Bassmaster
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- WMU 48 - Whitetail country
$750ish total will still buy you a half decent used Trade-ex Mauser beauty(marks) and a new Redfield......hunt forever and give it to your grandkids
Entry level 308?
- Thread starter Gleevo
- Start date
308 and 30-06 good choices.
Stevens 200 (just ordered) in my opinion is better than axis because it is more `upgradable` (savage 10 action) for $350. axis still good.
xl7 marlin- around 300
rem 700- sps around 500
id pass on the mossberg but biased opinion. night train just seems so cheap. who makes a tactical lever...so lame.
don't all guns last forever (that aren't polymer)????????????
as far as ive read, axis stocks have recoil lug built into the stock, not the action so have fun if you want to upgrade the stock.
Picked up an axis package today, didn't have the ruger american, the savage 200 or some other ones you guys mentioned. Looked at the rem 700 and the marlin but for the price I couldn't beat the axis, and yes it does feel cheaper than the $900 rem 700 but it's a third of the price. I wanted to buy local especially since the guy was so helpful, also didn't plan to get the package but it was only $50 so I'll use the scope until I pick up a good used redfield or something, plus I can include it if I sell the rifle next year.
I guess this is a little late but you made a decent choice. I have an Axis in 22-250 that I adjusted the trigger on. The trigger still sucks but it is a tack driver. One day I may look at getting the trigger a little more crisp. The scope on mine is still kicking. I planned on replacing it but it does the trick.
Redfield or Vortex are not really that great. Decent value for money. I own a Diamond Back Vortex in the same price range. You would do well to save your money a little longer and get a nicer optic. Conquest and VX3 come to mind.
Good glass holds its value over the years. It's a good investment.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Forget the entry level rifle bit and simply purchase the best rifle you can afford. If that happens to be a Stevens 200 then that's what it is, and frequent use will allow you to gain a comfort level with it. As a rule though, I suggest that folks who are on fixed budgets consider a quality used rifle over a bargain basement new one. Be less concerned with the cartridge the rifle is chambered for and more concerned about how it feels and cycles. Stay away from very powerful cartridges until you develop some good field marksmanship skills. A .308 is generally considered a good middle of the road cartridge, but some find it a bit punishing in a light rifle. Don't turn your nose up at sub .30 cartridges like the 6.5X55, the .260, .270, 7-08, or 7X57. The lighter bullet spit out by these cartridges generally produce a bit less recoil than the .308, reducing the learning curve for a novice rifleman. A big part of our shooting cost comes from the price of ammunition. That being the case consider the handloading right out of the gate. A modest handloading set up can have you producing quality ammo for about $300, and at today's ammo prices, this investment can be quickly recouped if you shoot regularly. When purchasing components, it is quickly apparent that small cartridges use less powder than large ones and that smaller diameter bullets are less expensive than larger ones. But you don't want to cheap out on either your scope or mounts, both of these elements are critical to your ability to shoot well under challenging field conditions.
