Affordable big bores no longer being offered by the big guys

[rookhawk]

It seems like the days of finding affordable dangerous game/big bore bolt actions from non-bespoke companies are fading behind us. Especially those that offer CRF.

1. The CZ 550 was likely the quintessential affordable bolt gun platform that offered a wide array of dangerous game cartridges from .375 to .505 that the average working man could afford. This model was regrettably discontinued in 2019. The subsequent 557 and 600 series never offered any of the big bore chamberings.

2. Ruger MKII RSM - The last great Ruger? I'm not sure when these were discontinued but they have been gone for some time now.

3. Ruger No.1 no longer offering Big Bore options. I was hoping to find a new No.1 in .416 or .458 but they don't appear to be offering the rifle in anything larger than .275 Rigby at the moment.

4. Sako 85 Brown Bear - This is the latest rifle ive been trying to track down in .416 Rigby, discontinued in 2022. It doesn't look like the new Sako 100 switch-barrel rifle will offer any of the dangerous game cartridges.

So what's left?

1. There's the Winchester Model 70 Safari Express line. I rarely see these in stock but they continue to offer the rifles in 375H&H, .416 RemMag and .458 Winchester. Price $1,759.99 USD.

2. Browning offers their X-bolt in .375H&H ($1,129.99). The Browning BAR only seems to go up to .338 WM now.

3. Ruger offers their Hawkeye Guide Gun and African in .375/.416 Ruger ($1619.00 USD).

Am I missing any others? Do we expect this trend to continue with less and less affordable new production dangerous game rifles being released?

Are there any rumours of new rifles coming to production that will offer up some of these chamberings?

Heym, Blaser, Krieghoff, Dumoulin, Mauser all have off-the-rack ready to ship guns in the large bore calibers.

I lose track of who's who in the zoo as far as in-biz or out-of-biz at the moment, but some additional options that semi-mass produce include: Montana Rifle, Empire Rifles, Parkwest (Dakota). AHR (CZ custom shop).

Some of the above do custom order programs where you can pick options until you're spending new-car to new-house money, but most have a quick-ship standard configuration option too.


There are plenty of options out there, more options than customer demand or interest it appears. The only thing missing when the CZ550 is truly gone is the magical $2200 safari rifle. Yeah, that isn't happening anymore with inflation and supply chain issues post-covid. But the $4500 mass-produced large bore rifle certainly will live on. Stepping into the barely used or near-new camp, there are a lot of very nice $6000 rifles. Going to the $12,000 price point gets you into mass produced heyms, merkels, krieghoffs, blasers, chapuis, rizzini, zoli, mausers, and a host of others.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Sounds like my decision to build a 404 Jeff may turn out to be cost effective investment. How much will it cost? Action: very clean post-war commercial Czech vz.42 with bent bolt, tapped for scope, and new 30-06 barrel for $300 Canadian ($ 225 US); Lilja barrel 1-14 twist moly steel $400 (I will resell 30-06 barrel); Bottom metal around $550 ready to go for 404; 3-position M70 style safety @ $200; Timney Trigger @ $60-$80; Warne QD rings ~$80; bases or rail <$50; Used like new rear and front iron sights from 1990s Win Express $110; stock $300 max unfinished (no checkering); threading, reaming, cut & crown muzzle, and change bolt face = still waiting on a quote; Follower ~$65; bluing $150; Weaver 3x scope $0 (formerly worn on my Springfield 30-06). The bottom metal price was an unexpected kick in the crotch but it may save a lot of labor. Well ... I guess the supply of big bore rifles will have to get mighty thin before I'll make any money on this project .

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I ask with a tone of fearfulness, but has anyone recently bought any brand new rifles from Zastava in either .375 Holland & Holland Magnum or .458 Winchester Magnum ? The company website hasn’t been updated in quite a few years.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Heym, Blaser, Krieghoff, Dumoulin, Mauser all have off-the-rack ready to ship guns in the large bore calibers.

I lose track of who's who in the zoo as far as in-biz or out-of-biz at the moment, but some additional options that semi-mass produce include: Montana Rifle, Empire Rifles, Parkwest (Dakota). AHR (CZ custom shop).

Some of the above do custom order programs where you can pick options until you're spending new-car to new-house money, but most have a quick-ship standard configuration option too.


There are plenty of options out there, more options than customer demand or interest it appears. The only thing missing when the CZ550 is truly gone is the magical $2200 safari rifle. Yeah, that isn't happening anymore with inflation and supply chain issues post-covid. But the $4500 mass-produced large bore rifle certainly will live on. Stepping into the barely used or near-new camp, there are a lot of very nice $6000 rifles. Going to the $12,000 price point gets you into mass produced heyms, merkels, krieghoffs, blasers, chapuis, rizzini, zoli, mausers, and a host of others.

But Dumoulin’s gone. So is Empire rifles. And I believe Mr. Wayne at AHR isn’t taking any new orders anymore. And Montana Rifle Co. (when they hopefully commerce manufacturing rifles again) won’t be making their wares in any caliber bigger than .375 Holland & Holland Magnum.

 

[Doug3006]

I’m afraid the major manufacturers are right. Those of us who hunt the big nasty stuff are getting older, and we’re not being replaced by younger Safari enthusiasts. If so, there will be a large supply of lightly-used dangerous game rifles coming on the market in the next decade.

 

[Northern Shooter]

How do the Kimber rifles compare to the Montana or Dakota rifles?

I keep getting these 3 mixed up.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I ask with a tone of fearfulness, but has anyone recently bought any brand new rifles from Zastava in either .375 Holland & Holland Magnum or .458 Winchester Magnum ? The company website hasn’t been updated in quite a few years.

I'm not sure they are being manufactured any longer? But, I've seen a number of good used Mark Xs for $1Kus and Whitworths in the $1.2Kus price range here. Great value for the money!

 

[Doug3006]

How do the Kimber rifles compare to the Montana or Dakota rifles?

I keep getting these 3 mixed up.

All 3 are great rifles. I would say the fit and finish of the Dakota puts in in front. Their price reflects that fact. The Kimber Caprivi is a close second. The Montana is third. That said, any of them would serve you well.

 

[Northern Shooter]

All 3 are great rifles. I would say the fit and finish of the Dakota puts in in front. Their price reflects that fact. The Kimber Caprivi is a close second. The Montana is third. That said, any of them would serve you well.

Looks like I have some reading to do on all three.

It sounds like Montana rifle company has been bought and sold several times which I'm guessing corresponds with good/bad model years? A Montana rifle 1999 in 505 Gibbs just popped up here for $3,150 which is tempting.

It looks like Dakota has also been bought out/renamed so I'll need to look into what that means.

 

[Doug3006]

…and it appears Kimber no longer makes the Caprivi. At least I can’t find it on their website. Honestly I have found so many nice pre-owned rifles I haven’t bought a new DG gun.

 

[Shako Badhan]

…and it appears Kimber no longer makes the Caprivi. At least I can’t find it on their website. Honestly I have found so many nice pre-owned rifles I haven’t bought a new DG gun.

I have owned a number of DG rifles, all bought secondhand. I would argue that they are the best type of rifle to buy used because they are often used very little, some never.

Dealers also often cut you a deal on them because they can be hard to move…

 

[CoElkHunter]

I have owned a number of DG rifles, all bought secondhand. I would argue that they are the best type of rifle to buy used because they are often used very little, some never.

Dealers also often cut you a deal on them because they can be hard to move…

Yep. My experience is from .375 and up, maybe even from .338 and up, those pre owned rifles haven't been shot much, if at all like you've said. My "used" Browning A Bolt .338WM with Leupold rings and base attached, looked new when I bought it. Same with my CZ 550s. The "nimrods" buy them and after a few shots they're "traumatized" by the recoil and it's then up for sale. No real advantage in buying a NEW large(r) bore rifle.

 

[colorado]

Great advice!

 

[Northern Shooter]

…and it appears Kimber no longer makes the Caprivi. At least I can’t find it on their website. Honestly I have found so many nice pre-owned rifles I haven’t bought a new DG gun.

Just checked the websites of all three.
Montana Rifle Company - not much to see on the website for products, website says they went under in 2020 and have been looking for new investors to start up.

Kimber - current rifle selection looks rather....plastic? Not seeing any chamberings above 300 WM.

Dakota Arms - No longer Dakota Arms, now Parkwest Arms. This looks to be the most promising of the 3. I like the looks of the former Safari 76 rifles but they go for a near $10,000 CAD here. The new SD-76 looks promising as well, not sure about price or chamberings though.

 

[Adam S]

…and it appears Kimber no longer makes the Caprivi. At least I can’t find it on their website. Honestly I have found so many nice pre-owned rifles I haven’t bought a new DG gun.

Caprivi

Designed for dangerous game hunting in Africa, the Caprivi delivers Kimber quality, unwavering reliability and charge-stopping energy.

www.kimberamerica.com

It comes up if you do a search for "Caprivi" but is not listed otherwise. I don't know what this means, if anything, regarding production or availability.

 

[WC86]

I’m afraid the major manufacturers are right. Those of us who hunt the big nasty stuff are getting older, and we’re not being replaced by younger Safari enthusiasts. If so, there will be a large supply of lightly-used dangerous game rifles coming on the market in the next decade.

I think there are a few of us out here getting ready for our first trip. It’s not an easy sport to jump in to though (relatively speaking).
A lot of reading. A lot of investment.
Very appreciative of this forum.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Just checked the websites of all three.
Montana Rifle Company - not much to see on the website for products, website says they went under in 2020 and have been looking for new investors to start up.

Kimber - current rifle selection looks rather....plastic? Not seeing any chamberings above 300 WM.

Dakota Arms - No longer Dakota Arms, now Parkwest Arms. This looks to be the most promising of the 3. I like the looks of the former Safari 76 rifles but they go for a near $10,000 CAD here. The new SD-76 looks promising as well, not sure about price or chamberings though.

If the CZ 550 or Interarms Mark X or Whitworth (both Zastavas) doesn't trip your trigger (I LOVE mine) for whatever reasons, I'd go with a pre owned Winchester M70, Montana 99 or Kimber as more AFFORDABLE rifles in the realm of larger bore rifles. The Dakotas (and now Parkwest) are top of the line, but are out of MY financial zip code.

 

[mark-hunter]

4. Sako 85 Brown Bear - This is the latest rifle ive been trying to track down in .416 Rigby, discontinued in 2022.

Maybe its off topic, but do you have any source of information that sako 85 is discontinued?

on topic:
zastava m70, 375 hh, 458 wm
kimber caprivi 375 hh

 

[Northern Shooter]

Maybe its off topic, but do you have any source of information that sako 85 is discontinued?

on topic:
zastava m70, 375 hh, 458 wm
kimber caprivi 375 hh

Our distributer confirmed it earlier this month. Sako also just recently pulled the 85 from their website.

 

[Challer]

Yep.

A buddy of mine was in the market for a CRF Win 70 in 375... I just watched the classifieds here for a few weeks and a great deal popped up on a very nice one..

You just cant hesitate when a good offer is made.. if you dont buy it, someone else here certainly will..

GB has several Win 70 CRF in 375 now. Also Sako 85 and plenty of other makes.