The modern rifle?

[Scarpa]

When I got into stalking a few years ago I was in the process of moving to Austria. I wanted a rifle that was tough, pretty impervious to winter conditions, could handle everything from small deer to driven boar and it needed to have an adjustable cheekiest. I andled many at a gun show and decided to go the old fashioned route for calibre, 30-06 using lighter copper which gives a fairly flat trajectory. I had to wait a while as I got the last Alaska Sauer 101 they made. Quick release mounts for a stalking and boar scope, coated barrel and action and a grey laminated stock. Never regretted it although would have been happy with 7mm-08 too but it was not available in that rifle.

 

[wildfowler.250]

I bought a stainless/synthetic Tikka T3X in 6.5x55 in 2018. It was a special order as I wanted a 22 inch barrel. It turned out not to be as weatherproof as I hoped, so it's been cerakoted. I replaced the plastic bottom metal with an aluminium version, and then fitted a PSE stock. It wasn't the cheapest upgrade but the result was well worthwhile.

I’ve been strongly considering this. To be honest if I could get a magnum action for a T3 and put it into a PSE stock with a new barrel I would. Apparently magnum actions,(6.5prc) are hard to come by.
By my thoughts that would be about a 2.5k rifle for less than the price of a sako 90 quest but same style.

My take on the modern rifle. First one should find the flaws of older rifle designs. I believe one can improve any type of rifle. Improve mechanics as well as materials as well as cartridges used. Yes the 270 does still have its place, even the old 30-30 but one can stretch the boundaries with modern bullets and cartridges.
Flaws: of some rifles that are in good working order and not shot out.
1) Lack of proper bedding
2) Materials used in stocks
3) Awkward scope mounting methods
4) Stock adjustability
5) Stock ergonomics often "too much", only good for one shooting position.
6) Quality of barrel.
7) Triggers
8) Action design, less or simple is often more, designed with recoil in mind.
9) I believe a very important point is the rifle balance in all directions, not only front back.

I believe the main achievement or improvement over older rifles will lead to a rifle that comes up to the shoulder quicker, focuses quicker even with higher magnification, recoils straighter, will shoot to the same point in all shooting positions, tight hold or not, fore end hold or not..... whoever shoots the rifle. These are the points I try to achieve with my hunting rifles.

edi

To be honest you’ve hit the nail on the head. For my 75 I’d like:
1) Lower scope mount to the barrel. Maybe this is the rings I’ve used but I think going forward I’ll go for a x50 scope and not a x56.
2) Adjustable cheek piece, I’ve added some cheek riser pads but don’t feel they’re 100% consistent.
3) An adjustable bedded stock.

To be honest a decent stock in the 75 would remove all of those 3 issues

 

[Heym SR20]

I don’t think a lot will change, given most bolt action rifles today are pretty much the same as 20,40 or 60 years ago. There will be innovation and new materials. The chassis is much more common these days, but its a 1980’s innovation, possibly earlier.

Fashions will change - 1960’s and 70’s all about reverse taper forends and roll over cheek pieces.

Some cartridges will get more popular, others will fade away, but truth be told they will all do pretty much the same thing.

There may be more electronics used / offered. These may or may not add to the overall experience. A bit like all the tech on a motor car - its there to sell cars, doesn’t really do much to the actual driving performance.

 

[palo]

I think if I was buying again I'd get one of the new tikkas with the stainless cerakoted barreled action with the fluted barrel and picatinny rail.
Put it in a pse or similar carbon fibre stock with adjustable cheekpiece. For a scope id get a leica amplus 3-18x44 with adjustable elevation turret.
Calibre wise id probably stick with the 308 as it has served me well and I have quality reloading gear for it.
I have ballistic functions in my binos and thermal spotter so longer range shots can be taken if needed.

 

[tackb]

What does a modern stalking rifle for the next 20 years look like and require?

I’ve had my current rifle for 20 years - sako 75 in .270 and no real need to change it. But I think about it often. In truth it could probably last me,(give or take a new barrel) until I die but is that a bit boring?

If you were to pick something tomorrow to last a long time and guarantee above average accuracy, what would you go for? Something that can shoot a fox out lamping, targets on a Sunday or a rare day on an estate for a red deer. A do it all that you could maybe take abroad if desired with ease.

I really like my wooden stock rifles but everything new seems to be mostly in synthetic. All these rifles being built for competitions look like something out of a sniper film - but its accuracy you’re building/buying at the end of the day so is this the way to go? Most of these modern rifles seem to have almost a pistol grip type action and I really feel a cheek riser would be a must.

Caliber: Does flat shooting really matter now? I’m very much a point and shoot guy but most people have a range finder. A lot of custom turrets are available so that you can just set the yardage on the scope. Certainly gunwerks/leupold all seem to go to is way.

Detachable rails/scope: this seems a real plus for travel and storage. Switch barrels - I’m slowly becoming a one caliber person. Maybe still an advantage.

What’s your thoughts. If you were to spec something tomorrow would you go for a semi custom job,(say PSE stock and new barrel) or an off the shelf blaser/gunwerks? Money obviously being a consideration,(or at least everyone’s idea of value for money) and if you’re reverting to a 6x42 on a stutzen then that’s also fine!

I’m starting to think one rifle to do everything is the way to go and leaning towards the PSE type rifle on the left. Possibly in 6.5PRC or 6.5CM. But then again, blaser seems to have the cult modern following in the uk for accuracy and usability. The tikka tactical is a bit too much for me at this stage.


(Stock photos from google)

my stalking rifle after years of messing about is a 20" 6.5mm creedmoor (rem700) in a pse composites stock (E-TAC) with an AICS mag conversion , so very similar to the one in your photo except for the carbon barrel , i like to use my rifle a lot so will bang steel with it (and the ground all around the steel!) so whilst carbon is great for a stalker it's not great at dissipating heat so long shot strings should be avoided

i have a 4-16 PM2 on it and a hardy stealth moderator along with flush fit cups on the side for using either a biathlon sling if i am in hilly country or a regular sling elsewhere

i have culled hinds in scotland and massive lowland stags round norfolk and suffolk and all six UK deer from 20m out to 450m and never felt under gunned

no calibre is flat despite what the 270 owners claim , and if you look at the ballistics all medium deer calibres are very similar in drop data out to 300m when you compare like for like bullet weights

this rifle along with my 308 will likely be with me till the end now , the other rifles may change but to be honest i doubt it

 

[ejg]

I’ve been strongly considering this. To be honest if I could get a magnum action for a T3 and put it into a PSE stock with a new barrel I would. Apparently magnum actions,(6.5prc) are hard to come by.
By my thoughts that would be about a 2.5k rifle for less than the price of a sako 90 quest but same style.


To be honest you’ve hit the nail on the head. For my 75 I’d like:
1) Lower scope mount to the barrel. Maybe this is the rings I’ve used but I think going forward I’ll go for a x50 scope and not a x56.
2) Adjustable cheek piece, I’ve added some cheek riser pads but don’t feel they’re 100% consistent.
3) An adjustable bedded stock.

To be honest a decent stock in the 75 would remove all of those 3 issues

When setting up rifles for a photo shoot with Schmidt guys we were discussing scope height. We agreed that many scopes are mounted too low and ergonomics negative, especially in different shooting positions. You do need an adjustable stock if mounted a bit higher though.
The balance of rifles: If one looks closer I guess at least 90% of hunting rifles are balanced wrong. Often fixed by using a different scope (weight) and or a different scope height. Once the COG is on the line of the bore the launch angle change under recoil is close to zero. Rifle will be more forgiving. Generally weight distribution further apart helps stabilize as well. If Competition shooters want a heavier rifle, we would advise to have the barrel heavy, especially the front of the barrel and to compensate add weight high up in the back of the stock. Acts a bit like a balance bar, inertia keeping the rifle steadier. We have been working on a rifle balance gadget since a couple of years now and will finally launch at shot show.
edi

 

[moeggesit]

When setting up rifles for a photo shoot with Schmidt guys we were discussing scope height. We agreed that many scopes are mounted too low and ergonomics negative, especially in different shooting positions. You do need an adjustable stock if mounted a bit higher though.
The balance of rifles: If one looks closer I guess at least 90% of hunting rifles are balanced wrong. Often fixed by using a different scope (weight) and or a different scope height. Once the COG is on the line of the bore the launch angle change under recoil is close to zero. Rifle will be more forgiving. Generally weight distribution further apart helps stabilize as well. If Competition shooters want a heavier rifle, we would advise to have the barrel heavy, especially the front of the barrel and to compensate add weight high up in the back of the stock. Acts a bit like a balance bar, inertia keeping the rifle steadier. We have been working on a rifle balance gadget since a couple of years now and will finally launch at shot show.
edi

It’s not possible to mount a scope too low, it should be an air breadth from the barrel. Major issue with AR style rifles. Higher scope creates a very poor trajectory that is wrong at every distance and useless for everything except target shooting or photo shoots.

If ergonomics is a problem, replace the stock with something designed for shooting, not photoshoots.

 

[ejg]

It’s not possible to mount a scope too low, it should be an air breadth from the barrel. Major issue with AR style rifles. Higher scope creates a very poor trajectory that is wrong at every distance and useless for everything except target shooting or photo shoots.

If ergonomics is a problem, replace the stock with something designed for shooting, not photoshoots.

I had discussed the subject with MDT guys, after that they did a test with a scope mounted one meter or so high above the rifle. It shot well. Scope height does not matter as much for accuracy other than balance or that one is under stress trying to get a good sight picture. Schmidt guys have a bit experience when fitting scopes or issues arising from wrongly mounted scopes. They had very similar experiences as we have. The best stock in the world is no good if the scope is mounted wrong. Getting the set up right is very important if one wants a easy to shoot rifle. Hunting rifles should be easy to shoot.
edi

 

[Quixote]

Why a .275 Rigby ? It’s just a pointless copy of a 7x57 that would make your life more complicated wouldn’t it ?

Because it's a .275 Rigby and I like saying it

 

[Heym SR20]

PRC??? i suspect these cartridges may well need a rebrand, given the use of AI Bots and trade wars between USA and PRC, and with all things PRC being banned.

 

[rob.batterbury]

If money were no option a left handed Rigby Highland stalker (as some have already alluded to) would be top of my list.

In a more realistic world, if Sako did an S20 in left handed that would be a winner.

 

[John Gryphon]

I could but where possible I prefer to buy things made or finished in the UK.

PH all the way,proven Mauser actions mated to a decent barrel,syn stock (or wood)

K

Gotta say that those barrels have a streamlined style..like a brick.

Mod 70 Winchester in 7mm RM has proven itself over 45 years. Barrel was that new I didn't have enough tape to cover the SS.
I cant atm make up my mind whether to take her or my Parker Hale 9.3x64 B this coming hunt trip with the lads.
Btw my mate has a Rigby .375H&H it weighs a ton and is nota rifle to be carried a long way imo.

 

[wb123]

PH all the way,proven Mauser actions mated to a decent barrel,syn stock (or wood)

Gotta say that those barrels have a streamlined style..like a brick.

Mod 70 Winchester in 7mm RM has proven itself over 45 years. Barrel was that new I didn't have enough tape to cover the SS.
I cant atm make up my mind whether to take her or my Parker Hale 9.3x64 B this coming hunt trip with the lads.
Btw my mate has a Rigby .375H&H it weighs a ton and is nota rifle to be carried a long way imo.

View attachment 433550

I thought Parker Hale stopped making rifles in 1992, did someone take on the production side? Buying something used doesn't keep manufacturing in the UK.

 

[John Gryphon]

I thought Parker Hale stopped making rifles in 1992, did someone take on the production side? Buying something used doesn't keep manufacturing in the UK.

PH actions (m98) are sought after,anything PH was made in England. They make fantastic stalking rifles that are a 10th of the price of the 'names' I have a few.

 

[moeggesit]

I had discussed the subject with MDT guys, after that they did a test with a scope mounted one meter or so high above the rifle. It shot well. Scope height does not matter as much for accuracy other than balance or that one is under stress trying to get a good sight picture. Schmidt guys have a bit experience when fitting scopes or issues arising from wrongly mounted scopes. They had very similar experiences as we have. The best stock in the world is no good if the scope is mounted wrong. Getting the set up right is very important if one wants a easy to shoot rifle. Hunting rifles should be easy to shoot.
edi

Scope height is unimportant for accuracy, which is why for target shooting it does not matter (unimportant if you miss and it’s always at exact known distances), it does however matter for stalking where the offset create huge faults between sight path and bullet path.

 

[John Gryphon]

Scope height is unimportant for accuracy

I would beg to differ. The more comfortable you mount your cheek on the rifle the better the accuracy is easy to ascertain.
There is to me nothing worse than having to lift ones cheek off the stock to look through a high mounted scope.
The lower to the rifle the better is my opine.

 

[rocketdogbert]

I see you posted a picture of a Tikka T3x TAC A1.

Superbly accurate target rifle, but, in my opinion, much too heavy to use in the field. I loved mine for paper punching until I bought a Sako TRG 22, that’s my go-to now

 

[Essexsussex]

I thought Parker Hale stopped making rifles in 1992, did someone take on the production side? Buying something used doesn't keep manufacturing in the UK.

One of the buyers of the PH parts made up a new one for someone recently I saw. But no parts manufactured I don’t think.

 

[VSS]

One of the buyers of the PH parts made up a new one for someone recently I saw.

That's nice to hear.
My daughter has a P-H that was rebarraled with a match-grade barrel, and has had the woodwork skillfully upgraded. It really is a thing of beauty.

 

[weblyish]

If money were no option a left handed Rigby Highland stalker (as some have already alluded to) would be top of my list.

In a more realistic world, if Sako did an S20 in left handed that would be a winner.

If you go to the West London Shooting School you can use a few different Rigby Highland Stalkers on their Rigby Rifle Range and feel a bit like Lord Lamancha - I did just that in the RH 30-06 and a 270 and was deeply unimpressed
Maybe I'm just spoiled by pistol grips, rubber butt plates, adjustable combs etc but everything about it was like it was a fight to get it shooting well