Best Bolt Actions and designs

[Rocco490]

What are your favorites and what do you think are the best bolt actions and why? I like the new Winchester Model 70 crf actions, Weatherby Vanguards/Howa 1500 actions, Howa mini actions, CZ 527 mini mauser actions, and the CZ 550 magnum actions a lot. I have not owned many others but I am sure there are some other truely great actions. Oh and I am a huge fan of the new CZ 457 as well. It's my favorite rimfire action!

 

[Philip Glass]

Blaser R8 straight pull bolt is my favorite.

 

[Aaron N]

Blaser R8 straight pull bolt is my favorite.

And the thread goes off the rails in three, two……

 

[Hogpatrol]

 

[BourbonTrail]

Push Feed - Weatherby (strong, super slick, quiet safety)
CRF - Springfield 1903A3 (cuz ‘merica ) although the Model 70 has a better safety.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Weatherby 9 lug. Smooth with a 54 degree bolt lift

 

[C.W. Richter]

Weatherby 9 lug. Smooth with a 54 degree bolt lift

yes weatherby's Mark v bolt action is much beefier than the six lug vanguard.

 

[BeeMaa]

I like the Blaer R8 for the speed, simplicity, engineering, caliber change options and how well it travels in a Pelican 1700.

I also don't get too hung up on the whole CRF vs PF debate. Most of the times the fault lies with the person working the rifle, not the rifle itself. As long as the rifle loads, feeds, shoots and extracts reliably...I'd go with it.

Whatever you choose, you need to practice with it...then practice even more.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I guess ill be the first, Mauser 98. I also have a soft spot for pre 64 Winchesters.

 

[rdog]

The M98 Mauser for traditional Mauser cartridges, the Howa 1500 - Weatherby Vanguard is a very under rated action, smooth, strong & good concentricity , well finished & at a fair price, the Win 70 & older Rem 700, Savage 110 are good also, hell i like them all, my son has a Schultz & Larson Victory in 9.3x62 smooth as silk & beautifully made, the older Sakos are wonderful,as are the Weatherby mk5 i could go on& on even the Rem 788 was a good rifle.

 

[Safari Dave]

Being an American of mostly modest means, I really like the Remington Model 700 action. I know about all of it's shortcomings, but it is the one I like best. (I have used it since I was 12 years old, when my mom and dad gave me my first high power rifle for Christmas)

When I start shooting from trees, while hanging by my prehensile tail, I might change my mind.

 

[John Wasmuth]

M98 Mauser, the one that birthed all the followers………

 

[Newboomer]

Win 70 crf.

 

[Joker12]

For me its the pre64 M70, the 98 Mauser and the Ruger M77. I'll also give a nod to the older Sakos Finbears.

 

[Jörg Krüger]

Another vote for the M98. More than 100 years of success must be good.

 

[mark-hunter]

I have in my safe, or I have tried practically all modern bolt action types.

I dont have favourite. Except, I am biased against straight pull. And this is psychological, not based on some fact.
When using a straight pull, I always feel like I will get a bolt back in my head. When I lock the bolt by fwd push only, I just feel, I am missing something!
But it doesnt mean nothing actually, as those modern straight pulls blasers, merkels, etc ... have been proven by many in the field.

However, there are slight differences in the rest of bolt actions.

- Closed bridge over the action, only with ejection port (lika Tikka T3): although can be loaded directly by putting round throught the ejection port, it requires removable mag.

Pro: nice for shooting single shots on range. Action is probably stiffer beacuse of the bridge, and arguably for that reason manufactirers claim better precision.
Con: removable mag can be lost in the field, during the hunt. And that is bad. (can ruin a day)

- Open top actions that allows feeding from top:
Pro: easier loading in the field, no messing with changing and reloading mags.
Con: cannot think of any.

Locking:
front bolt locking:
- Pro: allows aluminium receivers, if the locking is done inside the barrel, so this means possible lighter rifles. Precision shooters in some cases claim it is most accurate system of locking.
- Con: cannot think of any

Rear locking:
- Pro: cannot think of any
- Con: if action is open top to allow loading mag from top, arguaby with many thousands of shots action can get loose. In order to make stiff durable action, this will require closed bridge of the receiver, only with ejection port. (like steyr SSG) - in that case removable mag is must, with my previous comment, on removable mags.

Mount systems:
My personal taste is: if the action is with closed bridge, then piccatiny raily is acceptable - thus probably the cheapest option.
On open top receivers, "closing" the action by putting full lenght piccatiny rail, I dont like. It is like tempering with design. (My view only, arguably).
So for open top receivers I use two bases and rings.
For bridged action - piccatiny rail with single base rings.

Piccatiny I also find "modern", so will put it on a rifle which I consider "modern". For the rifles I consider "classic", will install some classic mount system, or makers proprietary mount system.
On classic rifle I will never put NV or similar optics.
On modern hunting rifles, I will.

Finally: CRF vs PF
No, I will not say one is better then another (I have both types in my locker)

CRF is very well accepted in hunting community, for reliability and dependability. This has been discussed in detail on other threads. But, for shooting long range matches were shooters prefer (or are obliged by rules) to load one by one round in a chamber, CRF is not prefered as it is not reccomended to load directly in the chamber like can be in any PF action, but has to be first loaded in mag, by pushing down, then loaded to chamber by working the bolt.
On the other hand, for precision shooters in prone position, world wide, PF is favorite type, and for target rifle remington 700 action is frequently copied. One of (or the main) reason is easy loading directly to chamber round by round, in prone position, without issues that mauser extractor brings with its nature of design if the round is not loaded in mag, first.

So, in conclusion of CRF vs PF:
For hunting, both types are accepted, and worthy.
For target shooting, PF is preferred.
Both very dependable.

 

[marksman]

l am pretty happy to say IMHO the M98

 

[Jaegger]

@mark-hunter … WOW, thx for your in-depth & valuable insight.

My experience is limited to Ruger M77 & Mauser actions: I’m gonna need a proper cocktail on ice & my thinking cap for the reread & retention. I enjoy days @ the range & properly matching caliber to round options w/ all shooting based sole on the Hunt. Happy Trails.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Single or double square bridge Mauser action any length

 

[mark-hunter]

@Jaegger

I see you are stationed in germany. Should you ever come to croatia for summer holls, i will be glad to buy a drink and talk about hunting and rifles!