Out of the box accurate

Looking for a good shooting gun right outta the box. I've got several of my granddad's and father's guns that are 30+ years old and some shoot really well, but I'm looking for something new.

Not interested in hand loading at this time so will only be shooting some decent factory ammo. I appreciate any feedback.

For the $499 (give or take a few depending where you look), the savage 111TH trophy hunter package is hard to beat. Comes with a Nikon BDC 3-9x40 scope. Mine is 7mm and only thing ive done is replace the rings. Its a tack driver.

This... But a 270

I was in your same situation a couple of years ago. Shooting an old Savage Model 99 308 that my dad gave me. I think it has barrel issues and I can't shoot a very tight group with it, paper plate is as good as it gets. Anyway I did a little research and settled on a Ruger American in 30-06 with a Nikon Scope. I think I am less than $600 all in and I can shoot half dollar groups at 200 yards with it if I am on a rest. It is nothing fancy or pretty, the stock is cheap for sure but that sucker is accurate. I am 48 next week and I shot my first deer last year with it and put one right through his heart at about 80 yards. Anyway, I have been impressed with the accuracy and when you read reviews you will see many others feel the same way.

Thanks. Any input on Tikka? I've heard good things

+1. My Dad's Savage 7mm has been dead on accurate since he got it about 6 years ago. Kicks like a mule, but that's expected. After all, you only have to shoot it once.

Tikka T3. They guaranty the accuracy, great action and adjustable trigger. All I shoot is factory ammo.

Factory Tikka T3X Varmint in 223 - 600 yards 5 shot 3 inch group





Factory Tikka CTR in 260 - 1000 yards 3 shot 5 inch group (group below the bull)

I have a Weatherby Vanguard 25.06 that may be the most accurate gun I own.

This....But a .243!

About 20 years ago I stumbled on an old boy that needed cash, I paid a $75 for a used Savage 110 in 270 caliber. It sat in the safe a couple of years, finally took it to the range, it has been my deer rifle ever since then.

You didn't say your budget or what you're using the gun for. I assume hunting since its in this sub-forum. Most Savages shoot well out of the box but Tikkas shoot better.
Heck, now days, most production guns, unless you go really cheap, shoot well enough, and are reliable, for hunting purposes.

+2. I have a Savage 111 Trophy Hunter Package in 25-06 >>>> This rifle is great. Super accurate!

Most accurate out of the box gun I've ever owned was a Remington 788...but that's not a new gun anymore. 2nd most accurate Savage 111. I recently bought a Bergara B-14 Hunter, and although they guarantee 1 moa like Tikka, I can not endorse them at this point. Best I am getting is with handloads, and I have not gotten under 1 moa with that yet. I'm fixing to send it back if I can't get something with my next round of reloads.

This....But a 7mm08

My Weatherby was accurate right out of the box in .270

Savage model 11 in 6.5 Creedmoor shooting Hornady 143 grain ELD-X ammo.

Tikka T3X 6.5 Creed.....slam dunk winner and tremendous variety of factory ammo. You'll be hard pressed to find anything it doesn't shoot well.

Ruger American predator. On sale they can be had for 350-400$ and come with a bedded stock and adjustable trigger.

Cant go wrong with a Tikka

I've had good luck with Howa. Love my 308. Reasonable $ and accurate.

Got 2 of them. Wife is shooting my T3 Lite in 270 and I recently got the T3x Hunter in 308. Shoot Remington CoreLokt in both and very pleased.

What do you plan to use it for and what is your budget?

My daughter won a Weatherby Vanguard 243 in a raffle and I was really surprised how great the rifle shot. I grouped very good with Hornady Whitetail Ammo and the trigger pull was nice and crisp. Even though it has the Weatherby name it wont break the bank either.

1) Tikka
2) Ruger

Ruger has really stepped up their lines. They offer more bang for your buck then all others IMO.

This....But in 25-06

Browning 270 A-Bolt

Tikka T3 lite 270 WSM. Love this gun

Remington 700 in .308 cal. 5R heavy stainless 26” barrel, H&S composite stock.

Those old Rem 788’s were accurate for sure. The funny thing, the locking lugs are back of the bolt, not front which to some flies in the face of logic when it comes to accuracy. They did have a short stiff barrel. I remember seeing some at ranges that were crazy accurate. I’ve seen some Howas/Wheathbys that would shoot too.

Yes sir

If it's an absolute budget gun my father in law and I have both bought a Remington 788's off here for $400 each.

1 in .243 and 1 in .223

Both are more accurate than I am but for $400, tough to beat...

Savage.

Whitetail only. Feeders are 100 yards and the road I corn is 400 yards max.

Not too concerned on budget as long as I stay under $1500 with gun + optics

In the "budget gun" category and for several years the Weatherby Vanguard used to include the target from their test fire of the rifle that was shipped. They don't include the targets anymore, but for a firearm that is right out of the box, I would place the Vanguard near the top rating. I shoot a Vanguard .308, dead on at 200 yards; HOWA and Tikka both have very reliable accuracy out of the box.

Bought a Rem 700 30-06 in 1983 with my summer job money. Was advertised then and I guess to this day, most accurate out of the box. It has not disappointed. I bought Rem 700s for both my boys in .223 and .243 I'm sure there are several quality brands out there.

Another vote for Weatherby.

+3 on the savage 111 trophy package. I've been really happy with mine, shoots well and is a good bargain.

I’d think most of the standard offer off the shelf bolt actions will shoot plenty fine to reliably harvest game with a bore sight and range session to fine tune. For many years I shot a rem 700 with nothing but factory loaded 130grn. I’ve got maybe 5 or so mid range caliber rifles that are all factory output. No customizing or gun smithing. Just find one you like. I’ve got Remington’s, a winchester, and a marlin. Confidence in them all and plenty deer and hog on the ground over the years.

I have the Ruger American in 308 for four years now. I put a Nikon scope on it and it shoots better than I can. Very happy with the action and prefer a plastic stock as I don't worry about scratches rain etc. I put a Nikon scope on it and it stays adjusted year after year even though it gets knocked around on public land.

You are on the right track...30 cal is a good platform, Nikon scopes are reliable, Non wood stocks are not affected by weather too much.

For the $$ Tikka is probably at the top right now right out of the box performance and features.

I started shooting Remington 700s over 20 years ago and have found no reason to change. Affordable, accurate, easy to bed, lots of commercial accessories. Works for me.

Keep it old school with the lever action cool factor, get a Marlin 336 .30-30 w/3-9x32mm Scope for $419, free shipping, no tax.

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/products2.cfm/ID/206057

Grab some Hornady Leverevolution ammo to add a little range.

Thanks for all the feedback. I've decided to go with the Tikka CTR in 6.5 CM.

Doing a little more research on scopes before the purchase

Good choice

Tikka or Bergara in 308 Win.

Put one of these scopes on it....does everything, including range detection... and there's nothing like recording your shot with your scope :P

https://www.amazon.com/ATN-Ballistic-Calculator-Rangefinder-Barometer/dp/B01BYDUZ60

You made a very good choice with the Tikka 6.5 CM!! One of the rifles I used last year in SW Texas. The Remington 700 series have exceptionally good barrels and are legendary for out of the box accuracy. Currently I have two 7mm-08 and a custom .300 Weatherby magnum. Both are far more accurate at long and close range than I am, however I did drop a bull elk at 500+ with the .300.

I recently bought a Savage 110 6.5 CM. Shooting Hornady 143 ELDX. A little heavy, has a 24inch barrel. I went off kilter dont tell my wife and bought the Nikon FX-1000 6-24x50 scope which cost more than than the rifle, liked the lit retical, yes maybe overkill.
First time at the range, sub inch MOA after sighting in.
Moved to the 2 hundred yard and first 2 shots in subinch, 3rd shot about 2 inches. going to the 300 range next.
Not partial to Savage but I have a 300 model 99 I inherited from Dad, and a 270 Stevens Savage 200 I bought new for a 100 bucks from a friend who won it in a raffle, and doesn't shoot bad at all. Still trying to get the 300 to shoot well, trying different bullets. So far tried Remington core-loct 150, Hornady SST 150s, next I'm going to try the Federal power-shok 180s. I'm up for suggestions if anyone has practical experience with a good bullet for the 300 savage.
But all in all the Savage 110 is shooting well.

I bought my first Tikka, fist ss & first composite stock, It's a T3X lite in 6.5 CM, yes I joined the craze. I have been very pleased priced a bout 750.00. I have found that customization is nice, I have always been a remmy buyer but damn this thing can shoot.

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.