bringing together all the 'what should my first hunting rifle be' thread advice

I like what you said about the 7mm-08 Remington. “Most guys buy for their wives..” because I just ordered a rifle in that caliber for me wife hahaha 😂
Will be here Thursday. Savage 110 lightweight Storm
It’s for our 13 year wedding anniversary also
 
davedavidave said:
is 308 better than 30-06?
Click to expand...

"better" would not necessarily be the appropriate word to use, in my opinion. It tends to open the age old debate on caliber choices.

If you could expand your question, it would be helpful.

For example, is xx better than yy for ABC? Or if I plan to hunt/shoot/etc xyz at so so distance, in [this] kind of terrain, would there be any benefit to select xx vs yy caliber?

Or you can ask what you asked and see what kind of unsubstantiated opinions you receive.

Hope that was helpful, side note. Welcome to the CGN community.
 
@Nikuser, you are right. I am quite a new gun owner, looking to buy hunting rifle, mostly for bear/deer/moose. I have friends use both 308 and 30-06 caliber. let's say if I were to pick a Tikka t3, does it matter which caliber to go?
 
I'll start by saying, I'm no expert, but either of those calibers would do great on the selection of game you mentioned. There are in fact several others that would also. For example, I'm a fan of the .270 win. However, with today's bullet technology, it's not the same debate it once was. Considering the bullet expansion control, weight retention and ballistics consistency, the major factor in deciding whether you would adequately harvest the game of your choice is actually the one with the finger on the trigger. Bullet placement, trigger control, reading a reticle, breathing and choosing not to over reach a distance target are what I would ask a new shooter to focus on.
That being said, buy the most reliable gun you can afford, in a caliber that will allow you to practice, practice, practice. The price between 30-06 and 308 is negligible since most hunters would use less than half a box per season. The price is important when you are a new shooter and need to practice, practice, practice.
Don't forget to budget for a scope. Don't spend all the money and effort in the rifle. Even the cheapest rifles would easily allow you to harvest game. As long as it shoots straight and bullet go where to want it to.

Most would recommend getting the most expensive low power scope you can afford. Although, I really like my Bushnell Engage. It's not all that $$$ but tracks excellent and is very clear.

The short answer is, no. The tikka is a great rifle and don't worry too much about the caliber.
 
tikka is an example I pick as some of my friends love it. I don't know much to have a preference yet. 'buy the most expensive you can afford' as suggested by some is kind of not quite convincing. Any suggestion?
 
Last edited:
I'm always shopping with deals in mind and depending on where you are the deal will vary greatly! Also, the choice would vary depending on whether you sit and wait or walk/drive for game? So weight is a factor. Plan for bad weather and don't have reliable cover? then barrel finish/material is important to consider. Shoot open fields or logging lanes? look are different scope/sight options. Maybe your area has caliber restriction (i see you are in Ontario), then 12ga could be your only option.

I can give you my general preferences (given a wide range of budget options) and you can take it as you wish.

-Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 / Howa 1500 in .270win with box mag - excellent budget option if you can still find it.
-I like the box mag over a bottom plate, I like the three position safety, mine always shot great (once I found what ammunition it liked). Wasn't too heavy (low 7lbs range) to walk around with.
-Tikka T3x lite stainless in .308
-Great lightweight option
-I have my eye on the Weatherby Vanguard® MeatEater Edition (https://weatherby.com/store/meateaterrifle/)
-Not sure if it'll be available in CDA though.

Hope that helped.
 
Digger77 said:
Lots of good info, but might be a tad confusing for a true newbie to hunting/shooting.
Click to expand...

Feel free to ask any questions if you need clarification on any terms used.

The short of it is, it's a difficult question to answer.

Manufacturers spend millions in advertising $$$ to tell you one choice is better than another. In reality, it's a personal choice based on your own needs and situation.
 
Just gave this a read, lot of good info.

Wish I took this up when the pricing was reasonable and we had dollar parity.

Definitely worthy of being a sticky not just today, but well into the future. :)
 
I could tell you what would be a good rifle for me, but for you??? You need to decide for yourself.
  1. It needs to be big enough to humanly dispatch the game you will be hunting..
  2. It needs to be reliable
  3. It needs to be accurate enough for the game you are hunting at reasonable ranges. MOA is nice but for most 2 or even 3 MOA will work.
  4. It needs to be suitable for you; not too heavy, not too much recoil that you flinch, easy to handle.
  5. Will you be reloading? If not, you want to be able to buy good ammo; Reloading may enable you to buy a heavier calibre and load up and down as required.
  6. It needs to be something that you like and are proud to have. Pretty hard to care how well you shoot if you have a fugly rifle. BTW, old is not not always ugly... I love my old, new and newer Mausers. Three were built before I was born, and I love them all.
  7. Once you have decided on what you want/need/like you have to be able to not care what everyone thinks... Just don't get one that requires a Man-bun to operate. LOL
 
As long as the calibre chosen is lawful, and the hunter shoots from ranges and positions that allow him to reliably place his shots on a 12” plate - there are no wrong answers where big game weapons are concerned.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom