Author Topic: Most accurate out of the box bolt gun? (Read 20065 times)

pastorp · « **on:** February 15, 2011, 03:50:54 AM »

I'm sure there will be a lot of opinions on this topic but here goes, I always have felt that Remington provided the best chance of getting a tack driver bolt gun out of the box. That said, to me they always seamed to kick more in larger calibers.

However now that I have owned several CZs I'm changing my mind. I believe CZ offers the best chance of buying a real good shooter right out of the box. At least that's my experience.

What's your experience?

chutesnreloads · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2011, 11:06:42 AM »

Despite whichever brand you choose.....it depends on which box you open.Overall accuracy has gone up on most if not all in the last 20 years.

torpedoman · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2011, 11:55:54 AM »

savage

john keyes · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2011, 12:43:49 PM »

Ted Williams

eye shot · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2011, 01:30:07 PM »

Remington 700

Catfish · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2011, 01:45:46 PM »

Quote from: chutesnreloads on February 15, 2011, 11:06:42 AM

Despite whichever brand you choose.....it depends on which box you open.Overall accuracy has gone up on most if not all in the last 20 years.

what he said.

possume · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2011, 02:56:12 PM »

straight out of the box savage has my vote

Cabin4 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2011, 03:56:06 PM »

Advancements and consistency is the production process has greatly improved out of the box accuracy. Your chances of getting a very accurate rifle today has improved so much, just about any major manufacture has pretty darn good specs. I don't so much worry about out of the box accuracy for the typical hunting rifle. For me the purchase is more based on other factors such as weight, bolt mechanics, trigger, overall feel, price, ect.

Swampman · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2011, 04:04:26 PM »

I've owned hundreds of rifles. Nothing even comes close to the Remington 700. I keep trying other brands to see if anything has changed. So far I haven't even be tempted to keep one of them. I just sold 2 Model 70s at a loss.

mirage1988 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2011, 09:53:39 PM »

With a push feed mag and a bolt that doesn't lock down the rem700 is the LAST rifle i would carry, unless i was slopping around in a swamp chasing 105 pound whitetails.

Swampman · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2011, 11:16:48 PM »

There's a reason it's the most popular boltaction rifle in the world.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2011, 11:54:07 PM »

ive had good and bad rifles from all of them. If i had to pick a gun off a rack on a bet that i could get it to shoot under moa it would be either a rem sav or weatherby vaguard. Savage would probalby be the one id grab though but if i was grabbing it to buy it would probably be the remington as i just dont care much for the looks of a sav. Winchesters have shot well for me too for the most part. Bottom of the heap would probably be model 77 rugers. Ive had good ones but i had more poor rugers then the rest combined.

tuck2 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2011, 01:53:19 AM »

I got my first rifle in1949 and over the years have tryed out various brands and calibers of bolt action rifles. Most were given a tune up to get them to shoot under one inch groups. Glass bedding the action, free floating the barrel and adjusting the trigger was common but a few needed the bolts lapped and the muzzle recrowned. The magazine box was keeping the action screw from pulling the action down into the stock on one rifle. The two most accurate out of the box were a Browning 223 Rem Varmint rifle and the other was a Ruger77 Target Varmint 204 rifle with which I got 1/2 inch 100 Yd groups with hand loaded ammo.

drdougrx · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2011, 02:31:41 AM »

So far and for me...my Sako 85 Finnlite....almost doesn't matter what I shoot in it. My Remington 700s are also accurate but I've found with the dozen or so that I've owned that I need to find a load or two they like...not any problem with this at all...just a bit of work. Rugers for me have been the least accurate and the most problematic and after owning at least 10 in my life, those I keep get rebuilt from scratch eventually.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2011, 06:07:02 AM »

Quote from: mirage1988 on February 15, 2011, 09:53:39 PM

With a push feed mag and a bolt that doesn't lock down the rem700 is the LAST rifle i would carry, unless i was slopping around in a swamp chasing 105 pound whitetails.

Okay, that was good hit.

yooper77 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2011, 06:19:47 AM »

Weatherby Mark V's for me. My 338-06 A-Square and 7mm-08 Remington are extremely accurate and I love the 54 degree bolt lift. I use once fired 30-06 Springfield and 308 Winchester brass for these.

yooper77

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #16 on:** February 16, 2011, 07:02:56 AM »

hunted with 700s all my life and have yet to have ANY problem with there push feed operation or bolts popping up. Most of this kind of crap is just internet arm chair commado stuff. I know two guys that go to africa hunting dangerous game every other year and both religiouly take there 416 remingtons and completely swear by them.

Quote from: mirage1988 on February 15, 2011, 09:53:39 PM

With a push feed mag and a bolt that doesn't lock down the rem700 is the LAST rifle i would carry, unless i was slopping around in a swamp chasing 105 pound whitetails.

valvesinmyhead · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2011, 09:38:28 AM »

My Weatherby Vanguard in 270 win has been giving me 1/2 MOA at 100yds with Hornady 130gr SF. Did a 40 round barrel break in that I found on line. Less than $500.00 and it has a nice wooden stock. Trigger is adjustable but it is perfect for hunting.

skarke · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2011, 10:00:50 AM »

http://www.kelbly.com/tactical.html

These will outshoot anything yet listed here, hands down.

Nobody said anything about price

Swampman · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2011, 10:27:12 AM »

The Remington 5R Mil-Spec in an article on Sniper Central was called the "Most accurate rifle I've ever fired."

woodyed · « **Reply #20 on:** February 16, 2011, 02:49:57 PM »

I'm positive that you will find Tikka's and Marlin X7 series rifles the most accurate right out of the box. I would put either of these rifles up against any Rem 700 or Savage made. I've got some Winchester M70's that are accurate also. Almost all rifles have to have a load worked-up for them to be absolute tack drivers and 1 holers, but Tikka's and Marlin X7's will give you a great start.

351 power · « **Reply #21 on:** February 17, 2011, 04:49:54 AM »

are yuo saying the rem 5r mil spec is out of the box? or buddy's opinion is gospel?

lilabner · « **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2011, 05:37:03 AM »

There are boxes and boxes - "bolt gun" covers target rifles as well as hunting rifles. You can spend a lot or a little. In the last few years, I have purchased three rifles made in different countries. The first was a Savage stainless/synthetic with accutrigger in .243 Winchester. I handload and developed hunting loads that shot consistent MOA or better. I did nothing to the rifle. The second was a Vanguard stainless/synthetic in .270 Winchester. The trigger was creepy so I replaced it with a Timney. No other changes. I worked up some 130 gr. hunting loads and found several that would consistent shoot MOA or better. The third was a Tikka T3 in 6.5x55. I did nothing to the rifle. I decided to go with 129 gr. bullets as a load for mule deer. The Tikka shot every loading I tried into MOA or better. I bought some 125 gr. bullets and it shot them into MOA or better. I have not seen a factory built hunting rifle that would digest whatever you fed it with such results. Many factories are building better out of the box hunting rifles now.

Swampman · « **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2011, 05:52:14 AM »

Quote from: 351 power on February 17, 2011, 04:49:54 AM

are yuo saying the rem 5r mil spec is out of the box? or buddy's opinion is gospel?

Here's the article....

http://www.snipercountry.com/inreviews/rem_m700_stainlessspecial5rmilspec.asp

I've never seen a Model 700 sporter that wouldn't shoot sub-MOA with factory ammo and I've had a ton of them.

Minnesota1 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 17, 2011, 08:09:13 AM »

I've had great luck with Tikka's. I really do like them. the Marlins I've shot are accurate and have a good feel to them as well. My browning A-bolt is a tack driver as well and my Remington 700 is moa to boot! I can't stand guns that aren't accurate. Like previous posts most guns are a lot more consistent as a result of competition and advanced machining. They can't sell the same crap that led to the model 70's demise!

351 power · « **Reply #25 on:** February 17, 2011, 08:32:42 AM »

seems like a nice rifle. with the hs stock and it's bedding system would you consider it out of the box or a factory custom job? fairly old article. are they still available? is his opinion soley based on his one particular rifle? it's hard to generalize to the degree we sometimes see

Swampman · « **Reply #26 on:** February 17, 2011, 08:51:43 AM »

They come straight from the Remington factory in the HS stock as do several other Remington 700s. It's not just this one rifle and you can still get them.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #27 on:** February 17, 2011, 09:04:23 AM »

While I am not a huge model 700 fan (I like CZ's and Kimbers), I have to say the most accurate, out of the box rifle I have ever had was a model 700 laminated stock, heavy barrel varminter in 22-250, purchased from Wal Mart on sale, no less. First load I tried, a 55 grn Sierra moly coated bullet over a healthy dose of H380 gave me solid sub 1/2 inch groups. A little tweeking brought this load to 1/3 inch on a good day.

Looking at rimfires, my Kimber Hunter grade .22 bolt will shoot 1/3 inch, sometimes a little less, at 50 yards with Eley target ammo.

Of course, if money is no object, you can buy custom bench rest guns "new, out of the box" that will put any hunting rifle to shame. These guys pretty much shoot all one hole groups, with a micrometer used to figure out the winner..

Larry

skarke · « **Reply #28 on:** February 17, 2011, 03:23:51 PM »

My point exactly, Bigeasy

Everybody is making better rifles now than 20 years ago. It wasn't that long ago that Browning came out with its A Bolt, guaranteeing 1 inch or better with factory ammo. Now, those groups are the minimum standard. I watched a guy with one of these a couple of weeks ago poking several 2s and 3s (real, honest to goodness 2s and 3s, not the internet kind

)

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/models/

Model 12 Benchrest

You know, I used to shoot benchrest. But, then I discovered pistol shooting, then skeet, and now my bench gun has been converted into a new 1911 and 3 new shotguns. I was OK, with the right equipment. At my best, my aggregates were in the high 3s on a non windy day. I'm proud to admit that, because in all reality, for me that is really good shooting.

Reading mirage, wind, barrel temp, and the magic bullet Genies is very hard. There are guys at my club who could, and did, wax me regularly. But if you look at these aggregates from the best shooters in the world, shooting with $10k equipment, high 3s doesn't look too bad. I was generally happy with my scores if my aggregate was under 5s (there was always those flyers).

http://internationalbenchrest.com/results/group/2010/UnionCounty/Nationals/GroupNationals.php

I've shot my share of bug holes, but I considered them more luck than skill. We are very lucky to have so many fine rifle to select among. Never has there been higher quality for a good price than right now.

Finally, I'd take Tony Boyer with an out of the box Remington or Savage Varmint gun against me with any other gun, and in all but dead calm weather, he'll kick my...., well, he'll beat me.

skarke · « **Reply #29 on:** February 17, 2011, 03:32:25 PM »

BTW, a 6 PPC , followed by a 6mmBR, produce competitive groups at 100 yards. Generally, varmint cartridges for me have produced half inch aggregates (.1 to .2 larger groups), and heavier, big game cartridges bigger than that. That's just me, but again, I'm no Boyer or Gonzales either.