[moos420]

I have been shooting my 22 and feel that it is time to upgrade. I am looking at buying my self my first centerfire rifle. I will be using the rifle many for hunting and maybe some target shooting (long range if I do). My uncle said to get a .308 or a .303 for the game that we would be hunting. I just want to know some opinions on different rifles. these are some question I have are,
what is the best bang for your buck?
what is the best quality rifles no price limit?
what is you views on Sako?(i was looking at the a7)
what about stock with adjustable cheek rest? (like or dislike or not cost effective.)
and finaly what are the thing to think about when buying a rifle?( my 22 was given to me)

Thank for all your time and help moos420

[Fleetman]

My choice would be the .308. Ammo is generally available and military surplus is reasonably cheap.

I like Remington 700's, Ruger 77's, and CZ 550's. Sako's are also very nice but I have not owned one.

Weight and fit would be my biggest factor if used for hunting....recoil of the .308 is near-negligible anyway.

I would think any .308 from any one of the name-manufacturers out there would give you a good platform for load-experimenting to find what you need for your hunting/shooting needs.

Good luck and better hunting!

[Ram Rod]

Get a Savage .308. Then look into reloading for it. Just my opinion.

[CaseyChadwell]

Buy a Savage, for the money, they are a hard rifle to beat. If money is not an issue, buy a Savage Law Enforcement model. I had one for a while that had a HS Precision stock and mounted a 4-16X scope on it. I was a tack driver. I could hit a dime at 100 yards all day long with Ultramax BTHP. It was a little heavy and I decided to trade it off for a AR 15.

I have owned many Savages, and currently have one in 223. It shoots better than a CZ I had when I bought the Savage. I got rid of the better looking CZ because the Savage could out shoot it all day long with any ammo.

Just my .02

[hunter Joe]

I must concur when it comes to buying a Savage firearm as your first center fire. The accu-trigger feature is nice on the newer guns, although, the older 110 models sported a very fine trigger. The Savage may be a Plain Jane but out of the boxes they are shooting machines. Every Savage that I have ever shot has been very accurate. Take care of this firearm and it will last you a lifetime.

[Fleetman]

I have to agree with Ram Rod, CaseyChadwell, and hunter Joe. I neglected the Savage simply because I don't own one in centerfire although I do own a .22LR and a .22WRM. Savage rifles are legendary-accurate right from the box and they are also very reasonably priced. Good advice from the guys!

[Ram Rod]

Sometimes I just post a short response on my initial thoughts. To elaborate a bit and add to hunter Joe's response.....I bought a Savage model 110FP at a gun show years ago for right at $400 and very slightly used. Ranks in the top three of my overall purchases to this day. Bought a B&C stock for it, and a Springfield Armory Gen III scope, and had it professionally bedded and trigger work done by Aurora Tactical. All total maybe added investment of $500. My rifle is now the closest thing to the M40A1 I used in the Marines. Reloading for the .308 cartridge is excellent for a beginner to get into. I get the same accuracy out of a wide range of bullet weights from 90gr to 175gr with careful measurements. For the most part, centering around the 150-168gr weight, the ballistics of the .308 are rather easy to memorize as well.

[Txhillbilly]

Another plus for the Savage is that you can easily change calibers with them at home if you have any mechanical skill and the proper tools. Most other brands you would have to have a gunsmith involved with changing out the barrels/bolt assemblies.

[moos420]

thank you for alll your opinions i will take your advice into account when i buy my rifle and will look into the savage range of rifles thanks for your time

[dls56]

My .308 is a T/C Icon Classic ICON® - Thompson/Center
It has a lot of nice features and might be worth looking at while you're in the market. Best of luck with whatever you decide, let us know how it works out.