Heath's Top 4 Picks Saga: Part 2 - Bolt Action Rifles - Bass Pro Shops Clarksville, IN

The bolt action rifle is the standard iconic symbol of marksmanship for shooters all over the world. From military sniper to mountain roaming hunters the bolt action rifle is probably responsible for more game than any other firearm yet to date. Early in the year you might want to start the search for that perfect piece of precision or build from the ground up. No matter what you decide to do one thing is for certain when in search of the perfect long distance bolt gun, accuracy! That is why I would like to present my top 4 picks of my favorite bolt action rifles.

While not necessarily a modern gun by any means, coming in 4^th the German Mauser Karabiner 98 Kurz or kar98k for short remains still one of most accurate rifle in history. This controlled feed rifle was widely used by all branches of the armed forces of Germany during World War II. It saw action in every theatre of war involving German forces, including occupied Europe, North Africa, the Soviet Union, Finland, and Norway. Although comparable to the weapons fielded by Germany's enemies at the beginning of the War, its disadvantages in rate of fire became more apparent as American and Soviet armies began to field more semi-automatic weapons among their troops. Still, it continued to be the main infantry rifle of the Wehrmacht until the end of the War. Resistance forces in German-occupied Europe made frequent use of captured German Karabiner 98k rifles. The Soviet Union also made extensive use of captured Karabiner 98k rifles and other German infantry weapons due to the Red Army experiencing a critical shortage of small arms during the early years of World War II. Many German soldiers used the verbal expression "Kars" as the slang name for the rifle. These Rifles are still widely available today and are range favorites for vintage rifle enthusiasts.

Next in our number 3 spot we have the Browning A-bolt rifle. The A-Bolt is a gorgeous piece of history that is extremely accurate, especially when fitted with Browning’s patented BOSS system which allows you to adjust your A-Bolt to shoot a wide variety of ammunition and still gain very tight grouping at long distances which traditionally could only be achieved by reloading and tailoring a custom load to your barrel. The A-Bolt rifle uses a non-rotating bolt sleeve. When the bolt is unlocked, smoothness is achieved with three guide ribs aligned with three locking lugs, enabling precise movement. These three locking lugs also largely increase bolt strength. The bolt's smoothness is also increased with a unique cartridge depressor, the cartridge depressor stays in place independent of the bolt's position. Near the end of the reloading cycle, when the bolt is re-inserted, the bolt moves gently over the cartridges in the magazine. The barrel is free-floating and the recoil lug is glass bedded. This is a highly desired feature in any rifle and improves accuracy. The A-Bolt has a recessed crown at the muzzle which preserves the life of your barrel and prolongs your rifle's accuracy. The A-Bolt rifle uses a detachable box magazine.

While little is known about the company or even the rifle for that matter, in our number 2 spot, you may have heard about an infamous world record that it holds. The "shot heard around the world", or second shot heard around the world, took place on a November morning in Afghanistan in 2009 by British Army sniper Corporal of Horse, Craig Harrison, a member of the Household Cavalry, is responsible for setting the longest confirmed sniper kill in history. Harrison struck 2 Taliban machine gunners at a range of 2,707 yards, using an Accuracy International L115A3 .338 Lapua rifle. Accuracy International is a specialist British firearms manufacturer and best known for producing the Accuracy International Warfare Series of precision sniper rifles. All rifles are hand-built and are usually paired with a Schmidt & Bender optic.

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Winning my number 1 pick is the state of the art M2000 .408 CheyTac Intervention Rifle. The CheyTac is a complete weapons system. What that means is the CheyTac is paired with an ABC, Advanced Ballistics Computer, that is made specifically for the rifle. This system instantly calculates ballistics and adjustments in a unit, similar to an iPhone. CheyTac papers state that the entire system is capable of delivering sub-MOA accuracy at ranges of up to 2,500 yards, one of the longest ranges of all modern day sniper rifles. This makes CheyTac the most advanced bolt action rifle on the planet, which is why it gets my number 1 pick!