Rifles you should like but end up hating

unicorn71

Well-Known Member
Just for fun which rifles have you purchased then soon after hated the sight of and sold as soon as is possible for whatever reason.Mine are ....

1.Sako 75s/s in 270 -very accurate and the 75 is a fantastic rifle but heavy and just didn't fit me well.
2.Tikka 595 s/l in .222 -the laminate stock made a great rifle way too heavy for long stalks.

Btw I realise that the above choices will probably see me labeled as a wimp or burned at the stake.
 
Sako 75 stainless varmint fluted laminate in 308.

I didn't hate it but never fell in love with it like I thought I would after reading all the rave reviews from owners.

It was superbly accurate, I loved the magazine and the ability to top load it. I just found it never fitted very well and was too heavy for stalking and didn't have a long enough barrel (or fast enough twist) for long range shooting. Had it of been a sporter profile barrel I may have felt differently. I much prefer the Tikka T3 and found that action a lot smoother and a pleasure to shoot although not a fan of the tiny ejection port.
 
Sauer 202s - they just don't fit

And a rifle I should Hate, but actually might quite like

The Blaser R93 / R8 - the handle well, are short and pointy - but I just really don't like the amount of polymers used in the action / magazine / decocker etc. Don't mind it on a £500 Franchi affinity I take to the marsh, but not on a £2,500 plus rifle.
 
+ 1 on the Remington
One of those brands with an incredible reputation - according to whom? Ahh yes, that would be according to Remington. Unfortunately I fell for it. It was a long time ago and I have healed since then and seen the light. I think even the Americans have worked it out.
I did have an Antonio Zoli too which was a lovely rifle but would rust even when I was only watching the weather forecast on telly. It had to go.
Other than these two, I still own every rifle I have ever bought and love them all.
 
The Lang sidelock I bought for my son three years ago in anticipation of his return from ten years overseas as it has a long stock. It's never been out of the cabinet. I just didn't like it. No figure in the woodwork. Nice and long...but very bland.

View attachment 94317

So I bought him a ex-display near unused it seems Sabel...I didn't like that...so that never came out of the cabinet either!

So now, finally, I've bought him a old original Gunmark Viscount...not the awful Powell re-incarnation. It looks more 1920s "London English" than does the Lang! I do like that!

View attachment 94316

The funny thing about my Lang being very bland...is that the address on the barrels is definitely Bury Street. And not William IV Street.
 
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I have to admit, I've never really 'bonded' with a rifle like I do with a shotgun. I think it's to do with the fact that I get thousands of rounds through my shotgun each year where as I spend a lot of time with my rifle walking the hills, but it spends most of it's life on my shoulder and one let off a round when there's something in the cross-hairs.
 
Anything 'tactical' or anything with a pistol grip type thingy to make you think you are on par with big Arnold and that the owners can pretend they are bruce willis or some other ****.
 
Cz 452 American
I could never get it to shoot well. Sold it got an anschutz.

Lanber 12g loved the gun but wouldn't always fire the second barrel. Took it back 5 times for repair but still the same. Got a refund and then got a beretta.
Regards Dan
 
Only one rifle that I bought with high expectations but ended up hating and that was a Remington 700 VS.
 
Sauer 202 and tikka t3, both should be good but aren’t. 202 heavy and uncomfy. T3 just not not nice to handle
 
Sako 75.

I had two T3s in .222 and .243, both of which shot better than I could. I fell for the hype, sold the T3s and got 75s.
Serious mistake. I could never get the 75s to shoot as well as the T3s. The .222 was fine - nothing special, perfectly workmanlike gun. The .243 was a disaster, and never shot.

On the the other hand, I now have a Sako a1 in .222. It’s a viciously beaten up and abused old gun that has any number of things to hate about it, yet it shoots so well I find myself grudgingly admiring it.
 
The Blaser R93 / R8 - the handle well, are short and pointy - but I just really don't like the amount of polymers used in the action / magazine / decocker etc. Don't mind it on a £500 Franchi affinity I take to the marsh, but not on a £2,500 plus rifle.

I don’t think they even handle very well! And extremely noisy unloading/reloading. Another thing that would be good value at less than half the price.
 
Every factory rifle I have picked up I find something that is wrong. After changing bits and upgrading bedding etc. they become really good rifles. Only rifle I have and have never fired because I just don't like the mechanics is a R8. Remmy any day, Howa, Sako, T3 all good but only after some work.
I have yet to see a rifle manufacturing that understands and does a proper epoxy bedding.
edi
 
My first rifle was cz 452 silhouette .17hmr and was excited to get it after reading all reviews about how accurate it is and a great round. But I could not get a smaller group than 3.5"/4". And tried everybrand of ammo I could get, thought it was my shooting until I got a .22lr and could shoot 1/2" groups at 100yards with it, so the hmr went.
 
Had a 243 rifle built on a Stiller Action, good stock and trigger. Chose the wrong barrel profile. Just too heavy for walking stalking sold at big loss. Another Lesson learned.

Looking back should have re-barrelled Doh!!!
 
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