TOTAL VANITY: Need Advice on Hunting Rifles

[Junior_G]

I am trying to save up money for my first hunting rifle and I'm hoping to tap into the vast reserves of Freeper knowledge for some advice on what to go for. I am going to get my hunter's certification this year and am looking forward to my first deer hunt, as well as hours upon hours of shooting at the range. I currently own a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun and a 9mm Glock, but am absolutely clueless about which rifles offer the best accuracy and value (or whatever qualities it is in a rifle that I should be looking for). Any suggestions?

[Redleg Duke]

Pick-up a Swedish rifle in 6.5x55mm. You can get a MOJO aperture rear sight and you will have a fine deer rifle.

The 6.5x55 has a mild recoil and is a flat shooting round with real good penetration power.

[Pafreedom]

Sounds like you need an 30 .06 Partial to remington myself but you may need to by a used rifle with that budget. Save up for a little while so you don't buy one with a barrel thats shot out.

[ncountylee]

I'd get a .308 if you want to spend hours on the range. You can get cheap, military surplus rounds for playing around, and get a box or two of high quality rounds for deer hunting. Just my 2 cents worth anyway.

Solid advice and look for a used one at a good gun store.

[Minnesoootan]

Invest in a Rem 700 in 30-06 then...I use a 30-30 Mod 64 Winchester for deer and a BAR 300 Win Mag for Elk,but the 30-06 makes for a good all around gun especially for the first time shopper.

[RadioAstronomer]

I like the 308 round better than the 30-30. However, a 30-06 is a pretty universal round for big game in the continental US. Everything from antelope to moose or bear.

[Willie Green]

I hear good things about the remington 700 series.

That would be my recommendation...
bolt action, .308 with a decent 3~9X scope

[HiJinx]

Well now, if its elk you're hunting, you may need a .06

Now your gonna spend money.

I'm not so sure...he can still get the Remington 700BDL or a Savage 110 series in .30-06 from Wal-Mart or K-Mart that shoots very nicely.

I've taken 2 elk in 3 hunts, one with my .270 custom and one with my .30-06 Remington 700. Both rifles (scopes, slings, etc.) came in under $500.

The real answer, though, is to shoot a couple of rifles to see what fits you best and doesn't beat you up when shooting. That allows you to concentrate on shot placement, not recoil management!

[CFC__VRWC]

The object is to get something for dinner, not to decorate the woodlands.

Damn - I knew I was doing something wrong!

[Cobra64]

Hunted elk in CO as a kid back in the 60s. Had a Savage 06 with 3x9 scope. Worked very well. Savage makes a good functioning weapon at a competitive price.

[Junior_G]

I'm not big on buying "first" stuff. Just buy what you want and only buy it once.

I agree. I want to get it right the first time and have a friend for life if you know what I mean. I probably sound like a 15-year-old with these questions, but better late than never I guess.

[Rakkasan1]

http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/shooting/article/0,13199,1139635,00.html

Field & Stream list of best used deer guns.
save your money...

good luck

[kx9088]

But for a few more dollars you can get the Rem 7600.

When I started hunting I used a Marlin 30-30 that my great grandfather passed on to my dad for myself and my brother. I carried that thing for 6 years in the woods and only fired it once, never got a deer with it. Then I went and bought a Rem. 7600 pump in 30.06 at the recommendation of my grandfather. Lighter, more accurate, more power and speed. I've used that for 7 years and have shot 5 deer with it. They all dropped except for the last one which I had to track about 100 yards.

I bought that rifle for $380, I'm sure you can find a similar deal now a days too.

[YouPosting2Me]

"Need Advice on Hunting Rifles"

1) Always hunt for rifles in the early dawn hours.
2) Be very quiet as the pistols will alert the rifles as to your presence.
3) Smear deer urine (or any urine) on yourself. If unavailable, use gun cleaning oil.
4) Be careful that the rifle doesn't get you in it's sites before you target them.

[spunkets]

"deer and elk."

Bolt action. Rem, or Win depending on which one you like. Distance and preference would determine if it's scoped, or not. Also, scoped rifles used around, or through the dew point can be useless. Depending on distance and preference again, 308 has range limits on Elk. 300 Win mag is good on all N. American game, including Elk.

[wolfcreek]

They've got Remington 700's with a scope for less than $300 here in Texas. The synthitic stocks are great because they weigh so little.

[Zavien Doombringer]

LOL!

That's why I have to settle for the Moss 12g and slugs... VA Law says slugs are what you need..

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Sorry, couldn't resist a little humor here.

[Atlas Sneezed]

You can get a surplus Swiss K-31 (caliber roughly the same power as a 308 Winchester) fpr less than $100. Or you can spend thousands on a custom built tack driver.

---

And the K-31 will be far more accurate than needed for hunting. The difference between a K-31 and a $1000-$5000 rifle built for accuracy will be about 1" error at 100 yards. Considering that the typical hunter struggles to hit within 6" at 100 yards, this is irrelevant. The only real limitation on the Swiss is that it has iron sights.

Advice: spend as much money on surplus (GP-11?) Swiss ammo for the K-31. About 40 cents per round, but match grade accuracy.

And for those suggesting 30-30, you will be pleased to note that there is a revolution in that cartridge that will offer MUCH greater performance, especially at distance:
http://www.hornady.com/story.php?s=198

[Blood of Tyrants]

You can get a Savage bolt action in .30-06 (Model 110, I think) for about $400. Use 220 grain bullets for the elk and 150 grain bullets for deer. Learn to shoot with the iron sights and save yourself a $200 scope. The plus with .30-06 is every little country store around a hunting community will carry ammo.

[Redleg Duke]

You are asking good questions and remember, you are by and large gong to get serious answers from folks who are passionate about this subject.

You haven't really told us much about your shooting experience. How you can handle recoil (kick) will determine how much rifle you want. A 30-06 is a good all-around cartridge, but if you are sensitive to its kick, you may have trouble shooting it. That is why I recommended the 6.5x55mm.

Regardless of the caliber you select, plan on spending serious time at the range to get to know your rifle. Remember, you may only get one shot in an entire season, so make it a good one!

Good luck!