Recommend Badger a huntin' rifle...

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#1 Post by **meles meles** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:30 pm

Well oomans, we've done our DSC1 course and are now contemplating the purchase of a stalkin' / huntin' rifle. We used a 1905 Carl Gustaf in 6.5x55 Swedish for our shooting test and chuckled merrily as we popped out the centre of the targets using the original iron sights in the prone position, and grouped under 2 inches sitting and standing (Sadler of this parish makes an excellent sling for the Charlie G). However, we're thinking of investing in a dedicated stalking rifle and a telescopic sight. Thus far we are considering:

1. Tikka T3 stainless
2. Merkel Helix
3. Bergara BX11

We've shot a T3 afore and liked it, but the Merkel and Bergara have the advantage of being switch barrels and so offer a versatility of calibre choice. We'd probably start with 6.5x55Swe, but like the option of changing that in future by swapping out the barrel. As an outsider, we like the bullpup, switch barrel, Desert Tactical Arms rifles but aren't sure if they would make a good stalker.

Over to you for comments & advice...

#2 Post by **Countryman** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:10 pm

Welcome to the stalking fraternity.

Faced with the same choice I wanted something tough, light and reliable. Good as you are with irons the mk1 eyeball is no replacement for good optics at dusk and dawn.

I chose a Sako 75 in stainless synthetic. Obviously same factory as Tikka but better. The synthetic stock is the best I have ever held. Calibre is a moot point. .243 or .308 are obviously classic. I use my rifle for other tasks so I went for .25-06 which is a great all rounder with 100gr Noslers.

Like it so much I now have the same rifle in .300 win mag for when it mustn't get up again!

Ohh hang on I had an email from a mate this week. He is moving to North Africa.

http://m.gunstar.co.uk/sako-varmint-hea ... 4?redirm=1

http://m.gunstar.co.uk/sako-75-300-30-0 ... 2?redirm=1

#3 Post by **saddler** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:43 pm

I'd take a good look at the .270 Parker Hale that breacher? has for sale.

Buy Blitish as they say at Nissan HQ

#4 Post by **Browning_grrl** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 10:35 pm

What are you gonna hunt? And over what sort of ground? Still hunt, or run-and-gun?

#5 Post by **meles meles** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 5:36 am

Hmmm, we're not really sure about .270, we have a preference for 6.5x55 Swe.

#6 Post by **dromia** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 6:05 am

I would still look at a good second hand BSAs or Parker Hales in the calibre of your choice.

For the price of a Tikbergmerksak you could get at least three S/H BSA/Parker Hales.

They are absolutely fine firearms and I have taken thousands of reds and roes with mine over the decades and never seen the need to change, to my mind buying a new or even second hand Tikbergmerksak rifle is throwing away money that would be better spent on good glass.

I have never heard any of my quarry complaining that they were killed by a BSA/Parker Hale and that they would have been more dead if I'd used a Tikbergmerksak, lovely rifles though they are to many eyes.

My current live quarry battery consists of:

Parker Hale No4 conversion 303 sporter Ajack scope
Parker Hale Mauser action 270 sporter Pecar scope
Musgrave No1 conversion 6mm Musgrave "Springbok" sporter Pecar scope
Parker Hale Mauser action 6mm Remington sporter Pecar scope
BSA CF2 action heavy barrel 222 Remington varminter Lisenfeld scope
Slazenger No1 action Model 24 22 Hornet Weaver scope
Martini action 218 Bee Dinox scope
BSA Sportsman 5 22RF BSA/Milbro scope

The most expensive recent purchase out of that lot was £300.

The cheapest recent purchase was two tubs of powder and some gas checks.

#7 Post by **Countryman** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 6:47 am

If you don't mind me saying Dromia you will probably be the last owner of those though.

Whereas a Tikka or Sako will fly out the door and lose very little, if anything if you buy well second hand.

#8 Post by **dromia** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 7:11 am

Aye it is one of the beauties of not being fashion fickle, I can get excellent quality firearms that do the same job at a fraction of the price of a new Tikbergmerksak.

Skeep buying new and through the nose for it and leave a wide selection of excellent value reasonably price high quality rifles for me, sound like a plan.

Badger you should definitely take out a mortgage and get a brand new Tikbergmerksak, forget what I said about Parker Hale/BSAs they have absolutely no snob value whatsoever.

#9 Post by **tackb** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 7:34 am

any rifle in a deer legal calibre will be fine , 6.5x55 is a good choice.

I'd get a simple 6x42 or 8x56 scope to start , quality is the most important thing , you can't shoot what you can't see!

you would be hard pressed to buy a bad modern rifle , a lot of dromias suggestions would work fine but they are old and may be a wreck by now so it's very much buyer beware with the older stuff.

the DTA would work and is a fine rifle but handle one first they are heavy little buggers but they do shoot well ! they are also quite a price , you could get a lovely rifle built to your spec for the same money?

one thing to consider is the image you will portray , whilst a DTA wouldn't bother me one bit if you brought it out with me stalking some of the more traditional tweed clad stalkers monacle may fall out when you unbagged your tacticool snipers weapon !

one thing is for sure , once you have a suitable rifle and kit you will immediately start to think of reasons to change things !

#10 Post by **dromia** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 7:43 am

I get a lot of these rifles through my hands and they do sell, when the price is right.

They are no more likely to be dogs than any other second hand rifle and as with all second hand rifles you need to check them out regardless of age.

The thing about stalking rifles is that they get carried a lot and shot a little so I have yet to see one of these shot out, the smaller vermin calibres do get more use and need looking at but that is equally true for a two year old rifle as a 20 year old rifle.

The other thing about stalking rifles is that there is a lot of fashion snobbery around them and many stalkers will buy a new rig for each season trading in their old rifles each year, winky in Tain has made a fortune out of this.

Calling old rifles wrecks is just uninformed scaremongering from my experience.

The wear on any rifle is down to the owner and someone can trash a new rifle just as easily as they can trash a 30 year old rifle.

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