Rifle build for 2019

[junior]

well its finally time to put some time, money, knowledge into a better hunting rifle. Ive generally been using rifle as a last ditch meat collector if archery season comes up dry but 2019 likely holds a sheep hunt and its time to get a better...everything really. I just have a Savage Axis .30-06 with the kit scope, literally a $350 setup. I'm hoping to not spend more than $1500 or so. My question is can I get by throwing in a timney trigger in and a +/- $1200 scope? or should i get some cash out of selling my gun and start from scratch with a potentially better gun and maybe a little lower quality optics? My rifle knowledge is completely lacking and little by little this off season I am attempting to gain knowledge and understanding. In the past all my effort and energy has been spent on backcountry gear, skills, and archery. Thanks ahead of time for any help you have. References like books articles or youtube videos to improve my understanding are also welcome

 

[jspickar]

I was in a similar place as you two years ago (minus the sheep tag). I ended up selling two guns and building a custom. The deciding factor is that my dad was a machinist in the past and is now doing gunsmithing. The free labor is what did it. If it wasn't for my dad I would have bought a tikka in 300 wsm. - as for scopes I would spend more on a scope than you do your rifle. I've always use leupold vari-x 2 in the past. For my custom rifle I bought a zeiss conquest hd5. HUGE improvement. In my opinion the rifle is only as good as the glass on it. Also, $1500 is what I have into my setup and that was with my dad building the rifle and a really good deal on the scope

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[JWP58]

Swfa is running a sale for like another hour I think on their SS scopes. Would save you some $$ and is a good scope.

 

[ianpadron]

I don't think that you need to go to full custom route, but I definitely would not use the Savage Axis to build off of either.

Plenty of outstanding lightweight rifles that would pair well for a sheep hunt for less than $1,500.

Personally, I would get a short action Kimber and put a Leupold vx-3 on top.

Going to be tough to beat the price and weight combination for that one.

You could save even more money and gain a few ounces by swapping the Kimber out for a Tikka.

What are your main wants/needs for the rifle??



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[BRTreedogs]

The Savage is capable, but just like how a certain bow has a better feel and you shoot better with it, rifle a are the same way.
My buddy has an axis he can shoot 1/2" I shot it once and it was more like 2".
So are you confident in the handling and accuracy of your axis?
If not go handle some other rifles, then go home and read reviews on it. Then look at selling yours and upping your budget a little.
I'd say a tikka is a solid choice.

 

[AK Shane]

If you're not shooting 1,000 yards then there is definitely no need for a $1,200 rifle scope. You can get all the scope you'll probably ever need for $600 if not $400. I've banged my $400 Zeiss Conquest''s up a lot of sheep mountains.

For the rifle, there are a lot of great rifles off the shelf for $1,500 or less. A Tikka Super lite can be had for $800 and are very good shooters. At 6 lbs it is very hard to find a lighter weight, quality, sheep rifle for the same price. After that you'll have to jump up to something like a Kimber Montana to stay sub 6 lbs and sub $1,500. If weight isn't a deciding factor then you could look at a Christensen Mesa, Sako Finnlight, Browning x-bolt, Remington Mtn. Rifle, Winchester Extreme Weather, etc. I don't have any custom rifles so I don't know how far $1,500 get's you in the custom world. My current mountain rifles for up here in AK are a Kimberling Montana, Tikka T3 Lite, and a Browning Titanium. All off the shelf rifles and all sob moa shooters.

 

[Muttly]

I like Montanas, and Tikka,s..
Little tough to come in at or under budget with a Montana, but doable. If you watch for good deals on used, should be able to get a Montana for around the 900 dollar mark..
Talleys, another 50-60 bucks..
New or used, should be able to track down a decent scope with the left over jingle. Will likely require a little patience for the whole endeavor.

Tikka, 7 Mag, 06, or whatnot, think you're into a new stainless T3x for around 700, DNZs for around 60, and more left over for a scope..
Tikka a little heavier, quite probably the path of lesser resistance.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I like Montanas, and Tikka,s..
Little tough to come in at or under budget with a Montana, but doable. If you watch for good deals on used, should be able to get a Montana for around the 900 dollar mark..
Talleys, another 50-60 bucks..
New or used, should be able to track down a decent scope with the left over jingle. Will likely require a little patience for the whole endeavor.

Tikka, 7 Mag, 06, or whatnot, think you're into a new stainless T3x for around 700, DNZs for around 60, and more left over for a scope..
Tikka a little heavier, quite probably the path of lesser resistance.

+1 on the tikka. I am a rifle noob and bought a Remington 700 for a starter before I knew anything. Added Optic, new stock, Timminey trigger to get it where I wanted and now I have a fairly heavy and expensive gun that I don’t really like.

I bought a tikka t3x from Whittaker’s and put a leupold 3xi on it in DNZ rings. It is light as hell, shoots great and well under your budget. My buddies shoot Kimber and Browning’s. We have done the Pepsi challenge and other than my stock “feeling cheap” my tikka tends to be a better shooter and costs far less than their guns.

 

[N2TRKYS]

If you like Kimbers, then that would be a good option. Personally, I would rather have a Remington Model 700 or a Model Seven SS. I’ve had good luck with them, old ones and newer ones.

You just have to decide which brand you like the best.

I definitely wouldn’t go the custom route, though.

My last purchase was a Model Seven SS in 7-08. It was $619, $30 for Talley lightweight rings/bases, Timney trigger for $90, and $300 for a Leupold VX3i 3.5-10x40.

 

[junior]

Thanks for the info jspickar. I can swing 40% off Vortex so that would likely be the route I go. Mostly wondering if a Savage Axis is worth putting money into or not. Im not well versed enough in the capabilities of it vs $500-$1000 guns. Thanks!

 

[junior]

Thanks everyone for the quick input. I think the conclusion is somewhat what I expected. I likely need to shoot a few other rifles to find what I like the feel of and try to get my Axis sold and start from there. My 40% off vortex or 10% off Maven will help on the optics a little bit. A friend has a Savage long Range hunter in 300 win mag that would sell me for fairly cheap, but its a heavy set up for sheep. And backcountry elk/deer for that matter. Thanks again guys

 

[Apollo117]

Thanks for the info jspickar. I can swing 40% off Vortex so that would likely be the route I go. Mostly wondering if a Savage Axis is worth putting money into or not. Im not well versed enough in the capabilities of it vs $500-$1000 guns. Thanks!

The Savage Axis is not worth putting money into. There isn't a good selection of aftermarket parts and what is available is heavy.

You'll have a really hard time turning an Axis into a sheep rifle. Budget target rifle? The Axis would work for that, but would not make a great sheep rifle.

 

[howl]

A Savage is not a long term use rifle. Do not put any money into it. You will wear it out and the money spent upgrading pieces will be lost. Put your money into a rifle with an action that will last.

I suggest you put the money into a scope and quality picatinny rings this time. Put a better rifle under it next time around. It's not like the Savage doesn't work well enough for the several years you find it acceptable and effective.

 

[SEtoNWHunter]

I've got to agree with what's been said. With your $1500 budget, if you want a set up that will be ready to hit the mountain with little to no tinkering, go Tikka with either SWFA 3-9, SWFA 6x, or NF SHV 3-10. If you like to mess with guns (triggers, stocks, bedding, load development) get a Remington 700. Choose whatever chambering you prefer. I really like my Tikka SS 30-06, superlite 6.5, and SS Rem 700 ADL 308. The tikkas are just remarkably consistent. I'm on my 3rd plus I've lost count of how many buddies have/had them. I've never seen a bad one. That is definitely not true of other rifles. You can spend more but you won't get a lot more

 

[silverbullet555]

Do you shoot the savage well? It will get it done if you shoot it well. Put some better glass on it and go to town.

I do agree, don't put money into it trying to make it better. But putting better glass on it can carry over to future rifles.

If you don't shoot it well then move on to something else.

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[Burnt Reynolds]

Winchester featherweight 270, talley rings, leupold vx3i 3-10x40 cds.Will weigh about 8lbs, shoot lights out and cost about $1,250 for everything brand new. Then you've got some money leftover for a timney and/or bedding if desired.

I did the exact thing a month or so ago and have a couple hundred Barnes 129 lrx through it now, haven't felt the need to upgrade trigger or redo the factory bedding job. It's A great weight that balances well and is also compact, easy to carry and shoot off hand. Low recoil, factory ammo is everywhere. Accuracy has been just about .75 moa out to 500 yards. Can do a wood/blued (which is what I did) or wood/stainless, or stainless composite (the extreme weather rifle).

I also have a 300wsm extreme weather rifle and it's excellent too.

Keep your savage as a backup.

 

[slvrslngr]

Buy the Kimber Subapline in the classifieds and go kill your sheep.

 

[.270]

Look into the Kimber hunter line, the stock isnt the most appealing but you can get a sub 6lb rifle for under 700 bucks. With your vortex discount look at the razor light weight hunter that you can for 550 now. With that glass and a short action such as a 7mm-08 you are looking at 1300 or so with talley rings. Total weight would be just shy of 7lbs for a sheep rifle which is pretty good for under 1500 budget, in my opinion.

 

[rayporter]

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