Thread: Ranking of rifle brands

My father just got a Bergara, seems nice enough but you can put the bolt in upside down and it’s not easy to remove in the field, he also had the bolt drop out while walking along a creek, landed on sand so didn’t hear it, luckily it was obvious when we back tracked.

Originally Posted by No good names left

Hi all.
A friend has recently got his FAL and is looking at getting a centrefire suitable for DoC land deer or goats-probably bush bash more than open shooting so I am steering him towards a .308 as it would cover both, but he asked me if brand A is better or worse than brand B and I really don't know.

So I ask you all to rank the low-mid range brands in your opinion best to worst
My 2c for what it's worth

Tikka Thats the best $/quality that he would need for his first rifle and is top of his price range.
Howa
Remington
Marlin
Savage

Are there any particular models that are problematic and should be avoided ?

Thanks,
Al

Savage is in wrong spot from what live seen of them. Talk about a company that struggles to improve historic name recognition.

Id go sako, tikka

small jump

Howa, Remington, savage, begära, Browning.

with a big jump down too

Marlin, mossberg

Originally Posted by Pete@tte

My father just got a Bergara, seems nice enough but you can put the bolt in upside down and it’s not easy to remove in the field, he also had the bolt drop out while walking along a creek, landed on sand so didn’t hear it, luckily it was obvious when we back tracked.

How the hell does this happen or the bolt drop out?
I would never carry a rifle over my shoulder on a sling with the bolt open that is asking for trouble.

Sent from my CPH2531 using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP

How the hell does this happen or the bolt drop out?
I would never carry a rifle over my shoulder on a sling with the bolt open that is asking for trouble.

Sent from my CPH2531 using Tapatalk

One bump to lift the bolt, it naturally slides back since everyone loves super smooth bolts, then the bolt release rubs against the backpack and it drops. New fear unlocked lol

Originally Posted by SneedFeed

One bump to lift the bolt, it naturally slides back since everyone loves super smooth bolts, then the bolt release rubs against the backpack and it drops. New fear unlocked lol

Surely if the rifle is in half cock or a state of semi readiness it should be in your hand or if on the shoulder bolt closed on an empty chamber.
Just my 2 cents.


Sent from my CPH2531 using Tapatalk

I cant understand hunters who use a sling in the bush I carry one in my day bag in case I need it for a carry out but years of bush hunting never used one carried rifle ready to use one never knew bush hunting where a deer would pop up and its no good over ones shoulder then- its deer gone

Originally Posted by SneedFeed

One bump to lift the bolt, it naturally slides back since everyone loves super smooth bolts, then the bolt release rubs against the backpack and it drops. New fear unlocked lol

If you close the bolt in an empty chamber with the trigger down (so it isn’t cocked) it takes a bit of force to open mauser style bolts. So shouldn’t flick open on bag. Or run bolt closed on empty, cocked with safety on and bolt wont open on most guns

Originally Posted by Juicy

If you close the bolt in an empty chamber with the trigger down (so it isn’t cocked) it takes a bit of force to open mauser style bolts. So shouldn’t flick open on bag. Or run bolt closed on empty, cocked with safety on and bolt wont open on most guns

I know we are getting off track from the OP but one thing I hate is seeing a rifle carried with the bolt closed but cocked on an empty chamber.
Other people don't know that the chamber is empty all I see is the red indicator poking out showing it's cocked.

Sent from my CPH2531 using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by PeteD

Tikka. Not exciting but just works.

Excuse you, my Tikka gets me hard i mean excited every time I slide the bolt in OR out.

Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP

I know we are getting off track from the OP but one thing I hate is seeing a rifle carried with the bolt closed but cocked on an empty chamber.
Other people don't know that the chamber is empty all I see is the red indicator poking out showing it's cocked.

Sent from my CPH2531 using Tapatalk

Agreed, but most rifles wont allow the safety to be engaged if not cocked. With the safety on the bolt def wont flick open. Maybe appropriate in really dense scrub, otherwise I’ve never had issues running bolt closed uncocked. One quick glance at the indicator and you can see its uncocked which is preferable

Originally Posted by No good names left

Does anyone think much of Mossberg MVP/ATR/PATRIOT ? There's a few at low prices-Low for a reason ?

I had a Mossberg ATR 100. It shot ok.

To me anyway, but i was just beginning, so it would have taken a much better shooter than me to give it a good test.

The thing I didn't like about it was that it had a blind box magazine. They are built into the rifle, and can't be removed.

The upside of blind box mags is you'll never leave them on a hillside or a trail somewhere, 'cause they're an integral part of the rifle.

The downside is that you can't load/unload the rifle quickly, which is a pain. I like to be able to take the mag out, and work the bolt once to remove a live round. Very quick process. From memory, the ATR relied on me working the bolt 4x to clear the 4 shot mag.

It's a simple, cheap way to build a rifle.

I'm sure there are people who make it work and are just glad to have something to hunt deer with. But it wasn't for me.

Originally Posted by Juicy

If you close the bolt in an empty chamber with the trigger down (so it isn’t cocked) it takes a bit of force to open mauser style bolts. So shouldn’t flick open on bag. Or run bolt closed on empty, cocked with safety on and bolt wont open on most guns

I had open once, a pine branch brushed my barrel and because of the leverage it opened my bolt pretty easily. It was unloaded but I had the bolt in basically so I wouldn't lose it. Bolt didn't come out but thats step 1 so I can imagine it happening to someone sooner or later.

Ruger. I have 2 & love em. Mine are old & shoot fantastic. Buying new is anybodies guess. At my club some love some hate Tikka. Most like Savage, BUT NOT THE CHEAP ONES.Good luck.

cheap The Remington 783 is a disappointment - well the damn things shoot very well indeed but the feel and build quality is crappy and thats an understatement - pity because its accuracy potential is there - Remington's early attempt at a budget rifle produced a classic the 788 man they shoot yes clunky bolt but a good one will give the Tikka run for its money - The Remington 700 ADL was also a budget model and a good one shoots - just no magazine floor plate was a pain

The newer Browning rifles aren't a bad rifle despite the hate a lot of people give them. Nice action, safety and push button bolt release. They are accurate or at least the 16" 308 one I have is. Main issue is the trigger, you can sort it with an aftermarket spring but still a pain.

My Browning 16" 308 the felt recoil is softer than my 260 Tikka was, both DPT suppressed, which is interesting.