Help with my next rifle

[Karhumies]

Its been mentioned before but 8x57IS is quite suitable for a shorter barrel and performs well. You could (at least in Finland) find a Sako mauser from the 70s or a zastava rifle.

Sub 700 euro describes all my rifles and all are old surplus with optics mounted wich is easy nowadays I know a company that makes drop in weaver rails for mosin nagants, k98 mausers, m96 mausers etc that replace the rear sight and use set screws to secure itself.

Here is a crazy one tho, and iam serious! get a polish or Finnish mosin nagant. Very easy to get optics on those and many come already somewhat sporterised as far as optics go.

or, totally different.... a valmet or tikka double rifle (over under) in 9.3x74r or 7.62x53r.

Or an old husqvarna 1600 if you can find one.

I dont know about your market ofcourse, iam looking at Finnish gunshops. Arisaka in 7x50 is also an option.

If i was in your position i would grab a milsurp carbine of some kind with an optics mount. Or if wanting a sporter nothing beats husqvarna, Sako or CZ in my opinion.

cartridge wise, i have tried quite a few. we dont have fallow here its roe, white tail and moose. I really like the 8x57 for its power to recoil ratio. I like 7.62x53r as an alternative to 308win (expect near identical ballistics but heavier bullet options)

30-06 i love

6.5x55 is just perfection for me on deer

7x50 is a weird one, does the job well but finding ammo can be a pain.

9.3x74r or 9.3x62 make me feel like iam on safari and i consider them my meat savers, very neat clean holes.

out of the bunch 6.5x55 is my favorite and available in the CZ550, husqvarna and milsurps.

 

[HonestJohn]

The Sako mausers are impossible to find here. It’s an FN in an FN stock of course great rifles, stocks are good and solid, but big!

 

[sammuz75]

But more than a 243 which the OP is used to (although new one will have a mod on).
It is a consideration for some people.
People say the same for 270 which I find fine but lots seems scared of them.

I’m not particularly worried, I’ve used .375H&H a good deal to pass exams in South Africa and that didn’t bother me.

 

[Karhumies]

The Sako mausers are impossible to find here. It’s an FN in an FN stock of course great rifles, stocks are good and solid, but big!

Lot of 96 action Sako here, go for around 400-600 usually. FN are good too but 98 actions if i remember right

 

[HonestJohn]

Lot of 96 action Sako here, go for around 400-600 usually. FN are good too but 98 actions if i remember right

I mean these early Sako’s Sako High Power Mauser Rifle in 308 - Surplus GNG

 

[Karhumies]

I mean these early Sako’s Sako High Power Mauser Rifle in 308 - Surplus GNG

ah those, seen those as well but less commonly. My local gunshop has 7 96 action ones, mostly marked 8.2x57 or 7x60 and alot of other weird ones. During the winter war Finland received alot of swedish mausers in aid wich didn't get used because the logistics of multiple cartridges on the front line was unpractical. many of those ended up sporterised by Sako at a time when military cartridges where banned from civilian use (no longer fortunately) Those oddball cartridges made from milsurps are now rotting in gunshops because getting ammo is such a pain.

Same for arisakas and m91 (famously improved by Sako as the m27 m27-30 m28 and m39)

Being part of the russian empire many Finns served in the russi-japanese war, arisaka rifles where a popular souvenir. Then when Finland declared independence it inherited stockpiles of m91 mosin nagant and even more arisakas.

Carcano rifles are also very common here because of wartime donations.

Off topic history lesson.