As title says looking for advice on my next hunting rifle. Cartridge will be .308 win. I have gotten away from rifle hunting and bow hunted almost exclusively for the last three years. Would like to get back into carrying a rifle more often. Price range of $1500 or less. Deer, big black bear here in eastern NC, and possibly moose this year in Newfoundland or elk in CO. Open to synthetic or wood, stainless or blued. Have owned primarily savages in the past.

Thanks for the advice in advance.

Scott

I really like my Savage 14 but it appears they are no linger made. How about a featherweight Win in 308 if they can be found?

I prefer Win and Mauser types but can't really beat a rem 700 too :-)

M70 FWT if you can find one. Get ready for a ton of Tikka recs. 😇😂

I like the M-70, never had one and always wanted to try one.

Myself, buying new, Stainless all the way and a composite stock.

Love the good old 308win. - super versatile with todays ammo and handloading bullets.

I'm wanting a Kimber Montana 308win.

M-70 featherweight in 308 stainless be hard to find.

Tikka Superlite.

I am a 270 win guy. Bang-flop.

Model 70 extreme weather, mines accounted for half dozen whitetail, a few pronghorn and two cow elk all with 165 hornady spbt, From 50 yard Nebraska white tails to 419 yard Colorado cow elk

It would be difficult to come up with a manufacturer that doesn't make a 308... how about more information about what you want- just to narrow it down a bit?

Just a little over budget, but a great deal for a sub 6 lb. AR .308.

Patriot Ordnance Factory Rogue.

https://tombstonetactical.com/produ...rrel-20rd-semi-auto-rifle#product_detail

Tikka superlite

If you're used to savages you'll think you bought a fancy custom..

Mines a Kimber Classic.

I’d repeat that, or a flip a coin for a Classic Select or Model 70 Featherweight or Ruger Hawkeye (that they no longer make, idiots).

My favorite "hunting " 308 is my weatherby mkv ultralite

Another vote for the model 70! Featherweight, extreme and the coyote all make for a great rifle.

If going for light/mid weight Tikka is the way to go. Spend the rest on good glass and practice ammo.

If $1500 is the rifle alone budget take a look at Bergara Premier or B14 series. They're heavier but a Rem 700 clone they way Remington used to build them.

I bought Tikkas new rough tech in 308. Great stock, and has tikkas great accuracy. I shot a 5 shot 3/4" group with it the other day.100 yds. Shot a 3 shot group a while back that I covered with a dime. It even has a threaded barrel if you choose to go suppressed somewhere down the road. Tough to beat a tikka for performance at a decent price.

It will be pretty hard for me with all the great reviews not to look at Tikka for my next rifle when I take the notion.

if you were or are a bowhunter yet buy a nice used Ruger #1 in a 308 , that`s what i did only i preferred a different cartridge . only a bowhunter would understand why a single shot with class .

Thanks for all the advice so far. $1500 for the rifle then similar for the glass. Is the Bergara heavy enough to not want to carry for long hikes? Saw a rifle I was interested in but had a muzzle break which I have never owned. How much noise difference does this create? Thanks

I'm a 270 guy as well, but either way Tikka is where I would look

Wait a minute, they don't make the ruger hawkeye anymore??

You didn’t specify a weight, so any of the M70s would do. Bought an EW MB last Fall and am impressed with the fit, function and finish, waaayyyy better than the two SS Classics my sons bought years ago (NH made). It goes 7-12 with a 13oz scope. $1500 offers a lot of options. Despite their functional virtues, Savages just don’t do it for me. You might find a Montana, and the Hunter is a solid option if you can’t.

Unless you have a strong preference, I’d suggest handling as many as you can before you buy to see what feels right so you only have to do this once. You have time now.

I second handling as many rifles as possible and get the one that fits and feels the best. With emphasis on fit.

M70, The Rifleman's Rifle!

I've fiddled with about everything, keep coming back to these.

If your strictly utilitarian, then get a Tikka.

If you dont mind a little weight or mostly a stationary hunter, the Weatherby Vanguard is another good option. They offer some fiberglass light weight stock/rifle options as well.

I’m not one for buying a new rifle unless looking for a modernized rifle twist rate, ie, .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, etc. In a 308 Win most have a 1-12, 1-11, or 1-10 twist rate and they all shoot accurately using up to 180 gr loads. I prefer older rifles in great shape. Typically they cost more (and better made in my opinion) if they are 60s, 70s or 80s made Remington 700, Sako, Winchester, Ruger, Weatherby. They also hold their worth and value. If you are willing to spend $1,500 on a new rifle and want only a new rifle I would look at the Springfield Armory 2020 in 308 Win, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC. They run in that price range possibly slightly higher. My other choice would be a new leftover Sako 75, if you can find one. In a Winchester 70 their 20” barrel compact is really a great carry as well and has the Featherweight profile but smaller and lighter.

There’s also the Howa Stalker with a 22” CMb or carbon barrel and both are plenty light in 308 Win, 7-08 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor. They are in high demand and are difficult to acquire at this time. Price range early on was $999 - $1399. Good luck.

If the OP is right handed, this is a really good choice.

Bergara B14 Hunter gets my vote.

Take the additional money and stick it in a McMillan Edge.

Great advice all I really appreciate your time and replies thank you.

Scott

Not walnut/blued. Can still get walnut/threaded stainless with a factory rail. Gross.

It's the well-done steak of the Ruger line.

But you can get a tactical 45/70 now... for terrorist bears 😇😂

Half you guys would just need a good vet ti bring your plate back to life.

Not me, I'm not in the super rare camp either.

If you like Savage rifles make sure and handle one of their Model 110 Ultralites, it has a Proof Research carbon wrapped barrel and mine weighs 5.8lbs (bare rifle) I own one in .308 Win and it is an absolute tackdriver! As many have suggested if weight is not a concern the Mod 70 EW is an excellent choice...Tikka is fine for a long action cartridge but Tikka's one size fits all action sucks for a .308 Win.....Good luck and enjoy your quest!....Hb

Dang I guess I'm out of the loop on the 77's then, didn't realize they were basically discontinued. Pretty sad really, but would have been nice if they're action didnt feel so sticky and rough.

Anyway, I'd go to a sporting goods store or 2 and find out what triggers your happy meter the highest. And I'll give a nod to the Winchester model 70. Maybe see if you like bergara as well.

Find a Christensen arms dealer and handle a Mesa.

IMO, a lot of gun for the $

I’d vote for Tikka also

I would buy a Rem Mt rifle in 308, 7mm-08, 7x57 or a 280 Remington. I'd put the best scope on it I could afford and work till I found a load that it liked. powdr

Easy....... .308win in a Model 70 Extreme Weather

Winchester 70 Extreme Weather is a great rifle but not light. If you want a light weight rifle the Kimber Montana or Mountain Ascent are excellent.

Its not. But easier to kill with offhand. And if ya gotta carry extra ammo? Might as well be 1 in the chamber and 5 in the belly.

Bergara rifles in 308 range from 7 to 7.5 lbs. Not overly heavy but more than many like to carry/hike/stalk with. Some of the Bergara models come with a muzzle brake but the threads are 5/8x24 so finding a thread protector is easy. Muzzle brakes do add a lot of noise and the radial drilled ones that many come with aren't effective enough to be worth the noise increase.

Lots of good options listed so far, narrow it down and put hands on to see which feels best. If it doesn't shoulder well you'll never be happy with it.

If Bergera would offer their rifle with a thinner contour they would own a much bigger share of the hard core hunter market. I'm not talking walking a half mile to the shooting house and sitting all day in an old office chair type of hunting. I'm talking you better have your Whites Hawthornes laced up well for the rocks, and lava rock fields while glassing that mulie, or elk on the next ridge 2 miles away.

This^

Tikka T3X stainless in the cartridge and barrel length of your choice.

You can't go wrong with a 308, 270, 30-06 for deer hunting.

Top it with a quality scope from Cameraland (Leupold or Meopta) and stay far away from anything made in China!

Tikka for boring out of the box accuracy.
Meopta or tract scopes lots of bang for the buck..
Pretty much what rebel just wrote

My only concern with Bergara is if they expanded their own rifle line in the US too fast and QC/CS will suffer for it. They discontinued their traditional models (Timber and Woodsman) very quickly and there seem to be a TON of their entry-level synthetics online when other stuff is either moving or out of stock?

If $1500 is total budget for scope and rifle:
Tikka Lite/Superlite if you want something light.
Bergara B-14 Hunter if light weight isn’t a goal. The short action Hunter models weigh 7 lbs on the nose.

If $1500 is budget for rifle only:
A M70 featherweight or extreme weather.