me worry about availability in certain areas.

I really like the kevlar/composite stock and the 24" barrel on the Kimber...

Yep.

A bargain by any measure. Once you shoulder a KS, nothing else feels as good.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=294052063

If I were limited to the situation you describe my rifle would be a Kimber Montana.

I might add, Idaho will make you rethink the need for an all weather rifle, as will many other destinations.

Joseph

All weather rifles are, like premium bullets, something that are rarely needed but rarely if ever detrimental. If all weather turns your crank, go for it. Or you can wax your rifle and stock and not worry unless hunting in really extreme conditions. This will be my 31st year hunting elk in Colorado and it wasn�t until 2 years ago I had a stainless/synthetic rifle. Now I have two and, although I have often hunted in wet and snow, have yet to really need one.

Mine are Rugers, both with MKII actions, .338WM on the left and .30-06 on the right. Beauty queens they are not but both have taken elk in snowy/wet/muddy weather and I don�t worry about dinging them up.



For even less you can pick up a gem like the Ruger M77 .30-06 on the left. It has accounted for two elk in snowy weather and is no worse for the wear. Except for the 2� shorter barrel and lack of iron sights, it looks just like the 7mm RM I used for the first 20+ years in all kinds of weather. The only damage to the 7mm RM is some minor dings here and there.



The stainless/laminate .30-06 is the same one pictured above in a �boat paddle� stock. Although the laminate looks nicer, I prefer the lighter �boat paddle� for hunting.

Here�s a scope-check target from the walnut/blue Ruger M77 .30-06:


Here�s a target from my 30 year old Ruger 7mm RM, shot in gusty 40+mph crosswinds:


And another scope-check target from the .338WM shown above:


OK, I�m an unapologetic Ruger fan because they are rugged, reliable, good looking and all of mine shoot great. Most of mine were purchased used at considerable savings but look and shoot just as well as the ones I�ve purchased new. In my opinion the Rugers are arguably the best commercial instantiation of the Mauser design. Unlike some other popular brands, I�ve never heard of the one-piece bolt and handle coming apart or the extractor breaking on a Ruger rifle. If necessary, Ruger the triggers are easily adjusted (M77) or tuned (MKII) or replaced. New Ruger Hawkeyes can be had for under $600 and used Rugers in great shape can be found in the $400s. For a �good multipurpose rifle for use in general shooting and hunting ANYWHERE in the lower 48� I think they are hard to beat.

I recommend shouldering a few before you make a purchase. I thought a Montana would be the cat's meow, until I shouldered one. The stock doesn't have hardly any drop, which put the bottom point of the recoil in the middle of my shoulder. This is the same reason I sold a great shooting X-Bolt I had bought sight unseen. My 70 featherweight has just enough more drop in the stock to fit me better, so now I know I can stop lusting after a Kimber...

I have many rifles, way too many actually, but in your situation I'd be looking at either a SS M77 or a SS Vanguard. Both are rugged. Both are inexpensive. Both will shoot well enough to handle any game to any range a 30/06 is appropriate for. Good Luck and let us know what you end up with.

I would just be careful with a Savage. I have a PC that is a tack driver but the Accutrigger sticks causing failure to fire. I've heard this is not uncommon. Mine is a paper puncher so I don't worry about it.

I would really take a look at the Winchester 70 Extreme Weather. Probably about $1,000, comes in 30.06 or 308. It weighs 6 3/4 or 7lbs depending on action length. I have a new FW in 7mm-08 and the thing is a tack driver. Great rifle for the money.

I would really like to thank everyone for the warm welcome to the forums and for taking the time to aid me in my decision.

I hadn't really put much thought into a Ruger as my I once owned an old 10/22 which was about as useful throwing at a squirrel as it was shooting at one, the accuracy wasn't nearly up to my expectations and didn't stay in my collection for very long. After reading coyote_hunter's post and many comparisons of the kimber 84, winchester 70, remington 700, and ruger 77 I think the Ruger is the perfect rifle for me.

Probably the most influential of the features the rifle offers were the integral scope mounts, three position safety, one piece bolt, and the mauser type controlled round feed extractor. If theses features come anywhere close to the theoretical ruggedness it presents I believe this rifle will serve well for any application I intend on using it for.

I am still in a pickle over which model I want between the M77 Hawkeye Standard or the Hawkeye All Weather; though I think I am leaning towards the Standard, as I find it much easier on the eyes but I guess I need to put more thought into it. Either way the rifle will be chambered in the good ol' 30-06. Thanks again to everyone!

I think you are making a very sound and wise decision....Nice to see someone rationalize and give good reasons that influenced their decision....From what I've seen with the new ruger hawkeyes, you'll be very impressed. Just keep in mind the action will be rough for a while and the trigger may need a lighter spring or it may even need to be polished out a bit. The rifle is as sound as a bank vault though as far as I'm concerned. If you get tired of looking, remember I've got one that has been smoothed up, trigger polished out, professionally bedded, and it shoots lights out....The only thing wrong with it is it's a 308 and you are leaning very hard toward the 30-06 and I don't blame you as that is also my favoite cartridge (truth be known).....Sounds like you are on the right track though so let us know what you end up with.......Maybe check out a new hawkeye with the satin (not the matte) bluing.....Those are much nicer than the matte blued ones they started out with.....

Hard to beat a ruger! Coyote Hunter got me hooked on their boat paddle stocks as well. Mine is in .270 and I love it, I think you have made a very sound choice! And fwiw that 308 that BSA has is very nice, would love to own it myself.

[quote=444Matt]

And fwiw that 308 that BSA has is very nice, would love to own it myself.[/quote

A friend of min said that to me one day while we were talking on the phone. I said, "you can own it." There was a definite pause on his end of the line (before cell phones) and then he said, "how's that?"

I told him and presently he owned my rifle and I owned one of his. WIN ! WIN!

Yup, I'm pretty sure he wants cash which I'm about tapped out of right now! Down the road though. You never know LOL.

I've tried lots of different rifles over the years [I'm 49] and have never really been happy with any of them even after I modify them to my taste. I currently have as my primary hunting rifle a Ruger M77 Mark II stainless synthetic in 280, the newer style, not the "boat paddle" stock and I'm fairly happy with it. I put a Timney adjustable trigger in it. The Remington Mountain Rifles are nice and light and point well for me, and I've had a bunch of them, but I always had that nagging in the back of my mind of the bolt handle coming off and the triggers really are weird with that floating conmnector. The Winchester featherweights are nice too but lack the one piece bolt also. Granted, all of them have been dependable but I just wasn't happy with the composite bolts. The Ruger is a little heavier than the others but I'm happier with the action. The safety is hard to get off sometimes. Remember, most things are subjective....Good luck.

This, except make it a ss and walnut (for me anyway). Also might look at the Conquest in 3-9x40 on the long action.

I'm not a big fan of Ruger rifles due to personal preferences but believe the stainless they use is very rust resistant. Rust resistance is one part of the equation regarding all-weather rifles in my mind.

I like Tikkas, but the stainless tends to freckle, same with the Kahr 9mm I had. I've seen posts/pics of Kimbers rusting easily too, but have never owned one. It just depends on the type of stainless used. For this reason, I think a stainless Ruger is a good choice if you're worried about rust plus you get a synthetic stock. Just make sure you like the stock, or save some money for an aftermarket... the ones I've looked at are very flimsy. Also, Rugers are heavy to begin with so watch out if you decide to add something like a Hogue and still want a "light" rifle.

You can always get a blued/synthetic too and hit the barrel and action with matte rattle can. Or do the same with stainless. Metal finish doesn't worry me too much but a stable stock does.

I like the Tikka T3 suggestions mentioned earlier above. I have a 270 & 300 Win. Both shoot lights-out with little fuss. I've had five Tikkas and each shot great. Some people seem to hate them but I think they are a good budget rifle. Lighter than a 77/700/70/etc., nice trigger, low bolt lift, two-position safety that locks the bolt ( I don't need 3-pos myself but insist on a locked bolt -- personal preference). Just throw the rings away and get something better (Talley, DNZ, Warne, etc.).

That said, most any major brand bolt action is pretty good today and you'd probably be better off getting the best binos you can and not worry about the rifle! I'd take Swaro binos and some beater rifle over a $1500 rifle and cheap binos! Binos are not as sexy as a rifle, I know, but something to think about if you don't have decent glass yet.

Get your favorite action (Rem700), a quality barrel (Pac-Nor), and a Mickey stock. Have it screwed together and spend some time with her. A .308win or .260rem won't kick like pissed off mule and it'll be your new favorite for everything. Keep it all simple and standard and you'll be a happy man.



***** .308 ***** win




This is 10 or 12 shots, I can't remember. Bout 7 came in under 1/2"




Filled several tags and dinner plates

�

Nice gunnuts....Pretty fancy for a hunting rifle......

Ruger Hawkeye All Weather .308, and call it good.

Nice Ruger. First one I've seen that was fluted. Special run or???

Thanks BSA. I could sell all my toys cept that .308 and be a happy fat boy

It is too bad a tika is number one..

It is too bad a tikka t3 is number one..

Jonathon -

It wasn't clear in my previous post but both Ruger .30-06s were purchased used and the .338 WM was built from used parts except for the stock. The point is there are a lot of very good used guns available, usually for much less than new, and often you can't tell the difference in how they look or shoot.

My wood/blue Ruger M77 in.257 Roberts is a case in point and has been my favorite rifle since I acquired it. Built in 1989, it became mine in January, 2004. At that time it didn't even have scratches in the bluing under the slide safety - something I "fixed" in the first couple trips to the range. Cost was $400 and included a Leupold M8 4x in the rings.


Another used bargain was a Remington BDL in .308 Win. It was 30 years old when I picked it up off the Gander Mountain used gun rack at a cost of $350. Except for the missing rear sight it looked like new. I replaced the sight only to find out it was removed to make room for the scope, so off it came again. The picture below is from the first load development I did with it. Every shot used a 0.5g increment in powder.


Here's another scope check target from the Remington M700 .308W:


Just saying, don't overlook the used rack - there are often bargains there waiting for a good home.

I agree with CH on this one and sometimes you get a used rife that may be better than new...Especially in a Ruger m77'S case.....If you get one from someone that knows what they are doing, the action will be slick, the trigger great, and if you are really lucky it will be bedded appropriately for excellent accuracy....but that takes a lot of fun out of owning a used rifle....

I've really prefer a wood stock but also like the weather resistance of stainless since I spend a number of nights in tent each year...often wet. All my rifles have wood stocks and I've had the metal coated...cerakote, Black Ice, etc. Keeps the rust issue away and is actually better than stainless, and I don't have an ugly plastic stock in my hand. I also take time to make sure the stock is bedded and sealed as best as possible. They all work, go with what you like best.

I had the work done. Had the barrel fluted, bolt handle skeletonized, and trigger worked to 2.75lbs.

Caliber choices: 30-06 or 280 rem. will do anything without the "magnum"

Scope Leupold 2.5-8x36 in Talley one piece. Nice and light,
Ple Ty of magnification and also a great low power range

Rifle: many choices. Pull up rifles and see what you like as far as stock and triggers. I have several Tikkas, Sakos, and a couple Rem 700

Very nice, I also like the fluted barrel....Maybe I should do that to mine...How does yours shoot?

Tikka T-3 in 30-06

Here is mine!




Took her to the range yesterday and she shot .6" at 100 yards.

H4350 with 165 Partitions at 2850 fps.

By the looks of all them dead critters, it shoots purdy good

Can't say that it's a tack driver, but that could be me. it gets the job done as a hunter. Farthest shot on game is just a little over 200, but it has kilt some rocks at 400-450. That's pretty good for me!

BSA, that's a nice All Weather you put into that pretty walnut stock, don't think I would do it to that one. It was almost mine before you pulled it from the classifieds. You were a brave man to put that one up for sale.

CH, nice work with those orphaned rifles.....

Case in point, I was just in Seattle WA. Took a trip to a new cabela's up off of I-5 in Marysville. Used gun rack had a Ruger 1A 30-06 in very, very nice shape, better than average wood, 4X Glenfield scope and a sling...$349! By the time I made up my mind and got back to the gun deptment (about 30 minutes) it was gone, well, I could still see it but it was behind the counter with a sales slip on the barrel.

308ld.....That rifle of yours puts meat in the freezer and is tough as nails and looks to be plenty accurate...What more could you ask for? I like those rugers man.....great rifles....

MAN!! I really am sorry you missed that one but..

At $349, what took 30 SECONDS to decide?

If you SNOOZE you looze, really sorry.

Jerry

Jerry, I agree 100% with you. If I had been in my home state that Ruger would never have parted from my hand. I was in Washington State, I live in Massachusetts. At the time if I knew cabela's will ship to any other Cabela's for a small or no fee I would have had it shipped to Maine and picked it up there. Like you said "YOU SNOOZE YOU LOOZE". It's not the first time I was caught napping. I've lost my share, but that was a pretty good one.

That is so very true!

In 2002 I stopped by a fairly new gun shop on a whim. It was probably the second or third time I had stopped in even though I drove by it at least once every work day. As I walked in they had a sign listing the specials of the day, including a Marlin 1895 in .45-70 for $249.95. I hadn�t been able to find a good one for under $400 so I figured it would be an old, rusty beater - but I had to take a look. The serial number indicated it was only 2 years old and it was in perfect shape. As I was still examining the rifle another person came in and asked for it. Yet another came in while I was filling out the paperwork.

Another time I paused on a stainless/boat paddle Ruger MKII in .$270. It looked great and the asking price was $325 and they wouldn�t budge. I decided to walk the rest of the gun show and let them think about my offer of $310. The next day I went back to buy it and someone else was filling out the paperwork on it.

Yet another Ruger MKII stainless/boat paddle at a gun show, a .338WM tagged with $300. Had I found it a few minutes earlier it would have been mine but someone else got there first and was doing the paperwork.

Bargains are where you find them and usually don�t last.

My choice is a Kimber 84M Montana, .308, Leupold 2X7. Accurate, light to carry, easy cleaning/maintenance (rains a lot during hunting season!). I know you specified a 3X9 - but I like the lower setting for woods/brush hunting and the 2X7 is better proportiioned to the lighweight Montana IMO!

x bolt 708

Well I would Say Win or Rem...

But

The rest is right on!

Snake