A little help in the choice of a bolt action Rifle

[IcelandicPtarmigan]

I've been an occasional visitor here but never posted here before but I hope the good people here can help me with the choice of the rifle.

I live in Iceland where the gunlaws are somewhat restrictive. I can't buy semi auto rifles and not rifles over .30 in caliber. Rifles here are also quite expensive.

I own a brno .22 rifle and a Bettinsoli diamond under/over shotgun.
I'm considering buying a larger caliber rifle. I want something that will last me for years and years. Looking at what's available to me and what I'd be using the rifle for, at first target shooting, then in future I'd want to go shooting seal, mink and reindeer here and possibly wild boars abroad. I want a caliber that has a wide range of applications. The .308 looks tempting though the .30-06 tempts too.

As for the rifle, what's been tempting me is the Sako hunter 75 synthetic stock and stainless steel. The Sauer 202. Mauser M03. Then rifles like Remington 700, Tikka, Savage. If anyone has any other suggestion, I'm open to it. I'm somewhat weak for synthetic stocks and stainless metal. I don't see myself using the rifle where stainless will be needed but I like it anyway.

I like the Sako for its looks, good reputation from what I hear and somewhat better price than the Mauser and Sauer. The Mauser and Sauer look tempting because you can change the barrel, scope and bolt quickly. Therefore changing into a new caliber. Which would be something like .300 winchester? Do I need that for the use I have in mind? Though it's good to bear in mind that I want this rifle to last and one never knows what the future holds.

Something in the price range of the Sako would be good. The Mauser is pretty much the most expensive gun I'm willing to buy.

As for the scope. I'm not sure. I want something that will be good for hunting and usable for target shooting. The day is short here during the winter so I want something bright. I don't know much about optics but I want something reliable, bright and where the crosshair can be seen clearly. My .22 has a cheap Hawke scope and often I can't see clearly where the crosshair lies. I understand it has something to do with the contrast in the scope. I don't understand this fully.

I'm willing to pay maybe $1500 for a scope. It's what it would cost me here. I'm thinking about buying a scope in the U.S.A. though. I'd prefer it if I could get a good scope for less. I've looked at some Zeiss Diavari scopes and I liked them. Zeiss however seems to be somewhat expensive.

Thanks in advance any advice would be helpful. If you want to tell me how wrong I am about everything then that's fine.

 

[JShirley]

Welcome to THR! Glad to have you.

With the range of applications you envision, the .30-06 might be a little more useful than the .308. In America, .30-06 is one of the very easiest rifle calibers to find- I'm not sure if this is the case in Iceland, or not. It is also at least a little more powerful.

The .300 Winchester Magnum is more powerful, but I don't know if you'll need that extra bit of power over the .30-06 for what you have in mind- it might be helpful to have a little more power if you can't get good bullets. If you can get good bullets, the extra blast and recoil- and probably expense- of the .300 might make it less pleasant for you. The .30-06 is right about the limit of what most people can comfortably handle.

I'll let someone else speak about models.

Good luck,

John

 

[Infidel]

I think that the Sako 75 is about the best bolt action rifle ever. It has one big drawback,-- it is Heavy. I prefer the blue and wood, but the stainless synthetic is a wonderful rifle.

I prefer the .308, but the .30-06 is right next to it. Flip a coin. The rifle is also available in 6.5x55 and 7x64, both excellent cartridges if maybe they are more available in your area.

My favorite all-around scope for the Sako is a Leupold VX-III with a Gen2 MilDot reticle from Premier Reticles. The Sako deserves a Swarovski or Zeiss, but here the Leupold is much less expensive, including the reticle.

 

[Art Eatman]

For the hunting you describe, the .308 would work well. I suggest you ask around for comparative availability of ammunition between the .308 and such as the .30-'06 or the .300 Win Mag. My opinion is that the .300 WinMag is more gun than is needed, and it does have noticeable recoil compared to the others.

I've been handloading since way, way back when the mountains weren't as high, so that's a part of my own judgement about cartridges. The '06 is a handloader's dream because of the variety of bullets available and because of the less than maximum-power loadings that make practice quite inexpensive. However, a barrel length of less than 24 inches means that a .308 will easily equal the performance of the '06.

FWIW,

Art

 

[rwc]

+1 for Sako.
I've a Tikka T3 in .308 that loves Hornady 165gr. BTHP Match ammo. I topped it with a 3-9x40 Leupold and have been very happy. For less than your budget you can have the rifle, the glass, and plenty left over for ammo.

Have fun.

 

[unclestu]

Hello to Iceland! You say you like stainless & synthetic: well, then that's what you should get!

Rifle: I'm sure the Sako 75 stainless synthetic you mention is an excellent rifle; you might also consider the (Sako made?)Tikka T3 Lite Stainless. For sentimental reasons, I like the Winchester Model 70; it's also available in a stainless/synthetic version.

Cartridge: For .30 cal, I'd recommend the .308 or .30/06 for your first high-powered rifle. Either should do well on reindeer or european boar. For bullets heavier than 180 grains, the .30/06 is the better choice, otherwise, take your choice. The .308 should have a slightly shorter action, & weigh a few ounces less than its .30/06 counterpart. The .300 Win Mag is certainly a capable cartridge, but you'll pay extra in ammunition costs, rifle weight, & recoil.

Scope: For a scope, I'm sure the Zeiss & others are lovely scopes, but *WOW* are they expensive! Maybe you'd be just as happy with a Leupold or a Weaver Grand Slam?

Whatever you choose, come back, post a few photos & let us know.

 

[IcelandicPtarmigan]

Thanks for the response. I'm happy be here.
Don't hold your breath waiting for the pictures though. I'm waiting on the licence for the rifle. Here, you first get a licence for pump action and break action shotguns and rifles not larger than .22LR when you're 20 years old. Own one of these for a year and you can apply for a licence for semi-auto shotguns and rifles bigger than .22LR but not larger than .30. It will be this summer that can apply for that. I will ofcourse have pictures for you when I finally get the rifle.

As for the optics, I'd be willing to go for something that isn't Zeiss, but I'd still want something that's quality and has an guarantee. I'm looking for something good basically. I have very little knowledge of optics though. If something else can deliver the same quality for less, then that's good.

 

[deciple-of-keith]

For what it's worth Ive had a good run out of bushnell over the years.Until I recently Retired from Pro shooting thats what I had on my working rifles