Rifle Advice

[thebikingengineer]

Hey all. I'm looking to purchase a larger caliber rifle and am looking for some advice. I'm looking for something in a bolt action hunting rifle, around a 22" barrel, preferably a wooden stock. I'm not sold on any one caliber, I'm leaning towards .308 Win or .223 Rem, but I'm open to other possibilities. I'd mostly be using this for occasional target shooting, possibly a bit of hunting if I decide to do that next season. I'd prefer a do-all rifle as opposed to something more purposeful.

I currently have an old Marlin Model 60 .22LR that I greatly enjoy and a couple of handguns in various calibers. I'm looking for something with a bit more power. I've shot both .223 and .308 before, the .308 was a bit brisk but I feel like a lot of that was unfamiliarity with the round (the rifle was pretty light as well, which didn't help things any).

[MASSDRIVER]

Have a price range? New or used?
Savage seems to be getting a lot of recognition as of late.
Brent.

[thebikingengineer]

I'm hoping to keep it under $500. New or used, though I've been disappointed with the used rifles I've seen at my local shops.

[inspiringK]

A 223 is a little light to be ideal for hunting, depending on what you are looking to bag.
Similarly, a 308, while it is a great calibre for hunting, is a bit much if you are really going to be doing more target shooting than hunting.

Perhaps you should be looking somewhere in between, like a .270. I enjoy a 243 also, but that may just be because it is what I am used to.

Edit: you can get a number of decent new rifles for under $500. Maybe head down to a gun store and see if anything catches your eye or feels good in your shoulder.

[Super Speed]

I agree with considering a .270. A nice split between a .223 and shoulder busting .308
If you wanted to go retro, I hear a .300 Savage is a nice shooting gun, with the .300 round being the father of the .308 (not quite as powerful as a .308). I own one (Model 99, was my grandfathers hunting riffle), but never shot it. It's a lever action though, so it may not meet your criteria if you strictly want bolt action, but still I can't imagine an example in good shooting condition will set you back allot.

[Jim]

What game are you going to be after?

Scope or open sights?

Do you have cleaning equipment already?

Case to transport/store?

Sling?

[inspiringK]

I agree with considering a .270. A nice split between a .223 and shoulder busting .308
If you wanted to go retro, I hear a .300 Savage is a nice shooting gun, with the .300 round being the father of the .308 (not quite as powerful as a .308). I own one (Model 99, was my grandfathers hunting riffle), but never shot it. It's a lever action though, so it may not meet your criteria if you strictly want bolt action, but still I can't imagine an example in good shooting condition will set you back allot.

Not to take this thread off track, but my understanding is that a savage 300 has a much more powerful load than a win 308. So, if a 308 is too much gun, a 300 would be over the top.

[thebikingengineer]

I'm thinking deer. Maybe a hog hunt. Nothing huge. I've never hunted before but have some friends that do.

I'm leaning towards a scope, but I'm comfortable using open sights.

I should be all set on cleaning equipment, I've got a few other firearms and am very comfortable with them.

I'd probably be buying a hard and a soft case. I've got my Marlin 60 in a soft case but would get a hard case for the range.

Having the sling as an option would be nice.

[rtw]

.270 is a great all around cal.

[Jim]

Deer are Ok with a .243 but that might be a little light for a big tough hog. The .280 Remington or its cousin the .270 Winchester are good all around calibers.

Both are based of the 30-06 Springfield as is the 308 Winchester round. Anything in this class would work fine. at 500.00 for the rifle you may be shopping price somewhat. Let your friends and coworkers you know that you are looking, a private sale will often turn up a good used gun that is better than a new inexpensive one.

Keep us posted!

[garyg]

Actually the .308 may have less recoil than a .270 Win, in a rifle of the same weight (depends on the load selected) .. both are in the mild category with respect to recoil. The .270 shoots a bit flatter and thus has a little more reach, while the .308 can take a bit heavier bullet weight. Both would be great mid sized game cartridges (deer), marginal for elk or anything larger.

As others have pointed out the .223 isn't a hunting round save for small game or varmints, it isn't a deer caliber, in fact it may not even be legal for deer in some states.

If you are just going to punch paper the .223 is fine, and ammo is cheaper than .270 or .308. So some decisions are in order.

[eastomjac]

7.62x.39 is my favorite all round "round".you can get an ak for around your target price,they are a simple efficent wepon and light to carry all day hunting.ive seen the round take white tail at 175 yards and not ruin much meat.also seen it take three hogs out of a spooked heard in the brush,again with minor meat loss.the round will work on most american game all the way up to bear.good luck finding your wepon ,you might go to a shooting range and test fire some of the different rifles there before you make up your mind.it pays to look around to find your perfect gun.

[MASSDRIVER]

My next rifle will probably be the Browning lever takedown in .270 wsm. That's would be a hell of a rig with a lightweight 1-4 scope on there. Flat shooter, short fast action.
Here is some data for the wsm and wssm rounds. Take a look at the .243wssm
http://www.browning.com/library/info...etail.asp?id=5
Brent.

[gaseousclay]

I think a .270 win or 30-06 ought to be sufficient for your needs. there are any number of rifles out there to be had, especially if you go through a pawn shop or reputable gun dealer that doesn't inflate their prices.

you could try:

Weatherby Vanguard
Winchester Model 70
Browning A-Bolt
Remington 700

Oh, and if you're gonna get a sling for your rifle I highly recommend the Montana Sling which can be purchased online or from Cabela's.

[Headcharge]

I agree with all the those above that the .223 will probably not suffice for your needs. My only suggestion is that you try out (shoulder) as many different rifles in the store as possible. Different rifles even from the same mfg. will have unique characteristics. It should feel good to hold in the store. If it is not comfortable in the store then you will not like hauling it in field and to the range.

Happy shopping!

-Luke

[stobes21]

I know you said you are looking for a bolt action but a .30-30 lever action with iron sights or a low power scope would be about ideal. It would be much lower recoil than a .308 and yet still plenty powerful for deer or hogs. It would also provide you with a faster followup shot if you need it and most importantly in your price range it'll get you a much higher quality rifle.

[Slash McCoy]

The classic Winchester model 70 in .308 will gitter done. Look for one not too well used, and it should serve you well. The .308 is a pretty versatile cartridge, available in a lot of different loadings. The pre-1964 model 70s are generally felt to be superior to the later ones, but actually it is apples and oranges. The pre-64 used a mauser type controlled feed and a larger extractor. The post-64 has a stronger receiver. In the event of a case rupture, the post-64 fully enclosed bolt face offers a bit more security and safety. The pre-64 comes with a4 large collector's premium, driving the prices up unrealistiically so in a pre-64, look for one that has had a little too much love to be a showpiece. All in all, for a shooter I would concentrate my shopping on a post-64, I think. The pre-64 can be identified by the screw holding the forearm to the barrel. Also the serial number will be below 700,000. After 1992 things get really complicated and confusing with all the different variants and the closing of the original plant and manufacture by Olin and Browning, and you need a scorecard to keep up with things but any model 70 will be a good gun and not a piece of crap.

This gun has often been compared to the Remington model 700. Sort of like the '60s Ford vs Chevy shootouts. In fact, the model 700 short action might be found for cheaper than a Win 70. The reason is that there was in the '80s I think, a big controversy over the trigger. Apparently adjusting the trigger outside spec results in an unsafe condition. So have a competent gunsmith look at any used 700 you buy, is my recommendation. It is a good gun in spite of the bad press, but be safe and have it looked at by a smith who knows the model 700 well. You should be able to get more gun for your money by buying the Remington. However, it is like FatBoys vs Slims. I like the Winchester better.

Both of these guns can be found chambered for a huge variety of cartridges, in case you decide you want to go with something else. I think highly of the .308 for a general purpose medium cartridge, though. Popularity of the caliber has spawned many many different loadings and this truly is as close to a do-all caliber as you can get.

Having said all that, I like an M-14 clone. Semiauto, baby. Yeah. The M-14 is the rifleman's rifle. And that brings us to the semiauto option. A used Springfield Armory M1A1 would go well over your $500 budget but if not shot out, abused, misused, or neglected, it should hold its value well. It is a fun rifle to shoot, and with the shorty magazine, it would not be too way out as a casual hunting rifle. But if you might hunt with it, lose the flash suppressor, etc... not needed for hunting IMHO and you are not at war with the deer and the gadgets and accessories get all hung up in brush. Tried hog hunting with the M1A1 and kept having to check the flash suppressor for twigs, etc. so an unadorned muzzle would be the way to go.

[Preacher1011]

I definitely wouldn't hunt hogs with a .223. Deer would be fine, but it's not the ideal round. A .308 would be great for either of them and would take down anything in North America. A .243 would get it done with the right bullet. If you aren't big on recoil, you can buy reduced recoil rounds for the .308 or buy an aftermarket butt pad such as a limb saver.

If you want to stay under $500, the new Savage Edges are a decent rifle as is the Ruger American. Savage has come a VERY long way lately. Just stay away from the Remington 770 (not to be confused with a 700 which is a great gun). Winchesters are good as stated, but will put you over your $500 mark, as will a 700. If you want to stay under $500 with a scope and all, I'd go with the Savage or Ruger. You could also get a used rifle, but if you don't know what you're looking for, you could wind up with a lemon.

[Natohog]

My vote for the model is Remington 700. My vote for the caliber is .257 or 25-06. They are both great all-around cartridges with arguably some of the best ballistic efficiencies. There is just something about knowing your round is traveling above 3,000 feet per second (that’s a lot of zeros). That being said I shot a lot of Deer and Elk with a .308.

[inspiringK]

Wow, 3000 fps is fast, unless it is just meant for shooting paper.