My Rifle / Shooting Journey

Ryan said it above.

Baby it.

Operate it slowly and carefully.

Avoid precipitation, dust and grit.
Gotcha, I understand what Ryan’s saying I was just trying to more specifically understand what made @Formidilosus 700 platform more reliable and if there was more to do with specific preventative maintenance or certain 700 clones were more reliable than others mechanically? I know I personally have shot very windy and dusty two day matches and noticed a difference in feel but haven’t yet had anything massively detrimental on that front occur.
 
Why don’t you go to S2H class and see how it stacks up? Honest question, no trolling.
Time and lack of desire. I’m not missing my kids sporting events and everything they have going on, or an opportunity to actually go hunting instead, for that. It really just doesn’t interest me. I hunt to shoot, not the other way around.
 
Time and lack of desire. I’m not missing my kids sporting events and everything they have going on, or an opportunity to actually go hunting instead, for that. It really just doesn’t interest me. I hunt to shoot, not the other way around.
I get the kids thing, truly.

I guess I don’t understand why you comment so much on shooting topics and conversations when you say you’re not interested in it. If you don’t shoot a lot in field conditions, I’m not shocked if you don’t find R700 issues to be of concern — I wouldn’t either. No one said R700’s don’t work for hunting. I’ve hunted with them for a long time. I just made the switch to better platforms to set myself up for less potential issues.
 
I've had a very similar journey. Shooting is so much more fun with lower recoiling rifles that don't malfunction. And suppressors, my only regret is waiting so long to get into cans!
 
Apart from the PRS crowd i don't think a ton of people actually feed their rifle through the magazine. I for sure didn't. Everything was at the bench single fed
Some ranges even require you to single feed. I've sure watched a lot of people shoot that way regardless, they never actually run the bolt fully, just fire and open it. Fiddle around for a bit, drop a shell in, close the bolt, repeat.
 
Gotcha, I understand what Ryan’s saying I was just trying to more specifically understand what made @Formidilosus 700 platform more reliable and if there was more to do with specific preventative maintenance or certain 700 clones were more reliable than others mechanically?
Gotcha, I think he mostly uses that thing as a doorstop to hold his covered trailer door open.
 
I get the kids thing, truly.

I guess I don’t understand why you comment so much on shooting topics and conversations when you say you’re not interested in it. If you don’t shoot a lot in field conditions, I’m not shocked if you don’t find R700 issues to be of concern — I wouldn’t either. No one said R700’s don’t work for hunting. I’ve hunted with them for a long time. I just made the switch to better platforms to set myself up for less potential issues.
No, I hunt year round. I have a lease on the largest ranch in the state and hunt hogs, varmints and ground squirrels regularly. I also do several out of state hunts all over the west every year. I do shoot a lot in field conditions, but it’s while actually hunting. I have plenty of other platforms too. And except for a few outliers (most of which were manufacturing flaws) I just don’t have many problems. Of course I buy good stuff and set things up to minimize the potential for problems in the first place, but my guns are constantly bumping around in vehicles, in dust, moisture, the elements, slips and falls, etc. My guns don’t malfunction in my use case.

The bottom line is, I just like to hunt more than I like to shoot. Shooting is only a means to the end. I don’t find shooting to be the most enjoyable, or really even the challenging, part of hunting. I’m not going to go set up for a day of target shooting (although I often do) if I instead have the opportunity to head out for a day of hunting, as is usually the case. I’m actually a bowhunter first. If I question the shooting aspect of making a kill (which is very rare) I just try to get closer or let the critter walk. I just don’t find the shooting part really gratifying.

And lately I’d much rather watch my daughter hit home runs or my son grind his opponent into the mat.
 
Would a Sauer 100 work out better or do all roads really lead to Tikka?

Both the Sauer 100s I own are great (6.5 CM and 9.3x62). I like the 3-position safety, trigger is good, magazines are great, the bolt is smooth. I haven’t really explored the full accuracy ability or found the right load in my two yet, but they show great potential. They don’t come threaded, but that’s an easy job and, unless you hire a muppet and botch the job, it won’t affect the warranty.

Tikka has the advantage of better twist rates available for .223, .22-250, .243, etc. They are also now available in shorter barrel lengths and with factory threads.
 
I shot several deer the last 2 weeks with my 700 clone in the Midwest, it was -14 when we woke up Saturday and went out. Snow got on my action too. I certainly don’t baby the gun but don’t abuse it.

I’m not saying there’s no problems with the r700, more so that I wish I had the means to attend a class and see them for myself because I’m not experiencing them. I also have a tikka and rokstok on order to see what I’m missing out on.
 
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