Can of worms???

GunnyJim

Member
Hi all, hoping this thread doesn't become the proverbial can of worms or even Pandora 's box!!! I would like to start a discussion topic based purely on the "functionality" of rifles. By this, I am looking for members opinions about different rifle manufacturers, based on areas such as extraction and feed and so on ( not necessarily accuracy ) Which rifles offer all round performance??? Are there things that you feel let down an otherwise perfectly good rifle?? Apologies in advance.........! Jim.
 
I've tried Ruger, Remington, Tikka, PH, Mauser, Blaser, Sauer, Laklander, etc,etc,etc....

I own 4 Sako 75's. I think that gives my opinion.
 
I've owned (in some cases several different models of each make) - Parker Hale, BSA, Ruger , Winchester, Remington, Sako, Beretta, Browning, Tikka, Chapuis, Unifrance, Marlin, Varberger and several other makes. I have also shot several other makes of rifle in various actions from bolt to full auto.
All worked and most shot very well indeed with the right ammo. There is only one make that I would never buy again purely down to bad build quality.
 
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Remington.
No doubt others will find differently and are quite satisfied with theirs even if it has required an almost entire rebuild.

P.S. I forgot to mention that I have also owned CZ and Brno rifles too.
 
No rifle is perfect, however they'll all shoot more or less.
I have no time for some of the over engineered Euro rifles. After the 98 things seemed to have gone downhill.
From the action alone my favourite design would be the Remington as it is simple and light weight. Out of the box the Remington also has it's weak points and needs modifications which is easier done than with most other actions. I have Sako, Tikka, Mauser, Howa and Remington rifles all modified in the same way. Favourite is the Remington, second the 1909 Mauser.
edi
 
I have owned a variety of rifles over the years and had the opportunity to work on, test and report pretty much most available brands in the UK.

My "go to" stalking rifles are a Remington 700 in 6.5x284, that I've added a PSE stock to and also sports Williams BDL metal and Shilen trigger and the other rifle is an Accuracy International AX in 6.5x47.

Both have been customised by me - re-barrelled.


I wouldn't change either - they both shoot better than I can and I know I can rely on both to work no matter what the conditions (so long as the brass in the chamber isn't wet - but that applies to any firearm)
 
Like others here , I've owned many different rifles over the years . As time goes by , I've found I tend to prefer rifles that are based on military actions or tried and true commercial ones such as Marlin , Savage and Winchester lever-guns . Gilt edged accuracy is great , but I value reliability above all . Both of my " go to " hunting rifles are of military design , A 30-06 in a Mauser 98 and a Parker - Hale built on a No 4 Mark 2 Lee Enfield . Neither of them would qualify as Match rifles , but both will keep five rounds inside about 1.5 inches at 100 yards , from -30 C to +25 C and under field conditions . This may not seem that impressive , but in my experience , it's far from common . That and the fact they are both absolutely reliable under these same conditions makes them my personal favorites . The climate I live in goes from one extreme to the other , sometimes very quickly , and these rifles were designed to work under the worst of conditions . There's nothing wrong with most commercial rifles out there , it's more a personal preference . There will be many different answers to this question , and depending on the needs and past experience of the shooter , they will all be right .

AB
 
tikka and sako are the smoothest bolt actioon rifles that shoot great.... all other manufacturers should just quit and make chairs or something
 
My (admittedly quite limited) observations:

Tikka T3: extremely smooth bolt (smoothest of any factory rifle I have come across); lovely trigger. Crap magazine that sometimes won't fill to capacity (especially in .222) - I think because they tried a one size fits all approach. Quite a dodgy magazine release that come come loose. Plastic bolt shroud that looks like it has a limited life expectancy. If they came with a decent mag, 24 inch barrels and a metal bolt shroud, I would never have looked beyond the T3.

CZ455: quite a rough trigger; poor magazines with springs that seem to decay within a few years, leading to feed problems. Relatively poor action to stock fit. Despite this, as accurate as you could possibly need with a working bunny gun.

Heym SR21: very robust, beautifully made and put together. Excellent trigger. Bolt on the newest rifles can bind until you've cycled it a few hundred times - I think because the tolerances are very fine. Once done, very smooth bolt. Appallingly designed magazine release catch - if the rest of the rifle wasn't so good, would almost be a justification not to buy. Barrel does heat up fast and shots start to wander after 3-4 shots in quick succession so it really is not a range rifle.

Sako 75: hard to fault. Bolt has a little bit of slop in it when fully withdrawn and can bind on the forward stroke. Other than that, every other aspect seems to be spot on. Superb magazine and magazine release.
 
Bolt smoothness is totally overated, mostly by people who don't have a clue of mechanics.
Take a brand new BAT action out of the box, very expensive, very highly rated by experts....bolt travels horrible. Same as most actions apart from those that have been treated. Most bolts on just about any make will get smoother over time. Or with a little polishing work they turn smooth much quicker. My Remington bolt will put most T3 bolts to shame. The Mauser bolt I have is by far smoother than my Sako bolt. If I would put some work into the Sako bolt it might be the other way round... I presume. Bolts are only pieces of metal gliding on metal, treat the surface properly and friction will go down.
edi
 
I have a Steyr-Mannlicher Classic and I can't fault it beyond the fact that it has a couple of plastic parts, the magazine and the safety wheel, but that's an aesthetic consideration really as they both work fine and show no signs of wear. The three-position rotating safety takes a little getting used to, but in practice it's tang-mounted like on a shotgun, so not an unfamiliar arrangement. The trigger is lovely both in the direct and set configurations, perhaps a little heavy in the direct setting but that's adjustable, I just need to remember to deal with it at some point. The hammer-forged barrel didn't require any of that running in business, it shot as well as I did straight out the box. The matt, "Mannox" coating on the metal parts has so far proved very weather and corrosion resistant, there's never been the slightest spot of rust on it and it's been very wet indeed. The gigantic bolt is rock-steady, no wobbling about in the open position, which inspires confidence. Round feed is fine, but on the range, when feeding rounds very gently I have on a couple of occasions been through the misfire drill because I hadn't actually chambered a round. I think it likes to be handled with a bit more authority than I do on the range.

All of the above and it looks lovely, is beautiful to handle and light to carry. Don't know why they're not more popular.
 
I had my hands on a Wichita target rifle the other day
One of the best and smoothest bolt cycles I have come across
very heavy pin spring though (easily fixed)
three bolt lug locks like a Swiss Safe!

WichiotaBenchRestBoltSch.jpg



Any design that has the lugs of the bolt narrower than the bolt body will give the feeling of "smoothness" as the bolt body is stabilised by the action (assuming it is not full of grit!)
similarly I have a Tikka 658 that has a bolt bushing that sits on the outside of the bolt rear and locks into the rear of the receiver
very smooth

p_913400152_1.jpg



controlled feed (mauser etc) actions sometimes give the feeling of stickiness unless cycled as they are meant to be - with authority as if the enemy hordes are coming over the top towards you!
some people don't like the idea of the bolt moving about laterally with these designs
personally it doesn't bother me
what can be a pain is if a round slips off the extractor

one thing I can't stand is badly designed feed lip and magazine designs!
bullet choice and meplat design should not influence feeding...period!
 
I have lost count of the rifles I've owned. Certainly over a thousand, and I can say that all had their appeal. For pure function? The 30-40 Krag Jorgensen. Slippery smooth bolt, the easiest and most positive loading and unloading, positive feeding, amply strong for the cartridge it was intended for, and the cartridge itself is a handloader's dream.~Muir
 
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Hi all, thanks for all the comments so far. Anybody ever had to replace strikers or worn cocking pieces??? I've been reading some action specifications that quote 0.003" bolt to body clearance, anybody have any experience with receivers from custom makers??? My own riflemaking experience is mainly based around the trusty Mauser - old actions and new machining. I built a couple of rifles a few years ago on Surgeon actions and was quite impressed by them I have to say, although the build time was much shorter than I'm used too, not fitting iron sights, quarter ribs and barrel bands was a first for me I have to admit. Anybody out there using a Shilen action or Jarrett rifle who would like to offer any thoughts on them??? Cheers, Jim.
 
I have to admit to a preference for rifles built on the older military actions (although I have a Blaser R93 as well) and I regularly use rifles built on the Mauser 98 Oberndorf action and also have one with a Mannlicher Schoenauer 1903 butterknife (originally 6.5x54, now 7x57) - all these rifles perform flawlessly. I agree with a couple of earlier mentions that these actions need decisive operation, but when they are correctly set up and maintained they are superb and will take a lot of muck and abuse before any cycling problems appear (which is not the case when you get sand in your Blaser while crawling through the brush in the dark continent...luckily a second shot wasn't needed!).
 
For all round performance its hard to beat sako 75 and 85 rifles.
They have a nice safety and adjustable trigger. They also have a great flush fitting magazine that feeds perfectly and can be loaded while in the rifle.
 
For all round performance its hard to beat sako 75 and 85 rifles.
They have a nice safety and adjustable trigger. They also have a great flush fitting magazine that feeds perfectly and can be loaded while in the rifle.

They are nice rifles . And you've pointed out something that has bothered me about some designs , I want to be able to load a rifle through the top if I want , it a small thing I know , but it just bothers me if I can't .

AB
 
Top loading is a feature that I like also, Im not going to fight a war so large capacity detachable magazines are of no interest to me. With my Sako 85 I have the best of both worlds as it top loads and is also a detachable magazine.
 
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