[Seneca]

My vote is for the Ruger Gunsite Scout or RGS. I've included a link to Impact Guns and their write up on the rifle. You will note that they don't have them in stock and are taking orders...this rifle has been out for a couple of years now and the demand for it is still going strong.

Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle, 308, W/Detachable Magazine - Impact Guns

The prices have gone up slightly on these rifles, though they can still be found for 800 or slightly less. So there you have it my choice for a center fire bolt action rifle for preparedness.

 

[HuntingHawk]

At that price though you can get a Garand from the CMP.

My problem is their choice of magazine. At a loss why they didn't choose a USGI magazine such as that for a M14/M1A.

 

[wesley762]

The best gun is the one you have the most ammo for...... there is no this gun is better than that. The best Gun you can have is the one you already own.

 

[Nathan Jefferson]

My vote goes for what I usually recommend: a Remington 700 or savage 10. I like to steer people away from savage axis and Remington 770's though, they are cheaper but lack the much better triggers in the slightly more expensive models.

Generally if people need more they aren't asking for recommendations . I have a 700, although it does not accept detachable magazines (at least not without after market parts). In the future I will probably add the bottom metal to change it to accept AI magazines. But that is on the back burner, if I feel the need for more rapid fire from a .308 I'll whip out the LR-308 (DPMS's AR-10).

 

[Smitty901]

Remington, Ruger lot of good models chance are good if I am using the 308 or other similar caliber they are far enough off that bolt action will not be an issue

 

[rice paddy daddy]

At that price though you can get a Garand from the CMP.

My problem is their choice of magazine. At a loss why they didn't choose a USGI magazine such as that for a M14/M1A.

The story i read, in either Guns or Rifle magazine, was they tried to use an M-14 magazine but could not make it feed reliably in their rifle and so had to design their own.

I never noticed - is there a stripper clip gude built into the receiver? That way you could cut down on a lot of carry weight and bulk by carrying most of your spare ammo on strippers and just a couple of magazines.

Being the owner of a Mauser K98k I can highly recommend them as a very rugged rifle. There is a very good reason most modern bolt action rifles are modeled after Peter Paul Mauser's wonderful invention.

 

[tango]

What is the purpose, hunting, or defense?

 

[Ripon]

The only two bolt guns I have were purchased for and are sighted in for and I train for - long range shots. The ability of semi automatic rifles like the M1A and even an AR to accurately reach 300-500 yard targets makes a lessor bolt action impractical to me. I keep a 338 Lapua Savage and an older 300 WM built under Interarms License from Walter/Manlyncher (sp) for shots over 500 yards. (which I'm not real good at anyway) I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a Mosin to someone on a budget, but I'd also suggest replacing it with an AR or M1A when the opportunity presented itself.

As for the Ruger Gunsite I have never heard bad things about it, but a bolt action and use of a magazine bug me - even my Savage has that and I hate to have to carry magazines for it. If I'm carrying magazines I want more ammo / less time shooting then with a bolt.

My vote is for the Ruger Gunsite Scout or RGS. I've included a link to Impact Guns and their write up on the rifle. You will note that they don't have them in stock and are taking orders...this rifle has been out for a couple of years now and the demand for it is still going strong.

Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle, 308, W/Detachable Magazine - Impact Guns

The prices have gone up slightly on these rifles, though they can still be found for 800 or slightly less. So there you have it my choice for a center fire bolt action rifle for preparedness.

 

[HuntingHawk]

No stripper clip on it. I forget what foreign magazine it uses.

 

[retired guard]

The best gun is the one you have the most ammo for...... there is no this gun is better than that. The best Gun you can have is the one you already own.

I went with the Ruger American in 30-06 reason for caliber I already had a wide variety of ammo for my 1903 Springfield. Now working on optics.

 

[exmilitary]

Ar 15. 5.56 mil ball ammunition for long range defence.(working on ir optics)
12 gauge 00 buckshot for short range
40 cal s&w pistol to get to my long guns

 

[PaulS]

The police and military have been using the Remington 700 for a very long time. The Remington action has been used in the making of most bolt action target rifles for almost as long. Their longstanding reputation is more than enough to justify the recommendation of that gun.

Ruger has a name for making indestructible bolt guns and their rifles are well made - there is not the kind of long term reputation but their rifles are very fine equipment that deserves a good recommendation.

Savage Arms makes a good quality and very accurate bolt rifle with a very good factory trigger. For the dollar the Savage is hard to beat.

There are many other fin guns but the three above are, in my opinion, the best of the bunch. I own three Remingtons and a Savage but have also fired the Ruger 77. The Remington and Ruger rifles are good looking guns that shoot well. The savage is .. well.. less to look at but its performance is up with either of the others. This from a man who will not own a rifle that will not shoot 5 shot groups to less than an inch at 100 yards. I should say that I do own one rifle that does not live up to that standard - My SKS shoots groups that are two to three inches at 100 yards but I would never use that gun much beyond pistol ranges. I do own several pistols that will shoot smaller groups repeatedly than the SKS.

 

[Rigged for Quiet]

Take a look at the Howa 1500 full figured rifle, and Howa Ranchland if'n yer more into the scout sized options. A lotta gun for a great price.

 

[Fuzzee]

I'm one who thinks it's not a great choice to buy a bolt-action for a prep than a modern semi. There's excellent accuracy with modern semi's to make just about every shot a prepper should try for and there are very reliable choices. Than you also get a fighting rifle that can stand up in this semi/full auto world. It's not the 1800 and 1900's anymore.

 

[PrepConsultant]

For center fire bolt action I would say the Remington 700 in a .308 caliber.. I am an advocate of the bull barrel also.. I wont even look at a bolt action unless it has a bull barrel. You hear people talk about weight but you can get one with a 20in barrel instead of the 24/26in and it takes quite a bit of weight. If you get a fast twist rate like a 1in 10 or even a 1 in 8 which you can find, it will give you the same distance as the longer barreled rifle.. Here is a good choice, I just picked one up to build myself and it is shooting less than 1moa out of the box. I will be adding Valdada glass and a bipod and probably a can since it is threaded already.. You can find them for around $600 if you look in the right spots.. My next bolt action will be another Remington 700 in either a 300 win mag or the 300 Norma.. I really like what I see about the 300 Norma but the ammo is still a little on the high side and not as readily available..I will probably get the 300 win mag and use 190 and 220gr pills..

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-tactical-aac-sd.aspx

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Ar 15. 5.56 mil ball ammunition for long range defence.(working on ir optics)
12 gauge 00 buckshot for short range
40 cal s&w pistol to get to my long guns

Wrong answer. Question was about bolt action centerfire rifles.

 

[PalmettoTree]

Ruger Gunsite Scout

 

[bigdogbuc]

I like my modified Finnish 91/30 Mosin-Nagant w/ hex receiver. The Fin's have smaller diameter barrels and will easily shoot reloaded ammo with .308 bullets as opposed to .310/.311 for a standard 91/30.

I cut the barrel to 16 1/4". Put a scout scope on it. Trimmed the stock down. Painted the whole thing, mounted a flashlight. I am considering however, putting a synthetic stock on it because it's really heavy. I am also going to install a Timney Trigger on it. It's a great shooter, and despite the barrel length, doesn't care what you put through it. It shoots 147 gr. surplus, 180 gr. Winchester or 203 gr. Silver Bear with near equal vigor.

I did discover that the heavier the bullet, the tighter the groups became. However at 100 yards, I go from 3" groups with surplus (and a cool, huge ball of flame) down to sub-2" groups with Brown Bear and the Winchester sitting in between. It shoots good enough to hunt with and get a clean kill, and definitely is accurate enough for defensive purposes. They're tough, easy to work on and parts are simple to come buy. Ammo has fallen back to reasonable if you buy it in surplus tins (which I did). Even with shipping, it's a good price. I got 880 rounds, shipped, at the height of the scare, for about $300.

And yes folks, that is a standard AK-47 Bayonet. Seems when you get that far back on the barrel, it's a "near" perfect fit. Took about 5 minutes to fit it completely.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

No stripper clip on it. I forget what foreign magazine it uses.

I found the magazine I was thinking of right next to my computer - it's the Nov/Dec 2012 isue of Rifle.
The Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle is based on the M77 MKII action. Ruger built at least one prototype to use M-14/M1A magazines "but due to variations in magazine specifications, it was difficult, if not impossible to get perfect feeding..............."
The magazine was designed by a company called Accuracy International.
Serious rifle afficianados should get and read Rifle, Sporting Firearms Journal magazine. Those who think AR's are the greatest thing since sliced bread don't need to bother, though.

 

[Rigged for Quiet]

I also should have mentioned my recently discovered favorite budget friendly bolt action, the Mossberg 100 ATR. Fluted barrel, scoped, and $300.

Still hard to beat a 700, but I am also in the camp that unless you happen to have a retreat with an entrance 600+ yards away distance is your escape and evade friend more than it is a shooting oportunity for the average Joe. Now, if you happen to have a Dead Eye McFly shooter in your group, having Thor's hammer is a good thing to have.