Are all Christensen Arms rifles junk now?

[MADMAX]

Ive got a ridgeline in 7 rem mag
Love it
Easy to carry
Feels good in my hands
Shoots great

[jrebel]

I had major issues with my Christensen ridge line and won’t buy another.  They are too expensive to gamble with.  On top of that the stock was wearing fast and appeared cheap. 


Now….I have a savage 338 lapua and it is an amazing shooter.  Given your parameters, I would buy a savage long range hunter in 338 lapua or a weatherby mark 5 apex…..assuming you want new.  If you would consider used, I would look at the savage 110 FCP IN 338 lapua.  I topped mine with a nightforce NX8 4-32x50 f2 MOAR scope.   I want to say mine is 13 ish lbs but would be happy to weigh it for you to confirm.   

I would buy a savage long before I ever bought another Christensen.   Mine shoots 1/4 moa with a 260 grain hammer hunter.   I’m gonna buy another and push a 225 grain bullet at lightning speeds.   I’m love the lapua!!

[b23]

So the current Ridgelines coming out are being held to a higher standard and being tested before they let them out the door? Honestly I LOVE the feel of the Ridgeline but some of the horror stories I’m hearing are just bad.

Does CA still chamber 338 Lapua in their Ridgeline rifles?  I think they used to but I'm not sure if they still make one in 338 Lapua.

I bought a CA Ridgeline 6.5 PRC from Cabela's a couple years ago kinda on a whim because I had a bunch of points built up so it didn't cost me anything out of pocket.  Mine is just the standard Ridgeline model with their CF wrapped barrel.

Got it home and borescoped the barrel, it was not good.  Barrel had chatter marks up the wazzu and it just looked rough.  Now, I've looked at other factory barrels that looked worse, one even much worse, and they still shot very well but often a barrel like that becomes a copper hog and requires considerably more frequent cleaning.  I contacted CA and expressed my concern.  I have to say the guys at CA were awesome about it and told me I could shoot it and see how it goes and if I wasn't happy with it they'd take it back and replace the barrel, or, I could just send it back now.  Back when I bought it the availability of 6.5 PRC ammo was extremely scarce not to mention expensive and new unprimed brass was nonexistent so I opted not to waste any time or ammo seeing what it would do so CA sent me a prepaid FedEx label and I sent it back.  They got it back, replaced the barrel, shot it themselves with two different bullets, boxed it up with the targets they'd shot, called me to tell me what they'd all done and how it shot for them, and returned it. 

Initially, I wasn't particularly thrilled about my CA purchase and had I not bought it with Cabela's points I probably would have been considerably more upset but CA exceeded my expectations with the way they handled things and when I got it back it shot exactly as well as they told me it did using the same ammo and even chronographed nearly the same.  Mine likes the Hornady 147 ELD-M stuff really well .3's at just a sliver over 3000fps and the 143 ELD-X good just not quite as good .5's and in the 2990's.

I have a NF NX8 2.5-20x50 on mine and the only other scope I'd put on one would just be a different Nightforce.  If you plan to dial, get a NF scope and be done.

FWIW, light guns that are big boomers and sling heavy bullets aren't the best combo so if you go 338 I'd try and get real close to that 16lbs with everything all in all done.

[jackelope]

I have three: Ridgeline 6.5 PRC shoots great, definitely 1 MOA gun. Ridgeline 300 WSM not so good, occasional flyers. 338 Lapua MPR, it key holes often with an occasional 2 MOA round. They are decent rifles which are more than adequate for hunting.

You can spend 400 bucks on a rifle and do a lot better than that.

[Bareback]

Do you have one of these $400 rifles? I sure would like to see one in action.

[Sakko300wsm]

Do you have one of these $400 rifles? I sure would like to see one in action.

Same here!!

[jrebel]

I’ve got a 500 dollar savage youth 7-08 with a 20 inch barrel that shoots 1/4 -1/2 minute all day long.  3150 fps muzzle velocity with a 101 grain bullet and it will shoot next to almost any other rifle in the Christensen line up.   Pretty basic rifle, so not that glamorous, but boy oh boy will it shoot.   

I’ve also seen a couple ruger Americans shoot very well.   

Christensen rifles sure do look nice…..but for the price, they should also shoot nice.  Not just adequate for hunting. 

[mountainman]

Several Mesas, 1/4 with hand loads. 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC.
Lightweight and accurate.
Savage have some of the roughest bores bu can be very accurate. Rough bores have more to do with fouling then they do with accuracy

[halibut herb]

Sorry if duplicate post the fist one just vanished. CA doesn’t make a ridgeline in 338 lapua. The Traverse is the lightest one if it’s weight you’re after. All-in like you described is 11.75 lbs. I can shoot it fine with the factory brake but haven’t found a suppressor yet that tames it enough to shoot comfortably. Something think about if you planning to shoot suppressed. Even at under 12 pounds it feels heavy. I wouldn’t wanna drag a 16 pound gun up a mountain!!

[jackelope]

Do you have one of these $400 rifles? I sure would like to see one in action.

Same here!!

That shoots better than 1”? That don’t keyhole and send random flyers? 
Doesn’t seem like it would be too difficult to accomplish.
How many Ruger Americans or Savage 110’s would you like me to stack up?

[hunter399]

Do you have one of these $400 rifles? I sure would like to see one in action.

Same here!!

That shoots better than 1”? That don’t keyhole and send random flyers? 
Doesn’t seem like it would be too difficult to accomplish.
How many Ruger Americans or Savage 110’s would you like me to stack up?

I have to agree.
Budget rifles have came along ways these days.
For the money ,and just like the expensive ones.
Your odds of getting a good one or bad one is about the same.
Nothing wrong with a budget rifle.
But if you got some cash to make it rain.
Buy once ,cry once and spend some doe.
Get a good one.

[jstone]

My savage.243 is a nail driver 1” or less all day

[TeacherMan]

Sorry if duplicate post the fist one just vanished. CA doesn’t make a ridgeline in 338 lapua. The Traverse is the lightest one if it’s weight you’re after. All-in like you described is 11.75 lbs. I can shoot it fine with the factory brake but haven’t found a suppressor yet that tames it enough to shoot comfortably. Something think about if you planning to shoot suppressed. Even at under 12 pounds it feels heavy. I wouldn’t wanna drag a 16 pound gun up a mountain!!

I plan on sand bagging it overlooking my favorite clearcut I drive up to with 1200 yards in every direction 😂

[Jolten]

Do you have one of these $400 rifles? I sure would like to see one in action.

Same here!!

That shoots better than 1”? That don’t keyhole and send random flyers? 
Doesn’t seem like it would be too difficult to accomplish.
How many Ruger Americans or Savage 110’s would you like me to stack up?

I got a Savage Edge (axis) I paid $199.99 for I think will beat it. Ugly as sin but it shoots

[Alchase]

Today all major brands have rifles of the shelf that shoot 1 MOA or better.
I would not own a hunting rifle that did not shoot better the 1 MOA.
My Ruger M77 Mk II, in 7 MM, shoots better the 1 MOA. All of my Sako’s shoot 0.6 MOA or better from the factory.
They come with the target, and load data they used.
I believe even Savage garuntees 1 MOA.

My eyes and ability may deteriorate with age, I sure don’t need a rifle that does,