what rifle do you recommend?

Knifeman

Active Member
Hi i am just saving up for my first centrefire rifle, I have decided i want a 6.5x55 but not sure what make of rifle?
regards paul
 
Paul

Thought I'd reply before you get a whole flood of replies trying to convince you to go with another calibre ;)

You'll find a few threads on the site talking about this subject. First you need to decide your overall budget, including rifle, scope, bino's, knife (the last of these is superfluous for you I think :D), roe sack, stalking sticks, bipod, etc, etc (there's a great thread on the site about what kit we take with us when stalking - everything from the "stalker lite" to the kitchen sink it seems). Once you've worked out your budget, figure on spending most of it on the optics.

Regarding the rifle, Are you thinking new or secondhand? There are lots of good rifles out there that people are selling, so give secondhand a thought.

So far as make, I use a Sako 75 which I really like. Sako, Tikka, Remington, Howa, CZ all get good write-ups. If I was in the market for a first rifle I would be tempted with a Remington 700 stainless synthetic. I'd go for stainless synthetic as the rifle is first and foremost a tool for getting the job done, so I keep the nice wooden stocks for my game shooting ;) I'd pick the Remy as there are loads of upgrades available (trigger, bases, stock, barrel) whereas it can be more problematic (i.e. pricey) with the other makes. Although personally I don't use one, I'd make sure any new rifle came threaded for a moderator.

Of course if your budget is higher you can go for something a bit more special - Heym, Blaser, Merkel, Mannlicher, etc.

Apologies if this answer isn't giving you much help, posing more questions than answers.

willie_gunn
 
Paul.....Welcome to the site!

To answer your question as to which rifle to buy, the only thing i can say is go to a Gunshop that holds a good selection of different rifles and handle as many as you can!.....this way you will find something that feels comfortable to hold ie: has the right length stock, a comfortable pistolgrip, and balances well in the hands.
There are so many different makes of rifle out there and each have their good points and bad points, but if you narrow it down to a couple that are comfortable then you've made a good start.
Obviously your budget is a major determining factor , as is whether you are adding a sound moderator or not. If you give us all a little more insight as to your requirements and funds etc. we can offer more educated and specific advice.

regards

Steve
 
Paul,
Whilst I agree with all that has been said above there is one thing that I would beg to differ on !
It was said go to a gun shop and look at several different rifles, I would suggest you go to several different Gun shops and look at as many rifles as you can.
Most gun shops are 'selective' on what they sell and will naturally push what they have, the Sportsman is very good but tends to push Steyr.
Once you have made your decision on which rifle, scope, moderator etc bounce between the shops to see which will give you the best deal and don't forget to price the cost of 'scope mounts and threading.
Good luck with your choice, there are so many out there to choose from and most are as good as you could wish for as nearly all second hand rifles are only second hand because somone has decided a different calibre is better than another when in fact they will all do the job.
 
Paul,
forget the make or the calibre,what is the gun going to be used for?
open hill,woodland,long range etc.
purposeful or aesthetic.
To me those are the first questions you should ask your self..

Design the gun round the requirements.


regards
griff
 
If you know of a commercial or club range within striking distance I would strongly recommend you pay and visit and have a chat with the regulars. Better still if the range owners are in the position to let you try various makes and calibres (regulations permitting).

Whatever course you take, do not rush and certainly avoid falling victim to fashion or current trends!

Enjoy the shopping!
 
Unless you are shooting "in the old fashioned way" then it won't just be a rifle equipped with its iron sights that you will need. Indeed that will be the least of your worries!

The "modern way" is to have certainly a telescopic sight (and mounts) plus maybe a moderator and a bipod.

Personally I don't like either moderator or bipod! But you may!

So accepting that, at the very least, you WILL need to buy a telescopic sight the next issue is mounts for the same.

Some rifles are fairly standard so large production runs give a scale of economy - Remington and Winchester - so will take cheap generic Redfield type mounts and rings.

Others - Mannlicher and Sako - will use mounts that cost considerably more such as the maker's own. The cost of these can be considerable!

However you may be very lucky! Stalking rifles are somewhat of a buyers' market in that secondhand they have poor residual values.

Try www.bonhams.com for their end of July "Sporting Guns Sale" in London. You've just missed that of www.holtandcompany.co.uk but they have another in September as do www.southams.com in August.

Avoid certain Nottingham based auction houses. Mostly recycled offcasts being cleared out by dealers at the cheaper end of the trade.

Or that someone's "pride and joy" at auction or on sites like www.guntrader.co.uk or the bigger dealers such as the very, very good www.rmacleod.co.uk may be easily less than half the new price...and may even have mounts included!

Calibres that are deemed unfashionable such as 270 Winchester also can be picked up cheap. I've seen decent maker's rifles in that calibre for as little as £95! Nothing wrong with them...just no longer in fashion!

Optics. Buy the very, very best that you can and you'll only ever buy once. Again be careful with this but secondhand Zeiss and etc. from reputable dealers may offer a saving. But avoid the cheap rubbish that at £100 new price looks attractive but won't last more than a few months!

A good start? Buy a copy of the monthly "Gun Mart" and that will give contacts galore!

Lastly? Avoid being sold someone else's bizarre idea of the "ideal rifle". These things usually have sixteen inch barrels, moderators the size of the Queen Mary's funnels and a telescopic sight so powerful that Patrick Moore could view Uranus with it.

A good safe bet? A second hand Parker-Hale or BSA or similar quality factory made European rifle that takes generic Redfield "off the shelf" mounts.

Iron sights? I like them but really most shooting today will never ever require them. Barrel length in 6.5 x55? Don't go below about twenty-two inches.

The "extras"? I've managed quite easily with just the rifle, a spyglass and a knife! Oh an maybe my "piece"! But some seem to go out festooned like the gunshop Xmas Tree display on 24th December! Each to his own.
 
Some excellent advice to which I'll only add:

don't neglect or skimp on the scope mounts, and

if you want any kind of knowledgable dealer advice or reliable after sales service, don't go to one of the 'stack 'em high, sell 'em cheap' big retailers. Spend an extra few quid with a trustworthy supplier who will look after you if you have any problems later on.

Mole
 
I have 2 mates who both have 6.5x55 Sakos one wood and one plastic and they both shoot exceptionaly well. I had a go with the plastic stocked one last week and shot 1/2 inch group; you cant fault that for a standard rifle.

Dave
 
save your self a packet and buy a tikka T3 ,no fuss no frills, no big price tag.no comprise

they will out shoot any rifle on the market even sakos for some reason.

and i love my sako .i have yet to hear of one that will not shoot tight groups .

i put a set trigger and a five shot mag in mine 7 times out of 10 i will take it out over my custom sako.
 
Knifeman

If I was starting again I would seriously look at a Howa or a Remington as a first rifle.

They lend themselves to being customised in the future if you choose to go down this route. Both are good value the Howa being exceptional value for money. Both also shoot out of the box.

I wouldn't rule out second hand either and if going down this route you may want to look at the 69 or 59 Tikka's.

A good contact for 2nd hand is Steve Beaty at Ivythorn Shooting (you will find him on guntrader.co.uk). He has some very good deals on 2nd hand kit and you can try on his range before committing.

I would possibly stay clear of Steyrs but this is just my opinion. The wood stocked versions are great looking rifles and wood or synthetic can shoot but remember if you end up doing alot of shooting you practicably speaking can't have them re-barrelled so end up being an expensive disposable item. Also there are alot of people who have difficulties getting them to shoot myself being one of them.

It all depends on budget really as I have cited "entry" level options in my response but going up a notch you could be into a Sako new or 2nd hand or Sauer etc etc.
 
Budget is a huge consideration here. You need to spend as much as you can on a scope, allow £500 for an 8x56 Schmidt and Bender and you'll not need anything better.

I have a Tikka T3 in this calibre. I don't really like the plastic mag or bolt shroud but apart from that it seems very well made. The trigger is good and it shoots single holes at 100 yards on a good day. The 6.5x55 is a good calibre choice too. It will down anything in this country, is good in the wind and doesn't smash your face in when you pull the trigger!

I also like CZs. They're a bit thrown together but they shoot very well and if looks and names mean nothing to you they are good value.

If I could have any rifle it would be a Sauer 202. They are lovely but expensive! I don't like Sako. Even the rep says they're built to a budget these days and aren't what they used to be. They're just a blinged up Tikka in my opinion and are not worth the money.
 
Unlike the last post I love the sako,s
They are a little bit more than blinged up tikkas ,you can see where the extra money goes , yes I know the barrel is the same etc .unless you can afford the top end ,saure,s blasers etc the sako is a great compromise ,they are the best of the rest ,I don,t have a 6.5 x55 but a 243 s/s and a recent aquisition .308 Bavarian .I haven,t been stalking long enough to have had the pleasure of using the superior older models , but more than happy with what I have . Spend what you can afford mate , don,t skimp on glass previous posts suggest s&b 8x56 great scope I have one on the 243 can,t fault it , or have a look at meopta another quality scope . where abouts are you ,your very welcome to have a look at mine .Brough. :D
 
Depending on what you are after, but if you are after most consistent reliability and most consistent accuracy for your money I believe one has to customise somewhat. Howa or remmy stainless varmint barrel choped down to 20", moderated and a bedded composite stock. I'd stick with 7-08 or 308.
Nice thing is one can go step by step and does not need to spend all at once.
No matter how much you spend on a factory rifle, chances are the stock is no good and will be a troublemaker in years to come.

edi
 
here , here

YOU will not go wrong with tikka , i know ive preached about them before and most are prob bored of hearing it but there you are they are simply brilliant !!
simple as . 8)
 
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