New Rifle: Model 70, T3x, Bergara, or Browning

[Kyle_Esquer]

Hi all,

I am very new to this forum (this is my first post) but I have read plenty of threads throughout the past few months and figured you all would be the perfect people to ask!

I recently got the bug for a new hunting rifle and have set a budget for about 1000-1300 dollars. I would love for this gun to be very versatile in that I can hunt anything from pigs to elk/bear at a reasonable distance and then take that same gun and go out and just plink at various distances from 600-1200 yards. I have cartridges in mind that I like but I am open to all of your opinions and knowledge.
**Eventually I will get a designated long range plinker but the budget only allows for one new gun right now.**

 

[KnowNothing256]

Honestly, any light-ish rifle in 6.5 CM with a MOA guarantee will do what you’re describing. If you were looking for a gun to upgrade into a comp rifle, I’d tell you to go with the Tikka due to smooth action operation, good accuracy, and strong aftermarket support (chassis, barrel prefits, accessories, etc). But since this is mostly a hunting rifle, the Bergara B14 Ridge is a strong option, or the HMR if you think you’ll get more serious about long-range target shooting soon (it’s pretty heavy for a hunting rifle).

Don’t get the Bergara if you’re gonna cobble together a comp gun out of it eventually.

Other calibers will do the job, of course, and lots of folks feel that the 6.5 CM is marginal for elk. However, most naysayers will agree that shot placement is the most important part of an ethical kill (other than penetration, which is mostly a function of bullet construction) and wind calls are the largest source of long-range POI error. The 6.5 CM will buck the wind far better than a .308 (very important for long-range hunting) and has much less recoil than, say, a 30-06 or one of the 7mm magnums. 6.5 PRC or 7 SAUM are highly capable hunting rounds, but aren’t much fun for target shooting, esp in a gun that’s light enough to haul around the woods or up a mountain. Sorry if the caliber discussion is off-topic, couldn’t tell if you wanted to hear discussion on that or not.

Happy shopping!

 

[KnowNothing256]

Oh, and welcome to the forum! Tons of great folks here, much smarter and more experienced than me for sure

 

[Kyle_Esquer]

Oh, and welcome to the forum! Tons of great folks here, much smarter and more experienced than me for sure

Thank you so much for the response!! To clear up some possible confusion, I’d like to eventually build out a nice comp gun (new barrel, stock, and trigger) in like a 6mm creed or something like that later on out of probably a tikka/700 clone but for now just a nice hunting rifle that will be able to harvest any North American animal (besides moose/caribou, because if I ever get the chance to hunt in Alaska or Canada I’d love to do that with my bow) and be capable of some precise plinking.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Gotcha, makes sense, that was basically how I ended up with my B14 HMR. Unfortunately, it really lives up to the jack-of-all-trades niche that Bergara was aiming for: it’s a master of none. It’s not optimal for a hunting rifle because it’s heavy, and it’s not optimal for a comp gun because the barrel contour is too light. That would be easily fixed if prefits were popular, but Bergara’s coned bolt face really hasn’t caught on in the aftermarket barrel (although @Deep South Tactical might soon change that...). That said, I actually really like the stock, it’s a great step in the chassis direction.

Anyway, the Ridge is a better fit for your purpose. Lighter, but still plenty accurate. Can drop a Trigger Tech Special in when your budget opens up and walk that bad boy out to 1k with no real issues.

YMMV, but I can’t love a gun anymore unless it has a cheek riser on it; if I had a Ridge, I’d drill a couple holes in the stock and install a Matthews Fabrication cheek riser.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Also, I really only have experience with the Bergara, I’m definitely curious to hear others vote for alternatives and why.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

If it's just a hunting rifle, I'd find a Tikka, preferably a stainless steel model, and chambered in 280 Remington.

 

[Texasflyer]

I have 2 model 70's. One in 243 and one in 270. I think they are amazing rifles. I had a browning a bolt that i also really liked in 270. The 243 replaced my 222 savage as the coyote king, the 270 has gotten 4 hogs and a coyote so far this year. With a hunting rifle i like to keep them mostly stock and light as possible.

 

[wichitaguns]

Take this from someone who loves the model 70, I have one in the cabinet and 2 bare fn spr (model 70 short actions) that I am collecting stocks, and bottom metal for.
DO NOT BUY THE MODEL 70,if you are planning on upgrading later.
For the following reasons
1) after market chassis are almost mon existent
2) after market stocks are available but will require bedding.
3) aftermarket bottom metal is available but will require modification to your action
4) adding a new barrel will require a trip to the Smith
4) prefit barrels will not work.

If you want a model 70 and plan on leaving it as factory...do it. Great gun, great action.
But if you want something you can build on get the tikka.
The ctr is in that price range and if you can save a bit.more you can bump up to the Tac AI. Phil vallejo(sp) has a you tube series on his build with the tikka..see below.

 

[WB300]

Does your budget include an optic or rifle alone?

What distances do you consider "reasonable?"

This may help narrow down some suggestions.

 

[Kyle_Esquer]

Does your budget include an optic or rifle alone?

What distances do you consider "reasonable?"

This may help narrow down some suggestions.

Budget is for rifle alone because I will end up spending the same amount on good glass.

Reasonable distance would include harvesting animals out to about 500 yards, give or take.

I’m not really trying to “build” a rifle for hunting, this would be a gun that I pretty much left bone stock unless a stock upgrade was needed after a while (like say a tikka).

The long range plinker would be a total separate gun because I realize that one gun can not do it all and be great at everything so that gun would come at a later time.

 

[Kyle_Esquer]

Take this from someone who loves the model 70, I have one in the cabinet and 2 bare fn spr (model 70 short actions) that I am collecting stocks, and bottom metal for.
DO NOT BUY THE MODEL 70,if you are planning on upgrading later.
For the following reasons
1) after market chassis are almost mon existent
2) after market stocks are available but will require bedding.
3) aftermarket bottom metal is available but will require modification to your action
4) adding a new barrel will require a trip to the Smith
4) prefit barrels will not work.

If you want a model 70 and plan on leaving it as factory...do it. Great gun, great action.
But if you want something you can build on get the tikka.
The ctr is in that price range and if you can save a bit.more you can bump up to the Tac AI. Phil vallejo(sp) has a you tube series on his build with the tikka..see below.

I was looking at the newest Model 70 Coyote Light or maybe the EW, or the newest Longe Range MB, they all look like good rifles and stocks just would need a cheek riser and I would call it done!