After dealing with Browning, they finally offered to refund what I spent on their rifle. So now I'm looking again.

Here are my criteria:

Bolt action

6.5 Creedmoor

Hunting weight (7-8 pounds)

Threaded barrel

Good trigger without a "safety" on the trigger face.

Back up iron sights

Under $900

Not Remington

Bergara B-14s offer everything except the BUIS.

Sounds like you’re set on the Creedmoor? The 260 Remmy has great ballistics. I have two 6.5x55s that do fine as handloaded rounds.

Kimber seems to have some nice choices in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Tikka
Ruger American (cannot remember if the trigger is what you are not liking)
Thompson Compass,

quote:

Originally posted by Nuclear:
Back up iron sights

Possibly your largest limiting factor. Very few bolt action rifles -- even hunting rifles -- come with iron sights anymore. Well, except for African plains rifles, but they won't be chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. We are expected to mount a non-removable scope fairly low to the bore.

BUIS are more common with AR-15s.

Ruger Scout in 6.5 CM is pretty close to your criteria depending on how you scope it.

Ken

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
Ruger American (cannot remember if the trigger is what you are not liking)

The Ruger American has a trigger face safety, but you can buy an aftermarket trigger that does not, like a Timney.

It doesn't have BUIS though. There are a couple companies that offer aftermarket iron sights for the Ruger American, including Skinner Sights and Dove Guns. But the rear sight takes the place of the scope rail, so it's an either/or situation, not both.

I'd recommend getting one of the new models with AICS magazines, rather than the older models with the cheap rotary magazine. (The magazine and stock are the main areas that Ruger cut corners on the American rifles.) For example:

https://ruger.com/products/ame...pecSheets/26973.html

https://ruger.com/products/ame...pecSheets/26925.html


The best part is that the Ruger Americans are inexpensive enough that you'd come in well under $900, even with an aftermarket trigger.

quote:

Originally posted by KenS:
Ruger Scout in 6.5 CM is pretty close to your criteria depending on how you scope it.

Yep. That's the first factory rifle that comes to mind.

However, you have to remove the rear sight to use a traditional scope. So unless you plan on using a scout scope, you again are going to need to choose between a scope and iron sights, not both.

https://ruger.com/products/sco...specSheets/6836.html

I had to buy an XS rail and cut it down so I could keep the back-up peep sight and mount a conventional scope on mine. If I put my Leupold 2.5X ultralight on it, it weighs 7.5 lbs with sling, scope and butt cuff. If I put the Vortex PST 2.5 x 10 it weighs around 8.5 lbs. I like it.

Ken

I'm glad that Browning decided to nake it right on your rifle.

OP: I'd be curious about the exact same set of criteria in a 6.5 CM.

Similar to your list, there was a nice Ruger 6.5x55 African on Gunbroker the other day but just a bit higher than your price limit.

We have five 6.5x55's, all modern actions; 3 Rugers {1 w/ factory iron sights, one naked, one I cut down to 17.5 inches w/ front sight}, 1 Howa and 1 SAKO AV Left Hand. I'm not a Creedmor fan as you can tell, but even with that bias out and up front, you might expand your search to that caliber if you can't find what you are looking for. I used to have a 6.5x55 CZ 550 which is now a 9.3x62, so they make one as well. The x55 has more powder capacity hence more velocity potential and is very accurate with low recoil. We have killed elk, deer, yotes, varmints and all species of paper with ours. Works great.

quote:

Originally posted by KenS:
Ruger Scout in 6.5 CM is pretty close to your criteria depending on how you scope it.

Ken

I’ll second this thought. Seems to check all the boxes. Maybe CZ makes something similar meeting your criteria, other than the threaded barrel. Haven’t seen that feature much in their lineup. And maybe you’ll have to “settle “ for .260 Remington. I would check out CZ.

quote:

Originally posted by 3/4Flap:
We have five 6.5x55's, all modern actions; 3 Rugers {1 w/ factory iron sights, one naked, one I cut down to 17.5 inches w/ front sight}, 1 Howa and 1 SAKO AV Left Hand. I'm not a Creedmor fan as you can tell, but even with that bias out and up front, you might expand your search to that caliber if you can't find what you are looking for.

If the OP is willing to consider 6.5x55, that opens up a number of additional possibilities for iron-sighted rifles. But you'll give up the option for a threaded muzzle, unless you have a gunsmith move the front sight back and thread the muzzle.

The Ruger M77 has been offered in 6.5 Swede in several configurations that include iron sights, including the RS and RSI models.

Similarly, the CZ 550 and 557 were both produced in several configurations with iron sights in 6.5 Swede.

Ruger M77 RS
Ruger M77 RSI
CZ 550 FS
CZ 557 Carbine




(Unfortunately, those specific configurations are discontinued, and none of those were offered in the relatively new 6.5 Creedmoor chambering.)

Cz has 527 in 6.5 grendel threaded iirc. Other than that bergara

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by 3/4Flap:
We have five 6.5x55's, all modern actions; 3 Rugers {1 w/ factory iron sights, one naked, one I cut down to 17.5 inches w/ front sight}, 1 Howa and 1 SAKO AV Left Hand. I'm not a Creedmor fan as you can tell, but even with that bias out and up front, you might expand your search to that caliber if you can't find what you are looking for.

If the OP is willing to consider 6.5x55, that opens up a number of additional possibilities for iron-sighted rifles. But you'll give up the option for a threaded muzzle, unless you have a gunsmith move the front sight back and thread the muzzle.

The Ruger M77 has been offered in 6.5 Swede in several configurations that include iron sights, including the RS and RSI models.

Similarly, the CZ 550 and 557 were both produced in several configurations with iron sights in 6.5 Swede.

Ruger M77 RS
Ruger M77 RSI
CZ 550 FS
CZ 557 Carbine




(Unfortunately, those specific configurations are discontinued, and none of those were offered in the relatively new 6.5 Creedmoor chambering.)

Beware the CZ Fullstocks in 6.5x55.

They are dead heavy and in that chambering at least did not provide reliable controlled-round feed. I had mine rebarelled to 9.3x62, chopped the bbl to 16.5", added a German surplus K98 extractor and it with its longer OAL fixed the feed issue also.

I don’t think I’ve seen a 6.5cm with open sights.

Other than the 700bdl, ruger scout, a few browning models and a few Winchester models, I’m not sure what even comes with sights.

Have you thought about buying the exact rifle you want but without sights then having a gunsmith install them for you? That would open op a lot of possibilities, you could pretty much get anything if you went that route.

I’ve known 5 or 6 people who made custom projects starting with those new kimber hunter rifles since they only cost about 700.00 and are the same barrel, action and trigger as the Montana and other higher end kimber rifles.

I think Winchester releasesed the model 70 this year in 6.5 for a few of their models, the tikka 6.5cm rifles also get great reviews.

Anyways, like I said, if you are willing to have sights installed then that opens up a lot more options for you.

Does the Savage hog hunter come in 6.5? Seems like that would check all the boxes, except for the trigger safety.

quote:

Originally posted by Nuclear:
After dealing with Browning, they finally offered to refund what I spent on their rifle. So now I'm looking again.

Here are my criteria:

Bolt action

6.5 Creedmoor

Hunting weight (7-8 pounds)

Threaded barrel

Good trigger without a "safety" on the trigger face.

Back up iron sights

Under $900

Not Remington

The Ruger Scout is the only one I can think of off the top of my head with backup irons. A Kimber Hunter or Tikka T3X would be nice choices w/o the backup sites. Just fwiw my Ruger Scout hit 3 straight shots at 600 yds with a 1-6x scope and a good reticle. It's a handy rifle accurate to any reasonable hunting range. I may try one of the Tikka T3x lightweights someday, I like their Camo stock........

https://www.gunsamerica.com/95...ut-6-5-Creedmoor.htm

just an example with pics. You have to QD the scope to reinstall the rear site unless you use a scout scope. You'll have to remove the front rail to use a regular scope with an OBJ of more than 32mm or so. I had a 1-6x on mine for a while and it worked well to 600yds. I've since replaced it with a Premium Euro scope with a lighted reticle and I had to remove the front rail for it to fit. It's still a light, handy accurate rifle with control round feed and three position, striker blocking safety. IMHO a truly excellent hunting rifle. :-)

Ok, scrap the irons, I just have had crappy luck with scopes lately, resulting in being unable to shoot a new rifle for months. It's still stupid to sell a gun without at least rudimentary sights, in my opinion.

I'd pick up a Ruger Scout in 6.5 C, but it apparently was a special order / limited time offer type of thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Nuclear:
Ok, scrap the irons, I just have had crappy luck with scopes lately, resulting in being unable to shoot a new rifle for months. It's still stupid to sell a gun without at least rudimentary sights, in my opinion.

I'd pick up a Ruger Scout in 6.5 C, but it apparently was a special order / limited time offer type of thing.

Well if you’re willing to scrap the iron sights then you have a LOT of choices. It’s probably worth going to sportsman’s warehouse and taking a look at the tikka t3x super light in 6.5cm. I’d also take a look at that kimber hunter I mentioned earlier, people seem to really like them so far and in my opinion, it’s quite a bit of fun for the $$$.

Ive been wanting to snag a 6.5 myself and I keep going back and forth trying to decide if I want to drop the money on a nice higher end rifle (kimber Adirondack or mountain ascent) or if I just want to get something durable and serviceable like a savage lightweight hunter or a ruger American and then put a solid scope on it.