Howa Axiom riffle .204?? or something else??

[Sidewinderwa]

I have had several customers that have very good accuracy with Howas, under an inch. I have 2 Savage rifles in 204 that shoot very accurately right out of the box. I was making head shots on sage rats at 200 yards with my lighter weight thumbhole Savage. I am making a 2nd varmint rifle now on the target Savage action. Sometimes you feel like a nut, check out the Savages before you make your final choice.

[oldguy]

Purchased a Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter some weeks back, it shot .375 out of the box with Hornady 40gr vmax some reloads shoot .250 but still in testing stage to see how consistent,
the fit and finish on this rifle is much better then my Savage rifles.

[Shamu25]

Love the Whitetail classic scope. Bought it from Midway for around $100 and Simmons had a 25% anniversary rebate program last fall....so for $75 it is an awesome deal. 6.5-20X50

[chris_32212]

Purchased a Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter some weeks back, it shot .375 out of the box with Hornady 40gr vmax some reloads shoot .250 but still in testing stage to see how consistent,
the fit and finish on this rifle is much better then my Savage rifles.

I'm so new at this. lol. There is another sweet looking riffle and its guaranteed to shoot sub MOA out of the box. I wish every bolt action manufacturer would make that guarantee. It doesn't seem like too much to expect when you consider the price of a decent new riffle today. The price on google shopping is 800 bucks which is pretty reasonable considering the guarantee. The Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter is definitely something I am going to consider. Thank you for the information.

Thank you to everyone who has posted here. This has definitely has been enlightening.

Chris

[chris_32212]

Love the Whitetail classic scope. Bought it from Midway for around $100 and Simmons had a 25% anniversary rebate program last fall....so for $75 it is an awesome deal. 6.5-20X50

I just bought mine in January so i missed out on the 25% off deal from simmons but I still think its a good deal for a hundred bucks.

[oldguy]

Purchased a Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter some weeks back, it shot .375 out of the box with Hornady 40gr vmax some reloads shoot .250 but still in testing stage to see how consistent,
the fit and finish on this rifle is much better then my Savage rifles.

I'm so new at this. lol. There is another sweet looking riffle and its guaranteed to shoot sub MOA out of the box. I wish every bolt action manufacturer would make that guarantee. It doesn't seem like too much to expect when you consider the price of a decent new riffle today. The price on google shopping is 800 bucks which is pretty reasonable considering the guarantee. The Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter is definitely something I am going to consider. Thank you for the information.

Thank you to everyone who has posted here. This has definitely has been enlightening.

Chris

I've been shooting 50 years purchased a number of rifles this T/C Icon is the most accurate out of the box I've experience with Savage second best.

[oldguy]

Purchased a Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter some weeks back, it shot .375 out of the box with Hornady 40gr vmax some reloads shoot .250 but still in testing stage to see how consistent,
the fit and finish on this rifle is much better then my Savage rifles.

I'm so new at this. lol. There is another sweet looking riffle and its guaranteed to shoot sub MOA out of the box. I wish every bolt action manufacturer would make that guarantee. It doesn't seem like too much to expect when you consider the price of a decent new riffle today. The price on google shopping is 800 bucks which is pretty reasonable considering the guarantee. The Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter is definitely something I am going to consider. Thank you for the information.

Thank you to everyone who has posted here. This has definitely has been enlightening.

Chris

I've been shooting 50 years purchased a number of rifles this T/C Icon is the most accurate out of the box I've experience with Savage second best.

[chris_32212]

When I started this thread, I asked a question trying to find out which Riffles were the most accurate out of the box for under a 1000 dollars. I probably didn't word it quite that clearly but thats what I was trying to get at. I have been open to suggestion from everyone and have done a fair amount of research on those suggestions to try to answer my own question. Here is what I have narrowed my search down to. I thought about starting a new thread for this to share this with other potential buyers but I didn't want to be bothersome with New threads on the same subject every ten minutes.


Savage 12 Long Range Precision Varminter
(3/16" 5 shot group at 100yards) http://www.gunblast.com/Savage_12PV.htm
26" barrel (one inch in diameter flutted) riffle.
Savage part #18146 $989.99 on google shopping.
11lbs.
1 round capacity

Tikka T3 SS Varmint $1,075.00
part#TK31080SS
23.62" stainless steel barrel
8lbs
6round capacity
(they make this riffle in a blued steel barrel that can be found in other chamberings for about $700, I couldn't find it for sale in .204 but their website shows they make it and I intend to keep looking for it).

Thompson Center Icon Precision Hunter
guaranteed sub MOA 22" Fluted Heavy barrel
$800 on google shopping Part #
4 round Capacity
8lbs


All three riffles have an adjustable trigger from the factory.


I am still trying to gather some info on the Sako model 75 but I don't think they sell it new anymore. I think it has been replaced by the model 85 which I know nothing about yet. I would still consider a used Cooper Phoenix but even the used prices I have found are 50 percent more than I want to spend on a riffle.

[oldguy]

You can't go wrong with the Savage or Thompson Center, one error on your research the T/C is 9+lbs without a scope it is a fairly heavy gun, both my Savage BTVS and the T/C are very close in weight. as you are doing I researched for 3 months prior to buying I narrowed down to Savage or T/C simply over accuracy/quality and price. Also I felt that any needed repairs would be easier to achieve with those two brands.

Good luck and happy hunting.

[Mike]

Chris, you won't like the Savage LRPV as a coyote rifle. That stick was designed to ride sand bags on a bench 100% of the time.

I won't continue to beat on the Cooper drum, but I will say that you can find a good one for less than $1k if you're patient. Good deals don't pop up every day and get snapped up quickly, but they're out there. If the Cooper is right for you, take your time and the right one will show up.

[Rick in Oregon]

Chris, If the Cooper is right for you, take your time and the right one will show up.

Agreed, and good things are worth waiting for. Case in point: Captqc's recent acquisition of a primo Cooper M21 Phoenix in 204 of course, in a straight-across trade for a Kimber .45 from a forum on the net. If you poke about long enough, you'll eventually find that pearl you're looking for. Deals are out there.....you just have to keep looking (don't get impatient and snag a toad you'll regret later...JMO )

[chris_32212]

Chris, you won't like the Savage LRPV as a coyote rifle. That stick was designed to ride sand bags on a bench 100% of the time.

I know the LRPV is a bench gun but I am still considering it. Truth is, I have yet to actually kill a Coyote. So far, all I have done is target shooting from a bench and I enjoy it very much. Also, the LRPV is probably THE MOST accurate riffle out of the box for less than a grand. Which is what I was searching for. I am still undecided though because it truly would be nice to be able to take my riffle on a hike. As for Cooper, I would love to have one but I am just not patient enough and don't really have the time to wait around and search for a good deal on a used Cooper. Plus I don't really like the idea of buying used. You never quite know the real reason someone is selling it and I like knowing the entire History on my firearms(I own 7 and only one purchased used had issues that I was unaware of when I bought it). When you consider my original search criteria (the most accurate riffle out of the box for less than a grand), I am sorry but the Coopers just don't fit the bill cause they are too expensive. I am certain that I will own one eventually but I am a full time college student right now. Maybe after college when I am making some decent coin, I can throw down for a NEW Cooper and see what I have been missing. But until then, it just doesn't seem like a practical option for me. There is only one way I could swing a cooper right now. I bought a $5,000 dollar diamond engagement ring that I sold my truck to buy. I no longer need it because the "female genitalia expletive" was seeing someone on the side. Anyway, I "could" sell the ring (and take a big hit) and then go buy a Cooper and maybe a scope. darn thats depressing, that was a good truck too!

Chris

[Mike]

Chris, with all due respect I would strongly encourage you to slow down and really think about your purchase. I know that you're excited and anxious to get a new rifle, but your posts jump around all over the place and I get the impression that you're going to snap something up on impulse. I've seen a lot of guys buy rifles in that manner and then move on to something else because they're not really satisfied. Experience has taught me to carefully figure out what I want and buy when the time is right. It's always cheaper than trading/selling and I never look at someone else's equipment with envy because I have exactly what I want.

This is just some friendly advice gleaned from the experiences of many people, including myself. Ultimately, it's your money and none of my business how you choose to spend it. I'll be happy for you, no matter which rifle you decide to go with.

[chris_32212]

Chris, with all due respect I would strongly encourage you to slow down and really think about your purchase. I know that you're excited and anxious to get a new rifle, but your posts jump around all over the place and I get the impression that you're going to snap something up on impulse. I've seen a lot of guys buy rifles in that manner and then move on to something else because they're not really satisfied. Experience has taught me to carefully figure out what I want and buy when the time is right. It's always cheaper than trading/selling and I never look at someone else's equipment with envy because I have exactly what I want.

This is just some friendly advice gleaned from the experiences of many people, including myself. Ultimately, it's your money and none of my business how you choose to spend it. I'll be happy for you, no matter which rifle you decide to go with.

I appreciate your advice and I value the experience of the members on this forum. I certainly don't intend to be "all over the map with my posts". But researching these riffles has been a steep learning curve as I have still never fired a bolt action riffle. I have just been trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible and it can be difficult to weed through opinions vs facts. As to my impulsiveness to buy a .204... your right, lol. I would definitely have one, maybe two already if I could have afforded it but I'm actually am on a rather modest budget being in college. Without discussing my personal finances, it will be some before I am even able to buy. I am about to drop some pretty substantial coin on all my reloading equipment (i have none currently) at the beginning of next month which is a higher priority for me than my next riffle. If I don't sell that ring, it will probably be several more months before I can buy a riffle. Which is ok with me, for all of the reasons you stated. For now, I have a pretty fun gas gun in .223 that I hopefully can start learning to reload for soon and that should keep me plenty occupied in the mean time. But, I did post that ring for sale in the swap meet section of this forum. lol. I know, probably not the best place to try to sell something like that but I posted a couple other places too.

[Vartarg]

Shot in the dark: given your financial circumstances and lack of experience with bolt action rifles....how about considering an "entry level" rifle, new, with a strong track record for accuracy....and get new Savage/Stevens in .223 or 22-250?? You could later use the action to build another rifle, when you have more time, money and experience.....

I know this doesn't meet the original search criteria, but a suggestion on "thinking out of the box."

You can find a new Stevens on Gunbroker.com for $300 or so, put a decent piece of glass on it, and have major change left over......

Just a thought.....

Good luck & best wishes.....

George