Almost bought a new rifle today. Opinions welcome.

I've been toying around with getting a rifle. More as something to play with for now, but something that maybe I could also take on a boar or elk hunt if I ever check those off my bucket list in the future.

I've looked at a lot of various models. Today I almost pulled the trigger on a .270 Howa with the GameKing package. Nikko Stirling 3.5-10x44 scope, Hogue stock (I LOVE the feel of those), and an all around very nice gun. I literally walked around the store for an hour thinking about it and weighing my options.

I wanted it this weekend because I'm going away for the weekend to the cabin we hunt at (hunting turkey this weekend) and would've had time to shoot it and play with it in the afternoons. Since I live in town, I have to plan ahead to get an opportunity to shoot, and drive a min of 30-40 mins to get to friends' land where I can shoot. So having it NOW would've helped me not have to wait a while to shoot a new gun. But I decided to quell the impulse and sit on it for a bit.

All that stopped me was:
1) I kind of thing I want a .308 instead of a .270, but the more I read and research, the more I think .270 might be heavy enough for any use I'll have for it.
2) The gun they had in stock had a plain 22" blued barrel. I think if I get this gun I either want the heavy barrel or the stainless barrel.

I actually offered them $20 less than asking price and told them I'd buy it today if they'd budge, but they wouldn't so I walked out.



I messed around with a Tikka T3, and I have to say I was very impressed by the action on it. But the asking price was a little steeper than I wanted to pay. Probably my favorite of all of the guns I looked at today by a tiny smidge, but not enough over the Howa to justify the price difference.
I looked at a handful of Savages, including the Axis and various 11x variations. They were solid, but just didn't appeal to me the way the Howa and Tikka did. I also looked at the Rem 700. They had them in .308, but again they just didn't call to me like the Howa and Tikka. I also really liked the glass the Howa had on it.

Grrr, decisions, decisions.

Anyone have any thoughts on .308 versus .270, or any experience with the Howas?

 

Are you speaking in generalities or about the Howa in particular?

 

I haven't seriously considered 7mm. On the sites and in the stores I was looking, I didn't see the Howa in that caliber. The more I look, the more I think that'll be the gun I get if I add another one. Probably in .270. We shall see.

 

I was back in the same store today. The rifle was marked down to the exact price they refused me a couple of weeks ago.

Out of principle I offered them $25 lower than the "new" price, but they turned me down again. Said they were "firm" this time too. If I come back in a few weeks and it's marked down yet again I may just buy it.