The Mossberg Patriot is a good honest rifle built to get the job done. “It’s what I’d class as a gamekeeper’s gun,” says Viking Arms' Andy Norris, “It does what it says on the tin, and for a terrific price of under £600.”
This is the Patriot Predator model, which comes in .243, .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor, at a retail price of £535. It has a one-piece ABS stock, semi-fluted, threaded barrel with a matt anti-glare finish, and a Picatinny rail so you can mount any night vision scope or a standard day scope.
The trigger gives a nice crisp pull and can be adjusted down to 3lbs weight. There’s a safety catch located behind the bolt handle. The bolt itself is fluted and slick to operate with the oversized handle, and there’s a 4-round detachable magazine.
The rifle is accurate out of the box too – it’s guaranteed to shoot within 1 MoA.
“It’s a lot of rifle for the money,” says Andy. “It’s ready to go out of the box – you aren’t buying a basic rifle and then adding bits and pieces so it ends up costing more. Just put on whatever optic you want and you’re ready to go.”