Thread: Hunting Rifle

Second on the husky 30.06 class at 500 bucks

The issue isn't with Mauser/derivatives or controlled feed actions (I own a CZ. And I use it a lot. It's great). The issue is with saying that it's the preferred option, because of a baseless/irrelevant claim of some safety shortcoming with everything else. It's utter nonsense and simply bad advice to tell a newcomer to write off Tikka, Howa, Sako, Remington, Browning, Ruger, Bergara etc in favour of a 98/Husky/CG/BSA/M70, by giving the impression that a Mauser is the only thing that they can trust their safety to.

No history lesson required.

Originally Posted by Pommy

The issue isn't with Mauser/derivatives or controlled feed actions (I own a CZ. And I use it a lot. It's great). The issue is with saying that it's the preferred option, because of a baseless/irrelevant claim of some safety shortcoming with everything else. It's utter nonsense and simply bad advice to tell a newcomer to write off Tikka, Howa, Sako, Remington, Browning, Ruger, Bergara etc in favour of a 98/Husky/CG/BSA/M70, by giving the impression that a Mauser is the only thing that they can trust their safety to.

No history lesson required.

sorry but I dont read on here where anyone is saying safety means controlled feed - all the rifles above are mauser based actions i.e they way they cock - in my original post I said Mauser as opposed to lever actions - I think we all have said enough and let the man make up his mind we simply dont know his taste and we have all provided good info

Strange to even mention Mauser feeds, it’s really what one gets used to. Lions dependant obviously.
I for one would put my hand up for something like a Tikka 308.

I truly feel sorry for @Farmer John so easy in my day a cut down lee enfield. 303 or in my case a parkerhale sporter .303 ex army ammo bought for 10cents each from school mates.

I'd look at a howa 1500, you can get short barrel 308s with scope and suppressors pretty cheap

So the debate of push and control feed has been well debated but when it comes down to a hunting scenario it has little value both will get the bullet into the chamber and back out, projectile choice and budget restrictions are the 2 factors, the problem with alot of the older stuff is finding mounts or rings to fit the 30mm plus scope tubes. A preference of mine for hunting is an internal drop out box mag keeps rounds inside the gun and easy to unload and less chance of loosing or forgetting your mag

@Barry the hunter, see posts #9 and #40 by Hugh.

You obviously don't share Hugh's safety concern and my comments on that were not aimed at you. But if we're talking about your original post, go to Google Images and search for "Mauser style action" (which was part of one of your concrete requirements) and let me know how far you have to scroll before you find something that isn't an old claw extractor controlled feed design. You also suggested a rooted old (presumably ce,cf) Sako. Then when pressed later on, your first recommendation was a pre-64 Model 70 too (ce,cf again)... So there's a strong preference showing there, along with a general disdain for more modern rifles/cartridges based on your comments about Tikkas and "Crudmores".

That's not helpful. As you admitted in post #24, Tikkas are perfectly adequate. Unless OP has a specific reason not to, they would be far better off with something "adequate" that might come with a warranty rather than a decades old fixer upper based on yours and Hugh's advice.

Crikey dickens! Respectfully, could someone kindly start a new thread titled "The complete history of Mauser actions, and comparisons and perceived benefits of push feed Vs controlled feed"?

Poor Farmer_John just asked for recommendations on a bloody hunting rifle. Here we are 5 pages later still discussing a very specific part of an action, that is not going to affect anyone's ability to drop a tasty little Bambi. The discussion doesn't appear to be overly helpful for OP, so... new thread?

Don’t buy an old Mauser, old Sako etc that needs work until you have the bug bad. Get a modern reliable rifle and use it. Range and field. Modern, proven, not bubba’d up ie later model tikka, Sako, Remington, Vergara, Winchester etc


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Posts #3, 13 & 14 answered the question well.

Originally Posted by Dicko

Don’t buy an old Mauser, old Sako etc that needs work until you have the bug bad. Get a modern reliable rifle and use it. Range and field. Modern, proven, not bubba’d up ie later model tikka, Sako, Remington, Vergara, Winchester etc


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This ^ and it applies even if a Mauser or Husky doesn't need work. I've got a bunch of genuine Mauser 98 sporters of various flavors collected over 25 years or so. There's no way I'd direct a new shooter in the "old classic" direction, a Tikka, Bergara or Howa is a better bet in every way.

As for people who suggest things like BSA "Hunters", Winny pre 64s and the like, that just shows how little they have thought for themselves as they along with things like Ruger M77s and Kimber 84 are not true copies of the famous Mauser extractor, they are very poor derivatives.

Originally Posted by bmax

I'd look at a howa 1500, you can get short barrel 308s with scope and suppressors pretty cheap

A farmer mate leant me a Howa 1500 in 223, just for a try. I really liked it and the ten shot magazine is a big bonus when chasing a mob of goats.

I intend to leave it since we are going around in circles let the man decide himself he has enough information he may decide on a german single shot who knows

Hello @Farmer_John, welcome to the world of shooters and hunters.
I would like to apologise to you for how this thread has gone.
You certainly have enough good advice in amongst the chaff.
Please do speak to a gunsmith.
Also please do let the Forum know what you wind up buying, we will all be curious!

I'm going to sign off from this thread now, but a parting shot at the, "Resident 6.5 aficionados." You fellas do realise you are shooting/hunting with a 6.5mm diameter projectile which was first invented in 1894! That's 130 years ago and so last century! Why don't you fellas get yourselves a modern projectile!?

Dinosaurs RULE 2024!