Vanity: Looking for a good all purpose hunting rifle for Christmas

Me | 11/6/13 | Me

[bigtoona]

I know this will get a lot of replies but go for it. I just want to get some opinions on the different rifles out there to help me decide.

I grew up in PA until I was 11 so I never got to actually hunt with my brother and dad so I'm not super educated about all of the rifles out there.

I have pistols, shotguns and a couple of .22 rifles but now I would like to get a decent rifle for deer in case I get an opportunity to go hunting with a friend. Nothing too fancy or massively powerful, just good quality and dependable. Thanks all!

[lowbridge]

Youll shoot your eye out, kid.

[2nd Amendment]

Tough, open-ended inquiry. Been hunting and been in guns my whole life. Any decent caliber fron .243 to .338 winchester will be fine (depending on your sensitivity to recoil.) For entry level accurate bolt actions I like Ruger american, Stevens 200, Marlin xl7, weatherby vanguard, Remington 780. For a step up consider a Remington 700, Ruger 77, Tikka, Browning, or winchester 70. More important than the gun is the scope. I personally prefer Leupold VXII in 3x9. You really can’t go wrong with the rich selection of bolt action guns and calibers available. If ammo availability is an option go with .243, .270, 7mm mag, 30-06. .308

[thackney]

And 30.06 is cheap and versatile.

Versatile yes, but cheap? Compared to what?

[TheThirdRuffian]

“good looking rifle..smooth firing? ;-) “

Absurdly so. .1 inch travel, 4lb pull Very consistent.

Sub 1 MOA

1http://www.tactical-life.com/magazines/guns-and-weapons/fn-fnar-308/

[ExpatGator]

I gunsmith for a living. Really don’t have a dog in this hunt. I do have long experience in their mechanical operations and an intimate understanding of their propensity towards malfunction.
My experiences have prompted me, when asked, to recommend the Remington 700. Hands down the most dependable. Without a doubt has the most after market upgrade and conversion parts. Support from the company is 2nd to none.
Cartridge suggestions: .243, .308, .270 or .30-06.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

A few suggestions about deer hunting.

Like with driving, it’s not just in your ability to drive, but to drive “defensively”, to avoid the bad drivers. The good, serious hunters offset their hunting season and territory from the official and popular one, to avoid problems created by the surfeit of novice and occasional hunters.

This doesn’t mean just avoiding their shooting at you. It also means not having your game scared away by their noise and movement, not having to rescue them from minor and serious injuries (from blisters on up), and accidents. And not having to mess around as much with LEOs keeping a watch over it all, looking for licenses and poachers.

Importantly, if you’re using a map, know what brown lines mean, especially when a bunch of them are clustered together in approximate parallel lines. Use a knotted rope to know just about how far it’s going to be to get that deer carcass back to your vehicle.

[mad_as_he$$]

Neither is a good choice for over 300 yards. I won't own a 30-30 but that is me. I live in open range country and often have to take shots further than 200 yards.

If you really want to reach out go with one of the ultramags. If you want common ammo go 308.

[saganite]

Savage .243 bolt action.

[DannyTN]

Don’t hunt Christians! What’s wrong with you?

[2nd Amendment]

oh yeh. . oops! Don’t forget Savage 110. Probably the most accurate off the shelf modest priced bolt ever made!

[DannyTN]

That says Christmas, I thought it said Christians. Apparently I wasn’t the only one.

[2nd Amendment]

Christians are only hunted by the Democratic Party. We are interested in getting you a gold bolt action for Christmas!

[TigersEye]

He’s not hunting Christians he’s hunting Christmas. He’s going to need something bigger than a rifle.

[bc42875]

I have a Browning A-Bolt in 308. Solid rifle and dead on accurate. You can get composite version which is really light and well made. Picked up at Gander Mountain for 550.

[saganite]

Using the lever revolution ammo greatly enhances the ballistics of the 30-30. The only question is, will the rifle fire the higher powered ammo. The new ones will. As for 30-30 rifles, I prefer the Henry because you can mount a scope.

[wrench]

The 30-30 has the same ballistics as the russian 7.62 X 39. Plenty adequate for eastern whitetail.

The AR in 223 chamberings is a varmint round, not a big game round. The 30-30 in 170 gr and heavier is used for eastern black bear , do not try that with your average 223 AR.

[DannyTN]

[DannyTN]

[TigersEye]

Where did you get a pic of me? It’s old, most of the red has gone gray now.

[Labyrinthos]

You need to help us out here: Where will you be hunting and in what kind of terrain? Some states (or zones within a state) only allow slugs for deer hunting in which case I recommend a Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. Other states (or zones within states) allow rifles for deer hunting, but without more information, we can't give an intelligent response.

I do mostly bushwhacking for deer in places where the average shot is 100 yds or less and usually a lot closer than that. I use a Marlin 336c lever action in 30-30 Win (http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/centerfire/336C.asp) using an aftermarket Skinner aperture sight because scopes and other optic sights are worthless at that distance when shooting through the brush and foliage. That would not be my choice, however, if hunting at longer distances in open spaces like in Arizona and Colorado.