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Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
I currently have a semi-auto Remington 30-06 and it is a great gun but I find that my patterns are not as tight as they were with my Winchester 243 bolt action. The 243 was a youth rifle and I haven't used it in years...I am 27 by the way...lol Anyway, I am wanting to purchase another bolt action but I want to know if the bolt action is that much of a flat shooting rifle or if I am just screw-up and can't shoot worth a crap anymore.
I am looking at two rifles right now. A .270 WSM and a 7mm Mag. Any input? I have some money that is burning a hole in my pocket. I was considering getting a new bow, I currently have a brand new bow but after shooting my fathers Mathews Drenalin, I thought about dropping some money on it and selling my Tribute or getting a PSE X-Force and selling the Tribute. Since there is only two weeks left of archery, it doesn't make sense to switch bows now when in all reality, I love my Tribute and can't think of any good reason to switch. :eek: My '06 is a great gun for thick woods and hog hunting but I am looking for a long range gun. My dad bought a 300WSM but that is WAYYYY overkill for our little Florida deer. I love his .270 bolt action but it isn't a WSM and I have never shot a .270 WSM but I hear it is the best as far as step up from its long brother. Thanks for any input. |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
i have heard that in a boltaction, since the bolt is pressed firmly against each individual shot, that there is less room in between the bolt and the slug opposed to a semi auto where there might be a little wiggle room. im honestly not too sure as im no expert, just what i have heard. im sure bolt actions are much more accurate tho.
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RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
I have a Remington 742 that I use when hunting w/ my dad in and out of the truck. I had a fixed 4x, but got a good deal on a Leupold 3x9. It is a far cry from accurate, but I can shoot 3" inch groups at 100 yds which is plenty for the kind of hunting its used for. I may play around w/ some different factory loads this year to see if I can tighten that up a bit. I went with a 300WSM Sako finnlight this year and its really accurate. I can shoot 3/4" groups (three rounds) using federal premium ammunition. I am currently searching for a 270 WSM for a sheep hunt next year. I have been going back and forth between the 270 and 270WSM. The .270 is plenty of firepower, but the WSM is slightly flatter shooting and I want a gun that weighs less than 6 lbs w/o scope.
The brands that I looked at were towards the upper end of the scale. Sako, Weatherby, Christensen Arms, Nosler, and HS Precision. Ended up with the Sako cause it fit me best. From reading and research I beleive most brands are or can be made accurate with practice. |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
if ya want a cheap but good rifle, got with h&r handi rifle in the 270, its like 200-300 bucks, but if you dont wana do that, go with a bolt action way more dependable then a semi in my opinion. just find a good deal, try gunbroker.com
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RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
There is a Winchester at Wally World in black synthetic with SS or Nickel barrel on Clearance for $250 that I am looking at. It is a 270WSM bolt action.
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RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
ORIGINAL: whitetailhunter01 I currently have a semi-auto Remington 30-06 and it is a great gun but I find that my patterns are not as tight as they were with my Winchester 243 bolt action. The 243 was a youth rifle and I haven't used it in years...I am 27 by the way...lol Anyway, I am wanting to purchase another bolt action but I want to know if the bolt action is that much of a flat shooting rifle or if I am just screw-up and can't shoot worth a crap anymore. I am looking at two rifles right now. A .270 WSM and a 7mm Mag. Any input? I have some money that is burning a hole in my pocket. I was considering getting a new bow, I currently have a brand new bow but after shooting my fathers Mathews Drenalin, I thought about dropping some money on it and selling my Tribute or getting a PSE X-Force and selling the Tribute. Since there is only two weeks left of archery, it doesn't make sense to switch bows now when in all reality, I love my Tribute and can't think of any good reason to switch. :eek: My '06 is a great gun for click woods and hog hunting but I am looking for a long range gun. My dad bought a 300WSM but that is WAYYYY overkill for our little Florida deer. I love his .270 bolt action but it isn't a WSM and I have never shot a .270 WSM but I hear it is the best as far as step up from its long brother. Thanks for any input. |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
If you're looking for a rifle to go after just deer in Florida then a bolt action .243 will do for you. I can't speak for the 7mm mag or 270 WSM. But I've heard that the whole WSM system, although having the same velocity and same impact power as their more common counter parts, aren't selling as well as they were supposed to and will probably not last. So I would say go with the 7mm mag. I would first work with the rifle that you have and see if you can improve your accuracy. I personally prefer bolt action rifles or single shot because I think they force you to count on your first shot due to the fact that you don't have that second shot.
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RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
A bolt action is usually more accurate than a semi auto because the trigger can be adjusted safely down to 2 1/2 pounds or so and still be safe...Since the stock is one piece you have a solid platform to bed the barrel into and the action is locked closed during the shot...
Forget about the 270 WSM, especially for your FL deer, the 30-06 is more than you need and I will bet your groups are getting larger because you are flinching... Some hunters flinch all the time and all hunters flinch sometime...The fix is to match your cartridge to the game so you enjoy shooting more.... Look at lighter recoiling rifles like a .243, 7mm-08, 25-06...All of these are plenty for Southern deer...Good Luck |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
On semi auto guns, the bolt does not unlock until the bullet is almost out of the bbl., its timed that way . I would be Leary , safety wise on getting too little of trigger pull on a field gun ( hunting ). The factorymakes them hard for there own liability issues. With in reason and safety,you can get a good trigger job on any semi auto gun. What I like about semi autos is your follow up shot if needed and yes you should get that perfect shot with the first ,but thats not always the situation while hunting .
I personally like the 06 round , if you are a hand loader , there is a lot of bullet configurations out there to load it with . If you think you are flinching , try a lighter bullet weight even if you are using factory ammo. The felt kick of a semi auto should be less that any bolt gun in the same cal., because a lot of the recoil producing energy is being used up in cycling the action. |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
ORIGINAL: whitetailhunter01 There is a Winchester at Wally World in black synthetic with SS or Nickel barrel on Clearance for $250 that I am looking at. It is a 270WSM bolt action. |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
It certainly is true that a bolt action is not as fast for a follow-up shot as a semi, but with a little practice, you may be surprised at how fast you can cycle it. It is a generally accepted fact that bolt action rifles are more inherently accurate than pumps, semis, or lever guns due to the way they are constructed, and the reasons nchawkeye explained. In my opinion, the .243 is all the gun you need for your type of hunting, and a .270 is beginning to reach the upper limits of overkill for those Florida deer. I personally would not even consider any of the magnum cartridges for your type of hunting. What i would recommend you do is take a good, hard look at the 7mm-08 in a nice bolt action that fits you, combined with a good quality scope. Good bullet selection, an excellent cartridge for reloading, mild recoil, etc., etc. It is definitely worth taking a hard look at...........
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RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
I think the 270 WSM is the only one of the new calibers that will survive over the long run. It is a nice package & offers some dandy performance. I have always thought the 7 mm Mag was over-rated, as it has just about nothing over a plain old 270 Win when the 270 is loaded where it was designed to be.
Most of any difference can be accounted for by the longer barrel found on the 7 mm Mags. Bolt action rifles will just about always be more aaccurate off the shelf than an auto. I had a bolt in 35 Whelen that liked just about everything that I ran through it. I am working with an auto in the same caliber that is a lot more finicky, & never quite as accurate or consistant. My 2 cents, get a bolt action in 270 WSM, and go hunting for anything in North America. With a good bullet, it will never disappoint you. |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
Well thanks for the input! I went with the .270 Winchester WSM, Model 70. It is a great little rifle and I can't wait to go sight it in. I comes with a simmons scope, 3-9x40, which isn't bad and I will use it and save my money to buy a nice climbing treestand and retire my old one.
Thanks for all of the input. |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
No NO.....buy the Browning A-bolt .243 Rifle....! [:@] Dang...too late! :(
I have hunted with my Remington 30-06 model 742 for many years and finally went out and bought a brand new Browning Hunter A-bolt .243 Rifle and have never regreted it for the past 2 years since I've owned it,less recoil and very accurate!I suggest you get a Caldwell Lead Sled to help with sighting in your new WSM .270,I also have a Browning Medallion in the .270 WSM and just recently sighted it in at 100 yards for this Novembers Rifle Deer Season and I plan on trying it out (the .270 WSM) on the 200 yard range to see how well it performs further out? |
RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
A bolt action is more accurate in my oppion. Hard to explain why but i can shot a lot better with a bolt than i can a semi-auto. But maybe it depends on the shooter. I like a bolt action though. And it would have to be more reliable than a semi due to teh simple fact that a semi could jam on occasicion. But i dont personally own a high power semi-auto. Just a .22 semi but every once in a blue moon it will jam while target shooting. It easy to fix but you could end up missing somehting big when out hunting. I put my trust in a bolt
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RE: Semi-Auto vs. Bolt Action
ORIGINAL: whitetailhunter01 There is a Winchester at Wally World in black synthetic with SS or Nickel barrel on Clearance for $250 that I am looking at. It is a 270WSM bolt action. |
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