First hunting rifle recommendations

Tikka but I would pass on the 3006. Since it won't likely be your only gun I would go for a 270 or 6.5 cm, much less kick so less likely to develop a flinch as a beginner and both of these calibers would kill anything thing short of a moose and even then with the right cartridge and shot placement would still be capable.
 
If at all possible go and handle and shoulder as many of the rifles mentioned in this thread. If you live near a retailer even if you need to drive a bit it is well worth the time and gas. Everyone is different and a rifle I really like may be a strong pass to you or vice versa.
You can find all kinds of hands on reviews online about all the rifles your interested in so take some time to go through those but at the end of the day getting your paws on them will seal the deal on if the rifle is right for you.
Have fun with your search!
 
If you have friends who are hunters, ask to go with them to a range and shoot their guns. I personally never said no to friends who asked me. See what you like.
Choice of caliber: 260 Rem, 6.5CM, 6.5x55 swede, 7 mm 08 or 270 win, all these calibers will be great for your use with reasonable recoil. Barrel length 22-24 inches.
At your price range I would try to find a new Howa, Weatherby Vanguard S2, Browning ABR, Winchester XPR, in this order. Look for packages with Scope. Don't simply buy online. Try your guns on your shoulder.
You can also look for used guns. If you know nothing about rifles, make sure to get the gun examined by a gunsmith or a knowledgeable friend.
 
Im going to butt in and say i recomend the remington 700 as its a very versatile and fun riffle. Lots of different chasis availible for different look or purposes..

As far as caliber.. im surprised no ones mentioned the .243 winchester.. very accurate and has enough power for deer and smaller animals such as coyotes or hog..
Very quick bullet that "can" be compared to the 6.5 creedmore in terms of accuracy but the rounds are half the price.. because it isnt the rifle or the caliber that will make a difference but the amount of practice and rounds you shoot will.. not a lot of recoil which is good for a newbee.. not sure how the .270 compares to the 243 but it is an option to consider
 
Vanguard S2, Browning AB3, or something along the lines depending on the features you like e.g. hinged floorplate or detachable mag,...

If you want only one hunting rifle the .30-06 is IMO the way to go. Big selection of cartridges with good availability. There is also reduced recoil factory rounds if wanted/needed.
 
Shui5612 said:
Im going to butt in and say i recomend the remington 700 as its a very versatile and fun riffle. Lots of different chasis availible for different look or purposes..

As far as caliber.. im surprised no ones mentioned the .243 winchester.. very accurate and has enough power for deer and smaller animals such as coyotes or hog..
Very quick bullet that "can" be compared to the 6.5 creedmore in terms of accuracy but the rounds are half the price.. because it isnt the rifle or the caliber that will make a difference but the amount of practice and rounds you shoot will.. not a lot of recoil which is good for a newbee.. not sure how the .270 compares to the 243 but it is an option to consider
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Shui5612,
The 243 has an effective range of around 170-180 yards. This is good for hunting in the woods of Eastern Canada. For a Western hunter, calibers of bigger diameter are more appropriate as he might have to take longer shots at some point. 260 Rem, 6.5CM, 6.5x55 swede, 7 mm 08 or 270 win all have effective range above 260 yards. A box of Core Lokt 130 grain win 270 goes for around 22$ in my area.
 
TSherback said:
Tikka but I would pass on the 3006. Since it won't likely be your only gun I would go for a 270 or 6.5 cm, much less kick so less likely to develop a flinch as a beginner and both of these calibers would kill anything thing short of a moose and even then with the right cartridge and shot placement would still be capable.
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Do you hunt moose? A .270 is very capable of downing ANY moose on the planet. I have killed 3 bulls with a .270 and have seen dozens dispatched over the years. I did use 150gr bullets, but cmon, moose are actually easier to kill than deer in my experience.
 
TSherback said:
Tikka but I would pass on the 3006. Since it won't likely be your only gun I would go for a 270 or 6.5 cm, much less kick so less likely to develop a flinch as a beginner and both of these calibers would kill anything thing short of a moose and even then with the right cartridge and shot placement would still be capable.
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The idea that the recoil from a .270 is significantly less than the recoil from a .30/06 is flawed. If two identical rifles, one a .270 and the other a .30/06, are compared with both firing 150 gr bullets at about 3000 fps, the difference in recoil between the two, if any, is indistinguishable. If the idea of .30/06 class recoil is objectionable, a 7X57 or a 6.5X55 might be better choices, and either is appropriate for all but Yukon moose, where the law clearly has the 180 gr load of the .30/06 in mind as a .30 caliber 180 gr bullet producing 2800 foot pounds of muzzle energy is the mandated minimum. But here's a thought, handloading and rifle shooting go hand in hand, and the handloader gets to control recoil. One way to mitigate recoil is to shoot lighter bullets at lower velocities, a .30 caliber 150 gr bullet at 2700 fps, which was the original military .30/06 load, will shoot flat and kill any North American game with a well placed shot. Stewart Edward White used this load on an extended African safari in 1913 and despite using the military load, which was all that was available, seldom needed a second shot on the dozens of animals he took, some weighing up to a ton. With modern soft point bullets, those ballistics, 150 @ 2700, will produce even better terminal performance.
 
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I wouldn't talk anybody wanting a 30-06 out of it. It's probably the best all around choice for this continent. I know of a few 11-12 year old kids that loved to shoot a friend of mine's 30-06, they could hit golf balls at 100 yds with it. The rifle was a rem mountain rifle, not a heavy gun and recoil never bothered them. One of these kids, now 18 years old took a mule deer at fairly long range, I don't remember the range but I think close to 300 yds using the same 30-06. Recoil is over rated.
 
Boomer said:
The idea that the recoil from a .270 is significantly less than the recoil from a .30/06 is flawed. If two identical rifles, one a .270 and the other a .30/06, are compared with both firing 150 gr bullets at about 3000 fps, the difference in recoil between the two, if any, is indistinguishable. If the idea of .30/06 class recoil is objectionable, a 7X57 or a 6.5X55 might be better choices, and either is appropriate for all but Yukon moose, where the law clearly has the 180 gr load of the .30/06 in mind as a .30 caliber 180 gr bullet producing 2800 foot pounds of muzzle energy is the mandated minimum. But here's a thought, handloading and rifle shooting go hand in hand, and the handloader gets to control recoil. One way to mitigate recoil is to shoot lighter bullets at lower velocities, a .30 caliber 150 gr bullet at 2700 fps, which was the original military .30/06 load, will shoot flat and kill any North American game with a well placed shot. Stewart Edward White used this load on an extended African safari in 1913 and despite using the military load, which was all that was available, seldom needed a second shot on the dozens of animals he took, some weighing up to a ton. With modern soft point bullets, those ballistics, 150 @ 2700, will produce even better terminal performance.
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Um...Op stated first time hunter. I could be wrong but maybe he isn’t into reloading just yet.
 
jagermyster said:
As the title says. This will be my first crack at hunting this fall. Wondering about a good budget setup in preferably in 30-06 that won't break the bank. Any recommendations ?
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Is there a particular reason for '06? For deer and mulies, a 308 would be at least as good, easier to get ammo, and more rifle choices. If 308 is an option, you might also check out the Savage 99 - but try it first. I've shot a few (and owned 1) that were dogs in the accuracy department, others (most) were quite good.
 
Boomer said:
The idea that the recoil from a .270 is significantly less than the recoil from a .30/06 is flawed. If two identical rifles, one a .270 and the other a .30/06, are compared with both firing 150 gr bullets at about 3000 fps, the difference in recoil between the two, if any, is indistinguishable. If the idea of .30/06 class recoil is objectionable, a 7X57 or a 6.5X55 might be better choices, and either is appropriate for all but Yukon moose, where the law clearly has the 180 gr load of the .30/06 in mind as a .30 caliber 180 gr bullet producing 2800 foot pounds of muzzle energy is the mandated minimum. But here's a thought, handloading and rifle shooting go hand in hand, and the handloader gets to control recoil. One way to mitigate recoil is to shoot lighter bullets at lower velocities, a .30 caliber 150 gr bullet at 2700 fps, which was the original military .30/06 load, will shoot flat and kill any North American game with a well placed shot. Stewart Edward White used this load on an extended African safari in 1913 and despite using the military load, which was all that was available, seldom needed a second shot on the dozens of animals he took, some weighing up to a ton. With modern soft point bullets, those ballistics, 150 @ 2700, will produce even better terminal performance.
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Even without handloading, I believe Remington makes a Managed Recoil load for the '06, which would still keep it well within deer hunting requirements.
 
I’m of the opinion that new shooters should avoid used guns until they settle in. Theres exceptions; such as buying from a experienced and trusted friend who will let one one of his own go. The thing is its best to avoid learning to shoot and learning to solve gun problems at the same time. Its possible to buy a new problem rifle but the odds are in your favor.

For new hunters on a budget I usually suggest a new Vanguard S2. Solid, affordable, reliable, guaranteed for accuracy. Plain or fancy; stainless or blued is up to you. The 30-06 part is fine; but so is a .270 or .308. Either way you’ll have your short range deer rifle with affordable ammo options.
 
I recently bought a new savage axis ii xp in .308. Ive only shot a few boxes through it, but it seems like a good rifle for the price. Mine came with a chinese Weaver 3-9 and adjustable accutrigger.
 
Remington 783 with scope upgrade. All you need to do is spend $150 on a Bushnell Banner scope and you got a significantly better scope than the no name scope it has on it. Save the no name scope for a .22LR.
 
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