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Another non-bolt action rifle to consider is the Remington 760 pump, or 740 autoloader. Both are available in 30-06 and similar calibers. I like the 760 pump myself.
These will probably not group quite as well as a bolt gun, but, as I posted earlier, they will probably shoot better than you can shoot them under field conditions (by that I mean the rifle's dispersion will be less than your own contribution to group size).
Not that I have anything at all against bolt guns - got a bunch of them. And they are, as a class, better shooters in terms of group size right out of the box than most other actions, plus the techniques for "tuning" bolt guns (free float barrel, glass bed action) are well known, you can DIY or find any decent gun smith to do this accurizing.
There are ways to get the 760 to shoot tighter groups, but not just any smith will know how, or want to take on the job. The 760's trigger is not very good compared to most bolt guns, and it's hard to improve it much and still have a safe action that won't drop the hammer if you bump the butt stock or similar.
I agree. I have one of each, both in .30-06. IMO, the .30-06 is the best all-around caliber available. Bullet weights can be found from 100 grain to 220 grain. I have used the '06 for hunting nearly all my life, in the mountains and on the plains of Montana and Wyoming, except for a few years when I used a Marlin lever action .45-70. I loved that gun, but sadly my range estimation skills were lacking, and if you don't know the range to within 25 yards or so, you won't be able to put that 405 grain hollow point where you need it to be. I traded it for my 760 Remington after missing several shots at a deer one hunting season many years ago.
I never really liked the .270, but I knew many people who used to swear by it.
My cousin hunted with a .243, and it seemed to be very accurate. He could drop a deer at some incredible (to me) ranges.
The only .308 I have fired was an M-14. I never really liked it. IMO, the Garand was a better rifle, and the '06 a better caliber. In Viet Nam, my M14 hung on the wall, and I carried an M1 Carbine. As a REMF, it was all I needed, and it was much easier to carry when traveling.
It all comes down to personal choice. The brand of rifle isn't as important as the comfort of the shooter. My uncle used to use roofing nails in a railroad tie at 100 yards for sighting in his rifle. IIRC, it was a Winchester Model 70 (pre-'64) in .30-06.
My step-father used a sporterized 1903 Springfield, .30-06, of course.
Yeah, my thinking was polluted by relatives...
We are blessed with a lot of great calibers, and rifle choices today. Savage was always considered a good value, and also in the last twenty-five or so years, a very accurate rifle. I don't think you can go wrong. That being said, I may try a Tikka, or a CZ next for my next hunting rifle, and get something in 6.5MM.
Thanks for the info/advice. I'll have to look at the 308 also.
and since so many cartriges are based on the 308 a barrel swap can net you a bunch of different calibers in the same receiver. I have been wanting to build a 308 AR and get a spare barrel in 243 for it. Can even use the same magazines between the two. That would give me a rifle I can hunt everything from smallish varmints to big muleys. My son has a Savage in 308 and it's a tack driver. Fairly priced and a good rugged rifle.
Is anyone familiar with Stag Arms weapons/ Are they reliable and are the products quality weapons?
Stag is one of the higher end AR makers. That doesn't mean the rifle you get is a target grade rifle, which is sad for the money you pay. The 223/5.56 round is incredibly easy to get match grade ammo loaded up for it. Most shoot factory ammo pretty tight.....and that's a cheap AR. Paying more doesn't buy you any more accuracy and that's what having the gun is all about. Are they reliable? Yep, just like any other AR out there. Are they accurate? Yep, just like most ARs out there. About the only thing they do extremely well is lighten the wallet.
Most normally I build my own, uppers as well as lowers. About the only part I get real picky about is the free float tube. I like the self indexing Model One free float handguard. Otherwise, I have real, honest, one hole groups shooting uppers that use the cheapest parts I can find including a Stoner barrel on some of them. The key for me to exceptional accuracy out of an AR is torquing the barrel down to 80lbs EXACT. I use NO shims to get it there either. Just old time hand fitting. Before I spent any big money on a Stag, I'd be looking at building a lower with a match grade trigger. It's stupid easy to build a lower with a drop in trigger like a Timney. Then buying a Midway Stoner upper in an A3 version for mounting a scope. You stand a better chance of getting a better shooter and spend less money. Don't buy off on all the BS on the net about having to have some high grade bolt group or some phosphate coated barrel that costs 2-300 bucks. The ARs are designed to shoot accurately. There's not a lot of room for improvement.
Stag is one of the higher end AR makers. That doesn't mean the rifle you get is a target grade rifle, which is sad for the money you pay. The 223/5.56 round is incredibly easy to get match grade ammo loaded up for it. Most shoot factory ammo pretty tight.....and that's a cheap AR. Paying more doesn't buy you any more accuracy and that's what having the gun is all about. Are they reliable? Yep, just like any other AR out there. Are they accurate? Yep, just like most ARs out there. About the only thing they do extremely well is lighten the wallet.
Most normally I build my own, uppers as well as lowers. About the only part I get real picky about is the free float tube. I like the self indexing Model One free float handguard. Otherwise, I have real, honest, one hole groups shooting uppers that use the cheapest parts I can find including a Stoner barrel on some of them. The key for me to exceptional accuracy out of an AR is torquing the barrel down to 80lbs EXACT. I use NO shims to get it there either. Just old time hand fitting. Before I spent any big money on a Stag, I'd be looking at building a lower with a match grade trigger. It's stupid easy to build a lower with a drop in trigger like a Timney. Then buying a Midway Stoner upper in an A3 version for mounting a scope. You stand a better chance of getting a better shooter and spend less money. Don't buy off on all the BS on the net about having to have some high grade bolt group or some phosphate coated barrel that costs 2-300 bucks. The ARs are designed to shoot accurately. There's not a lot of room for improvement.
Totally correct. I've built a couple ARs now mostly with mil spec parts and wound up with laser tight shooting rifles. I've got two uppers I swap out on my Anderson lower. One 20 inch and one 16 inch carbine. The 20 is a 1/9 and the 16 is a 1/7. Both will take coyotes at 2-300 yards though the 20 shoots tighter on paper with the same ammo.
The good ol' 62 gr green tip puts it right where I aim and with heavier stuff like 68 or 72-75 gr both are tackdrivers. No expensive barreling, just mil spec heavy type bull and a standard bolt group. The AR is my go to when accuracy on target is the order of the day. Within the limits of the 556/223 of course.
My Dad would never have believed it. He absolutely DESPISED the AR platform and when I got my first one he brow beat me mercilessly. It was a Garand or maybe an M1A or nothing for him. He dumped his issued M16 in Viet Nam for a Garand. Since he was on the PBRs a Garand was quite practical. The first run M16s were junk and having had the rifle bind up on him in combat he refused to render the AR platform any credit.
If he were still with us and could see what the AR is now he would be blown away. But I sure can't knock his rifle choices. But they are expensive commercially. Springfield is proud as hell of the M1A. I can build a 308 AR for a LOT less than buying an M1A that will shoot just as well. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have an M1A and a Garand has been on my dream list for quite a while. I just can't afford either.
But a guy can put a fine shooting AR together for around the 400 buck mark. A bit more for a 308 platform but still well under an M1A or Garand. And Garands are scarce and spendy even in bad shape. Mores the pity there. I have to say that the AR is Americas rifle these days. It's what we have evolved to. In that regard it's no different than the Garand used to be. It would be nice if the government would revamp the CMP and get surplus rifles out of storage and into circulation. Alas I don't see that in the cards.
My .257 AI spins circles around my AR’s in the accuracy and lethality dept.
Built on a simple Mauser bolt.
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