$300 +- budget and an unexperienced shooter

Depending on the terrain and your personnel preference, a good lever action from Win. or Marlin in cal. 30/30 or bigger, would be the best bet unless you live in the wide open part of the prairies. These rifles are prolly best without a scope so you can save some money there. If you happen to live close I will give you ammo for any of those guns, if you need.
 
SKS OK. Remmington 770, have one paid $356.00 shipping and Taxes included. The bolt is bit sticky but just put some lube and it is good. Good, solid, accurate rifle on the budget
 
Under $300 is a bit tight

The Savage Edge with a scope from Cabelas is a good deal for $329 but you have to add in taxes and shipping, so $400 is a bit more realistic.

Keep checking the gun shops for used rifles. Put an ad in the local newspaper. Frequent the gun clubs and range, and talk to people.

Also, do it NOW. Hunting season starts in about 6 weeks, so the prices will be going up.

Look at a used rifle to start with, in a standard calibre that you can get ammo for. .303, .308, .30-06, 30-30, 8x57, 6.5x55, or similar calibres.

I agree that the 8x57 is a bit anemic WITH NORTH AMERICAN AMMUNITION, but load it with Norma or Prvi-Partisan and it is a different ball game. Europeans understand the differences between the 8x57 I (or J) and the other 8x57 IS (or JS), and the differences in bore sizes.

Trade-ex has some great bargains in used Swedish rifles. I just bought a STIGA 8x57 hunting rifle, side safety, and 4x scope for $250 plus taxes and shipping. One of the nicest hunting rifles a person could want.

However, Federal 170 grain Power Point ammo is 2360 fps. Norma is 2700 fps, and I reload, so I can get the best performance out of this rifle.

FORGET ABOUT THE SKS. YOU WILL ONLY HAVE WOUNDED ANIMALS OUT THERE, especially the Elk or Moose class. A good experienced shot with an SKS may be able to bring one down, but you do not really have the experience to do it right now.

I would not recommend the Magnum calibres to a new shooter. That is one way to turn them off, and they will develop a great flinch. A .308 or 30-06 will take almost anything in North America, ammo is available everywhere, and you can have a rifle and scope combination for under $400. If you keep it for five years, it will average out to $80 a year, and you still have resale value. If anyone recommends a Magnum cartridge for a new shooter, you should smile and politely walk away. He's not the guy you want to give you advice on picking a rifle.

Spend a little more. Visit the local gun shop, and ask him what is available. Pick up different rifles and try them for size, weight and balance. Explain your situation to a KNOWLIGEABLE gun shop owner, and see what he recommends. You could see if he can match the Savage Edge Combination, for example. If he knows he may gain a repeat customer, he might just give you a pretty good deal.

Above all, look at any advice you get from friends and relatives with a bit of caution. Get advice from Experienced hunters, not the armchair ones.

Good luck.
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Find a decent enfield for $150-$200. Spend the remaining cash on ammo and learn to shoot it. Then go hunting. Another advantage of the 303 is that even most Canadian Tire, Wal-marts, and some hardware stores, still carry ammo for it. Try to find 6.5x55 in your home town before you consider that option. If it is available, then you make the choice from there.
 
For a scoped rifle, as mentioned a 303 enfield is a good choice. Good ones with a sporterized stock can be had for as little as 150 with iron sights. Wallyworld and Cdn Tire sell bushnell 3-9 scopes for a hundred bucks.

A used rifle/scope is a good option. Also look under misurps. I picked up a P17 (14?) in 30-06 for under 200 bucks. Came with a hooped scope and a strap, but that gave me the scope rings and mount. Put on a 99.00 bushnell and it shoots a 1" group from 100yds. An excellent all around gun for under 300 bucks.

An open sights lever is also a good suggestion if that would suit the hunting you'll be doing. 30-30's, 32, 35remingtion can all be had well within your budget, probably some others, too.

Others have also suggested the pkg guns for around 400. I personally think you can get a better used gun for the same money, but there's something to be said for buying new, and that way you know exactly what you've got.

You have lot's of choices. You have to figure out what type of shot's you'll be taking when hunting and that will narrow it down. After that it's your personal preference.
Best of luck.
 
If you buy anything used, get someone experienced to look it over first. Some old milsurp rifles have bad bores and won't shoot accurately anymore. It would be a shame to buy a worn out gun.
 
I have a straght pull bolt Steyr in 8mm mauser with almost 300 rnds of soft point for sale on the EE. That'll take anything in north america, and it's very accurate. You'd have to supply your own glass though. There are some good budget scopes on the EE as well.
 
^if hes a new shooter, likely does not reload, and is on a tight budget he should probably stick to something that has inexpensive ammo available over the counter anywhere. .30-06, .308, .270, .303, .30-30.

something like 8mm mauser is going to cost him $10-12 more per box and hell have to go to someplace like LeBaron or Epps to get it.
 
Another vote for a sporter Enfield.. got my No 4 Mk 1* for $150 shipped. Sometimes you can find them even cheaper.. ammo at Le Barons is about $22 for a box of 180 gr SP.

There are scope mounts out there for it as well, ones that require no smithing if you want
 
badboybeeson said:
LE Mk4 in 303 more big game has been talken with it in canada then all others combined.
its a bet you life on it gun.
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I have an iron sighted bubbahed Pattern 14 in the safe that could use a new home...


SuperCub said:
Whatever! :rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes:

An SKS would be so far down the list, it wouldn't be a blip on the radar. :onCrack:

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Milsurp wise my M44 Mosin would be taken on a hunt like that before my SKS, as it has more powerful cartridge (On par with the 30.06), easier to clean then the SKS and has a bayonet as well. :D

Come to think of it one can by them for under $200, and I see Frontier firearms (CGN supporting dealer) sells them and S&B soft point ammo.

http://www.frontierfirearms.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1053
 
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I'd go for that Savage Package.....it would provide a lifetimes worth of killin critters! The scope might end up giving up the ghost in a few years, but would be easy enough to replace! It is a few more dollars than what you were willing to spend, but really, do a few extra hours of overtime a week, it would be worth it!
 
7.62mm said:
I'd go for that Savage Package.....it would provide a lifetimes worth of killin critters! The scope might end up giving up the ghost in a few years, but would be easy enough to replace! It is a few more dollars than what you were willing to spend, but really, do a few extra hours of overtime a week, it would be worth it!
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Last year I saw two package deal scopes fail the first trip to the range not even a few shots into a box of ammo...and as for easy to replace...sure just spend another $300 to $600 on a scope.

Rifle is good the scopes they come with are garbage...leave it behind on the counter when you buy your rifle.
 
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