I'm planning on selling off a few guns in order to upgrade, and I've decided for various reasons to get a .270. My budget, not including glass, is about $800 or so. I'm willing to buy new, or to buy used and modify with new barrel or trigger or whatever--whatever gets me the best rifle for the money.

Requirements in order:
1) Accuracy: I want to be able to shoot under an inch (preferably under .75") with handloads. This is by far the most important parameter.
2) Looks: I doubt I'll ever buy another big rifle, so I want this one to be as nice as possible. Synthetic stocks are a no no.
3) Robust: I'm 33, and will likely shoot this one until I'm too old to shoot anymore.

So there it is. How would you spend ~$800 on a .270?

Tikka

Buy a 280 or 280ai

If I were going wildcat I'd get a .257AI, but my dad and brother both reload for .270 and have a lot of data for that round, not to mention dies, etc. The .270 part isn't on the table.

Tikka 30-06 or 7 Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag depending on how robust YOU are.

I agree with the 280 but I dont think Tikka chambers it and swapping barrels will put you over budget.

New model 70

Get a sako, browning a bolt medallion or Winchester model 70

If you can do synthetic, that Win Model 70 stainless w/BOSS in the classifieds should be a great rifle as long as its been taken care of, etc.

Shop around, I would usually say Tikka but for your case the new Winchester M70 Feather Weight. There are some great looking walnut stocks on some of them these days to boot.

270 is a great caliber selection. It will do anything you need here in TX and elsewhere. As to rifle selection, there are some great selections. Sako is the top of the line and can cost upwards of $2000 for NIB. I have a Sako Bavarian in 270 and it is my go to rifle. If your budget will not allow $2000 then the new Winchester Mod 70 or Tikka T3 are excellent choices. I have both and they are fine rifles. Remington 700 out of the box accuracy is excellent but their triggers can be dangerous. Be prepared to swap out triggers. As to used rifles, Sako is still going to be high dollar used. Good prices for used Tikka and Winchesters can be found if you shop around. I have seen some on this forum. If this is going to be your one and only rifle then spend some time doing research and choose carefully.

Typical forum answers: get a 280, 6.5 Creedmore, spend $2,000 when your budget is $800.....

For your budget I'd consider a Savage American Classic, Browning Abolt Medallion or X-bolt Hunter. Any of these fit your budget and should shoot well.

I'd get one of these (nicest wood stocked gun for the money):
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=444846820

The Featherweight would be a dang nice choice.

+1

I wonder sometimes if folks actually bother to read the post...

I'm liking the accuracy reputation of the Tikkas, and the price is fine too, but that A-Bolt sure is pretty. I don't know much about them. Would y'all think it a safe bet to meet my requirements for accuracy with handloads?

Browning X bolt medallion "White Gold".. if you can find.
There's not a better looking rifle out there in my opinion.

Tikka, Browning X-Bolt Hunter, Winchester Mod. 70.


I have two of these (White Gold Medallion and Super Grade) in .270 Win., the Tikka (T3) is in .30-06. I hand load for them all.

You can't go wrong with any of them.

I bought one in 243 and it met your requirements with factory Hornady 80 GMX. I sold it before I had the chance to load for it because a gun a friend had became available I'd wanted for a long time. Brownings are accurate and well built. I'd recommend putting a Timney trigger spring in it and running some 130 grain VLDs or 130 grain Ballistic Tips or Accubonds through it.

I would look for a Remington 700 CDL 270 personally..it should have a wood stock and be right around 800

Hard to go wrong with the Winchester, Browning or Tikka. All are good and have no doubt will meet your needs as described. I would go handle all three and choose which feels best to you. I know from your knives you are a man that appreciates quality and workmanship All three have that with the FL made Me being the best on wood to metal finish from what I have seen.

Winchester, cdl especially sf, browning

Tikkas and savages are ugly

Since you've specified a "Nicer Looking" wood/blue 270 for a lifetime purchase, I'll base my responses on that tightly drawn RFQ, in no particular order & roughly within your $ parameters. Given my long held and frequently espoused opinions about bolt action Hunting Rifles here on THF and in person, there are some folks here who are gonna get a giggle:

Weatherby Vanguard Sporter @ about $800 MSRP, the high gloss Deluxe IMO is over priced. Howa built with a good reputation for reliability & accuracy and few complaints on "issues". IMO they are too heavy in todays market, just like the older SAKO's their designs were based on, but I would not hesitate to buy one.

Dunno nuthin' about the Savages, but they fit the bill accuracy and looks wise.

To me the Tikka T3 Hunter Grade is a little plain - like a Ruger 77 is IMO - but at a $678 MSRP it is within budget and IMO the best buy for the Dollar for an everday shooter. Haven't seen a Tikka Forest yet but is s'posed to be a DeLuxe stock on the standard T3 for + $$'s
??? Tikka's going all Hollywood Weatherby on us ????

Montana Rifle Co's American Standard Rifle is a touch high $ wise @ $1100 MSRP last time I looked, but is a sound investment in a hand finished low volume product that has been around long enough now to work all the production bugs out of it during the trasnsition from a GunSmith required line of custom gun products resource to the Production Line paradign that is GTG out of the box & built to compete in the Kimber market but at lower Price Points & wider caliber selections. I'm told the ASR's are as close a clone to a Pre'64 M70 as possible & not infringe on the P64's Patents, with some upgrades too. The Humongious caliber list has been added to for 2015 Production, and a couple niche use models are scheduled for production in '15.

BACO aka Brownin Arms Corporation of Morgan Utah, Winchester's now are assembled in the Browning Plant in Portugal, from s'possedly from South Carolina made parts. Good value for the $ and a well made shooter, but with a "lawyerized" and "enclosed" trigger.

Despite Remington's current and ongoing Trigger Recall issues, and selling K's of Remington product as a Distributor for 7 years once upon a time...IF you could find a nice clean M700 built in the 1980's & 1st half of the 1990's, and you liked it for some reason, it'd probably satisfy your RFQ Profile. Ouch! that's hard for me to say.

SAKO does not currently build a wood blue rifle in the $800+ price point. However if you could find a nice clean L61, A III, or A V receiver'd Standard or Hunter grade in your price range I'd be all over it in a heart beat.
These guns were built when the Finn's running the plant still believed "that a Poor Man MUST by 1st Quality Products to last a lifetime, and create an Estate to be handed down to his children for their children's use", a quote from Esa Verho, the World Marketing Director SAKO OY, to me in a sauna north of the Circle in 1984, when I was Repping SAKO for Stoeger Industries, as his way of explaining why he thought Americans were a Kleenex Society - since we are famous for buying something as cheap as possible, use it once & throw it away....talking about Volvo - that Nokia Finland made 90% of the parts for - and the culture at SAKO.

Browning A Bolts are nice looking and shooting guns, but IMO need the trigger ripped out by the roots and replaced with a Timney, just like todays Remington 700's.

Hope this helps liven the conversation
Ron

I would go Tikka T3 or Winchester 70 Featherweight.

I, too, get a little bemused when everyone jumps in with their pet caliber choices. The .270 is a great round.

Says a guy who owns a tack driving Tikka 243.

NP
Dunno if 270's a "lifetime caliber" or not yet, just been shooting one since 1969 and I ain't dead yet...gettin' close but not quite yet.
Ron

Am I the only one here who is still a fan of the ole Browning A-bolt?

When it comes to a "the one" rifle in a long action caliber, to me that means getting a wood stocked rifle. My wife got a wood stocked Tikka T3 in 270 and is a fantastic rifle, make no mistake. However, ther is just something claasy about an A-bolt and I don't feel like there is much difference in performance between the 2.

You aren't. The A Bolts and XBolts are tops on my list at the moment, along with the Tikka T3 Hunter and the option of rebarrelling my shot out Ruger M77 tang safety 243 to 6.5BR (the sale of which would otherwise partly fund my new 270).