If you had to start from scratch...

Suther said:
Yeah the Glenfield Model A looks like a better rifle than the Axis. They're very close in price too, you don't get a scope with the Glenfield but the scopes that come on the Axis are worth like $60 so it's not a big deal.
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Having both, will second all of the above.

Both solid rifles but for the price I'd go with the American/Glenfield, and the scope any of the package deals come with is a placeholder lol
 
Well if it was my friend I would make sure he was gonna need all these firearms I mean if he never hunter waterfowl and doesn’t know anyone hunting them chances are slim he will be doing so on his own. Anyway I digress, I would go tikka t3 cause everyone agrees they are the very best( I should try one one day), 30-06 good enough of course and I would go with a basic but quality scope, a fix 4x used like a m8 or the like.
As for a 22 I would go basic here cause why not, for a couple brown you can get yourself a great little 22 that will shoot for ever. No need for a scope on that if it is to practice and shoot grouses!

I would skip the shotgun unless he’s got someone to go with for hunting ducks and geese.
And even then he could borrow a shotgun to try out!

But of course I’m a rifle type of guy, so i would spend my money on that. Of course if waterfowlling is his predominant goal then go all out Ona good shotgun…
 
Just to further the thought on those Savage "comes with a scope" package deals, take it off and use it on a rimfire. They seem to handle up to the recoil of a 243, but anything more, and it's a gamble, as something in the internals doesn't hold from shot to shot.
 
Joel said:
Having both, will second all of the above.

Both solid rifles but for the price I'd go with the American/Glenfield, and the scope any of the package deals come with is a placeholder lol
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I bought two of the Weaver scopes that come with the Axis, Tenda had em for like $60 a pop a few years ago. They're not GOOD scopes, but they work. Perfect for my wrong-handed Savage Axis whos original scope got sold years ago on another rifle, or for just having an extra scope kicking around - I hate buying a gun and then having to buy an optic just to be able to shoot it.
 
Suther said:
I bought two of the Weaver scopes that come with the Axis, Tenda had em for like $60 a pop a few years ago. They're not GOOD scopes, but they work. Perfect for my wrong-handed Savage Axis whos original scope got sold years ago on another rifle, or for just having an extra scope kicking around - I hate buying a gun and then having to buy an optic just to be able to shoot it.
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Totally get that, just hate having to use those scopes even worse personally ;)

If someone can put em to good use on a 22 or something for $80 or so, works for me but yeah...you do have to wait.

Ruger Americans used to come with a Vortex Crossfire for $1099, which is a step up I guess.
 
saskgunowner101 said:
Just to further the thought on those Savage "comes with a scope" package deals, take it off and use it on a rimfire. They seem to handle up to the recoil of a 243, but anything more, and it's a gamble, as something in the internals doesn't hold from shot to shot.
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My Bushnell scope saw about 300 rounds of 270win before it got moved to a different gun. My friends Axis/Weaver combo has at least that many 30-06 rounds through it as well. And these are both hunting rifles that have seen plenty of time afield, so its not like they've been babied.

Ymmv of course, but I have no reason to believe they can't handle the recoil.
 
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If I was only going to own a couple guns, like in the OP, I’d skip the gunsafe, and just buy trigger locks and cases for each of the 2 or 3 rifles. Gonna need a gun case anyways, that lineup is obviously for hunting and target shooting, so rather than have a safe and handful of cases stacked up beside it, I’d just use the cases.
 
The advise I recently gave, essentially in the same circumstances, to a younger guy minus the wife and kids. First piece, don't plan on putting all this stuff into your safe in one swoop over the weekend. Shop, look around for value, there's lots of it out there.

-Rifle, a very good used Winchester model 70 sporter, 30-06, late '80s - early '90s push feed production, $800-$1000. It's heavier which will help manage the recoil and reduce flinch reaction.
-Scope, used Vortex Viper HS 4-16x44, $500
-Rings, base, new Leupold STD low, $200
-Rimfire, good used 22lr Savage B22 package with rings, bases and scope, $400
-Shotgun, a good used 20 gauge Mossberg 500 or a Savage 311 SXS, $400, maybe $450 for real clean version.
-Safe, a used, lockable shop change room locker, $50, add $20 for a lock.
-Ammo, plan on hundreds $$$$$$
-Total, $2370-$2620 plus maybe $36 in tax for the STD's and locker.

And it's good quality that should not need upgrading in the short term, and may never.
 
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Starting from scratch I agree with the 30-06 cartridge selection.

Tikka 30-06 ($1000)
Leupold VX Freedom or Burris Fulfield Scope = Talley lightweights ($500 - $600)
New or used Ruger 10/22 ($450)
Cheapest pump 12 ga ($500)- I miss the days of the $320 remington 870 express
 
Suther said:
My Bushnell scope saw about 300 rounds of 270win before it got moved to a different gun. My friends Axis/Weaver combo has at least that many 30-06 rounds through it as well. And these are both hunting rifles that have seen plenty of time afield, so its not like they've been babied.

Ymmv of course, but I have no reason to believe they can't handle the recoil.
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YMMV indeed, but I've shook them to pieces in the past with iirc less than 20 rounds a piece with 30-06, 45-70, and 9.3x62. Like, crosshairs shook out of place/rotating or something loose rattling inside kinda thing. In 2025, I used the one that came off another Savage package rifle on my ml. Held up fine with single pellet loads while I was fooling around and dialing in, and same thing, once I started with 2 pellet loads (100 grain eq) she went squirrely.

Popped it on my 400 L to see what would happen, and same thing. Popped a Feyachi RD on the ml, and magic...it could put bullets in the same area code again. Then threw a Burris on the 400 L, and again, magic, I could make groups.

Now, this same scope went onto a rimfire, and works perfectly fine.
 
I wouldn't change anything much as to what I have now, except maybe one cartridge, keep the same gun. I have versatility for birds, varmints, big game, range guns. They all have their applications, but, are also versatile enough for other apps.
 
Suther said:
I agree with the above. I absolutely LOVED my Axis when I bought it, but it was $235, whereas a used mauser-based sporter was like $500. Today, a used Mauser is STILL $500, but the Axis has gone up nearly 3x from what I paid.

I still own my Axis, and I still shoot my Axis. But at $650 it's no longer the value it once was.
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The Axis, like the Stevens 200 before it, was a remarkable bargain at their retail price points. There's a reason that you don't see a Stevens 200 come up often...no one wants to sell them. Wonder why? The fact that it was a $250 tack driver? Sure, it wasn't perfect, but even with the crappy factory trigger, my 30-06 shot far better than it had any business doing. Wish I had picked up a 223 or 22-250 while I was at it!
 
Just to be silly I decided to run the exercise again, but go for the gusto. Same basic parameters...a 30-06, a 22LR, and a 12ga. I stuck to hunting and sporting arms and stayed away from target models and chassis rifles. And someone mentioned rings and bases, which is an area that I overlooked before. Best to budget at least a couple or three hundred to get those.

Rifle - Sako 90 Finnlight - $2670.00
Scope - Leupold VX5HD 3-15x - $1499.98
RF Rifle - CZ 457 American - $869.99
Scope - Leupold VX Freedom RF - $479.98
Shotgun - Browning Citori 825 Field - $4069.99
GST - $479.50
Total - $10,069.44
 
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Any chance you have firearms you can lend him to get him started on a hunt or 2 and time at the range. My personal experience and im sure others here have done the same was to buy budget items and later buy the keeper items that by taking my time were reasonably priced then had sell the original buys they I was never really happy with.
With him getting in the sport it may do him well to take it slow.
Don
 
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