30-06 Preference

[Cohunter]

I am in the process of buying my first 30-06 Rifle. I have narrowed it down to the Ruger 77 Hawkeye, the Remington 700SDS, the Tikka T3 Lite and the Savage III. These seem to have been the best functioning, priced and feel that I could narrow them down too. The Tikka definitely had the best bolt action. Without having shot any of them, I am asking for any opinions or information I can get on these, or any rifle I may have overlooked!
Thanks.

[hogdogs]

You will get more replies in the rifle section... ask it be moved...
Brent

[Creature]

I was REALLY impressed with the Savage Accu-Trigger as it came straight out of the box. In my book, its all about the trigger....everything else being a close second.

[ruger01]

I really like the new Ruger Hawkeye, have one in .223 stainless synthetic and couldnt be happier with it. Friend just got a Tikka very nice rifle also only prob I see with it is when single loading it can be a bit tricky getting it to feed the round into the chamber when loaded straight into the action (we can only single load at the range I go to!)

I reckon the Tikkas action is a bit smoother than my Ruger but overall still like the Hawkeye - trigger is excellent as well.

:)

[Waterengineer]

I own a remington BDL.

My order of preference would be:

Tikka T3 (sweet action and bolt)
Hawkeye (just a damn sweet gun overall)
Savage (nice trigger out of the box)
Remington (All of my Remingtons have had trigger jobs)

I'm looking for an excuse to sell the Remington to buy the Tikka.

[elkman06]

Just a reminder, the Tikkas come w/ an adjustable trigger. 2-4lbs if I remember correctly.
elkman06

[sholling]

The Savage and Tikka will have the edge in accuracy and triggers, but the Tikka will also have better handling and a smoother action.

[Smokey Joe]

Cohunter--I believe you will find the Ruger Hawkeye to be a very nice rifle. However (there is always that darn "however!") if you plan to ever replace the trigger, be advised that the replacement--and better--triggers are a living bi#$%^&*()@#$%ch to install.

I have a Ruger--very nice rifle except for the trigger.

Also have a Savage, and like it very much. You can't beat the Accu-trigger for a factory trigger, IMNSHO. And bbl swapping, should you ever want to do that, is a cinch with the Savage.

No experience w/yr other choices. The Rem 700 of course has a million retro parts available should you wish to go that route; very nice reputation as a rifle all by itself. And Tikkas have an XLNT reputation.

Now, as to other possibilities, and keeping it to .30-'06, if you should run across a Bubba'd Springfield or '17 Enfield, I'd snap it up were I you. Plenty of retro parts available for either, to modify it any way you want; great strong actions. The UN-modified historic WWII rifles should be left that way, IMHO, but if someone has already chopped and channeled it, then nothing you do to it will reduce its collector value any further.

Good luck in yr search. Enjoy! And as always, remember that the journey is part of the destination.

[tuffteddyb]

I have both a tikka t3 and a savage with the accutrigger,love em both,both are lite and shoot really well.

[Smaug]

I'd probably go for a Savage with nice wood, if they have it, and have money left over for a quality scope.

Remingtons seem to need to be messed with to shoot up to par.

Rugers by far have the nicest, most solid-feeling actions. But the accuracy does not quite have the samre reputation as the others.

No experience with Tikkas. But they're the ugly sister to the Sakos, right? Not a bad bloodline...

[marshuff]

I assume you are settled on a bolt action rifle rather than a semi-automatic. One of the best guns ever made is still the M1 Garand. $ for $ it is one of the best guns in the world.

[Water-Man]

I'm curious as to why you haven't also considered the Weatherby Vanguard MOA.