Straight Pull Rifles?

[Frontman44]

I've decided on 30-06 chambering for the rifle I'll take on my PG hunt. The straight pull Rifles, particularly the Beretta BRX1 have been been intriguing me lately.

For those of you who hunt with one, how do you like it compared to a standard bolt action?

Are there other makes, models I should look at?(also considering a Browning Maral 4X. A Blaser is likely going to be cost prohibitive for me)

 

[Whit]

Heym SR21.

 

[Rimbaud]

@dogcat1 is selling a few different R8s. I’ve bought from him before, as have many other members. He’s great to deal with. I have been hunting w an R8 for about 7 years. I love it. It’s accurate, the bolt is super fast, and it is hard to go back to standard bolt actions. I have three barrels, and I really appreciate the muscle memory aspect of the rifle. The different barrels make the overall rifle feel different in terms of weight and barrel length, but the stock/optic just fall into place.

 

[wesheltonj]

You might also look at the SAKO 100.

 

[V.Veritas]

Heym SR21.

SR 21 is classic turn bot action.
Heym SR 30 is a straight bolt action with a "ball bearings" locking arrangement. Quite different than anything else out there.

Merkel Helix, Blaser R8.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I've decided on 30-06 chambering for the rifle I'll take on my PG hunt. The straight pull Rifles, particularly the Beretta BRX1 have been been intriguing me lately.

For those of you who hunt with one, how do you like it compared to a standard bolt action?

Are there other makes, models I should look at?(also considering a Browning Maral 4X. A Blaser is likely going to be cost prohibitive for me)

Extremely fast to operate. My relative Nawab Shafath Ali Khan culls 15,000 Nilgai & wild boar in India per year on government orders. He owns 10 firearms including seven rifles, two shotguns & a handgun. But he exclusively prefers his two Blaser R8s in .30-06 Springfield (one of which comes with a spare barrel in .300 Winchester Magnum).

Either inbox me or @Sarg , and we’ll show you a video of how fast he is at culling Nilgai & wild boar with those beautiful R8s.

 

[Bandera]

I was looking at a Savage Impulse. Thinking I might need a new light caliber rifle for yotes.

 

[Rafiki]

I was looking at a Savage Impulse. Thinking I might need a new light caliber rifle for yotes.

I'm sorry but that thing is butt ugly.

 

[30-06Ken]

Extremely fast to operate. My relative Nawab Shafath Ali Khan culls 15,000 Nilgai & wild boar in India per year on government orders. He owns 10 firearms including seven rifles, two shotguns & a handgun. But he exclusively prefers his two Blaser R8s in .30-06 Springfield (one of which comes with a spare barrel in .300 Winchester Magnum).

Either inbox me or @Sarg , and we’ll show you a video of how fast he is at culling Nilgai & wild boar with those beautiful R8s.

Wait - he actually kills Nilgai with a 30-06 ? According to the people in Texas I talk to anything less than a 338 Win Mag just bounces off them. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Probably the same people who think a .243 is only good for ground squirrels.

 

[Datchew]

Wait - he actually kills Nilgai with a 30-06 ? According to the people in Texas I talk to anything less than a 338 Win Mag just bounces off them. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Probably the same people who think a .243 is only good for ground squirrels.

I've always heard you need a howitzer for nilgai.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Wait - he actually kills Nilgai with a 30-06 ? According to the people in Texas I talk to anything less than a 338 Win Mag just bounces off them. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Probably the same people who think a .243 is only good for ground squirrels.

To be fair, he doesn’t really have a choice. The only rifle ammunition which gets imported into India, is the Sellier & Bellot 180Gr round nosed soft point for the .30-06 Springfield. He (on average) needs around 3 body shots on a big bull, if he can’t get them with a clean neck shot.

But this is in no way the problem of the caliber. The ammunition is ill suited for such huge animals (we’re talking Asia’s heaviest antelope here), because the cup & core bullets frequently tend to break apart when striking heavy bones of male Nilgai (such as the scapula/humerus/ball-and-socket joint/shoulder bone).

I myself have successfully taken multiple Nilgai with my 7x57mm Mauser, to put matters into perspective (albeit obviously nowhere as many as Shafath does professionally).

.243 Winchester is a favorite cartridge of mine especially loaded with the venerable 100Gr Winchester Super X Power Point). Very ideal for up to Axis deer sized game and the smaller African antelopes (bushbuck, impala, reedbuck, springbok). I obviously don’t advocate it’s employment for boar shooting, although the wife of one of my white hunters has used it to down more than a few large bush pigs.

 

[Bandera]

I'm sorry but that thing is butt ugly.

Hunting at night you don’t really see the rifle.
Hunting with a Savage Impulse is like riding a Moped. It is fun but nobody admits to it.

 

[Frontman44]

I was looking at a Savage Impulse. Thinking I might need a new light caliber rifle for yotes.

The Impulse would be the least expensive option for me but I really like the multi-caliber capability of the other firearms. In my area the BRX1 can be bought new for about $2k with the composite stock. The grade 2 wood stock is another $700. So roughly 75% of the Browning cost. Only thing the Beretta has me concerned about is the limited caliber selection currently available.

The Sako 100 (although I believe this a lift bolt) is another option but at 3x the cost of the Beretta it will take a significant amount of convincing the Misses.

 

[Philip Glass]

I've decided on 30-06 chambering for the rifle I'll take on my PG hunt. The straight pull Rifles, particularly the Beretta BRX1 have been been intriguing me lately.

For those of you who hunt with one, how do you like it compared to a standard bolt action?

Are there other makes, models I should look at?(also considering a Browning Maral 4X. A Blaser is likely going to be cost

I think you will like it and you can't go wrong with Beretta. Straight pull is superior for hunting because it's faster. People will get mad at that fact just like they get mad when someone explains that the .375 Ruger is superior to the H&H. You don't have to like it but it's just a fact!
If you like to go for it!

 

[Red Leg]

I own R8s firstly because of their takedown and caliber change capability with no loss of zero. The second reason is takedown capability for ease in travel. The third reason is its incredible trigger. At number four are its ergonomics, inherent accuracy, and near indestructibility. Next is the remarkably short action allowing full barrel length on a still compact rifle. Last would be the straight pull design which is also a great attribute.

 

[Flipper Dude]

I think you will like it and you can't go wrong with Beretta. Straight pull is superior for hunting because it's faster. People will get mad at that fact just like they get mad when someone explains that the .375 Ruger is superior to the H&H. You don't have to like it but it's just a fact!
If you like to go for it!

I used to like you

 

[wvfred]

I have a BRX1 in 6.5 Creedmore and a 300 win barrel .I've shot the 6.5 and it is very accurate but haven't got to the 300 barrel yet.

 

[Redfishga1]

I've been thinking of setting up a thermal on one.

 

[Whit]

SR 21 is classic turn bot action.
Heym SR 30 is a straight bolt action with a "ball bearings" locking arrangement. Quite different than anything else out there.

Merkel Helix, Blaser R8.

Fair. I mis spoke. I have a SR30 — really interesting rifle. Enjoy the straight pull action but find the rifle a bit too light for the cartridge (.308).

 

[Frontman44]

I own R8s firstly because of their takedown and caliber change capability with no loss of zero. The second reason is takedown capability for ease in travel. The third reason is its incredible trigger. At number four are its ergonomics, inherent accuracy, and near indestructibility. Next is the remarkably short action allowing full barrel length on a still compact rifle. Last would be the straight pull design which is also a great attribute.

I would absolutely love a wood stock R8 with the ebony cap on the fore stock...Downside is, they very rarely come available used in my area and ordering a new one is just too costly when paying for my first safari and saving for taxidermy/shipping fees.