I plan on purchasing my first rifle within the next month. I have been shooting my fathers guns up until now and am having difficulty deciding which way to go. I want a versatile gun in terms of being able to dispatch a variety of Ontario big game as well as being capable of semi-long range target shooting (not planning on being Mark-Wahlberg but would enjoy getting out to at atleast 500 yards). 1500$ would be my approximate price range including optics. Any opinions and experience is greatly appreciated.
First Rifle
- Thread starter AR1724
- Start date
Welcome to GunNutz! 
A buddy of mine a while back bought a hunting rifle, he selected a .308 which is good for game, good for long range shooting up to 1000 meters, and easy on recoil. Do your research here prior to spending your hard earned cash and save some for the optics, which are just as important as the rifle.
A buddy of mine a while back bought a hunting rifle, he selected a .308 which is good for game, good for long range shooting up to 1000 meters, and easy on recoil. Do your research here prior to spending your hard earned cash and save some for the optics, which are just as important as the rifle.
Mumbles Marble Mouth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland
I'll vouch for the .270 Winchester as well.
I wouldnt suggest .270 for your first rifle. Eventually, yes everyone needs to experience the .270's capabilities. Get yourself a .223, .204, etc. first and work up to a heavier hitter. If you must have an all around hunting rifle right aways, maybe look at a 7-08.
droid1963
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Depending on where you want to hunt in Ontario, you may want to reconsider the
308 (as fine a cartridge as it is).
Some WMUS have a restriction of. <270, so that or the
260 Remington would be my choice
308 (as fine a cartridge as it is).
Some WMUS have a restriction of. <270, so that or the
260 Remington would be my choice
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
While you said you've been shooting Dad's guns, we don't really know how much shooting you've done or to which cartridges you've been exposed to. Never the less, you can't go wrong with a cartridge having a bullet diameter between 6.5 mm and .30 caliber when combined with a case of moderate powder capacity.
The .270, .280, and the .30/06 followed by their ugly step children the .308, 7-08, and the .260 are all effective on medium to large big game over normal hunting ranges. Shooting out to 500 yards in calm conditions is so easy that you shouldn't be surprised to find yourself wanting more challenge from them. Of the 3 the .30/06 is my all time favorite, but according to Townsend Whelen, for whom the .35 Whelen was named, "the .280 is just a little better than the other two, but not so much better as to warrant trading one of the others to get one." The selection of 7mm bullets is nearly as good as the .30 caliber selection, the .270's selection is not quite as good, but still covers all the bases.
If you intend to handload, it doesn't really matter which cartridge you choose; you can make it dance to the tune of your choice, but if you restrict yourself to factory ammo, it will cost much more to shoot enough to become competent, and the full versatility of the cartridge cannot be realized. With handloads you can load for small game and birds ammo that is little more destructive than a hi-speed .22 for camp food or inexpensive plinking, match ammo for target shooting out to a half mile or beyond, varmint loads to trim down the coyotes, not to mention ammo that is suitable for all North American big game, and for 90% of the game elsewhere.
Choose the rifle and cartridge that grabs your imagination. Gun choice is a reflection of our personalities, but in your position I would get a Winchester M-70 in .30/6 and top it off with a low power variable scope, say a 2.5-8X Leupold. To me that typifies the big game rifle. It may exceed your budget slightly, but you'd have a top notch outfit to start you out.
The .270, .280, and the .30/06 followed by their ugly step children the .308, 7-08, and the .260 are all effective on medium to large big game over normal hunting ranges. Shooting out to 500 yards in calm conditions is so easy that you shouldn't be surprised to find yourself wanting more challenge from them. Of the 3 the .30/06 is my all time favorite, but according to Townsend Whelen, for whom the .35 Whelen was named, "the .280 is just a little better than the other two, but not so much better as to warrant trading one of the others to get one." The selection of 7mm bullets is nearly as good as the .30 caliber selection, the .270's selection is not quite as good, but still covers all the bases.
If you intend to handload, it doesn't really matter which cartridge you choose; you can make it dance to the tune of your choice, but if you restrict yourself to factory ammo, it will cost much more to shoot enough to become competent, and the full versatility of the cartridge cannot be realized. With handloads you can load for small game and birds ammo that is little more destructive than a hi-speed .22 for camp food or inexpensive plinking, match ammo for target shooting out to a half mile or beyond, varmint loads to trim down the coyotes, not to mention ammo that is suitable for all North American big game, and for 90% of the game elsewhere.
Choose the rifle and cartridge that grabs your imagination. Gun choice is a reflection of our personalities, but in your position I would get a Winchester M-70 in .30/6 and top it off with a low power variable scope, say a 2.5-8X Leupold. To me that typifies the big game rifle. It may exceed your budget slightly, but you'd have a top notch outfit to start you out.
I would recommend 7mm-08 and .308, they are sleek and efficient and low-recoiling... not like their oafish, ox-like, china-breaking cousin's the .280 & .30/06.
And you can't go wrong with a Winchester Model 70 and Leupold glass in the 2-7X, 2.5-8X, or 3-9X...
And you can't go wrong with a Winchester Model 70 and Leupold glass in the 2-7X, 2.5-8X, or 3-9X...
black powder
CGN Regular
- Location
- Saint Hippolyte
7 mm rem mag + 140 gr. barnes ttsx + savage mod.116 weatherwarrior accutrigger and accustock ..
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CoryTheCowboy
CGN Regular
I'd pick up a 6.5x55 Swede from TradeEx and happily hunt anything in Ontario.
Cory
Cory
longbranch*
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Victoria,BC.
First you must except that it won't be your only rifle. There WILL be more. That being said, I'd go with a new production Winchester model 70 Super-Grade, Featherweight or standard sporter in good ol' .30-06. I've owned hundreds of rifles over the years, but if I could have only one that would be my choice.
OP, what guns of Dad's have you shot? Which one do you like best? Which cartridge is it chambered in? What game do you envision going after in your near future? What type of terrain will you regularly hunt?
Answers to to questions like these help you define the parameters of what you need for a rifle.
I shot dad's stuff and out of the 6 rifles, I found the Vanguard felt the nicest... Look for a vanguard.
I think I will only ever go after white tails. ... Anything 6.5mm to .30 will do the job forever ... As Boomer said.
Dad has always hunted in thick bush in Southern ON ... No need for a scoped rifle. And probably has a calibre restriction...
I want to reload but haven't started yet ... Common cartridges are easy to get dies and components for.
this will probably be the only gun I get ... I'd echo Boomer in the .30-06 selection, but I would probably drop the rifle into the Savage area (actually, for me, my next rifle will be a Vanguard 2 in '06 with an elite 6500 mounted on it) giving you money for better glass and I can't fault Boomer's recommendation for glass, if you need it.
Answers to to questions like these help you define the parameters of what you need for a rifle.
I shot dad's stuff and out of the 6 rifles, I found the Vanguard felt the nicest... Look for a vanguard.
I think I will only ever go after white tails. ... Anything 6.5mm to .30 will do the job forever ... As Boomer said.
Dad has always hunted in thick bush in Southern ON ... No need for a scoped rifle. And probably has a calibre restriction...
I want to reload but haven't started yet ... Common cartridges are easy to get dies and components for.
this will probably be the only gun I get ... I'd echo Boomer in the .30-06 selection, but I would probably drop the rifle into the Savage area (actually, for me, my next rifle will be a Vanguard 2 in '06 with an elite 6500 mounted on it) giving you money for better glass and I can't fault Boomer's recommendation for glass, if you need it.
Mumbles Marble Mouth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland
Oh I see this is turning into a debate of .308 type cartridges vs 30-06 type cartridges. This should get interesting.
They're a lot of chamberings out there that are redundant and only made to sell to someone who thinks they need it.
They're a lot of chamberings out there that are redundant and only made to sell to someone who thinks they need it.
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Read this thread, stickied at the top of this board
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...hould-my-first-hunting-rifle-be-thread-advice
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...hould-my-first-hunting-rifle-be-thread-advice
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Geez man...just because they're short doesn't mean they're ugly!
Shouldn't that read "the .30-06 and it's ugly step children the .270, .280, .308, 7mm-08, the .260 and the .243"? Since, as we all know...EVERY ONE OF THOSE traces it's parentage to the mighty '06!! Which was based on the earlier '03 cartridge which creation was based on heavy research on the German M/88 round (even though they say it wasn't, but the case similarities are too coincidental). So, I guess it all gets traced back to the Germans...so I suppose all of these "American" cartridges are really "European" ... BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
