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Hunting Rifle Advice

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6K views 69 replies 18 participants last post by  bennysbuddy 
#1 ·
I am considering picking up a rifle. The likely use is bear and varmint but I'd like to consider inexpensive and durable options that could be used for deer, elk and who knows what I may try to hunt in years to come.

Your advice is appreciated.

Budget is small.
Backpacking in over road hunting, so weight is a consideration.

Could possibly trade a handgun. Let's discuss that option in a message.
 
#3 ·
Asking one rifle to handle bear and varmints is like asking a creek rod to handle kings.

If I had to ask one rifle to handle everything you described, it would be my Tikka T3 in 7mm-08.
It's very lightweight, accurate, and can shoot 100gr up to 160gr.
Maybe take a small black bear but no bruin over say 300b.
Deer and elk, no problem.
Let me know if you'd like to demo it.
 
#4 ·
Asking one rifle to handle bear and varmints is like asking a creek rod to handle kings.

If I had to ask one rifle to handle everything you described, it would be my Tikka T3 in 7mm-08.
It's very lightweight, accurate, and can shoot 100gr up to 160gr.
Maybe take a small black bear but no bruin over say 300b.
Deer and elk, no problem.
Let me know if you'd like to demo it.
I understand the range will be a challenge. I'm not adding a rifle quiver, just a single rifle at this time.

I could fish a small creek with my 6wt, if needed. I don't care if the coyotes were to be vaporized...
 
#5 ·
The 30.06 will easily handle any North American game except grizzly, uses a wide variety of bullet weights, ammo is readily available everywere, and every manufacturer produces them.

As for brand, I don't think it really matters that much. The vast majority of rifles shoot much better than the folks shooting them.

The more important question is which optic are you going to put on it? Don't skimp on the scope, you'll likely regret it if you do.

Get with some of the forum guys you know and shoot their rifles. You'll find one you like, then start your search for one. Join your local rifle club and enjoy the company of folks who shoot regularly.

Once you have your rifle let us know. I've got some suggestions to help you develop your shooting.
 
#6 · (Edited)
For WA state, I'd also suggest an '06 and add .270. I doubt you'll be hunting Grizzlies, there's a huge selection of rifles from which to choose, recoil is tolerable, accuracy & ballistics of both are inherently good & ammo is readily available. If Elk & Moose are potential quests, I'd lean toward the venerable '06 & for either caliber I'd favor a bolt action. Both calibers are offered in light-weight "mountain" rifle configurations but in choosing this style, you'll up the recoil experienced. And as Karl stated, don't scrimp on optics; while you don't need a Nightforce scope, go with a solidly-established brand - Leopold is hard to beat & they stand behind their warranty. Personally, I prefer mil-dot reticle design. I can keep an eye peeled around here if you'd like.
 
#10 · (Edited)
In my of course many options but for the first dependable, accurate, non custom rifle with a great adjustable trigger . I would suggest a 30 06 ( first choice) or 308 cal or 7-08

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Tikka-T-Lite-Bolt-Action-Rifles/1375202.uts

I prefer stainless version. Upgrade to talley light weight scope rings or warnes. Put on a limbsaver recoil pad and mount a Leupy vx 2 or vx 3 with mil dot or these are also very good scopes for the money

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_4_14X44_FFP_Scope_p/pa4-14xffp.htm

You can find the T3's on sale for $599 or pick a good used one. You're looking at under $1000 for a very good set up IMO

If you want to go a bit cheaper can pick up a Weatherby or HOWA (same as Weatherby) too.

I like the Rems, Savage and Winchesters but they have had issues the past decade with some quality control issues, triggers,accuracy , barrels not put on correctly ect. A Tikka will surprise you with its out of box accuracy

Go forth and hunt any game in North America
 
#11 ·
Ed, For what your asking a rifle to do, a 30-06 would be just fine. There are many fine rifle manufacturers out there that produce rifles that will fit your budget. I, personally, prefer Savage Model 110 or Remington 700 for my use. They are both accurate out of the box, though Remington is not known for it's great factory triggers. The primary reason I like those rifles is that they tend to fit me better than others. The length of pull is right, the fire controls are where I think they should be and fit my hands. The Remmy's and Savages are usually comfortable for me to shoot. If I'm not comfortable behind a gun I won't shoot it a lot. If I don't shoot it a lot, then I won't get good with it, and if I'm not good with it, some animal is going to suffer. Spend some time handling rifles. Put them up to your shoulder and get a feel for the fit to you. Buy what you like and feels good to you. Then, spend a lot of time at the range.

Do you reload? If not, beware of the slippery slope.
 
#12 ·
Thanks Ron. Alex reloads most, I guess that will put him on my payroll! I won't make that jump until I have a lot of comfort with what I've chosen, then maybe reloading...
 
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#14 · (Edited)
I've been rifle hunting for a good many years and have developed some opinions and thoughts:

if you need a muzzle brake on your rifle, you're shooting the wrong gun or too much gun. I've had enough of muzzle blow back from guys shooting rifles on the line at the ranges. Work on your gun fit and shooting skills so you don't need the brake. Your range buddies will thank you. The other option is a muzzle suppressor, those are incredible and legal but more costly. (By the way, I was very recoil sensitive for many years and wouldn't shoot anything bigger than a 30.06. Now I can shoot any .30 caliber gun and my favorite caliber is a .375 H&H. It has to do with gun fit, shooting regularly, and getting input from good, really good shooters.)

If you are shooting at game beyond 350 yards you are shooting, not hunting. The sport of hunting is based on stalking an animal, outwitting it, getting close before taking the shot. A similar comparison can be made between snagging fish and catching fish on flies, it ain't what you got, it's how you got it.

An incredible grouping at 200 yards off the bench is a wonderful accomplishment to good reloads matched to a decent rifle. The real question is what happens to that group when you pick the rifle up off of the bench and shoot it? That is the true test to hunting accuracy. Got the rifle tuned in? Shoot 100 rounds off hand at a life sized photographic target of your quarry. That will show what you can do in the field.
 
#15 ·
I've been rifle hunting for a good many years and have developed some opinions and thoughts:

if you need a muzzle brake on your rifle, you're shooting the wrong gun or too much gun. I've had enough of muzzle blow back from guys shooting rifles on the line at the ranges. Work on your gun fit and shooting skills so you don't need the brake. Your range buddies will thank you. The other option is a muzzle suppressor, those are incredible and legal but more costly. (By the way, I was very recoil sensitive for many years and wouldn't shoot anything bigger than a 30.06. Now I can shoot any .30 caliber gun and my favorite caliber is a .375 H&H. It has to do with gun fit, shooting regularly, and getting input from good, really good shooters.)

If you are shooting at game beyond 350 yards you are shooting, not hunting. The sport of hunting is based on stalking an animal, outwitting it, getting close before taking the shot. A similar comparison can be made between snagging fish and catching fish on flies, it ain't what you got, it's how you got it.

An incredible grouping at 200 yards off the bench is a wonderful accomplishment to good reloads matched to a decent rifle. The real question is what happens to that group when you pick the rifle up off of the bench and shoot it? That is the true test to hunting accuracy. Got the rifle tuned in? Shot 100 rounds off hand at a life sized photographic target of your quarry. That will show what you can do in the field.
I have kind of a different take on things I guess. I've been hunting game since I was 5 years old, except for the three and a half years I hunted men, so 63 years experience. In all that time I can count the shots I made off hand on two hands. I always shot from a supported position if I could. It may have been prone, kneeling, sitting, squatting, whatever, but I tried to shoot supported. My goal when hunting is to prevent suffering and getting a quick, clean kill. I can do that best taking the best possible shooting position. My off hand shots were when hunting men and I was breaking contact. I just put rounds down range to get their heads down. I have passed on shots when I couldn't get a good solid shooting position.

I am with you on muzzle brakes at the range. A couple weeks ago ago I was between a guy with a .300 Winmag and a guy with a Mosin Nagant. Both with brakes. The overpressure when they fired was really bad, plus the dust they kicked back was blinding when in the prone.

I shoot a lot for an old guy. I get to the range at least every other week and run 4 mags through each handgun (2 1911's and a Sig SP2022 in 9mm) and 50 rounds through my rifles (2 in .308 and 2 in 5.56mm). Though there are benches provided that I use to get dialed in and chrono loads, I do most of my rifle shooting from prone, sitting and kneeling, trying to mimic the way I hunt.

300 yards, kneeling supported. It was the only target I had left, courtesy of Recoil Magazine.

 
#18 ·
yeah, it's a nice looking setup, Ron! Ed, the Howa M1500 is built on a Weatherby Vanguard action-decent but heavy, especially when you put it on the Hogue stock. you mentioned to me that you expect to pack in with this, and that really knocks down a lot of rifles due to the weight, right off the bat. Especially if you're expecting to get a bear, I'd go either 30-06 or .308, with the .300WSM a very close second (and ONLY for weight considerations). 180 grains of Hornaday SST for elk and bear, 150 for mulies, and 120 for everything else. Once you strap on the pack, and expect to hump in for a big buck, you've crossed the threshold of weight. I'd strongly recommend you up your price range to right around a grand, looking for either a Kimber Mountain Ascent, or a Savage Lightweight Hunter coupled with a Leupold Gold Ring scope, and as Tom suggests, Tally lightweight bases. As far as the "camp on the back" for elk, don't even go there. Realistically, after that one i shot was boned out I still had 390 POUNDS of meat. Fancy hauling that out before it spoils-by yourself? You can give my Kimber a try whenever you'd like. Her ladyship's got the same rifle, but she got it slightly used from Hooked on Toys; attached to a Swarovski scope..........I had to settle for a Leupold Gold Ring:(
 
#19 ·
Ed,

I have little to add and an .06 or 308 are both good choices.

I would say though that get a rifle with open sights and then put on some Leupold guide mounts. Why the guide mounts? Because you can take the scope off and put it back on and not loose your zero.

Why the open sight option? Because a scope is worthless in fog, heavy rain, snow and close in brushy situations. Also if you somehow knock the scope around and you lose the zero you still have operable sights. Nearly everyone who has hunted over a period of time has had to sit in camp waiting for the weather to clear or bitch and moan because their rifle is shooting way off from where it was sighted in at.

Open sights have saved more than one hunt for me and the last one was a moose hunt in B.C. when the fog just came in and settled for several days.

Dave
 
#28 ·
Ed,

I have little to add and an .06 or 308 are both good choices.

I would say though that get a rifle with open sights and then put on some Leupold guide mounts. Why the guide mounts? Because you can take the scope off and put it back on and not loose your zero.

Why the open sight option? Because a scope is worthless in fog, heavy rain, snow and close in brushy situations. Also if you somehow knock the scope around and you lose the zero you still have operable sights. Nearly everyone who has hunted over a period of time has had to sit in camp waiting for the weather to clear or bitch and moan because their rifle is shooting way off from where it was sighted in at.

Open sights have saved more than one hunt for me and the last one was a moose hunt in B.C. when the fog just came in and settled for several days.

Dave
Plus Marines, unlike Seals, can manage good clean kill shots at 500 yards with open sights. :)
 
#21 ·
Jim, Rifle, scope and bipod and an empty 10 round mag sits right at 10.5 pounds. I did replace the original Tupperware stock with a Bell and Carlson M40 stock so that bumped the weight up to a whopping 11 pounds.

Ed, Sorry, buddy, but I just gave this Remington 30-06 to my daughter. That's why I'm now shooting a .308.

 
#23 ·
Jim, Both the Savage stock and the B&C stock have very nice recoil pads that make shooting very comfortable on my 68 and 3/4 year old shoulder. I load the .308 to almost max charge (44.5 grains of IMR 4064 under a 168 Grain Sierra Match King) because that's the sweet spot for that particular gun. I can run a hundred rounds through it and have no problems with the shoulder. After shooting 50 rounds through the DMPS Gen II Recon (also .308) the shoulder is starting to feel the recoil. No recoil pad at all on the AR.

I have to admit, I like to tinker with guns as much as I do flies. Now that I'm starting to loose depth perception in my eyesight, wading is getting difficult. I can still look through a scope or down iron sights and hit what I shoot at though.
 
#24 ·
There's a guy on Hunting Washington forum with two 7mm-08's for sale.
A Browning XBolt and a Ruger American.
I don't have any experience with either rifle but did a deal with him for some reloading supplies and he's solid.
It's not a Tikka but will get you hunting with a great all-round cartridge and the price leaves room for good optics.
Let me know if you want to connect with him.
 
#25 ·
There's a guy on Hunting Washington forum with two 7mm-08's for sale.
A Browning XBolt and a Ruger American.
I don't have any experience with either rifle but did a deal with him for some reloading supplies and he's solid.
It's not a Tikka but will get you hunting with a great all-round cartridge and the price leaves room for good optics.
Let me know if you want to connect with him.
That would be good. Thanks. The more options the better.
 
#32 ·
Good thread... I too am interested in getting a good value, covers a lot of uses, hunting rifle. The model 70 sure seems to be mentioned frequently in this and many other articles. I keep looking for one with a scope at the gun shows, but nothing yet. Do you guys think I'd be better off just buying new?
 
#34 ·
This month's Guns & Ammo has a nice writeup by Boddington on the new Mossberg Patriot in .375 Ruger. it's a little more gun than most of us need, but for larger, more dangerous game like bear, it might be worth a look. He had some nice things to say about it, and it seems Mossberg has worked to overcome the problems it had a few years ago-at least on this weapon.
 
#36 ·
True, (and ammo isn't readily available, either) but it does come in other calibers. I'd recommend that given the scenarios you encounter over there on the West side, you add this one to the "scout" list. Especially considering the iron sights. While there's no such thing as a rifle that'll fit perfectly mounting both a scope and iron sights, this one's at least workable. I didn't check out any price variants among the different configurations, the Marinecoat laminated stock did catch my eye. I'm not impressed with black plastic though!
 
#37 ·
I'm a big fan of the Ruger M77...my '06 I bought used with 4x weaver scope (the must-have setup for the late 70's) for under 200 bucks. It shoots as good as I can. Most used don't have many rounds through'em. It's as good a value as many others and a darn fine hunting rifle.
 
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