Rifle choice 300 win mag

[NuclearGrave]

I have been deciding on buying a new rifle for a few months now. I am buying a 300 win mag as it fits my uses and what I hunt best, and I am deep into it with surplus of ammo, reloading stuff and all. I want a rifle in stainless and threaded barrel for potential suppressor. I have narrowed it down to 4 but I cant find any of these in person to feel or hold. I have been leaning bergara until recently with the potential for CRF. I ordered a highlander but it arrived 300 prc for me and after waiting a few months, I have researched other arms. They are

Bergara highlander
Fierce Fury
Sako 85 finnlight
Nosler 21

Any insight would be appreciated, thank you.

 

[TNKnoxville]

My sons each have a 7 mm mag Bergera highlander. Tack drivers, smooth action, good trigger, < 0.75 " MOA, Berger VLD Hunters 180 grain. But they are heavy. This really helps as the felt recoil makes them feel like a 243! The big issue is rust. They have never been wet and stored in a safe with a humidity can. Not real bad but enough to piss me off. A bit barrel heavy. Had loads worked up by Pendleton ammunition. We have never tried any other ammo. My oldest son shot a cow elk last year at about 350 yards and bang flop. Not sure if I'm sold on the Bergers, pretty much disintegrated on impact but did the job!

I shoot Browning XBolts. All are tack drivers. My 300 Win Mag Max Long Range is an awesome shooter. Loves 220 Grain Hornady ELDX's. Shot my bull elk 2 years ago at 505 yards, spot on! But the triggers are just okay. Of my 3 XBolts only one had a good trigger and it took a MCarbo spring to get it to about 2.5 lbs. They are crisp but not great. I replaced with a Timney and sweet! All 3 shoot < 1" MOA with a good range of ammo, so far not very picky.

Hope this helps have not shot the others. I do have a Tikka 308 and its sweet. Always wanted to try a Sako.

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

I am a Sako fan. My wife has the Finnlight 85 in a 300wm. We cut the stock to fit her better. It’s light, balanced and more importantly, she is confident and comfortable shooting it.
I can’t speak to Bergera or FF. I have simply never picked 1 up. I personally was a little disappointed and didn’t like the feel of the Nosler that I handled.
If a silky smooth action with shallow bolt throw is on the top of the list, Sakos are really hard to beat. The current limiting factor in the Sakos is the magazine and COAL. My wife shoots 215s, but we had to seat them a little deeper in order to cycle well. The 230s would have similar issues in the 85. I shoot the 230s out of a Sako 995 and had to seat deeper as well. Accuracy was not compromised in either rifle.
The guy above mentioned Browning. I have liked the feel of them as well. I’ve shot my dad’s older model stainless stalker 300wm a fair amount. Again, a nice smooth action with shallow bolt throw.
When you’re choosing between a handful of really nice rifle models, that’s not a terrible predicament to be in.

 

[hodgeman]

I really like my Nosler 21. With a 6x42 Leupold in Leupold rings it comes in at 7lb 13oz...which sort of a sweet spot for me in the 300.

Wyatt mag box and a long throat lets me seat bullets to an OAL of 3.541". Still doing some testing, but so far it's all business.

 

[NuclearGrave]

My sons each have a 7 mm mag Bergera highlander. Tack drivers, smooth action, good trigger, < 0.75 " MOA, Berger VLD Hunters 180 grain. But they are heavy. This really helps as the felt recoil makes them feel like a 243! The big issue is rust. They have never been wet and stored in a safe with a humidity can. Not real bad but enough to piss me off. A bit barrel heavy. Had loads worked up by Pendleton ammunition. We have never tried any other ammo. My oldest son shot a cow elk last year at about 350 yards and bang flop. Not sure if I'm sold on the Bergers, pretty much disintegrated on impact but did the job!

I shoot Browning XBolts. All are tack drivers. My 300 Win Mag Max Long Range is an awesome shooter. Loves 220 Grain Hornady ELDX's. Shot my bull elk 2 years ago at 505 yards, spot on! But the triggers are just okay. Of my 3 XBolts only one had a good trigger and it took a MCarbo spring to get it to about 2.5 lbs. They are crisp but not great. I replaced with a Timney and sweet! All 3 shoot < 1" MOA with a good range of ammo, so far not very picky.

Hope this helps have not shot the others. I do have a Tikka 308 and its sweet. Always wanted to try a Sako.

Where is it rusting? I hunt Alaska every other year so rust would be a concern.

 

[NuclearGrave]

I really like my Nosler 21. With a 6x42 Leupold in Leupold rings it comes in at 7lb 13oz...which sort of a sweet spot for me in the 300.

Wyatt mag box and a long throat lets me seat bullets to an OAL of 3.541". Still doing some testing, but so far it's all business.

Dang, I like the COAL. That’s good for the heavier bullets. Does it use rem rings?

 

[TNKnoxville]

outside of barrel and around the ejection port. Mostly surface stuff easily removed. Inside of barrel is fine. I oiled everything really good. Not sure what it would be like after a week or so in Alaska! Just wasn't expecting it!

I would not let that back from you looking at one. They shoot great and if I didn't have 3 XBolts I would buy one.

 

[SADSZN]

I have been deciding on buying a new rifle for a few months now. I am buying a 300 win mag as it fits my uses and what I hunt best, and I am deep into it with surplus of ammo, reloading stuff and all. I want a rifle in stainless and threaded barrel for potential suppressor. I have narrowed it down to 4 but I cant find any of these in person to feel or hold. I have been leaning bergara until recently with the potential for CRF. I ordered a highlander but it arrived 300 prc for me and after waiting a few months, I have researched other arms. They are

Bergara highlander
Fierce Fury
Sako 85 finnlight
Nosler 21

Any insight would be appreciated, thank you.

Check out the cooper firearms m92 backcountry. Good deals can be found on gun broker. I have one in 300 win mag with a leupold vx5-hd and the bare rifle is 5.75 lbs and with the scope it is 7.25 lbs. Lot of rifle for not a lot of weight.

 

[hodgeman]

Dang, I like the COAL. That’s good for the heavier bullets. Does it use rem rings?

It doesn't. It comes with proprietary bases that'll fit any weaver style ring. Other folks like Talley are starting to make bases...I'll likely swap mine out for Talleys are some point as the factory ones are a little high for my preference.

 

[CApighunter]

Take a look at my LAW 300 Win Mag listed in the classifieds. CRF, sub 7 lbs, threaded 9/16-24. 10 twist and plenty of freebore for 215s.

 

[Mojave]

I wouldn't buy anything from Fierce, too many quality control problems.

Sako 85 finnlight will kick ass. https://www.eurooptic.com/Sako-85-Finnlight-Stainess-300-Win-Mag-244-1-11-Rifle-JRSF331.aspx in stock, for $2000. Can't beat that.

They also have a 85 original finnlight for $1800, but only in 270 and 7mm Rem Mag.

Sako Finnlight 7mm Rem. Mag Rifle JRSFL70

Sako Finnlight 7mm Rem. Mag Rifle JRSFL70 | Only at EuroOptic.com!

www.eurooptic.com

 

[Aviator]

Alamo Precision

 

[NuclearGrave]

It doesn't. It comes with proprietary bases that'll fit any weaver style ring. Other folks like Talley are starting to make bases...I'll likely swap mine out for Talleys are some point as the factory ones are a little high for my preference.

Can I ask how much your rifle weighs?

 

[NuclearGrave]

outside of barrel and around the ejection port. Mostly surface stuff easily removed. Inside of barrel is fine. I oiled everything really good. Not sure what it would be like after a week or so in Alaska! Just wasn't expecting it!

I would not let that back from you looking at one. They shoot great and if I didn't have 3 XBolts I would buy one.

Can I ask how much does your highlander weigh will scope and all?

 

[hodgeman]

Can I ask how much your rifle weighs?

With a 6x42 Leupold in Leupold rings it comes in at 7lb 13oz.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Of those, Sako all day.

 

[TNKnoxville]

With a Zeiss Z4 scope 11.4 lbs.

 

[MeatMissile]

I wouldn’t mess with anything without at least a 3.6” magazine box. The narrows it down quite a bit.

 

[Twtxga]

Couldn’t recommend a seekins ph2 with a zeiss v4 more

 

[stvnshnn]

There’s a Sako Carbonlite in 300wm in the classifieds right now.


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