Rebarrel a Christensen or sell?

[JD-ODINSON]

I am looking at buying a lightweight, short-barrelled .308 Winchester for a suppressed hunting rifle. Christensen is at the top of my list. This thread has been very helpful to me in that consideration. Thanks for sharing your experience, and I am very happy the rifle came around.

Now about that hunt... how long can you borrow the scope? Lol.

Unfortunately he needs it back on his 300wm for the hunts as well. If all else fails, I've got a 30/30 and an M1 Garand I could use lol. I've really liked the features and the action of the Christensen a lot, which is why I was worried and didn't want to have a bad experience with them. Although deep down I will always be a Bergara lover, so I am torn on a recommendation for you.

 

[cornstalker]

Unfortunately he needs it back on his 300wm for the hunts as well. If all else fails, I've got a 30/30 and an M1 Garand I could use lol. I've really liked the features and the action of the Christensen a lot, which is why I was worried and didn't want to have a bad experience with them. Although deep down I will always be a Bergara lover, so I am torn on a recommendation for you.

I have the Bergara scene covered. I already have two of them.

 

[cboom]

The second I read Vortex I thought that would be the first thing I would check. They do have pretty decent glass for the money. And a great warranty that gets used a lot. But I would never trust one on a hunt that I might get that crack at a once in a lifetime buck. As much time and money most of us put into things it makes no sense to me to save a few bucks on a product that has had a long history of failures. If I miss a big buck because my scope failed the warranty means nothing to me at that point, they could send me ten new scopes and it still wouldn't be worth it.

 

[Old Rooster]

Cornstalker I bought a Howa 1500 308 with a 22 inch barrel right before the pandenic and man it shoots lights out with a good load.
I put epoxy in the forearm to stiffen it up and can shoot as good as some high dollar rifles.
Will replace the stock when I can but right now it's a shooter.
Just a thought

 

[cboom]

Cornstalker I bought a Howa 1500 308 with a 22 inch barrel right before the pandenic and man it shoots lights out with a good load.
I put epoxy in the forearm to stiffen it up and can shoot as good as some high dollar rifles.
Will replace the stock when I can but right now it's a shooter.
Just a thought

I used to do that with the old Browning A-Bolts. Made a big difference. I always liked the way those stocks felt, never felt the need to replace the stocks after getting them stiffened up.

 

[CBH Australia]

I used to do that with the old Browning A-Bolts. Made a big difference. I always liked the way those stocks felt, never felt the need to replace the stocks after getting them stiffened up.

If the stock fits you use it.

My brother has atimber stocked A Bolt, and bought it cause it fits his build. Comfortable to him.

We are spoiled for choice now and things are more affordable.

Some can't help tinkering or adding aftermarket upgrades because they make them but most factory rifles have hunting accuracy.

I'm one for trying to upgrade but its not always necessary.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

UNLOAD IT IF HUMANLY POSSIBLE!!

 

[emp1953]

The OP didn't say whether the rifle was new or used. If used he has no idea how many rounds went down the tube. Check the crown of the muzzle. Put a Q-tip in it and twirl it around. If any cotton catches and stays there you have an "abnormality" there (a burr or something) that must be corrected. I've tried to fix those imperfections myself but learned that a quick trip to a gunsmith makes life easier. That's the cheap thing. Next I vote for changing out the scope with one you really trust. A .308, especially a Bergara, should shoot factory ammo groups much better than 4". I wouldn't say that you couldn't sell it performing that way. I bought my only Weatherby from a guy at the range that couldn't get it to shoot a group. Because of that I got a really great price. With some work I got it to shoot great, using factory ammo. It's problem was in the ring bases mounting on the rifle, I never really identified that issue, I just put a 20moa Picatinny rail on it, remounted the scope and voila.

 

[JAYgs8163]

^^^ See post 162, it was the scope!

 

[JD-ODINSON]

The OP didn't say whether the rifle was new or used. If used he has no idea how many rounds went down the tube. Check the crown of the muzzle. Put a Q-tip in it and twirl it around. If any cotton catches and stays there you have an "abnormality" there (a burr or something) that must be corrected. I've tried to fix those imperfections myself but learned that a quick trip to a gunsmith makes life easier. That's the cheap thing. Next I vote for changing out the scope with one you really trust. A .308, especially a Bergara, should shoot factory ammo groups much better than 4". I wouldn't say that you couldn't sell it performing that way. I bought my only Weatherby from a guy at the range that couldn't get it to shoot a group. Because of that I got a really great price. With some work I got it to shoot great, using factory ammo. It's problem was in the ring bases mounting on the rifle, I never really identified that issue, I just put a 20moa Picatinny rail on it, remounted the scope and voila.

If you look back at some of the first page of the conversation I did state that it was a brand new rifle and also my last comment was that after some testing this last weekend, it was in fact the scope that was the issue.

 

[okie man]

**update**

Borrowed a scope and took some rounds to the range today with fingers crossed. Shot 5 rounds of Hornady 178gr eldx and 5 rounds of Federal gold 175 SMK.

Besides 1 flyer with the eldx, it shot sub moa with the rest of the ammo, like it should. In the mean time, the Vortex Venom is on its way back to Vortex praying it makes it back before the hunts start.

I appreciate everyone's help and insight with it all. Ya'll are great Americans!

Right here is the reason I never mount a new scope on a new rifle. first thing I do with a new scope is mount it on a proven rifle , go shoot it with loads I know are reliable and accurate. If it passes that test I move forward putting it on its intended rifle. Same with a new rifle. Put a scope I know is reliable on it then break it in, then see what it's capable of.
I wonder how many threads and posts on the internet bashing rifle ,ammo and scope companies were started by someone not starting off the way I do? Funny you never hear anyone apologizing for falsely smearing a manufacturer's product because they didn't have a clue about what they were talking about?

 

[JD-ODINSON]

Right here is the reason I never mount a new scope on a new rifle. first thing I do with a new scope is mount it on a proven rifle , go shoot it with loads I know are reliable and accurate. If it passes that test I move forward putting it on its intended rifle. Same with a new rifle. Put a scope I know is reliable on it then break it in, then see what it's capable of.
I wonder how many threads and posts on the internet bashing rifle ,ammo and scope companies were started by someone not starting off the way I do? Funny you never hear anyone apologizing for falsely smearing a manufacturer's product because they didn't have a clue about what they were talking about?

I don't recall that I was bashing or smearing any manufacturer.....

 

[JAYgs8163]

Right here is the reason I never mount a new scope on a new rifle. first thing I do with a new scope is mount it on a proven rifle , go shoot it with loads I know are reliable and accurate. If it passes that test I move forward putting it on its intended rifle. Same with a new rifle. Put a scope I know is reliable on it then break it in, then see what it's capable of.
I wonder how many threads and posts on the internet bashing rifle ,ammo and scope companies were started by someone not starting off the way I do? Funny you never hear anyone apologizing for falsely smearing a manufacturer's product because they didn't have a clue about what they were talking about?

I don't believe the OP ever smeared the MFG of the rilfe. It was some of the other contributors to the thread that bashed them. All he did was ask fo advice to correct the issue before he went down a bunch of different rabbit holes. I get what you're saying though.

 

[okie man]

I never said he did. I'm on several forums and groups. It happens on all of them. Original posters and the expert little helpers. I was just stating you never hear someone say, " Hey, I was wrong. My bad!"