Gun Dog Forum

After much thought I have finally decided on a caliber of a hunting rifle, but the brands are what I am stuck on now. Each of the 3 that I am looking at have good reviews on the websites that I have been checking out, and are all around the same price range, so please chime in and let me know if you guys have any experience with any of these brands and what you think of each of them, thanks!
Remington 770
Savage Axis
Thompson Center Arms

Thanks,
Corry

the 770 is not a good rifle. Unsure about the savage. I have a friend that loves his TC rifle, Claims tiny groups.

Not sure about the Remington or Savage. I own a TC Encore Pro Hunter and love it! Fits me great (I have short arms). Shoots real nice and you can switch out barrels if you would like. Cleaning is a breeze. Downside is the one shot, although it should only take one . Great resell on TC also.

I like the axis, and the thompson bolt guns, the 770 is one that would never find its way into my collection. Ive handled them and shot them all and I just didnt like the remington (big 700 fan so its not a brand thing).

You may also look into the Ruger American.

Jim

i Assume you are looking at price. to me, anything under 500 today is cheap made but will work fine.
if you want a gun for your lifetime, save money and buy a better grade of those brands.
remington is best in brand area with cheaper prices.
like said, RUGER is nice. i like savage lever actions. i hate bolt action, just me.
SAKO is nice gun but again ,you pay.

i would look at more expensive remingtons or rugers.

save up some more cash. The axis has a horrible trigger and most people hate the grip. You would be way better off saving an extra 100 bucks and getting the 110-111 models with accutrigger. for another 100 you can get an accustock savage, the accuarcy of savages cant be denied. if you dont have the money for that go with a stevens, there cheap and shoot very very well.

the 770 is a dog. get a 700 if your going to get a remington

the TC i have never handled.

Look for a 2nd hand tikka t3

As someone who sells 2 of the three and talk with alot of people I would choose the thompson center. Ther guarentee a 1" group at 100 yds from the factory. The axis has issues with the bolt. We sell mainly savages as far as rifles are concernet. Go compare the bolts of the axis vs the other savages and the trigger vs the accu trigger. Look at the savage trophy hunter package, you should be able to find it for about $500. It has their accu trigger system and a nikon scope. The 770 i dont know much about, I just know its their low end brand. I own a 700 and love it and have quite a few special order 700's come through our store. I would honestly go play with all of them and compare the feel, trigger and bolt action. Go talk to a few different gun shops and get their opinions. Hope this helps. PM me if you would like to know more.

Good Luck.
John

Leave the Remington's alone including the 700 long term safety problems.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39759366/Documen ... or_Decades
Why take a chance.


I like the Savage but only with the accu-trigger, not the axis the TC is the one.

I still am a Model 70 Winchester fan.

What caliber did you decide on?

Tikka

I shoot Sako but for the price, I don't think you can beat a Tikka

Thank you all very much for the feedback! Brad - I am going with a .243 (when I get the cash that is). I just ordered an AR 15, so now I have to wait a bit longer to get a hunting rifle. I cant hunt anything in Illinois with a rifle right anyways, and I have to wait til summer time for the hunters course to get my "green card" so I can hunt in other states so I could do boar hunts.
There for awhile I was thinking a lot (I believe I made a thread on it) about a 7mm because I really like the power, but now I look at it that I would rather be proud of my accuracy than I did an "okay" shot but the round is so huge it ended up killing to animal for me and not my skills. Again, thanks for the feedback.

Corry

You can't beat a t/c I am getting rid of most of my rifles now and just buying barrels. I can do just about all varmit and big game hunts in NM with a 223. 243. 7mag and a 50 cal muzzleloader effectively. Prairiedogs to Oryx are covered with one action. I could live without the 243 but I don't want to tear up the deer too bad with the 7. Bad part is I need to buy three more setups now for my kids.

This is something that I never checked into too much, but can you hunt in states (other than Illinois) with an AR 15 (.223) if you use either a 5rd mag, or one of the limiters, if I am calling it the correct name, that only allows a normal mag to hold 5 rounds (maybe 4 in the clip and on chambered). I know that I got it for mainly target shooting and coyote hunting here in Illinois, but if I could venture over 70ish miles to Mo. and do some boar hunting with it legally that would be nice too.

Thanks,
Corry

gotpointers wrote:You can't beat a t/c I am getting rid of most of my rifles now and just buying barrels. I can do just about all varmit and big game hunts in NM with a 223. 243. 7mag and a 50 cal muzzleloader effectively. Prairiedogs to Oryx are covered with one action. I could live without the 243 but I don't want to tear up the deer too bad with the 7. Bad part is I need to buy three more setups now for my kids.

Thought about adding a 7.62 to your selection, you could remove your 243, and still not put big holes in deer like the 7mm

Corry

I will say.243 has quickly become one of my favorite cartridges for a "work horse" I load mine with 55gr nosler balistic tips for coyotes and small critters and bump it up to a 100gr barnes TSX for shooting Deperdation permit deer in the summer.

Jim

Ghosted3 wrote:

gotpointers wrote:You can't beat a t/c I am getting rid of most of my rifles now and just buying barrels. I can do just about all varmit and big game hunts in NM with a 223. 243. 7mag and a 50 cal muzzleloader effectively. Prairiedogs to Oryx are covered with one action. I could live without the 243 but I don't want to tear up the deer too bad with the 7. Bad part is I need to buy three more setups now for my kids.

Thought about adding a 7.62 to your selection, you could remove your 243, and still not put big holes in deer like the 7mm

Corry

Do you mean 7.62 x39 or 7.62x 54 ?

jimbo&rooster wrote:I will say.243 has quickly become one of my favorite cartridges for a "work horse" I load mine with 55gr nosler balistic tips for coyotes and small critters and bump it up to a 100gr barnes TSX for shooting Deperdation permit deer in the summer.

Jim

That's a great idea. I had not really explored the options for reloading on the 243. I think I stuck with the 223 just since I had a bunch leftover from when it was real cheap 10 years ago.

Savage Axis, got one love that gun it's a Awesome for the money, forget the eardrum busting .243, get a 25.06 no kick,IMO

Save your money a little longer and buy a Ruger # 1. Mine is a 270 and an excellent rifle.

homestead setters wrote:Save your money a little longer and buy a Ruger # 1. Mine is a 270 and an excellent rifle.

That is probably one of the nicest guns out there. I miss mine.

homestead setters wrote:Save your money a little longer and buy a Ruger # 1. Mine is a 270 and an excellent rifle.

Always wanted one but just never could afford it. Maybe with the new job, someday.

I also love the Savages with the accutrigger. The Savage 111 with the detachable box magazine in a .270 with a BSA 6-24 power Contender model mil-dot scope is hard to beat where I live for long range deer and antelope hunting. Not to mention that set up is reasonable priced.

I had a 375 H&H Ruger #1....quite fun and a solid rifle.
Wish I had an actual use for it....did not and down the road it went.

What about the Remington 700 SPS if you want to go with a 700 in lieu of the 770.
I would also think about the Weatherby Vangaurd.

Both are budget minded rifles that shoot well.

P&PGunsmith wrote:What about the Remington 700 SPS if you want to go with a 700 in lieu of the 770.
I would also think about the Weatherby Vangaurd.

Both are budget minded rifles that shoot well.

Vanguard is a very nice gun for the money, another good choice would be a Savage, both are ugly guns that shoot very well. A Ruger #1 is a very beautiful gun that's accuracy can be marginal.

northern cajun wrote:Leave the Remington's alone including the 700 long term safety problems.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39759366/Documen ... or_Decades
Why take a chance.


I like the Savage but only with the accu-trigger, not the axis the TC is the one.

I still am a Model 70 Winchester fan.

The Rem 700 is a good rifle and very safe. The whole thing was an anti gun, money grabbing lawyer thing.

Neil wrote:

northern cajun wrote:Leave the Remington's alone including the 700 long term safety problems.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39759366/Documen ... or_Decades
Why take a chance.


I like the Savage but only with the accu-trigger, not the axis the TC is the one.

I still am a Model 70 Winchester fan.

The Rem 700 is a good rifle and very safe. The whole thing was an anti gun, money grabbing lawyer thing.

Exactly what happened, try to go after Remington hoping they could hit big green where it hurts. In the Pocketbook.
Winchester model 70; Pre 64 and the new ones are very nice. lots of junk in between.

nikegundog wrote:

P&PGunsmith wrote:What about the Remington 700 SPS if you want to go with a 700 in lieu of the 770.
I would also think about the Weatherby Vangaurd.

Both are budget minded rifles that shoot well.

Vanguard is a very nice gun for the money, another good choice would be a Savage, both are ugly guns that shoot very well. A Ruger #1 is a very beautiful gun that's accuracy can be marginal.

Here's my vanguard in 270WSM. Sub MOA, shoots around a .60. Leupold mark II 4-12 x 40mm. Harris bipod. I don't thinks she's ugly.

I own a Ruger and would trade brad any day of the week.

I love my thompson center. I have the encore (the seven and the 30 op 6) also have the muzzleloader barrel. they all work great!
Just love this gun

cc