Help! Need a new gun!

D

DaveC

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I don't know what to do. I've got the itch, but don't know what to buy. I don't need a varmint gun, or a .22. I have a 870 Supermag for birds, but no semi, and no smaller gauges. I have a .308 and .30-06 for hunting, but was considering something bigger for bear and moose, even though my .06 kills 'em just fine. I kinda like the idea of a big bore lever. Do they kick like a bastard? What's the effective range? I think if I got into something like a .338 or bigger, I'd need a muzzle brake. I hate getting ####kicked by a rifle. I just gotta buy something. I kinda like the Savage over-under rifle/shotgun combos too. I'm going to the Bud Haynes auction this weekend, but if there's nothing I like there, I'm going to be twitching trying to buy something:)
 
Dave,

You are in a bad way, sir. But relief is at hand!

It sounds like you're a prime candidate for a Marlin 1895. With a good recoil pad (Pachmayr or Limbsaver) and a set of aperture sights (Williams or XS), you're set to go. The factory sights are mediocre, IMHO, and a scope sort of destroys the natural balance, or so I felt when I had my Weaver 2.5 on mine.

The 45-70 isn't a long-range round, due more to trajectory than terminal ballistics. A big slug would no doubt take down a moose at 300 yards but you'd probably want to keep your shots around 100-150 max. for practical reasons.

The recoil can be invigorating with max. loads but manageable under hunting conditions with mid-range ones. I had mine out on the range a few weeks ago, shooting 405 gr. hard cast around 1650-1700 fps. (45 gr. of RL15) Over a reasonable period I went through 35 rounds and my shoulder was a little sore the next day, but no loose dentures or whiplash(!) Recoil is also a personal thing; some folks are more sensitive to it than others. The 45-70, being a straight-sided, low-pressure case, doesn't seem to whack you as sharply as some big magnums. The load I was shooting was probably about similar to a .300 Win Mag. (about 30-32 ft.lbs.). I've gone as high as 48 gr of RL 15 but that definitely is getting into .338 recoil territory. The day I shot the 48 gr. loads I also shot a friend's new Sako .338 and it felt about the same but I might have been a little dazed by then :)

Drop a line to "Gunasaurus" here on CGN. He just got an 1895 earlier this year and can give you some "in the bush" feedback on it, too.

:) Stuart
 
Josquin, thanks for the reply. I am sort of leaning towards the lever guns, just to mix things up a bit. There are a couple lever 10 guages listed at eh auction this weekend that I've always wanted. Only problem is, one of those would probably just be a collector type of gun to buy. Although, if I'm not mistaken, I think you can shoot modern ammo in the Winchester 1901, but the 1887 is black powder only.... Hmmmm....I'm starting to babble. Damn it, hunting season just ended and I've already been bitten by the gun shopping bug. I'm going to have to start chasing coyotes soon to keep me sane:D
 
I have a Marlin levergun in .450. Pushes a 350gr Slug @ 2150fps. the recoil is stout, but with proper form and a good reacoil pad it's quite mild.
 
The .460 Weatherby Magnum will spit out a 450 grain bullet at 2700 fps m/v with almost 7300 ft-lbs of energy. I think this is what you need!

Lol!
 
New gun

Dave I was at P&D in Edmonton today and some one traded in a Sako in 338 with laminate stock with a muzzle break, also saw a nice model 70 used without a break in 338 and I saw a very nice mod70 used in 6.5x55, Cheers FS
 
Monty said:
The .460 Weatherby Magnum will spit out a 450 grain bullet at 2700 fps m/v with almost 7300 ft-lbs of energy. I think this is what you need!

Lol!
Click to expand...
OH YA that is the way to go buy why stop there how about 50 BMG that is a real mans gun!!!! lol :D
well my advise for you is get a 300 win mag, 338 win mag, or a 375 h&h they all are realy good rifles that push a bullet at a fine klick.
to deal with recoil go with a realy good recoil pad and if you dont mind the extra BOOM get the muzzle break.
talk to ya all later
Riley
 
Damn, everyone bailed out on me for the auction in Red Deer. I did some looking around today. Not much at the places I went to for big levers. I did see some guns that tempted me at P&D. I looked at eh 6.5X55, but I think if I were going that route, I'd get a .25-06 instead. I don't know what to do. New hunting rifle, new shotgun, what the hell ?????? I'ts gonna be my Christmas present. My wife gets a puppy, I get a gun. Everyone is happy........
 
DaveC said:
Damn, everyone bailed out on me for the auction in Red Deer. I did some looking around today. Not much at the places I went to for big levers. I did see some guns that tempted me at P&D. I looked at eh 6.5X55, but I think if I were going that route, I'd get a .25-06 instead. I don't know what to do. New hunting rifle, new shotgun, what the hell ?????? I'ts gonna be my Christmas present. My wife gets a puppy, I get a gun. Everyone is happy........
Click to expand...

Post pictures of puppy and gun once both at home.
 
How about black powder

Buy a muzzle loader. If you like to mess around with shooting it'll give you a whole new dimension to the hobby. Recoil is very mild, even with the mag models.
 
You need to come and visit Santa Doug and his elves!

By golly I REALLY need to get a list of traders/sellers published one of these months. Like that custom Sako AV in .338-06 Improved............

Doug
 
OK, what about between these 3. Tikka T3, Ruger M77 MarkII All Weather, Ruger M77 Mark II Target all in .25-06. The target is a bit heavy for hunting, but probably damn fine serving double duty as a long range varminter (the target model is also availiable on the exchange forum used for a decent price) The others would be brand new. The Rugers have about 2" more in barrel length compared to the Tikka, and come with rings.

I looked at the Mariln Guide Gun and decided it would probably be too much recoil for this guy. :redface:

I've always toyed with the idea of a .25-06, maybe the ideas time has come.:D
 
.25-06 is a good cartridge, but IMHO is just adequate for deer and nothing bigger. It uses a LOT of powder, for a LOT of blast.........

I guess the biggest question is what do you want to DO with this new rifle? Just enjoy it as a shooter? Then I think the .25-06 is a very fine cartridge. Of all of the rifles I have shot (several hundred, at least), the most FUN I ever had was with a Remington 700 BDL in .25-06! It would shoot lead bullets and jacketed bullets, light ones and heavy ones, it did not matter, and all very accurately.

Doug
 
Well, it would be for deer and maybe coyotes. I have a .223 for yotes already, a Browning BAR in .308, and a .30-06 Savage. Really, as far as my wife is concerned, and maybe she has a point....the -06 should kill anything I'lm likely to ever hunt but what would the fun in that be?
 
OK, in that case I suggest you buy a shotgun, maybe a combo with two barrels. 12 gauge for sure, in my view. VERY versatile hunting rig, one of the best, and will smoke deer and coyotes both at up to a hundred yards, maybe better if you are good and have the right gun/load combo.

Best guy to ask about longer-range shotgun use here might well be BIGREDD.

Doug
 
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