If you were buying your first hunting rifle.....

308 hands down for a first rifle. It's probably all you will ever need.

I'd opt for a Tikka. Buy once, cry once and you'll have it for the rest of your life.
 
Thanks John_B, I’d suggest he looks at the used market and spends $1500 on something in .308, that has nice walnut and absolutely no plastic components whatsoever. It’ll survive the cabinet culls over the years. I wish I was given that advice, and listened to it, be fun to have my first “old reliable” in the cabinet. Instead natural selection has ruled my safe, and it’s left just two originals.
 
MiG25 said:
Interesting, so you're saying a Newbie would have no problem dealing with a dead Moose.
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Everyone has to shoot their first moose sometime...

I have lots of friends that don't hunt but are more than willing and capable when it comes to butchering a pig or cow, why would they have any trouble with a moose if they so choose to take up hunting? Plus, who says they are going to be hunting alone?

I stand by my statement, moose are easy to get close to, a huge target, put any reasonable bullet from 25 cal on up where it belongs and said moose is not going far... Sounds perfect for a new hunter.

I could not imagine the excitement a new hunter would feel walking up to their first game animal, especially a moose! Did I mention they are absolutely delicious too?
Now I have to go to freezer and grab a moose roast to thaw, guess what my family is having for supper tomorrow night?
 
from what your saying i would say start with a 308. its a good all around rifle lots of ammo around and a better price. you can go practice shooting for cheaper than the other calibers for what your looking for.
should be able to pick up a 308 rifle for decent price.
 
Ardent said:
I wish I was given that advice, and listened to it, be fun to have my first “old reliable” in the cabinet.
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I'm very much in the buy once, cry once camp, but also appreciate bang for the buck. There are decent rifles available in the price range you noted for sure and with a quality scope, you have something that you will never outgrow. I still have every rifle I bought except my first centerfire rifle I bought to go Moose hunting when I was still in high school (Rem 700 30-06). There are a few handguns that I passed to my son because of the ridiculous OIC but he would have gotten them anyway. People do look at it differently though - my younger brother recently got his PAL and is looking for a rifle for deer hunting. I spent quite a bit of time looking at retailers and on the EE and sending him pics before I realized we are on opposite ends of the scale. I was looking at classic rifles in easy to find ammo calibers with gentle recoil; something I'd be happy to have myself and pass on. Mostly wood stocked and blued but not mandatory. Something I'd enjoy looking at, taking to the range and using in the field. I finally realized he just wants the cheapest thing he can find, that will come out once a year to check sight in at the camp on arrival and then shoot a deer probably less than 100 yards away. So we will search for something functional... And there is nothing wrong with that if that is how you feel about firearms. It's just not me.
 
Mr.Rigpig said:
Everyone has to shoot their first moose sometime...

I have lots of friends that don't hunt but are more than willing and capable when it comes to butchering a pig or cow, why would they have any trouble with a moose if they so choose to take up hunting? Plus, who says they are going to be hunting alone?

I stand by my statement, moose are easy to get close to, a huge target, put any reasonable bullet from 25 cal on up where it belongs and said moose is not going far... Sounds perfect for a new hunter.

I could not imagine the excitement a new hunter would feel walking up to their first game animal, especially a moose! Did I mention they are absolutely delicious too?
Now I have to go to freezer and grab a moose roast to thaw, guess what my family is having for supper tomorrow night?
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Indeed, I was making an assumption that a fellow from a city of 170,000 people who has never hunted anything with seemingly minimal experience with firearms would have trouble dealing with a dead Moose.
 
MiG25 said:
Indeed, I was making an assumption that a fellow from a city of 170,000 people who has never hunted anything with seemingly minimal experience with firearms would have trouble dealing with a dead Moose.
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Yes, looking at it from that angle the new hunter would have his hands full... lol

Not only that, but the cattle and horse owners in the surrounding areas better round up their livestock and pen 'em up for the season too, just in case. Wouldn't be the first time...
 
Mr.Rigpig said:
Yes, looking at it from that angle the new hunter would have his hands full... lol

Not only that, but the cattle and horse owners in the surrounding areas better round up their livestock and pen 'em up for the season too, just in case. Wouldn't be the first time...
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Funny too how it's always a Blue Ribbon Bull or Kentucky Derby Winner that someone mistook for a Moose.
 
MiG25 said:
You'd have to prowl your local stores but around here, 7mm RM and 270 are both easy to find.

If you're buying a new rifle, see about buying a case (10 boxes) of ammo at the same time.
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Only caveat that I would add is that, before you buy a case of that ammo, make sure that your rifle shoots it well. I'd be sad if I bought a case of ammo and it didn't shoot worth a damn. And that would be Murphy's Law.
 
300 Win Mag, Tikka or Sako in stainless, Limb saver recoil pad (if you are sensitive to recoil), spare mag & a few boxes of 180 gr. Great do all, dependable rifle.
 
Bksrt8 said:
Just curious what calibre you'd be looking at as someone who has never actually hunted ANYTHING before.
I'm interested in medium to large sized deer mostly for eating not a trophy hunter in any way, and up to moose....Im looking at hunting in the Timmins area as that's where I'd like to purchase some property.
My thought is something in 308/300winmag or 30-06 because of ammo availability as I have no real desire (yet) or equipment to reload....that may change later.
The 6.5 family is intriguing as well but seemingly less ammo availability.
Any thoughts? Thanks for your time!
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There's always lots of great advice here. Sometimes,TOO much. I live within 20 minutes of you and this is what I've found. A .30-06 is excellent for handling any big game in all of Canada, but, in particular, Ontario. So, too, will a .270 Win. The difference is that where we live, there's a caliber restriction to .275 and smaller in all municipalities listed in The Summary. That means your .30-06 will be a safe queen until Moose and Deer season. That's a pretty significant investment. Varmint/predator hunting is open in this area all year where tags aren't required on only a small game license, so, if you want to rifle hunt Ghogs and Coyotes,it must be the smaller caliber. I bought a .270 five years ago and my 30-06 hasn't seen daylight since. I've taken both Moose and Deer with the .270 without any issue. Varmint/predator hunting is a great off-season boredom relief,keeps your eye keen,too.
 
Clay00019 said:
300 Win Mag, Tikka or Sako in stainless, Limb saver recoil pad (if you are sensitive to recoil), spare mag & a few boxes of 180 gr. Great do all, dependable rifle.
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Easy to find one of These used, as they have brutal recoil, nothing will ruin a new rifle shooter faster than a Tikka in 300 WM, the same gun in 7-08 would be a good start and take any game around.
 
I was going to start a thread but thought I'd piggy back on this one first.

If I was to purchase a rifle to eventually use for hunting in 270, what are peoples opinions on the Sauer 202? I checked one out yesterday and was impressed. A friend with a collection is looking to downsize and it had the rubberized stock, good weight and seems to have a good pedigree.

Any thoughts from the forum?
 
Many many thousands of deer, black bear and moose have been shot by the good old 30-30 Winchester in lever action rifles and many many thousands of others with the venerable 303 British out of army surplus Lee-Enfields.

There are equally many more modern cartridges and ultra-slick plastic fantastic syth-stocked stainless-steel barreled rifles in a whole variety of cartridges. Look at the advice in the above pages and make your choice, but the truth is if it is a centre fire rifle of adequate calibre in a decent rifle and goes bang, then you're set.

I knew an old cowboy who used to kill grizzly bears with his lever action Winchester 35-35. My dad hunted deer for years with a .22 Hornet. I am not advising you to follow suit, I'm just sayin'.
 
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