Top 5 Rifle Manufacturers

[sticky]

When I first started hunting as a kid in the late 70's, it seemed like there was a definite hierarchy in terms of who made the best production hunting rifles (bolt action).  This was not necessarily based on research, but more by word of mouth and what gun my hunting buddies would buy if they had the money to purchase new.  As I recall the order was something like this:

1.  Weatherby
2.  Winchester
3.  Remington
4.  Browning
5.  Ruger

I seriously doubt the new order looks like that.  What do you think?

[carpsniperg2]

1:sako-tikka
2: remington
3:winchester
4:browning
5:weatherby

this would be my top 5, but you got it pretty close i would say more like big 8 is more like it. add savage-ruger-t/c and maybe a few other so maybe top 10.

this one could get going 

[jackelope]

Quality or sales volume?

[JackOfAllTrades]

Define 'Quality'.  Is this 'accuracy, durability or beauty'?

And 'Sales Volume' might need to be broken down to price ranges.

My Marlin, Rugers, Remingtons (shoties), are made in America of very high quality.

Definately need to add Marlin and Savage to that list.

-Steve

[jackelope]

Define 'Quality'.  Is this 'accuracy, durability or beauty'?

And 'Sales Volume' might need to be broken down to price ranges.

My Marlin, Rugers, Remingtons (shoties), are made in America of very high quality.

Definately need to add Marlin and Savage to that list.

-Steve

Kinda what I was getting at....there's sooooo many possibilities there.

[JackOfAllTrades]

And a Sako,  Is not a Tikka.

-Steve

[halflife65]

Does this count custom rifles?  Or custom rifles built on a rifle like a Remington 700?

[JackOfAllTrades]

I'll bet there are more competitive F class rifles built on Savage actions than any other... I could be wrong, but there's a whole slew of them.

I think that one has to realize that just like Ford, Dodge, Government motors, trucks, that there are high and low points for rifles too. Rugers are known for being tanks. Weatherby's for their personalized selection of cartridges. Tikka's and Savages for that 'bang for the buck' but they sure don't make much of anything like they used to. I remember Remingtons and Winchesters having some of the most beautiful wood stocks ever checkered. Bluing back in the day was considered more of an art form than it was a way to preserve and protect metal. Weatherby too. Each of the top manufactures used to have different classes of rifles. Now Savage has come on strong to challenge Remington for the accuracy title. Yes, I know, there are a lot of very accurate Win's, Sako's, Brownings, and such out there. Several of the manufactures listed experamented with Broached, Button cut, Hammer forged barrels that each of them has some that are more accurate even within their own line. They also have some less accurate representations. Many of them had recalls for safety or other reasons. I know Remington fixed a flaw in their design years ago.. I still don't own one. Marlin's XL7/XS7 has one of the best recoil systems I've ever shot. Ruger has the absolute ugliest boat paddle composite stock known, but I'd own one.  Browning and Winchesters... Hmm... The A-Bolt.. Mod 70... But now.. Japanese steel?  I've never had a jap/chinease knife that could ever hold an edge or didn't snap off during rough use.  Not to say that rifles are built to different standards... I'm just sayin.

Reading the thread of 'What's your go-to rifle'.  Rugers/Brownings/Rems/Wins listed there.

-Steve

[Elk-aholic]

Sako
FN
Weatherby
Browning
CZ

[carpsniperg2]

And a Sako,  Is not a Tikka.

-Steve

i know they are not the same, i am kinda a gun freak remember
they are made by the same company that owns all 3-sako-tikka-berreta 
and i put them together because i like them both so much for the 1 spot on my list. i came up with my list based on everything overall that i like. thats me! no everyone else

[JackOfAllTrades]

FN,   You mean Fabrique National? 

I'm not sure that there's an FNH (American facility), hunting rifle produced here.

I have an FN Bolt 30-06 for sale, but so many people don't know what it is, it won't sell because the stock needs a refinish. Made in Belgium at the same facilities, it's pretty much, an old Browning.

I do understand what you meant by Sako, Tikka, Berreta. I mentioned it, because others might not.

-Steve

[carpsniperg2]

  gotcha

i guess some poeple are not crazy gun freak's like us

[FC]

I'll bet there are more competitive F class rifles built on Savage actions than any other... I

-Steve

I suspect you are right just due to performance, price and ease of customization. Nearly any idiot can take one apart and put it back together correctly with a minimum of tools and get excellent accuracy. Changing barrels, bolt heads and such is also easy and their trigger is remarkably easy to work on.

[Elk-aholic]

I own a FN patrol rifle in 308 I use for shooting Deer, it's made here in America ... It might be considered a Tactical Rifle but I shoot Deer with mine

[addicted]

1. Merkel
2. Sako
3. kriegoff
4. Mauser
5. Sauer