The 'nearly' perfect rifle? What would you change?

[Badboymelvin]

Hey guys,

I currently own 2 centre fire rifles that are 'nearly' perfect except for a couple of things...

1.) Winchester M70 CRF Synthetic Matte in .338WM.
This rifle is nearly perfect in every way. It looks great, long 26" magna ported barrel, great trigger, accurate and feeds perfectly.
As I said nearly perfect except for one thing... the magazine follower is plastic!
Does this matter?
Probably not but it does bug me a little bit and it's the only thing I would change on this rifle.
And it seems I'm not the only one who feels this way as replacement metal ones are all sold out in Australia!

2.) Zastava M70 .458WM.
I love this rifle. Accurate, powerful, feeds & ejects perfectly and the Hogue aluminium bedded stock is strong and comfortable.
Apart from the stock everything is steel and it's nearly perfect... nearly.
What stops it from being perfect is that the trigger isn't that great, being creepy and a bit heavy (although sufficient for a .458) and the safety is a bit spongy.
I know these can be replaced but they don't bug me enough to do that. It just stops it from being perfect...
Lastly - and this is going to sound a bit funny, what bugs me a bit is that it doesn't 'look' like a .458! The other .458's I've owned had that safari look, ebony tips, cross bolts, etc... they just looked like big bore rifles. They had that look...
Mine doesn't have that look and by looking at it you couldn't tell it was a big caliber. But once again I'm not changing a thing as the rifle is so comfortable and practical I'm leaving it be!

So there you go, 2 examples of 'nearly perfect' rifles... oh so close...

Who else owns 'nearly perfect' rifles?
What are they and what would you change?

Looking forward to hearing everyones replies

Russ

 

[mark-hunter]

The only perfect rifles that I can imagine, are bespoke rifles made in reputable gunshops to specific order by client, to every detail, made of best wood and steel.
Factory standard rifle, will always be (at best) only "nearly perfect".

Having said that, do the changes that you mentioned, if they will make you happy. The upgardes you menitoned are reasonable, and not diffcult to do. So, why not? do it.

 

[BourbonTrail]

My 30-06 is a sporterized M1903A3. Love the rifle, hate the safety. It’s the MkII, scope compatible safety, but it is not natural to use like a tang safety or other types of safeties. It just makes the rifle a little less than perfect.

 

[Muskox]

The only perfect rifles that I can imagine, are bespoke rifles made in reputable gunshops to specific order by client, to every detail, made of best wood and steel.
Factory standard rifle, will always be (at best) only "nearly perfect".

Having said that, do the changes that you mentioned, if they will make you happy. The upgardes you menitoned are reasonable, and not diffcult to do. So, why not? do it.

Most assinine thing I have ever heard on here.

If a rifle suits you it is nearly perfect.

I find I am always chasing quality, but then what?

I bought a Swarovski Z6 scope last month, four months ago then I realized they came out with Z8. Is a Z8 better? Is it better for me? Is it dramatically better than the $1200 Leupold, or $1400 Meopta?

I bought a new pair of Swarovski EL binoculars last year. This year they came out with NL Pures. Do my binoculars now suck?

No to both of those questions.

I am not one of those guys that has to have the best, I like good quality, and I'll pay for it but I am not interested in extravagance.

I want it to work, a rifle is not a painting or a statue. If I buy a rifle for $50,000 made by Rigby, Peter Hofer, or Purdey is it more accurate, tougher and less prone to failure than a Weatherby Mark V DGR or Blaser R8 Safari Pro hunter? No, it is highly doubtful.

A Ruger Guide, CZ or M70 that cost around $850-1400 new would probably do just as well.

Nearly perfect to you versus nearly perfect to me is not going to be the same thing.

I want a synthetic stock on a safari rifle (and 99% of all other rifles).

 

[fourfive8]

Good question there @Badboymelvin! I have owned and shot a lot of different rifles over the years and am having a hard time picking one out as "perfect" in my eyes. A few stand out though and some of it may be the cartridge and experiences with the rifle or cartridge as much as with the design or function of the rifle. I can also recall a couple of real lemons and/or bad designs

For me a really worthy rifle has to work easily and not require unnatural manipulation to operate or shoot. They have to be comfortable and natural to aim and shoot. They have to be reasonably or realistically accurate. Of course I'm not speaking of rifles used for competition target shooting. And they have to be as nearly flawlessly reliable as possible. Of course I'm not speaking of rifles used for competition target shooting- they would be judged by an entirely different set of standards. After smoking the circuits in my memory banks for a while, I think two specific individual rifles come to mind and remain floating at the top.

They are kind of at opposite ends of the design spectrum. The first was designed as a military small arm and the other as a hunting rifle. The first is an original model from the Mexican War era- a 54 caliber M1841 Rifle, aka, the Mississippi Rifle. The other is a 416 Rem Mag ca. 2004 Winchester M70. The M1841 is a Whitney original with no modifications and shoots either patched roundballs or conical Minies' over real blackpowder. The Win M70 is factory with walnut stock but has been pillar bedded, its only modification.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

I've compiled two that I feel are nearly perfect for a safari set. Matching rifles in 300 win mag and 375 H&H. Both with identical stocks, safeties, and triggers for familiarity in handling. I've a 458 Lott I'm slowly debating having made into the third of the set.

My gripe: the weight of these rifles make them less than desirable for hunts requiring significant walking. Both rifles tip out at 11-ish LBS loaded and slung. While I dragged the 375 through Newfoundland for moose in 2019, I would NOT want to drag that much weight on a mountain hunt or other backpack hunt. A lighter rifle will be built for those purposes.

 

[mark-hunter]

I bought a Swarovski Z6 scope last month, four months ago then I realized they came out with Z8. Is a Z8 better?

Me too. I bought z6 2 months ago, and my hunting friend has z8. So I compared.
But, i dont need z8. I got z6, and never looked back.
But it does not mean, it is the same for you. Maybe you will need more power and magnification on the scope, and I dont know that.

When speaking of rifles, on all of my factory rifles I can easily find a minor flaw, something not exactly to my liking, or to my vision of perfect, a detail.. But, as long as they are functional within my expectation, and reasonably accurate within their capabilties (1 moa or less), and within 90-99% of what I consider good enough, I learned to live with it.

But I must say, I dont buy rifle on impulse, to feel sorry later.
In order to choose my rifle, for itended purpose, I spent quite a lot of time reasearching, getting the specifics, try to test it if possbile, consider and decide the caliber, mounts, and plan for scope, and by the time I get to buying the chosen rifle (research for me takes in average at least a year), I already came to ideal of as good as it gets in factory rifle, to suit my needs and preferences. So, generally I dont get surprises.

Am I going to take a rifle to a gunsmith just to polish some minor detail, which does not affect functionallity of rifle in my hands? Just to make it closer to ideal of perfect? I will not. Gunsmiths are human like any other human, and can make mistakes, I am not giving them my rifle to temper with for minor reasons, and putting rifle at risk, unless I have some really major issue with rifle.
Or I cannot fix it myselt. ( I speak from experience, and I was in situation to bring the firearm back to gunsmith, for fixing the job again, he has done wrongly. It happens)

Bottom line:
If I would want a "perfect rifle", I would put every detail of that rifle on the paper, and I would order rifle in a reputable workshop. It would be tailored made for me. Wood chosen by me (or compostie, or laminate), stock dimensions, barrel length and profile, sights, mounts, scope, magazine, action, trigger, trigger pull, caliber etc.

 

[Tanks]

Being a lefty most of my rifles are custom ordered for me, so I have not had to make changes that would be functional. For example all of my bolt guns come with Jewell triggers as that's the trigger I prefer.

I did however like leather wrapped buttstock on my doubles, so I did sent it out to get that done afterwards.

 

[WAB]

Perfection for me is the melding of walnut and fine steel in a handcrafted piece of art that will put one bullet on top of another with boring regularity.

I have synthetically stocked rifles, but for me they are just tools. I had a muzzle brake once, never again!

That is not to denigrate others choices, merely to show that perfection means different things to different people. I am glad you are as happy with your choices as I am with mine.

 

[IvW]

1-magnaport
2-calibre

 

[colorado]

Other than the caliber being too small .... just joking They both look like great rifles

 

[Red Leg]

R8 with caliber appropriate for the hunt and Leica optics. Would not change a thing.

 

[ldmay375]

If a rifle suits you it is nearly perfect.

Nearly perfect to you versus nearly perfect to me is not going to be the same thing.

I fully agree with you.

 

[ldmay375]

Hey guys,

I currently own 2 centre fire rifles that are 'nearly' perfect except for a couple of things...

1.) Winchester M70 CRF Synthetic Matte in .338WM.
This rifle is nearly perfect in every way. It looks great, long 26" magna ported barrel, great trigger, accurate and feeds perfectly.
As I said nearly perfect except for one thing... the magazine follower is plastic!
Does this matter?
Probably not but it does bug me a little bit and it's the only thing I would change on this rifle.
And it seems I'm not the only one who feels this way as replacement metal ones are all sold out in Australia!


Looking forward to hearing everyones replies

Russ

Russ, I went through the mental anguish on M70, 338 Winchester synthetic follower. Then I made peace with it, as is. It seems to be plenty tough.
I have several M70’s, interestingly they have various style followers. Some are they thick steel ones, a couple are aluminum, one or two are the synthetic. Even on some of the same cartridge ones the machining on top is different. No issues with cartridge feeding on any of them.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Ruger No1 Tropical in 375 H&H is very nearly perfect. Trim the safety tang to allow clean case ejection and it is perfect. Add a Leice 1-6 DG scope on QD mounts and it is heaven.

 

[BeeMaa]

Blaser Professional (synthetic) R8 375H&H with Swaro Z8i 1-8x24. Use Barnes 300 grain TSX and Woodleigh 300 grain Hydros. I'm ready to hunt the world.

BTW - If it works for you and you like...it is perfect.

EDIT - @Badboymelvin I wouldn't worry about the follower. As @ldmay375 stated, those polymer parts are plenty tough.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

After a lot of years of hunting and trying different rifles I now have 3 that I decided are perfect for all my needs.
I couldn't find what I wanted off the shelf so had them custom made to suit my needs
My 22K Hornet on an original 1885 lowall, exhibition walnut and Meopta scope. As perfect as it is for me I would love an original double set trigger for it but you just can't get one in OZ. I know the y are available in the states but no one will ship one.

My 25 takes over where the hornet leaves off. P14 action, Timney trigger set at 2 pounds,Llijla match grade stainless barrel. The cartridge I designed myself and it excedes all my expectations

My 35 Whelen that I learned to load to its potential take over where the 25 leaves off. Stevens 200aka savage 110 with rifle Basix trigger set at 2 pounds, competition recoil lug and 25 inch MAB competition stainless barrel 1in 12 twist and Zies scope
Both the 25 and 35 have sand blasted barrels for a mat finish. The hornet and 25 are steel and walnut while the 35 is synthetic stock.
These rifles even tho custom made are a similar price to a new model 70 in Australia. The fulfilled a particular need and are all I need for all my hunting.
The good thing is they are all half inch performers if I do my part.
It was fun having a dozen rifles but working out what to take hunting was a pain.
I've settled on 3 hunting rifles and now have zero issues on what rifle to use for a particular hunt.
Bob
If anyone has a double set trigger for s flat spring lowall for sale let me know.
Bob.

 

[Red Leg]

I'll add one other - a single shot - with the caveat it is has become my perfect deer rifle. I say perfect because it is long and lean and perfectly balanced, in a perfect 7x65R caliber, and built to perfection by Bailey Bradshaw. I can't think of a thing that I would change.

 

[Randy F]

I'll add one other - a single shot - with the caveat it is has become my perfect deer rifle. I say perfect because it is long and lean and perfectly balanced, in a perfect 7x65R caliber, and built to perfection by Bailey Bradshaw. I can't think of a thing that I would change.

View attachment 406700

Wow, that’s one super looking shooter right there.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I'll add one other - a single shot - with the caveat it is has become my perfect deer rifle. I say perfect because it is long and lean and perfectly balanced, in a perfect 7x65R caliber, and built to perfection by Bailey Bradshaw. I can't think of a thing that I would change.

View attachment 406700

@Red Leg
The rifle sound a lot like you mate long, lean and perfectly balanced, well sort of.
Love the wood.
Bob