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$1500 308 bolt action rifle.

Jjames06

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 28, 2020
124
12
North Carolina
So I want a new rifle 308 just for ammo available and I have a few hundred rounds i want to be in the gun for $1500 or less only shooting off a bench 100-1000 yards. No long walks so weight don't bother me. price does not include glass. Any advice would be appreciated thank you.
 
That's thing I dont really know what I'm looking for just a blot action 308. Just me and my friends shooting no competitions. I have a cheap 6.5 an old 270 hunting rifle. Just want a new toy. I live near a military base so 308 ammo is all over the place. No hand loading for me. Just something I can out shoot my buddies with.
 
Just for kicks I picked up a Ruger American Hunter - Magpul .308/20 inch. It was used but the first owner shot one mag and moved to a 6.5. At $625 it owes me nothing. I've seen them between $700-$800 new. That leaves you room for a decent piece of glass (low-end or used) or a trigger upgrade/bipod.

For what I have into the gun in total, it's a sturdy, accurate piece I just use to knock around.

Overall, if you can, go to your local dealer, handle a few rifles and cycle the actions. That may help you wade through some of the good choices presented here.
 
That's the first rifle I bought besides the hinting ones I mentioned. I have a ruger american predator in a magpul stock with an athlon ares btr on it. Most of the time I shoot cheap ammo getting about 1 inche groups but i have shot some 4 shot 1/2 groups with better ammo but its not very repeatable but I'm sure I have a lot to do with it. I'm new to long range .I bought the whole package here on the px. I love this site its a weath of knowledge. And can find some deals.
 
I was looking at the tikka upr has anyone had any experience with this platform?
Yes. You get a “better and more solid” stock but the CTR still does everything just as well/better for less money. If you’re just wanting to max out that budget, buy the S20. My dad got one in a couple weeks ago and it’s amazing. I’ll be getting one in asap. Otherwise, I recommend buying the CTR and putting the rest of the money into glass and ammo. Everything is outrageous right now so the cost is way up
 
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Bergara HMR would be my choice but Tikka is a fine rifle as well.
Bergara hmr wilderness is what my 2 of my buddies have the other ones have the ugly brown hmr they all shoot very good feel good too. But everything feels and shoots better than my ruger and old ass savage. Was looking at the hmr pro but like I said would like to try something different.
 
That's thing I dont really know what I'm looking for just a blot action 308. Just me and my friends shooting no competitions. I have a cheap 6.5 an old 270 hunting rifle. Just want a new toy. I live near a military base so 308 ammo is all over the place. No hand loading for me. Just something I can out shoot my buddies with.

If you want to outshoot your buddies at 100-1000 yards, I would reconsider that caliber.

With that budget, it's tough to beat a Bergara B14 HMR or BMP. You will have money left for optics, and it will have a 700 footprint for future upgrades.
 
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I honestly think 308 is perfectly suited for 100-1000. Now if you wanted to go 1500 than there are certainly better calibers but inside 1000 308 will get the job done. I understand if you want something other than a Bergara but it’s really hard to beat the HMR for a sub $1000 rifle. I have a LRP Elite, Highlander, and a Ridge SP. all of them have great triggers, nice actions (Premiers are obviously nicer but the B14s are nice as well), all shoot sub 3/4. Tikkas are nice as well, I just prefer the Bergaras for relatively same money. Can’t really go wrong either way.
 
So I want a new rifle 308 just for ammo available and I have a few hundred rounds i want to be in the gun for $1500 or less only shooting off a bench 100-1000 yards. No long walks so weight don't bother me. price does not include glass. Any advice would be appreciated thank you.
Either Tika or a Rem 700 5R SS.

You can get the Rem for about $1k. Then a bit of gunsmithing and parts to skim bed the action, add a muzzle brake, and put in a nice Jewel trigger and you have a great gun for reasonable distance range work that can also hunt. Comes in an HS Precision stock that I rather like for this gun.

Depending on how overpriced of a break you put on (I put a Harrels on mine...$45 and works), you should come out under $1.5k.

Add a pic rail, good quality rings of your choice, and a scope and Robert's your mother's brother. haha

Ask me how I know...yeah, that's what I did :) I went with Badger 20 moa rail, Leupold Mk 4 steel rings, and a Viper 3-15x44 mil scope. I'm very happy with this gun.
 
OP, those Rem 5Rs in McRees above are a good setup! I have no affiliation, but they do shoot.
And nothing feels better than outshooting your buddies with a .308! :geek:
 
They all have 300 wm and 6.5. My 6.5 keeps up with them. Just have couple hundred rounds of 308 and able to get more. And wanted a new toy. I was going to buy the hmr pro but wanted to see if anything else out there was worth looking at. A tikka in a krg bravo was the other option. I like deals too dont mind a used rifle. Me and my buddies grew up deer hunting but this year we started getting into target shooting at range.
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with a Tikka. If you wanted to go a slightly different route consider doing a Remage barreled action with an upgraded trigger and dropped it into a KRG Bravo chassis. I've done this for two rifles and they both have been awesome! You can easily swap the barrel at home and change things up down the road if wanted to (6.5 Creedmoor).


 
So I want a new rifle 308 just for ammo available and I have a few hundred rounds i want to be in the gun for $1500 or less only shooting off a bench 100-1000 yards. No long walks so weight don't bother me. price does not include glass. Any advice would be appreciated thank you.
I have a Savage 110 actioned 308 Win with a straight taper 24" Bartlein 1:9 twist barrel in an HS Preision stock. It shoots lights out and can shoot 190 gr bullets at <0.3 MOA capable of remaining supersonic to 1550 yds under standard conditions. Will shoot 150 gr hunting bullets to 3040 fps whose BCs are 0.515G1. Probably spent $1100 on it.
 
I have a Savage 110 actioned 308 Win with a straight taper 24" Bartlein 1:9 twist barrel in an HS Preision stock. It shoots lights out and can shoot 190 gr bullets at <0.3 MOA capable of remaining supersonic to 1550 yds under standard conditions. Will shoot 150 gr hunting bullets to 3040 fps whose BCs are 0.515G1. Probably spent $1100 on it.
Got a pic of it?
 
After dealing with Beretta to get a new firing pin for a Sako A7 that broke within the first 20 rounds. I would go still go Tikka or a Sako of some flavor. However, with the Sako you're limited on parts/aftermarket upgrades. McMillan (limited to a few, I have the list saved somewhere.), B&C (m40) , GRS make stocks. Least for the A7. The S20 might be great, I assume Atlasworx will be making parts for them. Seems like A7 long range rifles are out of stock at Sportsmans warehouse but they were going for 749+tax. May be able to find one similarly priced.

Tikka is also an excellent option. Lots of aftermarket support. Had a ctr for a while, boringly simple worked well enough out the box. Only sold it to get the Sako.

Next would be Remington, and if you can find one, the 700P 5r barreled actions have done really well. I cleaned, the interior of the bolt/firing pin and had the body jeweled and it was on par with the Sako. Plus crazy amounts of aftermarket support.

In my incompetent hands.
Ye old Sako
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Eurooptic 700p action
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If you decide to go the Fin route and want a sako go here: Sako Collectors Forum. They have an active trading post and what not.
 
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They all have 300 wm and 6.5. My 6.5 keeps up with them. Just have couple hundred rounds of 308 and able to get more. And wanted a new toy. I was going to buy the hmr pro but wanted to see if anything else out there was worth looking at. A tikka in a krg bravo was the other option. I like deals too dont mind a used rifle. Me and my buddies grew up deer hunting but this year we started getting into target shooting at range.

well you are are the right place for that. my son is headed there and i am looking forward to returning. there is a lot of things there that i never took advantage of while i was there.
 
I'd go 700 5R as well. $1500 would get you the rifle, upgraded trigger, and a scope base. Maybe even rings.

I have one for that purpose but now that I hunt more than I shoot I'm considering selling and picking up something lighter. W/ the timney trigger it's great. PM me if you end up wanting to go that way.

I've taken it to 1000 w/ 175gr FGMM factory ammo.

Incidentally I'll probably grab a Tikka T3x Lite instead so the Tikka suggestions above aren't bad either.