Straight pull or bolt action

[happyhunt]

Currently looking at getting a variation for a 30.06 or similar cal due to Manchester airport leaving my .270 ammo with security so I was unable to use my rifle while in germany(couldn't get ammo out there as no one uses .270 )
So while am looking to get a new rifle I thought I'd try to get one rifle that does it all both here and abroad(Currently shoot 6.5 x 55 for most things now &.270 for boar etc
So apart from the usual blasers etc is there anything on the market that would fit the bill
Must be moderated probably straight pull etc etc
Cheers
HH

 

[enfieldspares]

If you are shooting a lot in Germany get a 7x64. Or less so a .300 Winchester Magnum. The 30-06 in a fine cartridge but if you ammunition gets mislaid again you'll be thankful if you are shooting on the continent that you heeded my advice and went with a 7x64.

 

[Liveonce]

Not quite the same but I have a 17hmr straight pull ISSC rifle very accurate but I would not buy another.
Not easy to extract a stuck case when out in the field in the dark or check the breach is empty and hmr has a reputation for misfires and split cases.
also not so easy to clean the rifle and barrel. All much easier with a bolt action.

 

[NigelM]

I've just been through this decision process and ended up getting a Sako 75.

Looked at the bolt actions, Blaser, Merkel, Browning, but concluded they were all a bit too complicated in the mechanism. I will also take mine to Africa and the thought of sand and grit getting into a straight pull is asking for trouble.

The Sako has a fast cycling bolt at 60 degrees and is simple to strip and clean. Having witnessed one of the lads shoot 5 pigs out of a sounder of 7 with a bolt action on the last trip using a bolt action and a spare mag I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the kit that mattered and a bolt action in the right hands was as good as a straight pull and possibly more reliable.

I'm sure lots will disagree, especially the Blaser owners

 

[happyhunt]

I've just been through this decision process and ended up getting a Sako 75.

Looked at the bolt actions, Blaser, Merkel, Browning, but concluded they were all a bit too complicated in the mechanism. I will also take mine to Africa and the thought of sand and grit getting into a straight pull is asking for trouble.

The Sako has a fast cycling bolt at 60 degrees and is simple to strip and clean. Having witnessed one of the lads shoot 5 pigs out of a sounder of 7 with a bolt action on the last trip using a bolt action and a spare mag I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the kit that mattered and a bolt action in the right hands was as good as a straight pull and possibly more reliable.

I'm sure lots will disagree, especially the Blaser owners

Funnily enough I have been looking at the sako as an alternative to the straight pull
Quite fancy the stainless synthetic and I could easily live with the cost
Hmmm now what to do

 

[NigelM]

Funnily enough I have been looking at the sako as an alternative to the straight pull
Quite fancy the stainless synthetic and I could easily live with the cost
Hmmm now what to do

Funnily enough it was a stainless/synthetic I bought. Had a rush of blood to the head and got it in 338WM. Turned out to be a very manageable rifle. I would still like one with a stunning walnut stock, but the stainless synthetic 75 is a very good rifle with an exceptional stock design.

 

[happyhunt]

If you are shooting a lot in Germany get a 7x64. Or less so a .300 Winchester Magnum. The 30-06 in a fine cartridge but if you ammunition gets mislaid again you'll be thankful if you are shooting on the continent that you heeded my advice and went with a 7x64.

30.06 still very popular in Germany but your right a lot of the hunters had the 7mm plus just about every other cal except. 270

 

[Steff]

The .30-06 is meanwhile more common in Germany than the 7x64.
Things have changed during the past 50 years.

If you are shooting a lot in Germany get a 7x64. Or less so a .300 Winchester Magnum. The 30-06 in a fine cartridge but if you ammunition gets mislaid again you'll be thankful if you are shooting on the continent that you heeded my advice and went with a 7x64.

 

[happyhunt]

Funnily enough it was a stainless/synthetic I bought. Had a rush of blood to the head and got it in 338WM. Turned out to be a very manageable rifle. I would still like one with a stunning walnut stock, but the stainless synthetic 75 is a very good rifle with an exceptional stock design.

338 hmmm bit to much gun for me I shot one in Africa last year and didn't like it hence the 30.06 looking for a one stop cal from roe to reds and boar on the continent

 

[NigelM]

338 hmmm bit to much gun for me I shot one in Africa last year and didn't like it hence the 30.06 looking for a one stop cal from roe to reds and boar on the continent

I have other toys for Roe and Red. The 338 is for pigs and Africa.

 

[Steff]

I've just been through this decision process and ended up getting a Sako 75.

Looked at the bolt actions, Blaser, Merkel, Browning, but concluded they were all a bit too complicated in the mechanism. I will also take mine to Africa and the thought of sand and grit getting into a straight pull is asking for trouble.

The Sako has a fast cycling bolt at 60 degrees and is simple to strip and clean. Having witnessed one of the lads shoot 5 pigs out of a sounder of 7 with a bolt action on the last trip using a bolt action and a spare mag I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the kit that mattered and a bolt action in the right hands was as good as a straight pull and possibly more reliable.

I'm sure lots will disagree, especially the Blaser owners

It‘s not about straight pull or not, and the Sako 75 SS is a very nice rifle. I‘ve had one myself.
But the Blaser is the more versatile rifle and in most cases also more accurate.
Also, I am guessing here, the OP wants it for driven hunts. The gun can get pretty wet during such hunts. A Blaser you can strip down completely and reassemble it without loosing zero.This will not necessarily work with a Sako or any other conventional bolt action rifle.

 

[NigelM]

It‘s not about straight pull or not, and the Sako 75 SS is a very nice rifle. I‘ve had one myself.
But the Blaser is the more versatile rifle and in most cases also more accurate.
Also, I am guessing here, the OP wants it for driven hunts. The gun can get pretty wet during such hunts. A Blaser you can strip down completely and reassemble it without loosing zero.This will not necessarily work with a Sako or any other conventional bolt action rifle.

Sorry, but a properly bedded bolt actin can absolutely be broken down and reassembled without loosing zero. I travel with mine in a short rifle case and am regularly taking apart and putting together. They hold zero exceptionally well.

If you get dirt/grit/sand in the mechanism I believe it would be much quicker to remove the bolt from a BA, clean it, wipe out the chamber and resemble much faster than you could get the dirt out of any of the straight pull mechanisms. Fewer moving parts to clean out.

 

[Steff]

Sorry, but a properly bedded bolt actin can absolutely be broken down and reassembled without loosing zero. I travel with mine in a short rifle case and am regularly taking apart and putting together. They hold zero exceptionally well.

If you get dirt/grit/sand in the mechanism I believe it would be much quicker to remove the bolt from a BA, clean it, wipe out the chamber and resemble much faster than you could get the dirt out of any of the straight pull mechanisms. Fewer moving parts to clean out.

I tend to disagree. The Blaser has a far more open design and can be cleaned easier than a regular BA.

Good for you if you have a custom bedding on your rifles. But an off-the-shelf Sako does not have this and will not return to zero after having taken it apart. A Blaser out of the box will.

 

[Lateral]

Try, and get the opportunity to try a straight pull, if you haven't already. Once you decide on std bolt action, or straight pull, think about the benefit of a swap barrel rifle, and just having to buy, and store a spare barrel.

You need to narrow down your options, based on the shooting you do, and what appeals.

Cost aside, I can't see any point in a fixed barrel rifle, it's like having a fixed power scope..............................LIMITING !

 

[Dickie]

Your money you buy what you like and if a Sako is what floats your boat crack on and enjoy your shooting, no make or action type is perfect so it’s all down to personal preference.

 

[ejg]

The only straight pull i would consider would be the Heym SR30. I have had good contact to the Heym company in the last years and they still seem to value their workmanship . Parts of their production looked like in the Westley Richards workshops.
If Africa or any important hunt i would put myself a stainless bolt action together probably based on a Tikka action and Ai type mag with carbon stock epoxy bedding.
edi

 

[Ronin]

Get dirt in the blaser mechanism and your asking for trouble

Dirt accumulating in the area of the sear “rod” allows the bolt to close presenting firing pin uncocked onto case head / primer

That’s (one of the reasons) why Blaser failed in military testing for UK use

The R8 and R93 have similar design actuation of the trigger sear so I see no reason why this could happen in either model in conditions where dirt could accumulate in these areas

Yes they hold zero when stripped out and re assembled

But so do most bedded rifles that cost a third of the price even after they have been bedded

(Yes I’ve owned blaser before and was quite accurate so am not knocking fir the hell of it )

 

[Steff]

Get dirt in the blaser mechanism and your asking for trouble

Dirt accumulating in the area of the sear “rod” allows the bolt to close presenting firing pin uncocked onto case head / primer

....

Ronin, could you elaborate on the above please? I'm not quite sure which parts you are referring to.

 

[User00040]

Can you change magazines on a Blaser?

Enough said!

 

[Dickie]

On an R8 yes exactly the same as any other rifle you happen to have 2 of. However a tad more expensive.