Bolt gun advice sought

[hkshooter]

I'm a bolt gun guy at heart. Long ago I had a few bolt guns I custom loaded for and my favorite was a Rem PSS in 308 and my most accurate was a Rem VSSF in 308. I'm considering getting back into a tactical type rifle of considerably better quality than either of those. I've not been into that market for a while so I don't know what's the latest and greatest. I'd love to have an AI or maybe a Robar but those are likely out of my price range. Still, I'm considering liquidating some of the safe fodder so I can add a good bolt gun. I'm thinking $2500 for the rifle, $1000 for optics. Have any input? Advice?
Must be in 308 but outside of that I'm open. Looking for 3/4 MOA with Fed GMM.

[hagar]

Just buy another older VS or VSSF and have it rebarreled with a custom barrel, maybe get a nice trigger and have the action trued. The VS shoots good for about 30 rounds, and then it goes to crap because of fouling. A match grade barrrel probably will not shoot much better, but you should get at least a 100 consistent shots out of it between cleaning. If you can find one with a 5R barrel, keep it the way it is.

If my 223 VS shot 3/4 moa at 100 yards, I'd sell it! Took it with me to South Africa back in 1997 and had one of the top benchrest shooters there shoot it, he put 10 shots in (almost) one hole.

[Sperzuki]

For 2500, you can have Jim See at Center Shot Rifles http://centershotrifles.com/ build a very accurate rifle for you. I would also consider a 308 Remington Sendero with a long barrel, an accuracy job on it wouldn't require a new barrel.

[308bolt]

Steyr SSG 69 series.

http://www.steyrarms.com/products/sp.../steyr-ssg-69/

[gunplumber]

If you like the traditional Remington you can get a Surgeon and put it in an AI stock.

I have mixed feelings on the AI stock - it just doesn't work with low-profile optics, so you may as well use something big like a 50mm objective. Rather just use an AI mag in a badger trigger guard on a McMillan A2 type stock.

I did a 300 WM that way and I think I like it better than my .308 in the AI.

[SteelonSteel]

You've already got a couple of nice rifles.
ETA- unless I misunderstood and you've sold them off.

I would upgrade them with the custom stock of your choice and have it bedded. Put your money into your dream optics, your money is better spent on better glass quite often with the precision rifle world as long as the gun works.

Shoot the hell out of it with the original.308 barrel. When you've worn that barrel out in 4000 to 6000 rounds or more send the gun off, have the action trued and rebarreled by a good custom shop.

This way you get your most out of what you've already paid for, you get your dream glass and a new custom stock. You can easily spend $2k on glass alone. A custom McMillan stock will likely cost you about $500+/- not counting having it bedded. If you're handy bed your own. (just tape off everything you don't want bedding on and put on your bedding release at least twice)

Just my $0.02
Go over to sniper's hide website and do some reading over there for ideas and opinions. I would hazard to say they're the FALFILES of the tactical bolt world.

ETA2, I've come around and prefer the Reminton varmint weight anyhow, my .308 is an AMU contour (really damn fat and heavy) and it's a bit unweildly. My .260 I went back to a Remington varmint weight contour on a FN SPR action in a McM stock with some custom features. I rarely shoot my .308 anymore as I prefer the .260 now just from adjusting from my experiences. That said I'm a HDLS range rambo not any HSLD operator.

[hkshooter]

Thanks for the input guys.
I've considered the 700 action in an AI chassis but I know I'd never be happy with it since I want a real AI. To bad I can't afford such a toy. I didn't know about the low mount optic problems, thanks for bringing that up GP.

Steel, yes, both of those guns have been long gone. The VSSF was a super shooter. I know most educated folks hate three round groups but that rifle put three Nosler J4 BTJHP 168gr into 7/16" at 200 yards once in a habitual series of .750 groups at the same distance. Gun was unreal for factory in my eyes. But that was fifteen years ago or close to it.
The closest I came to a custom gun was a Winchester M70HB in 308. Sent it to McMillan for an A2 stock and it came back really nice. It was a half MOA gun for three rounds then it would string. Havent shot winchester since.

So far I'm looking into the Sako TRG22 and the FN LE rifles. Like the looks and promises of both of these and the prices fit the budget in my mind. Keep the input coming, I'm all ears.

And GP, if I end up with a 700, I'm sending the trigger to you for work. I'm not going down that road again by myself.

ETA: I'm not looking to do a custom build. To me there's not enough gain in performance for the price compared to much less expensive factory guns. My skills would never be able to utilize any tiny advantage anyway. Besides, if I wanted custom I'd just call up Mark Penrod. He's local. Enough.

[Hootsmon]

A Sako TR-G is a nice piece of kit. Hard to find fault with that choice.

A Tikka T3 Sporter would be worth a look. That's "Sporter", not "sporter". Big difference. Stock is laminated and shaped similar to the Sako TR-G. Silky smooth action. It's a bit lighter than the TR-G as well. Take the money you save buying a Tikka and put it towards the optics.

Or better still, buy the best scope you can afford, and then buy a rifle with whatever is left over. You can always upgrade the rifle components down the road, but cheap glass is gonna be cheap forever.

[dfletcher]

The FN SPR series is a pretty good tactical line and I'm sure you can find one in your price range. I have an older basic SPR and new GA Precision fiddled with one. Accuracy is excellent, nice adjustable stock too.

You might want to check out GB. I've picked up a heavy barreled, adjustable stocked HS Precision for $2,000.00 and a GA Precision Gladius style for $2,300.00 recently. Pretty good price on each, so there are used deals out there too.