Best first hunting rifle?
- Thread starter stoop14
- Start date
All three of those would work for what you are looking to do. My advice would be to hit the local gun store and shoulder a few and see what model feels like the best fit, then see what calibers are available. Also, if any of your buddies shoot, see if you can try out one of their rifles.
As your first center fire rifle, you are probably going to want to spend a fair bit of time at the range, so for that reason I would stay away from any of the .30 cal magnums. Get something you can shoot a lot...and shoot it a lot.
If it was me, 30/06.
As your first center fire rifle, you are probably going to want to spend a fair bit of time at the range, so for that reason I would stay away from any of the .30 cal magnums. Get something you can shoot a lot...and shoot it a lot.
If it was me, 30/06.
- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
I personally like the .270 for big game...deer, moose etc.....great diversity of bullet weights and available at most stores.
drummerboy73
Regular
My first rifle was a .280 rem. I still have it to this day as well as a .280 AI. You get the benefit of the great selection of 7mm bullets in a nice shooting flat cartridge that will kill anything on your list. That being said you will never go wrong with a 30-06.
As far as ammo goes it will depend greatly on the bullet you choose. Premium bullets will cost more than generic brands like remington core lockt or winchester super x. Federal fusion ammo is apparently a very good line of ammo as well and resonably priced.
As far as ammo goes it will depend greatly on the bullet you choose. Premium bullets will cost more than generic brands like remington core lockt or winchester super x. Federal fusion ammo is apparently a very good line of ammo as well and resonably priced.
I think you've been given good advice so far and I'll add a bit of my own to what has been said.
How do you feel about recoil? Those 7mm mags and even the 30-06 in a light hunting rifle can beat you up if you're not used to it and they really aren't necessary if you only typically shoot 200 yards and less. If you hunt game out around 300 yards regularly, the magnums are really nice because they shoot very flat and have lots of power even out to longer ranges.
Those would be the points I would consider in picking your rifle.
I highly recommend 7mm-08, 270 and 308 if recoil is not your thing but if you don't mind it, there's nothing a 7mm magnum or 300 win mag won't bring down.
Oh ya, that Fusion ammo is the best stuff around IMO.
How do you feel about recoil? Those 7mm mags and even the 30-06 in a light hunting rifle can beat you up if you're not used to it and they really aren't necessary if you only typically shoot 200 yards and less. If you hunt game out around 300 yards regularly, the magnums are really nice because they shoot very flat and have lots of power even out to longer ranges.
Those would be the points I would consider in picking your rifle.
I highly recommend 7mm-08, 270 and 308 if recoil is not your thing but if you don't mind it, there's nothing a 7mm magnum or 300 win mag won't bring down.
Oh ya, that Fusion ammo is the best stuff around IMO.
Bassmaster
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- WMU 48 - Whitetail country
I know they're boring as hell but they're popular for a reason.....308 or 30.06
Seconded. If you're a larger person and/or like various rough or contact sports, you might actually enjoy the punch of a 300wm in a well-fitted rifle.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
You have a very knowledgeable guy close by in Whitehorse and would be quite a mentor in my estimation. Ted Wagner and he goes by Why not? on this site .
Getting someone local to help you out is certainly best.
Why not? is a better resource than this, but I wrote it up a while ago as a compilation of the typical advice of CGN community to folks in your situation:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=431263
RG
<><
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Your first hunting rifle should be much the same as your 20th, except that it should be for general use where the 20th rifle will probably be for specific use. If must possess the power, trajectory, and accuracy to allow you to kill a game animal with a single shot from any angle and within the range of your marksmanship limitations and the limitations of the conditions on the ground.
The rifle must fit you, and that fit must be while you are wearing the clothing you would normally wear in the field. When the rifle is brought to shoulder the butt should not catch on clothing, and when your cheek hits the stock the sights should be immediately in your field of view without having to squirm around to acquire a sight picture. The rifle should not be fatiguing to carry all day. It should be equipped with a sling that can be used as a carry strap and as a shooting sling.
It should have a robust set of iron sights that are easy to use, whether as the primary sighting equipment or as back up to a scope. If scoped, the scope should be small and robust, mounted as close to the bore as prudent in good quality rings, and not extend behind the rear bow of the trigger guard. A low power variable while ideal can involve some mounting difficulty due to the longer eye piece, a low fixed power scope will be less expensive and can still be used effectively out to 300 yards if you have the ability to shoot that far in the first place.
The length of the rifle should be no longer than you can manage under the conditions you expect to be hunting in; most folks do pretty well with a standard length action, a 22" barrel, and 13.5" length of pull which typically is an 8 pound rifle when equipped with sling, scope, and a magazine full of ammo. The choice between stainless vs carbon steel rifles doesn't matter in the real world. A rifle that is cared for will be reliable while a rifle that is abused will let you down. Choose a rifle that catches your imagination.
Choose a rifle that catches your imagination. There is no point in purchasing a bolt gun if your heart is set on a lever action. I would advise against a single shot as your first hunting rifle, as learning to make fast followup shots from the shoulder is an important skill to master.
While your question pertains to cartridges, that is the least important consideration of your rifle. If you can find a rifle that has every element you are looking for, but comes in .30/06 when you wanted a .280 Remington, it is the correct choice. The game animal won't be able to tell the difference and neither will you. My rule of thumb for big game cartridges is that the minimum caliber is 6.5 and the maximum caliber is whatever I can handle. But a general purpose hunting rifle should be able to be shot effectively from all field positions, including prone. Some find this impossible with the .30/06 while others can bang away happily with a .375. If your exposure to shooting is limited, you should probably start with a milder round and a 6.5X55 is a good choice, so is a 7X57. Once you've decided on the rifle and cartridge, you should invest in a modest handloading set up. This will allow you to shoot more per dollar than you could with factory ammo, and the initial set up need not be expensive.
Now that we understand the parameters of your hunting rifle, what does your budget allow? Few of us were able to start with custom rifles or even top line off the shelf rifles. Find a rifle that has the elements that matter. Don't make a purchase based solely on price. If possible, choose a sporting rifle over a surplus military rifle. While there are exceptions, and despite the military rifle's robustness, the action is apt to be rougher, the trigger poorer, and the accuracy less inspiring than what is commonly found in a quality sporting rifle. However, don't turn your nose up at the possibility of choosing a used rifle. The used market often allows you to purchase quality you would not otherwise be able to afford. But again, concentrate on the elements of the rifle that really matter.
The rifle must fit you, and that fit must be while you are wearing the clothing you would normally wear in the field. When the rifle is brought to shoulder the butt should not catch on clothing, and when your cheek hits the stock the sights should be immediately in your field of view without having to squirm around to acquire a sight picture. The rifle should not be fatiguing to carry all day. It should be equipped with a sling that can be used as a carry strap and as a shooting sling.
It should have a robust set of iron sights that are easy to use, whether as the primary sighting equipment or as back up to a scope. If scoped, the scope should be small and robust, mounted as close to the bore as prudent in good quality rings, and not extend behind the rear bow of the trigger guard. A low power variable while ideal can involve some mounting difficulty due to the longer eye piece, a low fixed power scope will be less expensive and can still be used effectively out to 300 yards if you have the ability to shoot that far in the first place.
The length of the rifle should be no longer than you can manage under the conditions you expect to be hunting in; most folks do pretty well with a standard length action, a 22" barrel, and 13.5" length of pull which typically is an 8 pound rifle when equipped with sling, scope, and a magazine full of ammo. The choice between stainless vs carbon steel rifles doesn't matter in the real world. A rifle that is cared for will be reliable while a rifle that is abused will let you down. Choose a rifle that catches your imagination.
Choose a rifle that catches your imagination. There is no point in purchasing a bolt gun if your heart is set on a lever action. I would advise against a single shot as your first hunting rifle, as learning to make fast followup shots from the shoulder is an important skill to master.
While your question pertains to cartridges, that is the least important consideration of your rifle. If you can find a rifle that has every element you are looking for, but comes in .30/06 when you wanted a .280 Remington, it is the correct choice. The game animal won't be able to tell the difference and neither will you. My rule of thumb for big game cartridges is that the minimum caliber is 6.5 and the maximum caliber is whatever I can handle. But a general purpose hunting rifle should be able to be shot effectively from all field positions, including prone. Some find this impossible with the .30/06 while others can bang away happily with a .375. If your exposure to shooting is limited, you should probably start with a milder round and a 6.5X55 is a good choice, so is a 7X57. Once you've decided on the rifle and cartridge, you should invest in a modest handloading set up. This will allow you to shoot more per dollar than you could with factory ammo, and the initial set up need not be expensive.
Now that we understand the parameters of your hunting rifle, what does your budget allow? Few of us were able to start with custom rifles or even top line off the shelf rifles. Find a rifle that has the elements that matter. Don't make a purchase based solely on price. If possible, choose a sporting rifle over a surplus military rifle. While there are exceptions, and despite the military rifle's robustness, the action is apt to be rougher, the trigger poorer, and the accuracy less inspiring than what is commonly found in a quality sporting rifle. However, don't turn your nose up at the possibility of choosing a used rifle. The used market often allows you to purchase quality you would not otherwise be able to afford. But again, concentrate on the elements of the rifle that really matter.
I like this advice. Can't go wrong with 7mm-08 and 308.
I agree with this and while a medium sized cartridge is quite desirable and can be shot all day long, you really have to consider the availability of your rounds and the cost of shooting. examples like 30.06, .308. and 30.30 you will find in EVERY sporting goods store, and in a variety of weights. Other ammo, as fine shooting as it may be, is not always available or readily abundant without shopping at a large store.
A note on carbines; while a bit lighter and easy to handle, they generally don't drive nails like a full barrel rifle at 300+ meters.
30-30 is probably cheapest, followed by .308,30-06, 270win, 243 in a dead heat
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
The availability of factory ammo is less important if he decides to handload. At about $25 a box, you won't be tempted top shoot 50 rounds of factory .30/06 ammo per week or even per month. Less than that and your skills degrade. I admire the .30/06, its probably my favorite rifle cartridge, but some new shooters do find it intimidating, particularly when chambered in a light rifle with a tupperware stock, as is the current trend. In most cases the .308 will do anything the .30/06 can do, including recoil, although proper stock fit, a quality recoil pad, and correct shooting positions make a world of difference. The .30/30 is a wonderful woods cartridge, and in some parts of the country you could ask for no better. But its trajectory places it in the role of being most useful in a specific role rather than being a candidate for a general use firearm, as do cartridges with velocities between 2400 and 3000 fps.
A big game rifle doesn't need to drive nails; it needs to kill big game. Far too often the need for precision accuracy in a big game rifle with a maximum range of 300 yards, fired at a 16" target is over stated. Not that barrel length alone has much to do with accuracy, but thats another debate. What matters is how accurately you can shoot at a target that has no precise aiming point, from field positions, under realistic conditions. The requirement for a big game rifle to shoot half-minute groups from the bench is like requiring a bush plane to fly at mach 3. It can't be used even if it were attainable. Where your first shot hits the target is far more important than where the fifth shot hits, or even your third. If your rifle always puts the first shot from a cold barrel right at your point of aim, you have a special rifle, even though it might not put the following 4 shots into 4".
X2. But check out your local gun shops, hardware stores, Canadian Tire and Walmart if you have them there and see what ammo calibres that are most commonly carried and at what price? Particularly if your not going to get into reloading anytime soon.
After saying that, there is sound here from everyone that has replied to your question. If you know people that have the calibres you might be interested in, ask them if they would let you try shooting them to see what you might prefer. Then look for one in the preferred calibre that fits you best.
Good Luck and have fun looking!
