What are your not-negotiables for a rifle?

[Grumpy gumpy]

@Badboymelvin
The beauty of the 243 is that with a tapered expander in you flat due you can make it 308 with just one pass.
Once Harry uses the 08 he will never want anything less.
Bob

And don’t forget that the 243 is gay, a 6-08 is a much more manly cartridge
Gumpy

 

[BeeMaa]

Sorry @BeeMaa but no matter what you do to Barbie you are still putting lipstick on a pig.
The R8 is a bit like me. Functional, useful and butt ugly
Bob

Functional and butt ugly...you and the Blaser R8 would be a perfect pair.

Love ya Bob!

 

[CoElkHunter]

@BeeMaa
Even if'n y'all put a grade 10 walnut stock on your Barbie gun and with all the wonderful characteristics it's has for you to me it would still be like putting lipstick on a pig and calling it beautiful.
Some things just don't do it for me and I'm afraid the R8 is on of those, but to each their own.
As stupid as it sounds I would prefer a Savage 110 over an R8. Yeh I know I have no class or finesse but that's just me.
A nice K95 on the other hand is a thing of beauty, practicality and simple form and function.
Bob

Bob,
Consider putting a AAA grade French walnut looking synthetic stock on your Savage or Stevens to resurrect your class status. LOL
CEH

 

[WAB]

Accuracy, fit, excellent trigger and utterly reliable.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@MS 9x56
Lucky my Whelen has a grey plastic stock then.
May have to get @ Forrest Halley to give at a rattle can Camo finish.
Bob

BTW, where is Forrest? Stuck in the Suez Canal again? LOL. He doesn’t call, doesn’t write. Just wondering?

 

[CoElkHunter]

I have three primary reasons why the 3-position safety on the bolt shroud is my one non negotiable on a bolt action rifle: (1) locks the bolt closed when on safe, (2) controls the firing pin independently of the trigger/sear, (3) allows easy disassembly of the bolt in the field without special tricks or tools.

The Browning A and X bolts lock the bolt and trigger sear with their tang safety. Although, I don’t believe the bolt is serviceable in the field. I’ve never had to mess with bolts on any hunting rifles though. FYI

 

[MS 9x56]

@MS 9x56
In Australia It will cost you upwards of $200 to get it hydro dipped. Rattle can paint is cheaper and you know I'm a tight wad. Might just leave it grey
Bob

Grey with some red rust collared spray paint might just match your terrain fairly well Bob.

 

[MS 9x56]

The Browning A and X bolts lock the bolt and trigger sear with their tang safety. Although, I don’t believe the bolt is serviceable in the field. I’ve never had to mess with bolts on any hunting rifles though. FYI

The browning tang safety’s are my all time favorites.

 

[MS 9x56]

Accuracy, fit, excellent trigger and utterly reliable.

I believe you just described the Mauser 98.

 

[RedTag]

The Browning A and X bolts lock the bolt and trigger sear with their tang safety. Although, I don’t believe the bolt is serviceable in the field. I’ve never had to mess with bolts on any hunting rifles though. FYI

I confess that I have always liked the ergonomics of the tang safety. In the past I’ve had several rifles (Browning and Savage) with the tang safety and honestly never had any problems with safety malfunction.
I dislike the sliding side safety design now found on what seems to be the majority of bolt action rifles. This is the only style of safety that I have personally experienced malfunctions with and it has happened more than once on more than one rifle. I still have a couple but don’t trust the safety so the chambers on those guns are never loaded until ready to shoot.
My decision to select only rifles with the 3-position safety on the bolt going forward is based both on personal preference and the principles of mechanical operation. I think a safety that both locks the bolt closed in the safe position and controls the firing pin independently of the trigger/sear is inherently safer than any other design. The ability to disassemble the bolt in the field without tricks or tools is something that most people will probably never need or think much about, but when your rifle follows you underwater it sure is nice to be able to make sure the bolt internals are thoroughly dried and relubricated afterwards.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

And don’t forget that the 243 is gay, a 6-08 is a much more manly cartridge
Gumpy

@Grumpy gumpy
A rose by any other name is still a rose
But
A 243 by any other name is still a useless round. Y'all can't put lipstick on a pig and call it a model either.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Functional and butt ugly...you and the Blaser R8 would be a perfect pair.

Love ya Bob!

@BeeMaa
The question is tho
A perfect pair of what????
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The browning tang safety’s are my all time favorites.

@MS 9x56
The Savage has a 3 position rang safety as well that locks the bolt.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I believe you just described the Mauser 98.

@MS 9x56
The standard Mauser 98 has a crap trigger
Sounded like a good description of the Savage 110 to me.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

The browning tang safety’s are my all time favorites.

I also like the 60 degree bolt throw.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@MS 9x56
The Savage has a 3 position rang safety as well that locks the bolt.
Bob

Bob, would you happen to know if the Savage 110’s safety also blocks the trigger sear like the Browning? I only found that out about the Browning from someone posting on here about a year ago.

 

[BlueFlyer]

I think a safety that both locks the bolt closed in the safe position and controls the firing pin independently of the trigger/sear is inherently safer than any other design.

The P14 and M17 also achieve this requirement. I find the P14 & M17 safety easier to access than a bolt shroud mounted 3 position safety.

 

[Badboymelvin]

And don’t forget that the 243 is gay, a 6-08 is a much more manly cartridge
Gumpy

Are the 2 interchangeable?????

 

[MS 9x56]

@MS 9x56
The Savage has a 3 position rang safety as well that locks the bolt.
Bob

Yes I have that on my

 

[MS 9x56]

@MS 9x56
The standard Mauser 98 has a crap trigger
Sounded like a good description of the Savage 110 to me.
Bob

I have found the double set triggers to be very adjustable and perfectly serviceable. Now the single military trigger is crap.