Opinions on Rifle Choice

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

IndianaHunter

Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2018
Messages
2
I'm looking at getting a new rifle chambered in .308 and have found three I'm interested in; the Mossberg Patriot laminate marinecoat, the Ruger Hawkeye, and the Henry Long Ranger. I'm looking for an accurate, dependable rifle as well as one that is capable of a 400+ yard shot if needed.
 
Normally I'm not a big "Henry" guy but the Long Ranger seems like very a nice rifle that I might consider buying, especially since the Savage 99 is out of production. I will say though, to my eye the Browning BLR is a little better looking (except the wood), lighter and has a track record. I also like the Ruger Hawkeye a lot. I like mauser style rifles in general and always liked the looks of the Ruger 77. I've owned a couple older 77's without any major complaints. I like the Hawkeye safety, the bolt release and the Ruger scope mount. In fact, I think there might be a Ruger Hawkeye in my future... The Mossbergs bolt actions in general never really "did it" for me but again I have to admit that it looks like a pretty nice rifle with lots of features for the money. If your looking for an all weather rifle it looks like a pretty good, reasonably priced, choice..
 
Last edited:
Of that group, I would chose the Hawkeye, Ive owned a couple of them, and both were accurate and dependable. The one i had in 300 would put as many bullets as you could handle into 1" or better at 100yds, my buddy bought that one from me and hasnt used his Sendero, but once since.
Ive got no experience with the Mossberg, or the Henry. From my interweebz research (i was considering a Patriot in .375 Ruger), the Patriot gets ragged on a lot, but generally the actual owners are quite happy with them. I havent done any research on the Longranger yet.

Personally, untill i get into the price range of the Hawkeyes, I really LIKE the Ruger Americans, and Howa 1500s. After that I much prefer Remington 700s, so Id buy a Bergara b-14 LOL. Again this is all personal preference, and if i got a good deal on any of the rifles you listed (Brownells still has the 7mm Stainless Hawkeyes for 550, which is about what i paid for my wood and blue 300 when sports authority closed), Id be pick them up.
 
The ruger hawkeye is a much, much, much, much, much, much, (need about 20 more much's) nicer gun than a mossberg patriot. The hawkeye's and older M77's can be hit or miss accuracy wise, but most reports on the Hawkeye's seams to be positive. If you buy a new one and it shoots poorly Ruger will take it back and fix it. They have excellent customer service. Don't know anything about the Henry.

This is a 5 shot group I shot with a late 1990's vintage 270 ruger M77 that I glass bedded for my brother in law. If not for the one shot out to the left it would have been the tightest group I ever shot in my life. Should have stopped at 4 LOL. I used to rag on the Rugers because I have seen quite a few that shot very poorly but I told my brother in law if he ever decides to sell this one I'll pay him the cost of a brand new one.

image.jpg

photo_2.jpg

Oh, and for 400 yard hunting you can do much better than a 308.
 
mudstud said:
HA HA!! That has got to be the most accurate M77 ever built! HA! And then the tester compares it to an old worn out PRE-WAR Model 70! Nothing but a puff piece, IMHO. One reason I don't subscribe to any of those gun rags anymore. Trust me on this, if we compare a current Model 70 to a current M77, my money is on the Model 70 anytime. YMMV
Click to expand...

I have 3 hawkwyes. All made within the last couple years and all are around moa accurate.

Ruger got a bad rap many moons ago for spotty barrel quality but that issue has been fixed well over a decade ago. Maybe 2 decades now.


____________________________________
Op: for my money I'd be hard pressed to look past the ruger Hawkeye for a great hunting bolt action. Cdnn has them for $500. Accurate, rugged, crf, balanced well, integrated scope base, and rings are included.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/308-hm77rfp-22-syn.html#.Wto8gMtOmdM


If i wanted a lever I would look at the Henry though. It really looks neat but I have no first hand info about it.

Mossberg is a class well below either of your other options.
 
VoodooMountain said:
I have 3 hawkwyes. All made within the last couple years and all are around moa accurate.

Ruger got a bad rap many moons ago for spotty barrel quality but that issue has been fixed well over a decade ago. Maybe 2 decades now.


____________________________________
Op: for my money I'd be hard pressed to look past the ruger Hawkeye for a great hunting bolt action. Cdnn has them for $500. Accurate, rugged, crf, balanced well, integrated scope base, and rings are included.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/308-hm77rfp-22-syn.html#.Wto8gMtOmdM


If i wanted a lever I would look at the Henry though. It really looks neat but I have no first hand info about it.

Mossberg is a class well below either of your other options.
Click to expand...

Close to 2 decades i think, Im pretty sure I was still in high school when ruger started making their own barrels. Before that, according to everything ive read, they sourced them from vendors, and accuracy was spotty.
Another issue i think is that goofy front action screw. Properly bedded and tightened I think they do work as designed, if the beddings off, and or they arnt tight enough, i think the actions tends to move more vertically than other designs... again just my personal opinion based on playing with the two i had.
Again Personally, ill take a 500 dollar ruger Hawkeye (didnt see the price on cdnn, might have to try scrounge some funds for another), over a lot of more expensive guns. The one thing I truly detest on them is the safety...which everyone else loves, go figure.
 
Last edited:
LoonWulf said:
Close to 2 decades i think, Im pretty sure I was still in high school when ruger started making their own barrels. Before that, according to everything ive read, they sourced them from vendors, and accuracy was spotty.
Another issue i think is that goofy front action screw. Properly bedded and tightened I think they do work as designed, if the beddings off, and or they arnt tight enough, i think the actions thing to move more vertically than other designs... again just my personal opinion based on playing with the two i had.
Again Personally, ill take a 500 dollar ruger Hawkeye (didnt see the price on cdnn, might have to try scrounge some funds for another), over a lot of more expensive guns. The one thing I truly detest on the is the safety...which everyone else loves, go figure.
Click to expand...

That is a fair point with the action screw as the recoil lug is angled. Tightening the recoil lug properly or bedding properly is important.

So far I have just tightened my actions screws by feel and have found the rifles to remain consistent .
 
yeah the .270 i had for a while did pretty much the same no mater how i had the front action screw, but the .300 would go from great to awful unless it was cranked all the way down. My only assumption was that the stock inletting on the .270 was better in some way. I didnt own either rifle long enough to mess with bedding, any more than playing with the screw torque.
 
Were I in the market for a new non-semi auto 308 and choosing from your list, I'd go with the Ruger (Gunsite Scout), then the Mossberg, & then the Henry in that order.

Nothing wrong with the Henry Long Ranger, just not "my thing". Way better trigger than the BLRs, though & if they made it with a pistol grip stock, it would likely move up to the #2 spot.

I like control round feed and cold hammer forged, free floated barrels in my bolt guns. Are either necessary or even necessarily preferable? No, I just get the warm fuzzies from them. That's just me.

So, if I were just buying a bolt action 308, I'd probably buy...

...a Weatherby Vanguard, a Tikka, or a Steyr in the flavour of my choice. Yeah, no CRF, but I ain't hunting dangerous game with a 308.

That said, I would not buy a new bolt gun in 308. I'd buy a 6.5 Creedmoor. Better ballistics and not really a sacrifice on ftlbs.

Buy what you like. Any of those guns would probably outshoot the loose nut behind the stock. I know mine do.
 
That said, I would not buy a new bolt gun in 308. I'd buy a 6.5 Creedmoor. Better ballistics and not really a sacrifice on ftlbs.
Click to expand...

Those "better ballistics" don't really come into play at distances under 500 yards... Beyond 500 yards the 6.5 barely has enough power (1100 ftlbs) for medium deer-size game, for those that consider that an ethical hunting distance.... Under 500 yards the 308 has more energy, the same trajectory and more frontal area and bullet weight.... I know the 6.5 Creedmoor is currently riding a wave of popularity as a long range target round but as a hunting round and at real-world hunting distances it has nothing on the .308, 25-06, .270, 280, 30/06 or a host of other standard cartridges.....
 
Last edited:
I know the 6.5 Creedmoor is currently riding a wave of popularity as a long range target round but as a hunting round and at real-world hunting distances it has nothing on the .308, 25-06, .270, 280, 30/06 or a host of other standard cartridges.....
Click to expand...
Other than generally less "free recoil" energy, which matters in 100+ shot matches, not so much for hunting.
 
IndianaHunter said:
I'm looking at getting a new rifle chambered in .308 and have found three I'm interested in; the Mossberg Patriot laminate marinecoat, the Ruger Hawkeye, and the Henry Long Ranger. I'm looking for an accurate, dependable rifle as well as one that is capable of a 400+ yard shot if needed.
Click to expand...
Of those three, the Patriot is most likely to be capable of 400 yard shots. As much as I love the Ruger Hawkeye actions and build, I have not had great results in the accuracy dept. And I would not expect the long ranger to be a 1 MOA rifle. But the Patriot should be. I've heard good things about them.
 
I'm interested in the Mossberg, but it isn't made as nicely. I have a Ruger Scout and if the Hawkeye shoots as well as it does you won't be disappointed. I believe they have the same Mauser action.
 
IndianaHunter said:
I'm looking at getting a new rifle chambered in .308 and have found three I'm interested in; the Mossberg Patriot laminate marinecoat, the Ruger Hawkeye, and the Henry Long Ranger. I'm looking for an accurate, dependable rifle as well as one that is capable of a 400+ yard shot if needed.
Click to expand...

I have a Mossberg Patriot in 308. Accuracy seems to be about 1.5@100yds. I like mine and is fine for my needs. Ruger offers excellent customer service and I owned an older M77 MK2 in 30-06. It was also around 1.5@100yds. Others have mentioned Savage and they are plenty accurate without breaking the bank. I will throw you another one, TC Venture. Mine is sub-moa when I do my part. I would like to note that I rarely shoot over a hundred yards whether hunting or at the range. My range only goes to 200yds and my hunting is mainly forested areas.
 
The only way I could stand having a mossberg patriot would be to wrap it in butcher paper and tape like a christmas present so I wouldn't have to look at it and could pretend its something else. Its like the cheap particle board furniture from walmart.
Click to expand...

At one time I remember people saying the same kinds of things about Savage 110 bolt actions..... Now look at the popularity of that series and it's descendants...
 
Last edited:
I've had very good luck with my Remington slide action .308 shooting Black Hills 150 grain soft tip ammo. The scope is a Simmons AETAC featuring 2.8 - 10X settings. My longest shot ever was taken during an antelope hunt; it was 345 long strides to the downed animal. 400 yards is too far for vast majority of hunters. Typically, the distance to the animal can be shortened considerably by careful and patient stalking.

TR
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

R
  • Locked
rifle opinions please
Replies
10
Views
413
thedavemyster
T
N
  • Locked
Ruger frontier rifle, opinions?
Replies
5
Views
806
Nameless_Hobo
N
S
  • Locked
Ruger m77 hawkeye accuracy
Replies
13
Views
3K
cal74
C
Crawdad1
  • Locked
Opinions on Henry rifles.
2 3 4 5
Replies
111
Views
8K
Crawdad1
Crawdad1
L
  • Locked
New Ruger Rifles?
Replies
1
Views
575
velosa
V
Back
Top