New Rifles: The Good, the bad, the ugly

[bballard]

Have been very happy with the Coopers, Noslers, and Sakos that I have bought in the past 5 years. All are stupid accurate and have very nice fit and finish. A little pricey, but still within reach for most.

 

[JAYgs8163]

The MKV's I have handled were all very slick, Sako 85's I have handled all seemed well built too and slick but I have no experience shooting them at all. The Steyr's and some of those German/Austrian rifles I would love to play around with someday (Heym, Haenel, Voere, etc.), the only place around me that Carrie's the European guns is about an hour and fifteen minutes away in Claremont NH, New England Custom Gun but the store hours and getting in to the actual store is kinda weird I guess (you have to be like buzzed in I heard).

On your way to Claremont you could stop in Newport and buy yourself a Ruger. I lived in Newport and Sunapee when I was young chap.

 

[2rjshort]

Have been very happy with the Coopers, Noslers, and Sakos that I have bought in the past 5 years. All are stupid accurate and have very nice fit and finish. A little pricey, but still within reach for most.

Definitely concur with the Nosler (No experience with the others). I recently purchased a Mtn Carbon and it it very accurate. I thought it was a little pricey too but definitely worth it for what you get.

 

[bballard]

Definitely concur with the Nosler (No experience with the others). I recently purchased a Mtn Carbon and it it very accurate. I thought it was a little pricey too but definitely worth it for what you get.

I have the model 21 in 300 win mag and find it to be about perfect all the way around. I also have a model 48 in the same caliber and my only complaint with that one is the stock is a little chunky and slick....( it has a bell and Carlson stock I think)

 

[jbronner13]

On your way to Claremont you could stop in Newport and buy yourself a Ruger. I lived in Newport and Sunapee when I was young chap.

The met someone connected to the Ruger family I actually met and didn't even know it! His name is Alex Vogel and he lives in Dublin NH, super fun, nice guy, we were paired together at an RMEF banquet in Keene, NH. That being said, huge Ruger fan, have 3 tricked out 10/22's and really want a guide gun in 338 win mag, those things are the bees knees!

 

[2rjshort]

I'm thinking on my M48 Mtn Carbon it uses a Manners. It's one thing I think they really hit it out of the park on. It has a little texture so it's not slick.

 

[waspocrew]

Seekins Havak would get my vote as one of the better production rifles. Very accurate and overall great fit and finish.

 

[judgebill]

There is a reason why so many small manufacturers are making good guns. Because the majors aren't. When I was youngster the choices were Remington, Winchester and that was about it. Yes, Savage made some good rifles (model 99, lever gun). Today there are plenty of large companies but not many super-accurate rifles come from them. If you read carefully you can find "guarantees" for 1/2 inch groups with factory ammo and 1/4 inch groups with factory handholds. Yes, you play. price but as someone said, only accurate guns are interesting.

 

[WYO300RUM]

BINGO

 

[jbronner13]

So here's another spin on this topic….if you could see a manufacturer bring back an old model, new and improved….what would you like to see?

For me:
1) Sako FinnWolf
2) Winchester 88
3) Savage 99

Spoiler alert: I like centerfire lever guns

 

[vedauvoo]

Early in my shooting life, it was a Sako L579 Forester heavy barrel 243.

Middle phase took me through a number of other brands and calibers, most more expensive than my Sako, and with some notable exceptions, either equaled or fell short of the original.

More recently, it is again a Sako L579 Forester heavy barrel 243. Kicked myself for getting rid of the original, but fortunate to find a replacement recently that was in pristine condition. It was made 53 years ago. I like it so much that I just picked up another L579 Sako Custom in 243.

Something almost sinfully sensual about that old Sako quality. Just to pull them out of the safe and run the action is pure pleasure. And when pressed into actual shooting, they are monotonously precise!

 

[VTbluegrass]

Would Howa also be considered there given the Vanguard and 1500 are essentially the same gun or are you more referring to the MKV's?

I wouldn't sleep on the 1500's though. Not the most popular but I haven't handled one that wouldn't shoot. Wife's Camilla Vangaurd is the only rifle in the house I expect to shoot a half inch group at the range every trip.

 

[jbronner13]

I wouldn't sleep on the 1500's though. Not the most popular but I haven't handled one that wouldn't shoot. Wife's Camilla Vangaurd is the only rifle in the house I expect to shoot a half inch group at the range every trip.

Howa also has an extensive lineup of models on their site…HS precision stocks, carbon fiber barrels, you name it, they got it. The Japanese just tend to make really nice guns ironically since they really aren't allowed to own them! But the old Kodensha, SKB shotguns and of course anything Miroku…..quality stuff.

 

[billflangjr813]

The Browning is just a solid built, solid performer. If I had gotten a stainless stalker model in 30-06 or one of the Ruger 77 Hawkeyes in Stainless, I probably wouldn't have bought the seven other rifles I picked up since 2017…….that might be a lie.

The new Model 70's I think are also very nice and a good value. The bolt seems to run pretty smoothly, haven't fired one but heard good things about the MOA trigger.

My Savage 110 was very accurate but the bolt had a ton of slop to it, I had constant failure to feeds because the nose of the bullet would dip and not feed into the chamber properly (no I wasn't short stroking the bolt and even had the bolt replace with the same issues, and then had the magwell converted to a PTG AICS magwell with the same issues) and the "stainless" steel started rust freckling after being taken out twice in dry weather and placed into a safe with a dehumidifier……I wouldn't recommend a savage to anyone…..unless it's a 99 which I own and love.

I have 5 Savage rifles all S/S but one I live in the wet state of Florida. Never had a problem with any of them. I'm hard on my rifles, and they are well used. But I clean them. I just bought a Howa and it's not S/S. We'll see how it holds up.