$300 +- budget and an unexperienced shooter
- Thread starter DTO60
- Start date
Please don't tell an inexperienced shooter to shoot Elk and Moose with an SKS.
Exactly my point.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
no kidding!
if you are truly on a budget and want to put 'meat on the table' cheap, then hunting isnt the way, especially if you are just buying the gear now. go to the grocery store and buy some beef.
when all costs are considered, hunting is not a cheap source of meat at all. thats why i laugh whenever any non-hunter says something like 'must be nice to get free meat'. lol, 'free'
NewToTheGame
Regular
- Location
- Embro, Ontario!!
My recomendation is find a used 6.5x55. I was just married not to long ago, mortgague, school debt, etc.... I picked up my sportered swede for $100 with a 2-7 scope, it bagged me a 12pt buck last year! (My first year hunting). Still on a budget, I have managed to acquire a 6.5x55, 303 enfield, .222 savage, 12ga winchester, .22 cooey. None of these were over $200. 6.5 - $100, 303 - $100, .222 - $200,.22 - $30, 12ga - I traded for my SKS............ So there you go, fill a safe on a budget.
There are deals out there, just look for them and jump when they present themselves!!!
P.S. My vote is 6.5x55, mild recoil, accurate, and kills deer dead as it gets!!!! GOOD LUCK!!
There are deals out there, just look for them and jump when they present themselves!!!
P.S. My vote is 6.5x55, mild recoil, accurate, and kills deer dead as it gets!!!! GOOD LUCK!!
- Location
- London, Ontario
Shotgun with slug?
One got a replacement scope from the dealer and IIRC that scope lasted one hunt, and the other fellow didn't bother and had the money for a better scope.
On the scopes they came with the crosshairs with the 30.06 moved randomly after each shot...we confirmed this with a laser borsighter and the patterning on the target.
The 7mm crosshairs repositioned to the right after each shot, which got quite silly after a few shots.
Too much kick for my liking out of the 7mmMag, but the 30.06 felt good.
Overall I did like the fit and finish of the rifles though.
Methinks one in .308 would be quite a sweet rifle for the price.
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NorthernCX
CGN Regular
- Location
- In My House
Ditto on the package deals- I know with the Savage 30-06 I got, the Simmons scope on it (called an 8-point... but try and find out anything about that scope from Simmons) wandered all over the place. Ended up putting on a Bushnell 3200 Elite- MUCH better!
Also, with a package deal, regardless of whether you use the factory scope or not, CHECK EVERY SCREW!! I shot the rings, bases and front action screw loose on that Savage in its first day at the range... and burned a lot of ammo in frustration in the process!
That being said, a coworker who also happens to be a firearms instructor has the same Savage combo in 7mm-08, uses it for deer, moose and elk every fall and still has that Simmons scope on it with no complaints- you might get lucky.
Also, with a package deal, regardless of whether you use the factory scope or not, CHECK EVERY SCREW!! I shot the rings, bases and front action screw loose on that Savage in its first day at the range... and burned a lot of ammo in frustration in the process!
That being said, a coworker who also happens to be a firearms instructor has the same Savage combo in 7mm-08, uses it for deer, moose and elk every fall and still has that Simmons scope on it with no complaints- you might get lucky.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
if i picked up a package gun, the packaged scope would be immediately removed and relegated to a .22LR, and something better would be mounted. on a really tight budget sometimes the factory rings/mounts can be made to work as long as they are loc-tited.
the Bushnell Legend 2-7x32mm (on special right now for $118 at LeBaron - i think i paid ~$150 for mine) is a particularly good deal on an entry level scope. i have been trying to kill mine for years with Mini-14s, M1As, etc (which are particularly punishing on scopes) and it is still going strong. its compact and can be mounted very low over the bore, and has a nice wide clear FOV for a budget scope - its as clear as my Leupolds. 2-7 is also IMO the most useful range for an all-round scope.
http://www.lebaron.ca/fall%202010%20pages/specials_bush_tasco.pdf
the Bushnell Legend 2-7x32mm (on special right now for $118 at LeBaron - i think i paid ~$150 for mine) is a particularly good deal on an entry level scope. i have been trying to kill mine for years with Mini-14s, M1As, etc (which are particularly punishing on scopes) and it is still going strong. its compact and can be mounted very low over the bore, and has a nice wide clear FOV for a budget scope - its as clear as my Leupolds. 2-7 is also IMO the most useful range for an all-round scope.
http://www.lebaron.ca/fall%202010%20pages/specials_bush_tasco.pdf
If that's all you have, you'd be better off to wait until you can afford something 'decent'. Buying cheap crap will do nothing but give you grief, and more then likely turn you off from the sport.
Is there anyone you could borrow a rifle from???
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
to a point. some rifle sights are just plain garbage.
good ones? sure - but the Mojo microclick sight upgrades on my Mosin cost me almost as much as that scope i linked, and are arguably less effective than a scope especially if you are not used to using irons and have less than perfect eyesight.
the problem is that most sporterized guns in that price range have had their sights butchered. most new factory guns in that price range - if they have irons at all - will be something like cheesy flip-up irons, most of which are an absolute nightmare to adjust and use.
if he wants to keep shots around 100 yards he could get away with a 30-30 levergun, there might be some in that price range.
Or you could buy something inexpensive now and upgrade as you have cash. You can buy Marbles and Williams sights (irons) and upgrade them to better than that sheet metal crap and that may be good enough. Has worked for lots of people. I have an old Winchester 1894 from around 1900 that has excellent irons-so does my Henry Golden Boy. Check the local gunsmith or gunstore and see what they have used too. Go to a HACS show if you are fortunate enough to have one in your area or post a "wanted" as on the EE. You might be surprised at what you find if you poke around a bit. Or you can buy a cheap used scope and shoot that till you can afford something better. Lots of choice.
Buy an old Enfield 303 for $150 or so and learn to shoot it. The sights were good enough to kill other soldiers a ways off so should still be good. Heavy yes but cheap sure thing.
Buy an old Enfield 303 for $150 or so and learn to shoot it. The sights were good enough to kill other soldiers a ways off so should still be good. Heavy yes but cheap sure thing.
Definitely check out what TradeEx has on offer. At any given time there are good serviceable hunting rifles there for very reasonable prices. And watch the EE. I just saw a Savage 340 on there for $250. That's a no frills basic bolt-action hunting rifle that will do what you want. And It's a .30-30 which for what you want is not the optimum cartridge by modern standards but certainly good enough if you are, and not a rare or expensive cartridge. There are lots of Lee Enfields around that are worn out, and lots that still have what it takes to make meat. If you find one local to you and the seller lets you shoot it first, it's probably because it is going to be good enough. The .303British is another good old classic cartridge for deer, elk, moose, black bear, and widely available.
I have a Weaver Challenger fixed 4x scope I will lend you, with rings, for one year if you need it to get hunting. You pay postage. Simple, reliable, and enough scope for almost all the hunting most people do. (If you like it enough, make me an offer, but I'm not particularly trying to sell it, it is cheap to own and handy to have around. If you try to buy it and don't offer enough, you still get to borrow it for the year. Glad to help a newbie get into hunting.)
I have a Weaver Challenger fixed 4x scope I will lend you, with rings, for one year if you need it to get hunting. You pay postage. Simple, reliable, and enough scope for almost all the hunting most people do. (If you like it enough, make me an offer, but I'm not particularly trying to sell it, it is cheap to own and handy to have around. If you try to buy it and don't offer enough, you still get to borrow it for the year. Glad to help a newbie get into hunting.)
