In the bigger gun shops in America do they normally stock rifles like Sako, CZ and Weatherby.

Of the rifles priced higher than M70, Rem 700 and Ruger such as Sako, Weatherby and some European guns, what would be the main seller.

Is the Howa a widely stocked and sold rifle.

Just interested in how it all compares to Australia.

Mike

Mike,

Howas are not widely stocked and generally sell for low prices in my area.

Rugers sell for less than Rem, even though they seem to be better quality these days.

Sakos are commonly stocked in the better stores but sell only a small number compared to Ruger/Rem/Win.

CZ are stocked at a small number of stores, and seem to be stocked sporadically rather than regularly. They are priced about like Ruger.

Weatherby is usually in stock at the same types of places that carry Sako, and sell few rifles compared to the big 3. Wby tend to be rather expensive too, even compared to Sako.

Browning sells a lot of rifles, notwithstanding that their A-Bolt is a piece of tin. They tend to be just a bit more expensive than Rem/Win.

Marlin sells lots of rifles. Their bolt gun is not doing well, but their levers sell well. And they are cheap.

500,

You answered a question I meant to ask and that was about Ruger pricing.

Out here M70s and Rem 700 Stainles are about $1500-1600Aus and Ruger Stainless would be about $1000Aus, same area as Howa and CZ. I have often wondered whether we get a special export model.

Howas are big sellers out here.

Probably because we pay import duties on both American and European rifles and also the value of the $US, Sakos are not much dearer out here than Rem 700 or Model 70

Browning sells well out here too and is priced about like you say.

I suspect the main difference out here is that Howas and Sakos are bigger sellers (percentage) here than in the US

Mike

At the biggest local sporting goods place in my area a remington 700 adl would run you $389 and the ruger costs 419$ but comes with rings so you are slightly ahead. What really suprises me is that living in an area with almost 1 million people that the 2 savage dealers are in small towns far away from the populated areas. another note if you want a 30.06 or .270 walmart has a savage, remington, or winchester. for $303

I suspect that Ruger has something different about their wholesale/dealer pricing , because often they will go on sale even cheaper than Remington ADL s , especially considering their listed retail prices and the fact you get bottom metal and rings with them ......

In high power bolt action rifles, Savage rifles are generally as available as Remington, Ruger, or Winchester. Discount stores, such as Sports Authority or Wal-Mart, usually have the Savages as a special deal with scope and mount -- the scope is usually a Bushnell or Simmons 3-9X, and the rifle is the low-end one with a synthetic stock, or with non-walnut wood.

In my area remingtons, brownings, and rugers are the most commonly seen on store shelves. For some reason you rarely see a winchester M70 around here, but if you go out west they're everywhere. Most of the better shops will also have weatherbys, and howas aren't hard to find either. Sako's are pretty rare as are CZ's. For some reason most folks around here seem to think the browning A-bolt is a premium rifle, that's usually what the locals buy when they "upgrade" from their ruger bolt rifle or their remington 7400 (which is very popular also). All in all, I suspect rifle preferences are a regional thing, what sells down here probably wouldn't be popular out west.

I've not heard anything bad about the A-bolt before, not that I've looked for it. What's it's bad points?

Ruger#1