When I started shooting in the mid/late 1960's the only brad rfle I found to accuracy to be common in was SAKO. My Grand POp gave me SAKO 579 243 for a wedding present when I was 23, and spoiled me for many years to expect anything close to that accuracy from any other brand rifle I owned. Bought another one in 1976 after the 243 went away, and got the same results. Later had access to SAKO's and never found one that was a dog, some did shoot better than others though when I started a small collection of 1st Gen Classic Grades that I financed a new business venture with.

Since then I've owned 4 Tikka's, a 695 270, a T3 6.5 Swede, a T3 SS Lite 270 and the current T3 6.5 Swede SuperLite and have come to expect excellent out of the box accuracy around MOA or less with "standard" Fed Blue Box or WW factory ammo & can be less than that with some judicious ammo tuning. None of my Tikka's have ever required any tuning from NIB. The SL has been a bit of a challenge only 'cause it's balance points and gross weight are different from all the others at under 6lbs bare nekkid.

Biggest accuracy surprise out of the many hunting rifles I've owned in the last 50+ years was a CZ 550 American in 9.3x62. Knew nothing about them but bought one on the recc of an old friend I trusted, instead of a 375H&H. Loaded up a starter load from the recc'd hunting load that had been published in Reloader Magazine, and the 1st 3 rounds out of a new unfired barrel touched at 100 yards in Speer 270gr'ers over RL 15 in PP brass with WLR primers from a prone unbagged position. MOA or less Accuracy out of that untuned rifle was the expected norm with a used Greely built Burris FF II 3x9x40 on top.

In the early '80s I owned a M70 XTR 257 Rbts that would shoot WW "White Box" 100gr original Silver Tips (actually aluminum tips) that I could "write" my initials with on a standard sized business card at 100 yards with a 3x9x40 Vari X II on top, but it would not shoot anything else but that one load.

The current do all go anywhere BACO South Carolina built M70 Ult Shadow in a factory Sporter stock 270 shoots better than I can these days, but I could become a close to a MOA shooter again when/if I could get the time to stay with a regular schedule at the range now that I've got most of my meds under control. Old Age is hell.

I also have a 1982 XTR M70 Fwt 7x57 that has been lovingly tuned by a previous owner that shows it's accuracy heritage with inexpensive import ammo enough that I would not be surprised at under MOA's if I would take the time to load for it.

Col Townsend Whelen, once wrote that "Ony Accurate Guns are interesting" is something that I have always suscribed to.
Ron

Just bought my boy a new ruger American in 243. Great shooting gun. Put on scope and by 4th shot grouping at 1 inch. Great rifle.

Tikka / Bergera / Custom / hand loads

Have had 2 Ruger Americans in 243. Both incredibly accurate.

i bought a tikka on the advice from a fellow hunter..was not disappointed right out of the box accurate..put good glass and i was hooked..tikki stainless 300 win mag..awesome accurcy!!

Punched center bull with first shot from my Savage .25-.06, non-Accutrigger about 10 years ago. Great gun picked up at Sports Authority for 25 percent off around X-Mas time. Out the door for arud $300. I miss Sports Authority, formerly Oshmans.

Tikka 7mm-08
Viewing back of the target.

The hole lower left prior to a few clicks on the scope to adjust. The hole upper right slightly ovaled 5 rounds through one hole. 200 yards through a 3 by 9 sightron Big Sky with Tikka Factory rings.
Factory Hornady SST 139 grain and I let the barrel cool between shots.
Not only is Tikka a great rifle but I seem to have got one that is exceptionally accurate. Paid $511 for the stainless version on Grabagun my goodness how they have gone up in price since then.
I can hollow out a dime at 200 yards. It just doesn't get any better than that for an unmodified Factory gun out of the box. I did turn the trigger down as far as it would go. Obviously the particular rifle I got was super exceptional.

1) Tikka

2) Tikka

3) tikka

Can't beat a savage for the price right out of the box. I shoot long range and I have stock barrels on 300wm and 6.5cm, I am completely happy with them.

I've had great results from the Sako L579 243 I inherited from my father, as well as a Sako 75 270 I bought used on this forum a few years ago. In fact I shot sub MOA at 100 with the 75 Hunter today. My son's M70 Featherweight has shot very well also.