Your choice of best rifle maker

[Vikram]

Say,gentlemen, you got around $5,000 or it's equivalent in rupeeyahs and you are looking for the best bolt action rifle that money could buy.Who will make that best rifle for you? I am still thinking.BTW, I by no way have, at the moment, those monies.


Best- Vikram

[mehulkamdar]

Vikram,

In that price range I would say that Waffenfabrik Hein would be the best that I have seen www.rifleactions.com There is also a semi custom riflemaker in the US called Empire Rifles whose starting rifles come in that range www.empirerifles.com but I have not seen their products. I have met Greg Hein of Hein and the General Manager Karl Webber and they are very nice people who are very open about the rifles that they build, helpful in the extreme and highly reputable in this part of the world.

If the price was to be a little lower, and the rifle for non dangerous game hunting, then Jerry Stiller who holds several benchrest world records and Curtis Helton, his Vice President also make rifles in addition to their world record actions www.viperactions.com The rifles are stainless steel affairs but with either wood or synthetic stocks to the customer's choice. I had a long conversation with Curtis at the NRA convention. He showed me his personal rifle on his own action in 6.5x284 in an Accurate Innovations stock. It was incredibly nice.

Cheers!

Mehul

[mehulkamdar]

One more option for the high tech inclined - I met the designer at the NRA convention and he is a very nice man - a doctor of medicine who makes some really high tech rifles - Dr Dale Schuerman www.schuermanarms.com I had read about his rifles in Gun Digest some years ago and it was a revelation to work the bolt on the samples he had at his booth - buttery smooth and very, very nice.

Cheers again!

[Vikram]

Thanks a lot Mehul.I have been following Waffen Hein for a longtime.Them and Hartmann and Weiss. I also wanted to see what are other members' choices. I am a traditionalist of sorts. So, I prefer a walnut stock,Mauser 98 action etc. with best possible craftsmanship within my means. And I expect it to be an accurate shooter.

Who would build your bolt rifle and in what configurations?


Thanks again.Best.- Vikram

[mehulkamdar]

Vikram,

Hartmann und Weiss prices start at $ 30,000 these days, I think. They are peerless in big bore Mauser rifles, and a mark of how good their work is is the fact that they neither advertise nor do they have a website.

In general semi custom work is much cheaper in the USA than in Europe though top end guns in both regions cost about the same. If one were going for a top of the line bolt rifle then I would think there were gunmakers like Mark Stratton in the USA www.gunmaker.net (I have seen his work and it has to be seen to be believed) Martini and Hagn in Canada http://martiniandhagngunmakers.com/ Karl Heinz Ritterbusch in Germany http://ritterbusch-rifles.com/?lang=en or Gottfried Prechtl or Reimer Johannsen both of whom use Prechtl's actions www.golmatic.de and www.johannsen-jagd.de You also have Fred Wells' son Reuben building rifles from scratch at his father's old workshop in Prescott, Arizona and Ryan Breeding who specialises in big bore rifles for African hunting www.rbbigbores.com None of these gunmakers' work would be available even in the most basic versions for less than $ 12000 and with options the prices would soar to twice that amount before you could blink an eye.

After all of this, I remember reading an article in Jagen Weltweit, the premier German hunting and shooting magazine and website www.jww.de about the new Holland and Holland 400 and 465 bolt rifles where the reviewer said that if he had a choice he would buy a top rifle from Holland and Holland because these were the only bolt rifles in the world that he could use for some years and sell for a profit. In the end, I guess, it is not just budgets but also what priorities that those who order rifles have.

Cheers,

Mehul

PS For Mannlicher enthusiasts, the superb Mannlicher Schonauer rifles are now being made again by one of the company's last surviving gunsmiths Erich Schoder www.eschoder.com These would fit into your $ 5000 budget in the basic versions

[marksman]

I liked Empire's Express grade rifle. It's good blend of H&H's deep well magazine and Churchill's Quarter rib. Probably because I have been lucky enough to use both these rifles in 375 H&H caliber. Hartmann and Weiss is another one I like (seen the pics) but have my reservations about the German Iron sights. Some how I always shot better with the kind of iron sights made by H&H and other English rifle makers. Just an opinion.
Cheers!!!
Marksman

[MoA]

$5K for what type of rifle?

You could buy a Savage and a couple of after market barrels, a decent scope and bolt faces, and have a rifle that can swith barrels and keep up with most semi-custom jobs easily. Plus you might even have some money left over.

Or you could get a very decent Barnard, Kelby, BAT or Surgeon action and go from there... and build a very very accurate rifle capable of shooting in the 0's.

Or you could pick up a AI-AW or TRG 42....

Though none of these would probably be Walnut stock or Mauser 98 action, (IMHO over rated). Ultimately it depends on what you want from your rifle...

[Sakobav]

MoA

Its all about what floats ones boat. agree the best gun is what one owns
Some take guns to be a utilitarian purpose others take pride in the gun they own. For a while I was following an acquaintances search for a safari gun and $5K budget was very middle of the road - a New Mauser maybe but none of the 'bespoken' or 'customed' guns.

I personally would purchase something new / recent say CZ, Kimber, Savage, Sako, Tikka or Hoya then as you suggested customize it.


But if I ever win a lottery would like to buy take down Sauer, Kreighoff, Blaser.

Cheers

[nagarifle]

heck man go for Border barrels of Scotland they make damm fine barrels, you can go there in person and see how its done, or in south of England try the RPA topnotch and non of your euro or yankee do da. with these to you would pay around 2500 quid.

RPA give metal case and cleaning kit as well in the price. RPA is a class of its own.

[Vikram]

$5K for what type of rifle?

You could buy a Savage and a couple of after market barrels, a decent scope and bolt faces, and have a rifle that can swith barrels and keep up with most semi-custom jobs easily. Plus you might even have some money left over.

Or you could get a very decent Barnard, Kelby, BAT or Surgeon action and go from there... and build a very very accurate rifle capable of shooting in the 0's.

Or you could pick up a AI-AW or TRG 42....

Though none of these would probably be Walnut stock or Mauser 98 action, (IMHO over rated). Ultimately it depends on what you want from your rifle...

MOA,

I should have been more precise.I am a traditionalist when it comes to guns to cherish.Something like this.



I do not look down on the target rifles.I like them too.But, I do not think I can love them.

All the actions/makes you and Naga mentioned make some very accurate and reliable rifles.But,if I must keep one rifle, it will be something like the above one.Thank you both for the names.

Best-
Vikram



Best-
Vikram

[MoA]

Vikram,

What ever floats your boat.... Me... accuracy is all that counts. I have finally broken into the 1's and would like to shoot in the 0's....

With a Savage ... and that is no where on your pecking order...

-- Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:46 --

heck man go for Border barrels of Scotland they make damm fine barrels, you can go there in person and see how its done, or in south of England try the RPA topnotch and non of your euro or yankee do da. with these to you would pay around 2500 quid.

RPA give metal case and cleaning kit as well in the price. RPA is a class of its own.

I have a couple of Borders, an Archer, a Krieger and several LW's. Cant really tell the difference on the target, though in the cheque book is a different issue. Right now I am very happy with the el-cheapo LW barrels. On my rig they are out performing everything else...

BTW a border barrel costs a whole hell of a let less than £2500. As for the Euro trash... check out keppler..

[marksman]

Vikram,
I owned a rifle made by Churchill (Orange street gunmakers, Leicester, London)) in cal.375 H&H magnum which was very much like the picture you have mailed. Quarter rib, express sight, cocking piece aperture sight, engraved bolt knob, receiver and floorplate and the works. Gave it away to a close friend and which eventually reached some dealer in Nagpur after his unexpected and untimely demise. The peep sight was okay for quick close quarter shots but I wouldn't trust it for long accurate shooting. It looked awesome on the rifle though.
Marksman

[Mack The Knife]

But if I ever win a lottery would like to buy take down Sauer, Kreighoff, Blaser.

You should be able to get a new Sauer S202 TD for under US$2000.00

[hamiclar01]

yes, but he probably wants to buy all three

[kragiesardar]

John Rigby & Co. (Gunmakers), Inc.
500 Linne Road, Suite D
Paso Robles, California 93446

http://www.johnrigbyandco.com/index.html



http://www.johnrigbyandco.com/html/Sing ... Rifle.html

http://www.johnrigbyandco.com/html/Afri ... Rifle.html