$1500.00 for a new setup, what would you get?

[Toptwo]

I find myself with the okay from the wife to spend 1500.00 or so on a new rifle. I am looking to get good quality, and light weight. I will be hunting deer/elk/bear type animals so am thinking about 30.06 I currently have a sako finnbear 7mm mag but packing 11+ lbs around all day gets a little much in my old age   

So, I am thinking about a Tikka T3 Lite, 30.06 with Leupold VX-3, 4.5-14, not sure which rings yet.

 What would you guys think about doing with 1500.00 for a hunting rifle?

Thanks!

[hunting4sanity]

A couple of friends of mine shoot Kimber Montana rifles, they really like their rifles a lot.  If $1,500 is total budget including new glass, then that might be pushing your budget, but just another one to check out. 

[superdown]

If it were me i would buy a Browning A-Bolt II /X-bolt in a short mag or a Browning BLR short action and spend the rest on a Leupold scope.No reason to buy a plastic gun chambered in a boring round like the 30-06 LOL

[CAMPMEAT]

I bought a Remington 700 SPS Stainless 300 RUM. Bought a Hogue over molded stock, Zeiss Conquest scope, Dednutz one piece mount, tactical bolt knob, Shrewd Precision 7 degree brake and a trigger adjustment. Right at $1500.

[ellensburgpo]

Kimber Montana in 300 wsm, Leupold vx2 2-7. Go forth and kill with a light setup...

[Bofire]

Your choice is fine. Look at Sako A7.  I like 3.5 X 10 better. Tikkas are way cool!
Carl

[jay.sharkbait]

I would buy this  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,162401.0.html

Put it in an HS stock and upgrade the glass...

Keep the extra cash for rainy days.....

[yorketransport]

I would buy this  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,162401.0.html

Put it in an HS stock and upgrade the glass...

Keep the extra cash for rainy days.....

Or, grab a Ruger Hawkeye in your caliber of choice. I absolutely love the Ruger 77 for hunting. It's a shame they don't have more offerings in 338 Win Mag.

Andrew

[jasnt]

Best bet is go handle some guns, see what fits you and feels good. If possible shoot as many as you can. You'll know the one when you find it

[RadSav]

I currently have a sako finnbear 7mm mag but packing 11+ lbs around all day gets a little much in my old age   

So, I am thinking about a Tikka T3 Lite, 30.06 with Leupold VX-3, 4.5-14, not sure which rings yet.

You have 4 pounds of scope on your Finnbear

Tikka is a nice gun for the price.  But after having a Finnbear I doubt you will be overly happy with it.  Huge quality difference between the two guns!  HUGE!!!

So you are looking for an $800 gun and plan on mounting a $700 scope.  Not a bad move there.  But you want to drop 1 pound off the current base rifle weight similar to the T3 Lite and I assume keep as much of the accuracy and quality as you have in the Finnbear.  Under $800 that might be a challenge.  You'd be lucky to find an A7 at that price.  Might be able to find an X-Bolt carbon stalker blued that would drop you 12 ounces and have a nice action.  Model 70 featherweight is in the quality range, but will only save you 4-6 ounces.  Hawkeye won't save you an ounce! Neither will the Weatherby.  Don't think any of the budget model 700s are going to save you much in weight over the Finnbear either.

Honestly, I don't see where you can get much better than the T3 and still keep in budget and drop a whole pound of gun weight.  But again, huge quality difference.  Probably very close to the same accuracy, but quality of everything else just pales in comparison.  And that push up to drop down magazine drives me nuts!!  Have that darn thing on my A7 and I curse it constantly

I think if it were me I'd send my Sako off to McMillian and have them fit an ultralight Hunters Edge stock on the Finnbear (I think that would be the AIII / L61R action).  You would come in under budget, maintain the Sako quality and I think easily drop your pound of weight.

[Toptwo]

RadSav, questioning where you got the weight for the Finnbear. The Sako 75 chambered in 7mm weighs in at 8 5/8 lbs. and I feel like mine weighs even more lol. Swapping for the Tikka would save me 2lbs right there, plus with my 40 year old Leopold I am sure a newer scope would weigh less, while providing brighter optics.

[RadSav]

I've had two Finnbear rifles.  Both were 24" barreled magnums.  One was 7.4# dry and the other was 7.6# dry.  Neither one was a 75 version so maybe that is where the difference is

If that is the case then the loss of quality in the Tikka might be made up by the weight.  Again very similar in accuracy!  I've had a few of the Tikkas and I really can not say anything bad about them other than the magazine release.  But every time I pick them up I instantly react with a shiver followed by a "This sure ain't no Kimber or Sako!"

I think that then opens up the door a bit more and makes the Winchester Featherweight a viable option.  Might need to search around a little to find one in your budget, but I'd bet you can find one!  Definitely puts some of the X-Bolt rifles in your wheelhouse too!

[jrebel]

Huge proponent of the savage rifles with the accu trigger.  If you want a light rifle I would consider the Savage lightweight hunter in .270, 30-06 or my favorite the 6.5 creedmoor.  You won't find a better out of the box shooter than a savage. 

Put a Leupold on top of it and you have a killer lightweight rifle.   

[RadSav]

I had thought about mentioning the lightweight hunter.  But then I remembered even the long action models have a 20" barrel.  Would be pretty wicked in 308 though!  If they offered it in stainless we would probably have two of them here in the RadSav house!  Although the same could be said for the Micro Medallion or the Model 70 FW compact.

[jrebel]

I had thought about mentioning the lightweight hunter.  But then I remembered even the long action models have a 20" barrel.  Would be pretty wicked in 308 though!  If they offered it in stainless we would probably have two of them here in the RadSav house!  Although the same could be said for the Micro Medallion or the Model 70 FW compact.

Stainless would be cool....I love the model 14/114 in stainless / wood.  They are not as light as the lightweight, but they are very pretty and fantastic shooters.  Best of both worlds....very rugged with a tough of class.