HandgunHTR
WKR
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2022
- Messages
- 1,895
You are going to have a much easier time finding a shooter if it has a steel barrel on it vs a carbon wrapped barrel. Not saying that carbon wrapped barrels are not capable of outstanding accuracy, just that your chances of getting one that is finicky is much higher. They really aren't that much lighter either.
You also didn't say if your budget was just for the rifle, or if that was "all-in". If just the rifle, then there are some really good options (not just the Tikka). A used Seekins is even in that budget. I would stay away from Christensen as you are paying an extra $300+ just for the name and their quality went way down hill when they went "mainstream". Bergaras are not bad rifles, but they do tend to be heavy and honestly for the same money, you could get a used Remington, yank the barrel, get a Remage prefit built to your specs, and a CF stock and only be a couple hundred over what you paid for the Bergara.
I am a Tikka rifle guy. I have 8 of them now, 2 which are bone stock (except for having the barrels threaded) and the rest in varying degrees of customization. I love the triggers on them and the actions just work. I also like the fact that I can get shouldered prefits for them so I can swap barrels out myself. That being said, there are a lot of good options available in your price range. Heck, a Ruger American Gen 2 with a rock solid scope would still leave you with a couple hundred dollars to spend on ammo to practice with (the actual best place to spend your money, BTW).
Now, to your M7. I wouldn't necessarily blame the barrel contour for it not being where you want it to be accuracy-wise. Do you handload? That is a relevant question to your ask as well because some rifles have a reputation for shooting factory ammo better than others, but for your M7, I would bet that a load with a 120 grain Nosler BT using a medium burn rate ball powder, with a middle-of-the-road powder charge will yield a load that works in that rifle. Also, the older M7s are very sensitive to where the front rest is. I found that if you rest the rifle right on the front action screw, it behaves better. Of course that is for rifles that are not bedded. If you test that and find that it works, get the rifle bedded and that will help with consistency. Obviously not trying to talk you out of buying a new rifle, but the M7 chambered in 7-08 is a classic and I would hate for it to not get used if it something that can be cured with a little work.
You also didn't say if your budget was just for the rifle, or if that was "all-in". If just the rifle, then there are some really good options (not just the Tikka). A used Seekins is even in that budget. I would stay away from Christensen as you are paying an extra $300+ just for the name and their quality went way down hill when they went "mainstream". Bergaras are not bad rifles, but they do tend to be heavy and honestly for the same money, you could get a used Remington, yank the barrel, get a Remage prefit built to your specs, and a CF stock and only be a couple hundred over what you paid for the Bergara.
I am a Tikka rifle guy. I have 8 of them now, 2 which are bone stock (except for having the barrels threaded) and the rest in varying degrees of customization. I love the triggers on them and the actions just work. I also like the fact that I can get shouldered prefits for them so I can swap barrels out myself. That being said, there are a lot of good options available in your price range. Heck, a Ruger American Gen 2 with a rock solid scope would still leave you with a couple hundred dollars to spend on ammo to practice with (the actual best place to spend your money, BTW).
Now, to your M7. I wouldn't necessarily blame the barrel contour for it not being where you want it to be accuracy-wise. Do you handload? That is a relevant question to your ask as well because some rifles have a reputation for shooting factory ammo better than others, but for your M7, I would bet that a load with a 120 grain Nosler BT using a medium burn rate ball powder, with a middle-of-the-road powder charge will yield a load that works in that rifle. Also, the older M7s are very sensitive to where the front rest is. I found that if you rest the rifle right on the front action screw, it behaves better. Of course that is for rifles that are not bedded. If you test that and find that it works, get the rifle bedded and that will help with consistency. Obviously not trying to talk you out of buying a new rifle, but the M7 chambered in 7-08 is a classic and I would hate for it to not get used if it something that can be cured with a little work.