30-.06 -- what should I buy?

First I think you should decide if you want a nice rifle with a walnut stock or do you want a ugly, but practical, synthetic.

The walnut and blued wood takes a bit more maintenance and you have to baby it a bit more, but it gives one a bit more pride of ownership and makes a nicer heiloom. A synthetic rifle (you may as well go stainless if you go synthetic) is a bit more practical since you don't have to worry about it much in the field. Whichever is better is a personal choice, but you should make it now. (Most of us have several examples of each but we are gun nutz). A Laminate with stainless may be the best of both worlds for you.

In the Yukon I would go with bolt action. Bolts are the most popular choice out west.

If you want a nice blued/walnut gun I would look at: Winchester 70, Kimber (beware these may be too light for a starter gun), Ruger M77, used Sako ect.

For SS/Syn: Tikka T3 in laminate/SS with a high quality scope may be a really good option. Weatherby Mark V (although I've always thought a Mark V was wasted on a non magnum). Really there are a pile of good synthetic options under $2000.

Don't get hung up on detachable magazine vs floorplate. It won't matter.

You don't want your rifle to be a pig in the weight department, but I would suggest you get something that weighs minimum 7.5 lbs scoped. Ultralight rifles are not good to learn to shoot with due to their balance and recoil characteristics.

I don't know what your $2000 budget leaves for optics, but I would spend $800 minimum for a scope for a rifle in that price range. Don't get hung up on fancy long range type scopes please! You want something straightforward, especially for a first rifle.
 
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c-fbmi said:
As usual the gentlemen from the east have no idea what hunting is like in the Yukon.
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I already have a good idea what your reply will be but for the sake of the rest of us easterners please expand for us what hunting in the Yukon is really like. :)

I've seen few guns from your parts and they looked well used. Not a lot of rain there but planes and boats seem to factor in a bit.
 
Sako A7 roughtech pro is another option. I like mine. Good trigger , comfortable stock, 60 degree bolt throw, adjustable length of pull. Detachable mag that can be loaded from the top if you don't want to remove it. Have to push up on mag before it will come out. Can't accidentally lose it going through the Bush. The stock is built around an aluminum skeleton, chassis like.

Like mentioned by c-fbmi go to local store and see what feels best and comes up nice to your shoulder.
 
It is probably pretty tough to find a "bad" .30-06 these days, but some of the budget guns out there are lacking. Any reputable manufacturer makes a decent rifle. You probably need to decide what is important to you. Do you want controlled round feeding or is push feed fine? Stainless, synthetic, laminated, walnut? These are all things that will determine manufacturers and costs. Buy once - cry once.
 
Trimmer 905 said:
X2,M77 all the way. Best built rifle there is and best "bang for the buck" and it comes with Ruger rings for scope mounting on machined receiver mounts.
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The entire rifle is literally all investment castings, other then the barrel, which they would cast as well if they could figure out how to do it.
I'll take forged and milled steel for my "bang for the buck" lol.
 
Hitzy said:
The entire rifle is literally all investment castings, other then the barrel, which they would cast as well if they could figure out how to do it.
I'll take forged and milled steel for my "bang for the buck" lol.
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Dogleg said:
It only took them 40 years to learn how to make a barrel.
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So,I take it you're not Ruger fans? Laugh2
 
c-fbmi said:
As usual the gentlemen from the east have no idea what hunting is like in the Yukon. Run down to Hougen's and try out a bunch there for fit, see what you like for styling and you can check fit and finish at the same time. Remington 700s fit me like they were custom made for me, as do Mod 70 Wins, both excellent choices for a good reliable rifle you won't be looking to upgrade in 2 years. You need to decide between synthetic stock or wood stock, blued steel or stainless and in the Yukon a detachable magazine is not essential because of the laws like some provinces have. I personal dislike DMs as opposed to nice smooth floorplates, but again it's your call.
I really like the 700 CDLs such as Dogleg has on the EE right now, and own quite a few of them. You certainly can't go wrong with a 700 CDL, if you like wood and blued steel, Vanguards are well made rifles and have quite a varied selection of wood, synthetic, blued and stainless options, Model 70s come in lots of different configurations as well.
If you would like older high quality then look at Husqvarnas, 2 lug Sakos and 98 based Brownings, these are fine rifles and true heirloom quality and very well made. The search is half the fun, looking at dozens of rifles and comparing. Contact Ted (Why not?) on this forum and see what he might have in an old Husqvarna or something, you never know, and he is a great guy and wealth of knowledge and lives right there in Whitehorse.
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Take it from one who knows.
 
Superbrad said:
LOL.... Aren't you a 783 / axis fan?
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They are both milled from billet and not cast at least, and cost very little. Not too into new guns however...PH/HVA/BSA pretty much fill my safe, with a few Howa/Vanguards in the mix, one 783, no Axis anymore but they are a good buy for a beater gun.
I wonder how they can do that and retail for $400, while the Ruger is $1000 using a cheaper manufacturing process? Hmmm lol.
I actually just picked up a Sabatti Rover, and to my disappointment it is mostly cast as well. Did not read the fine print close enough I guess.... pretty enough for $600.
Sabatti_Rover_600_RS.jpg
 
c-fbmi said:
As usual the gentlemen from the east have no idea what hunting is like in the Yukon. Run down to Hougen's and try out a bunch there for fit, see what you like for styling and you can check fit and finish at the same time. Remington 700s fit me like they were custom made for me, as do Mod 70 Wins, both excellent choices for a good reliable rifle you won't be looking to upgrade in 2 years. You need to decide between synthetic stock or wood stock, blued steel or stainless and in the Yukon a detachable magazine is not essential because of the laws like some provinces have. I personal dislike DMs as opposed to nice smooth floorplates, but again it's your call.
I really like the 700 CDLs such as Dogleg has on the EE right now, and own quite a few of them. You certainly can't go wrong with a 700 CDL, if you like wood and blued steel, Vanguards are well made rifles and have quite a varied selection of wood, synthetic, blued and stainless options, Model 70s come in lots of different configurations as well.
If you would like older high quality then look at Husqvarnas, 2 lug Sakos and 98 based Brownings, these are fine rifles and true heirloom quality and very well made. The search is half the fun, looking at dozens of rifles and comparing. Contact Ted (Why not?) on this forum and see what he might have in an old Husqvarna or something, you never know, and he is a great guy and wealth of knowledge and lives right there in Whitehorse.
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Thanks, great advice, and nice to hear it from a local too.
 
Superbrad said:
LOL.... Aren't you a 783 / axis fan?
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I sure am. With these results, who wouldn't want to spend $235 on one?

5ijsVuQ.jpg


That said, the OP wants to spend more than that. Can't go wrong with a winchester or a browning. The browning rifles don't seem to get a lot of love, but they're a good rifle.
 
Tikka T3x. In whatever materials you prefer. Great trigger, detachable magazine, very useful rail for scope rings attachment. Great value, add an optic and keep the whole package below 2k.
 
Lots of opinion already here, so take mine for what it is. My own preference would be an M70, an older Sako (75 or earlier), a variety of Mauser-based others (ruger, ph, etc) then a Remington 700. I have never owned a 700, to be honest. My Father had a 788, great shooter, sold for a profit....

I agree with CFBI, you need to decide Wood/synthetic, blue vs. S/s. I drank beer and coffee in Whitehorse, no real world experience there.

Patrick.
 
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