Hi, I am looking for some advise as to what to get. I am a new hunter at age 19, I have experiance with my 3 12 guage browning semi auto shotguns but thats about it. I want a rifle for hunting deer, elk, possibly bear, boar, ect. But also I want to take it to the range alot. I dont know anything about rifles, but I would like to get a nice one. Any suggestions for rifles or mods to do to the rifles would be appreciated. Thank you.

See by the previous thread and post that you've already settled in on a 308 Win. Why the question here? :confused:

Thats what Im with right now, Still looking for suggestions.

You'd have a hard time going wrong with a Winchester M70 Featherweight, stainless or blued. For a little extra money a Kimber would be excellent. Both available in .308 Win The Kimber rifles can be had in very light weight if you desire that, but beware a .308 has pretty sharp recoil in a light rifle. I only bring up the recoil because you mention range shooting. A 6lb .308 with 180gr bullets will pound you from the bench. Not bad from field positions, but not fun from the bench. That's been my experience with the .308 in light rifles. There are some on here who will laugh at "recoil" and ".308" in the same sentence, but it feels like a .300 WinMag to me when the .300 is shot in the typical 8.5lb rifle.

As an all-around rifle, I would probably get something other than a featherweight. You mentioned wanting to shoot targets, and those light barrels heat up quickly. I believe you'd be better served by a more standard sporter style rifle. It's really a compromise using a hunting rifle for shooting targets anyway. Target rifles are generally heavy and made to be shot from a bench. Your typical hunting rifle is quite a bit lighter and made to shoot off-hand or from a rest. Then, you've got the lightweights that cut a pound or two off the sporter, so they are nicer to carry all day, but they thump you and are generally (not always) less accurate. Also, they will have a shorter barrel which will give up some velocity and increase muzzle blast.

What is a "nice" rifle depends a lot on who you talk to and what price range you are looking at. I think the Sako 75 is a very nice rifle. But, price needs to be taken into account. For the price paid, I think Remington and Winchester both make some good rifles, too.

Since you seem to be a Browning man and shoot their semi-auto shotguns, you might be more at home with a BAR. Personally, I prefer a bolt-action over a semi-auto, and I don't like Browning rifles much. I wouldn't mind owning one of their shotguns one of these days, though.

But, it's not about what all of us want in a rifle. It's about what you want. We would all love to help you out, but if we simply told you what we would get for ourselves, it may or may not be what you're looking for. Can you help us out a little bit? You mentioned deer hunting. Thick cover, open fields, both. Elk hunting. Same question applies. For shooting targets, will this just be for fun and to get better at shooting or will you be more into shooting teeny tiny groups? What ranges will you be shooting? What game will you hunt more often with it? What action types are you most comfortable with? Will you be reloading for it? The list goes on and on. The more you can share with us, the better our help will be.

This one rifle question has been asked a lot. I honestly don't know how anyone can be happy with just one rifle, especially if you hunt more than one game animal or in totally different environments. There is just so much compromise involved. I have 4 rifles, and I still see gaps to fill. I'm sure there are members on this board with more than that who still don't believe they have all of their bases covered.

amndouglas

I had the same experience with one of Rugers light 270's. It felt like most of the magnums when you shot it. I have a model seven Remington carbine in 308 and though nice to pack it does punch you more than even my Rem 280 mountian rifle.

Look at a standard weight rifle in 308, They are much nicer to shoot and a young fella like you won't notice the difference packing it around. Keep in mind that if a gun is easier to shoot you won't start out developing bad shooting habits right off.

Well there are so many great rifles out there that it really makes choices hard. But I gather you already have a 308 so I would put my money into a caliber you don't have. My money would be looking at a Remington 700 CDL/BDL or a sako 75 both very nice rifles. As for the caliber I think you can't go wrong with a 300 Win. Mag, 7MM Rem. Mag, 30-06, 7MM 0r 300 Ultra Mags any of these will cover all the bases your looking at and then some. They all have good speed and plenty of energy and you can shoot them off the bench. Hope this helps just my ideas on it.


Hoeram :D

Might want to think about a T/C encore. You con get a bull barrel and sill have a light weight gun to carry, and you can add barrels in different cals.

No as of now I do not have any rifles Hoeram. After reading everyones posts I think im going to go with a 308 win. for my first rifle. Possibly a 30-06 or a sako 75 though. I dont know anything about rifles so im kinda in the dark here.

Since almost no rifle that is chambered in .308 comes with open sights, you might want to also consider what kind of scope you want also. :)

If you have a good sized gun shop in your area you should go and see if you can handle some rifles and become familiar with the different models. What you like best and fits you will be worth more than our advice. Take into account good trigger pull, or a model with adjustable trigger, so you won't be limited by a poor trigger when getting to know your rifle. Every rifle mentioned here so far would be a good choice. Although I have a few, I'd avoid the Encore for a first time rifle.

Do you mean a Sako 75 in 30-06 caliber? If you've changed your mind to the 30-06, I can't fault you because it's one rifle that can literally do it all in North America, and it's been the standard for almost 100 years.

Just in case you change your mind again (it happens), then I would suggest you try to stick to one of the 7mm or 30 calibers. They are easily the most versatile calibers with loads for just about every application readily avalable.

Also, before you decide that you will just run out and buy a Sako 75, I would recommend that you shoulder a few different rifles and work the actions. See if any of them fit you well. The Sako 75 felt perfect to me, but it doesn't fit everyone the same way. I would also recommend that you check out the Remington and Winchester offerings at your local gunshop before dropping the extra dough on a Sako. Don't forget the extra cost of the rings on the Sako's, or the money you will need to spend on a good scope. It wouldn't make sense to spring for a more expensive rifle if you can't scope it.

If you do go with the Sako, there is no need to buy Sako rings. They were over $100 when I bought my Sako. The ones made by Leupold for the Sako are excellent for ~$50-$60.

You know, you might just be like me and go to the gunshop with one rifle in mind and come back with something totally different because it just felt right, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Good luck on getting the right one.

amndouglas

Wil try to get to several sporting goods stores and handle as many rifles as you can. One of them is going to tell you I'm the right gun, don't I feel good.

Lots of good rifles on the market today. Big choice is going to be made by the type of game you shoot and how far you need to shoot.

If you live in the west where 400 yard cross canyon shots come along and you want a rifle to hunt both deer and elk then something with reach and power such as a 7mm or 300 mag is ideal.

If your hunting in brush country where shots of 150 yards are the norm then the 308 is a good choice.

Don't get a deer and elk rifle mixed up with a target rifle. They are two different breeds of cat. Target rifles usually have a heavy barrel a light trigger and you use different scopes for that kind of work. Most are not designed to carry in the woods. Woods rifles usually don't have the level of accuracy a target rifle has and prices reflect this, though many modern hunting rifles are very accurate.

If you really want to learn to shoot and improve your shooting abilities get a good 22 rifle of the same type of action as your center fire rifle with a scope or sighting system comparable to your centerfire and put a couple of 500 round bricks of wally world ammo thru it a month.

Practice shooting from field positions. At about $10.00 per brick you can get a lot of learning for a little money. At $14 to $20 bucks for 20 centerfire rounds it's gonna cost a mint to become profecient. It does not take long to pay for the 22 with just the cost of ammo saved.

I shoot a CZ 452 Bolt rifle in 22 long rifle for practice and just plain fun and except for a Ruger #1 all my other rifles are Remington Bolt actions. Now I reload so I keep cost to a minimum and do shoot quite a bit of centerfire, but I could not stay profecient with a center fire alone. Same thought others have told you about pistols and revolvers.

Well I will be hunting mostly in missouri, iowa, and minnesotta. So it will be wooded area. Also I am getting a 22. Im goin with the ruger 10. gonna get a 1 inch rim fire tube 4 powered for it as well. Since the holiday is here Ill have to wait until tuesday. Also someone said I should be thinking about what scope I want, I have in mind a 3X9X40 Leupold.

Well, I'm going to come in here from left field and bring up a few things you may want to consider before spending a lot of money.

First, you have never owned a rifle so I'm going to suggest a few different things. If you want a lot of range time to practice, the .22LR is fine for practicing accuracy but you may want to consider buying an M-48 Mauser (8x57) or Russian M-44 (7.62x54R) both rifles you can get in good shape for $120 or less. Ammo can be had super cheap from http://www.ammunitionstore.com (no affiliation, just very happy with thier service). These will give you a lot of practice with full power rounds w/o beating up a good hunting rifle. Not necessary but they are not only a cheap shooting learning tool but a **** of a lot of fun too!

Second option I would suggest is going with a good used rifle first. You can usually pick up something used for about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of new and many come with a scope already installed. This will give you a decent hunting piece to try w/o setting you back a lot of money. If you buy new w/o knowing exactly what you want, you stand to loose a considerable amount of money. Most times you sell a used rifle for almost as much as you paid for it if you don't like it.

As for caliber, I am not too fond of pushing the .308 win beyond it's limits. I do prefer shooting a heavier bullet for big game, 180gr to 220gr depending on what I'm going after. Nice thing about the .30-06 is that you can down load with lighter charges and bullets or crank 'em up with heavy bullets and full house powder charges. I've never been dissatisfied with the performance of my '06.

I would suggest not buying a big magnum right off since it is likely the ammo cost and punishment you'll take at the range will turn you off more than anything.

I would also suggest you stay away from a feather weight or lightweight rifle and go with a standard or medium weight. The more weight the less recoil and usually they will hold a lot more steady for offhand shooting. Personally, I've had no problems carrying rifles in the 8.5-12 pound range all day hunting.

In all honesty, I'd have no gripes about taking my 90 dollar Russian 91/30 for any of the hunting you listed. Then again, the 8x57 is don't take no back seat for big game either. If you don't reload, there is plenty of commercial ammo available for both of these in soft points besides loads of FMJ surplus.

It sounds like your hunting will be similar to most of what I do I here in Michigan. Mostly, it will be in the thick stuff, but there's a possibility that you may have a longer shot in some areas. That is exactly why I bought my 308. My 270 had the BOSS on it, which effectively gave it a 26" barrel, and even though it was perfect for hunting in Central and Eastern Washington, it seemed to get hung up on every branch around the swampy state lands of Michigan that I hunt.

I don't believe you can go wrong with a Leupold, but I personally like Nikons, especially the Monarchs. They just seem to give you a lot more for your money. I have a 3-9x40 Nikon Monarch on my Sako 75 in 308 Win, and it's a very nice combination. Shopping for scopes is a lot like shopping for your rifle, take the opportunity to look through each scope at a bright area in the store, and especially a shadowy area, and try to read some print on something. You'll be able to see why some scopes cost more than others, at least to a point. Since most deer are shot at dusk or dawn, don't skimp on the glass. Get one that brings in enough light to see clearly in low light.

As far as your 10/22 goes, it will need some work, especially on the trigger, and especially if the deer rifle you buy has a decent one. Their triggers are horrible. Mine was about 8 pounds with tons of creep and overtravel. Just realize that it will cost you around $50 more for the aftermarket parts to make it bearable. I always caught myself visually checking to see if the safety was still on because I was used to the excellent triggers on my deer rifles. But beware, 10/22's can be a very deep money pit. Just check out

www.rimfirecentral.com

if you don't believe me.

amndouglas

Like I said I dont know much about rifles, does Sako 75 in 308 Win mean that sako75 is the body style and 308 is the barrel size correct?

Like I said I dont know much about rifles, does Sako 75 in 308 Win mean that sako75 is the body style and 308 is the barrel size correct?

Sako is the manufacturer. 75 is the model number, and 308 Winchester is the chambering (the cartridge that it is made to fire).

I have the Hunter model, which is satin-finished walnut with a blued barrel. You can see the Sako 75 here.

http://www.berettausa.com/product/product_rifles_main.htm

That MSRP is a little inflated just like everyone elses. They typically go for right around a $1000 new, at least here. I bought mine used for $750. Still, you could just about buy 2 nice Remingtons or Winchesters for what you'll pay on one Sako. That's why it's so important that you shop around first. No sense paying twice as much if there is something else that you like just as well or even more.

amndouglas

Yeah lol deffinatly not gonna pay a grand for my first rifle. Im gonna go look around tomorrow when the shops reopen.

So what price range are you looking at?

Savages seem to have the reputation of being the best bargain. I don't like them much as they aren't much to look at, the bolt stroke is rough, and the cheaper finish on their steel doesn't protect near as well as the bluing on a quality Remington or Winchester. In a 30-06, a new recoil pad is just about a necessity in my opinion. You should be able to pick one up in the $350 - $450 range, if you really don't want to spend anymore. Remington and Winchester will also have models priced in this range like the Remington 710 and some plastic stocked Winchester Model 70's. I would personally try to stay away from these, especially the 710 which feels more like a toy than a real gun.

But, if you're willing to spend $100-$200 more, you're into the nicer and more well-finished Remingtons and Winchesters. They look a lot nicer, the blueing is a lot better, and their actions are quite a bit smoother. I learned my lesson on shotguns that it is usually a good idea to stay away from the low-end value models in anyone's line. Unless you're going to beat the heck out of it, you're better off spending the extra $100-200 to get into their better models.

Personally, I would do like someone else suggested and try to find a good used gun. In case you don't like it, you won't be out much, if anything as long as you only pay what it's worth. Also, you should be able to pick up a higher quality rifle for about the same money as a low end model. The only rifle I bought new was my Ruger 10/22. I've bought 3 used rifles, a Winchester Model 70 Classic SM BOSS (which they don't make anymore), that Sako 75, and a Ruger 77 Mark II Target. So far, I've been a little lucky, and they have all been great shooters. If you've got a friend who knows more about rifles than you, take them with you when you're looking at a used rifle. It can save you a lot of money.

Since you admittedly do not know anything about rifles, if you don't have a close friend who does, then you might just want to buy new. There are plenty of good models out there, it's just that all of us have our own preferences. There are a lot more Chevy vs. Ford type arguments in the gun world.

amndouglas

My limit is about $800. Im really looking to spend about 650-700 though. I paid $800 for my current shot gun and don't reget it one bit. It has proven to be a good dependable gun. So I figure if I spend the money for a quality rifle, I'll get the same in return from it.

Wilkinkc

At an 800 dollar limit that will buy most anything out there and with some careful looking you can net a real nice piece at a sales price. Last week I saw a sako 75 hunter on sale (new in the box) for $789.00. Thats not a steal but a fair price. I picked up a sako 75 early this year for a steal as they miss marked it and where forced to sell it as marked 649.00 plus tax. Look hard there are still good deals out there if your not in a big hurry. You can buy most any remington for around 450-600 in almost in caliber thats popular right now. Enjoy and best of luck locating your rifle.


Hoeram :D

I think you should get a bow and arrow.

I just read through some of the other responses quickly, it seems you already have a .308 and 3 shotguns. You would like something that's going to knock down just about anything but the large bears. Sure there's lots of new wiz-bang cartridges out there that will do just that. The Mags, Short Mags, Super Short Mags, Short Ultra Mags, and most of those will take out the large bears also.

I think (and this is just my own opinion) the best all around cartridge other than a .308 would be the 30-06. Now I know I'll probably get told that there are plenty of other carts that would just as good or better, but for nearly 100 years this cartridge has brought home the bacon. And when your out in the middle of nowhere and run across 'Bobs Gun Shop' you may be hard pressed to find the Short Mag carts in stock. But just about every sport shop, gun shop, gas station anywhere has 30-06.

As far as rifles go, I don't think there's a better deal for your money than the Savage line of rifles. Of course the Remington and Winchester700/70 series rifles are very well made nice rifles. But your also paying for the quality grade wood, checkering, finish, etc. And the first ding you get on the stock when your out crawling around in the woods will probably piss you off. The wood on some of the lower cost Savage rifles is just as serviceable as that of the more costly rifles. You'll just save a few bucks that you could use for other things like a sling, scope, etc. Don't get me wrong - I own Remington 700's and Winchester 70's - and a few Savage rifles in various calibers. But if you are going to buy one gun to do it all, (at least for now) I think the Savage will outshoot the others and be less costly.

Ultimately the decision is yours - You will have to decide what it is you are going to use the gun for.

Craig,

Acutally I dont have a .308 yet, thats what I'm leaning towards buying. Just not sure what model yet. I really know nothing about rifles, but I have been doing research. At this point in time im thinking either 308 win. or 30-06. As for the 'Bobs Gun Shop', there is a Bob's Gun Rack here locally, which I thought was histarical when you said that. I agree Ive been pricing rifles and the wood finish will piss me off when it gets scratched because it did when my shotgun got scratched, so I will probly go synthetic stock and blued barrel. But Im going to probly purchase it tomorrow. I have a problem when I want something I rush into buying it. So im going to read up as much as I can between now and tomorrow and hopfully make the right decision. I will post on here what I end up with and see what you all think.

Looking at your original question and the feedback I was wondering if you thought of the Remington SPS in 30/06 or a CZ 550 in 30/06. Either would let you buy the gun and the scope and have enough money left over for some ammo. Or you could look into the Tikka's they are built by the same people as the SAKO 75 but the ones I've shot all shot well right out of the box.

Well what ever I end up getting Ill deffinatly be making these mods to...3X9X40 matfinish Leupold, Pachmayr Decellaratorsp) recoil pad, Mag-N-Port (maybe), and sling.

What Leupold exactly? Rifleman, VariX-I, II or Mark 4.

I cannot understand why you are even considering porting the barrel on a rifle that you plan to hunt with. Shooting at the range with earplugs or muffs on is one thing, but squeezing one off while hunting can be deafening. Whether you get a 308 or 30-06, that Pachmayr pad should make it pretty pleasant to shoot. I just don't see the point to your desire to have your rifle ported. Plenty of guys who hunt wish their rifle didn't have a brake or ports on it, and you are rushing out to get one before you even see how the gun shoots first.

amndouglas

Like I said, maybe on the mag-n-port. I have no way of seeing how the gun shoots before I buy it anyways. If I end up not liking it I will have to sell it and try another option.

Remington 700CDL 30-06 w/ 3x9 Burris. Nuff said.

Well... I bought IT!

Remington model 700 30-06 Sythenthetic Stock
Leupold VXII 3x9x40
Sling
Rock Mount Bi Pod

Paid 700 For all of it. Did I get a good deal? Pictures coming soon.

It sounds like you did OK. I'm guessing for that price, you must have gotten a 700 ADL or the new SPS model (essentially the same thing). Did they mount your scope as well, or do you still need to buy rings and bases?

amndouglas

mounted it for me. Yeah i got the Model 700 ADL Synthetic.

I think you did ok there wilkinkc. Personally the '06 is a better all around choice than the 308 anyway. I bought my son a 700 ADL/LS in 30-06 for Christmas and spent about $440 on it at Walmart. Add the scope, which I haven't done yet, and we're around the $700 you spent. For hunting whitetails in the midwest you're setup pretty well. If you decide to head west to Colorado you've got enough gun for elk hunting too. Your's should have a 22" barrel which is a good compromise between velocity and carryability.

Congrats! Hope you like it as much as my son does his... He drew a cow tag for the 2nd Colorado elk season over in unit 481 this fall. Hope he can put some meat in the freezer.

Add that Pachmayr pad, and you'll have a pretty nice rig there. A lot of guys like the matte finishes because they just look like more of a sniper rifle. For hunting, they make quite a bit of sense to reduce glare as well. But, they aren't quite as nice to look at, at least not in the same sense as a nice walnut stock with deeply blued barrel or a laminate with stainless can be. That's why you'll eventually have to own rifles in all 3 combinations :) At least that's what happened to me.

You could have done a lot worse there rookie :) I figured with being a newbie and all you would have fell for all the marketing and walked out of the shop with a 5 pound super duper mag so you could snipe deer and elk at 1000 yards with a 24 power TASCO because you spent all your money on Premium factory shells. :)

I'm also glad to see that you bought a quality scope. Did you compare it to the VX1 and Rifleman while you were there? I could see a huge difference when I tested them out, and I ended up going with a Nikon Monarch because it just looked a bit clearer and brighter than the VX2 to me for about the same price. Both are great scopes though. I'm sure yours will serve you well.

You'll have to let us know how she shoots. Oh, one more thing. Invest in a good cleaning rod, and pick up a bronze brush, brass jag, cheap bore guide and a can of Wipe Out from MidwayUSA. Other than caliber specific patches, you probably have all of the gun oil and powder solvent you'll need since you've got shotguns. Rifles are tons more work to get clean than your smoothbores, and these things will make your life a lot easier. You won't dread cleaning your rifle after shooting it with all of this stuff. It will save you a ton of time and quite a bit of work.

amndouglas

About that pad. I talked to the owner of the store about it while I was buying it. He said I would have to take it somewhere special because they have the put it on the stock a certain way. No holes in the synthetic stock or something? I dont really understand why he cant do it. I bought a hopps rifle cleaning kit at the store while getting the rifle. Is there anything thats not included in that I will need?

next suggestion, dump that awful looking piece of tupperware and replace it with a nice laminate stock, check out richards micro-fit at www.rifle-stocks.com or Boyds www.boydboys.com . A couple of other things you could do would be disable the idiot lock on the saftey shroud if your gun is one that has one on yet (rumor has it they were being phased out) the other thing would be to get the BDL bottom metal or better yet, the device that allows you to use 10 or 20 round clips in the rifle. www.brownells.com should have lots of fun mods for you. Just search for remington 700