Hunting capable Semi auto. I'd like solid advice.

nowarningshot said:
In a hunting rifle, as compared to a range/target toy....your choices are the Remington semi(740/7400) and the Browning Bar. I have heard that the remingtons are both jammers and not accurate. That leaves you with the Browning Bar. I prefer the Safari style Bar as they are all metal over the Stalker line which apparently has a bunch of polymer.
I'll skip the Remi-Semi then, thanks. All metal in the BAR = heavy(ier) I guess. Ok.
Have owned three Safari's and still have the 338 Win.

Any of those calibers are fine, but the 300 WSM will be 25-50% more money for ammo. The Bar's are not light, and coupled with being semi's the recoil will be light.

Thank you for confirming that. Good point on the "functional weight" if that's what you're getting at.. ie: recoil. I sure would never want a 2lb 300 caliber magnum rifle. Haha

Bars in 30-06 are common on the EE and sell usually for 600-800 range. Magnum calibers carry a premium. Bar in 308 or smaller calibers are not common in the EE.
If something is readily available on EE does that mean they're just very common, or they're not liked very much? Serious question, just wondering - in general. heh
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Thanks
 
In 7.62x39 with a budget cap of $1500, you have three choices: SKS, Mini-30, and VZ-58. Optics are going to be a pain, but consider that a lot of deer have been taken with iron sights (you will have to practice a lot!) The SVT-40 and Norinco M305 is also an option (7.62x54R and 308win) but are a lot larger to pack around.
Hmm, ok - thanks. I'd have to do something about the size of the SKS and isn't the VZ-58 a little large too. I guess you say as much in that they are "larger to pack around". If I can swap to a better stock, ok, but if they're to heavy to start with..meh.
If you expand your price range up to $3K you get a few more options. In 308win / 7.62x51: RA's XCR-M, Kel-Tek's RFB, Bushmaster's ACR, and entry level ATR Modern Hunter.
Couldn't go that high in price ranges. I've looked at the XCR's but wow, expensive; don't think that one's worth it. What do you mean on the optics problem? Mounting issues? Sit too high off the rifle or rail options etc? (haha, I like good iron sights, even just aesthetically)

All mil-surp semi's by nature are heavy in the front end. I've tried with the sks and short of hours in front of the lathe, it's still going to be heavy in all the wrong places. The optics issue with the sks seems to be solved with the Wartak rail but there is limited value in magnified optics as the sks starts throwing round outside of a moose's vital zone past 200yds.

The issue with optics on the comm-block weapons is that they aren't designed to be used with optics from the factory. The bolt carrier is exposed and the receiver cover is loosely pinned on. That's why most of the better mounts are designed to bolt to the side of the receiver and hang over the top.

Honestly, you've got so many ideas in that noggin of yours that this will not be your only gun. Buy a stinking sks, you've obviously thought about it and you can always get the Mini-30 after and still be in budget.

FYI, my VZ is half the weight of my sks....
 
On the cheap side sks is a great way to go just don't sink to much money in it but it is a fun rifle
if you want to get something to hunt moose and deer a chinese M14 is good too
I have both and love them ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE about a semi is when hunting there really loud when cycling the first round
 
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Just so we're super duper clear: 7.62x39 IS NOT the same as .308 (7.62x51). See the right two rounds? Very, very not interchangeable.

 
Also, in regards to shooting 7.62x39 400 yards "eventually, with lots of practice"...

At paper is fine, but please don't try it on a moose. A common rule of thumb is 1000+ ft/lbs of energy for big game. At 400 yards, a 7.62x39 is down to 450. A .308 is still pushing 1500.
 
And one last thing: do a little more research before you throw out the "remi semi".

Yes, the 740 and 7400 were known as Jamamatics, but they haven't been produced for some time. The 750 is quite different and I think a little research will show you that they're at least worth keeping on the list.

My $0.02
 
The 30-06 is the most available round in the world, you can go anywhere and will find it on the shelf for less (only the 30-30 is cheaper, but, availablity is limited to NA). The available choices for ammo allow for small to big game. A remington 750 in 30-06 is a good choice for what you are looking for with the Browning BAR a little higher up in quality, cost and weight. Stay away from the Remington 740/742 as they did have issues.
 
Load interchangability?! Wow!! I guess I missed that when reading the OP's first post. Did you really pass your PAL and hunting courses because it seems you may have missed the part about clearly identifying and matching the calibre stamped on your rifle?!

Last monday evening a fellow( new shooter/pal holder) at the club was telling me about the new Remington Express pump he bought earlier that day. I asked him if it was a Super Mag? He said " I don't know?" So I asked if it was chambered for 3.5" shells. This was his answer! " I think it's 4. The salesman at (left blank on purpose) measured it with his fingers and said it should hold 4". At that point the wheels were turning hard and I am thinking ok who is running the PAL courses here in town?! So he asked if I would like to see the gun and I said sure. He opens the case and there is a new 870 Express as he said. Before I could comment other than to compliment him on his purchase he had the smarts to ask how to identify if it could take 3.5" ammo. Even though my first thought was to want to ask about his PAL course and how involved it was I refrained and we went through a little info session on identifying gauge, length of shell, model on his gun etc.. He seemed very appreciative but I honestly have to ask myself. How are they getting the PAL if they cannot clearly identify cartridge/calibre/gauge of a firearm? Scary!!
 
Lambo3 said:
I don't know why you would suggest wood stock, other than you happen to like wood stocks. Especially when I said "synthetic stock" is what I want.
The only reason I suggested wood is because I have seen synthetic stocks break, and I have never seen a wooden one break in half like my Sako M995 did.

Good luck with your selection.
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I know this is thread is a bit old but I recently purchased a benelli r1 in 30-06 and have been really happy with it. Nice semi that I plan to use for hunting.
 
delboybc said:
I know this is thread is a bit old but I recently purchased a benelli r1 in 30-06 and have been really happy with it. Nice semi that I plan to use for hunting.
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Yup that would be my choice again.
Absolutely fantastic rifles IMHO.

Just don't over torque the front locking nut.
 
Buy something designed for the job you want to do. You want to hunt. So buy a hunting rifle. You can tart a milsurp rifle up all you want but it will still make for a ####ty hunting rifle.

BAR, R1 and so on.
 
rral22 said:
The 7.62x39 chambering of the Ruger mini-30 is, in fact. .308 in caliber, but it is NOT the .308 NATO cartridge ( which is actually 7.62x51 or the .308 Win). If you re-read this thread, you have already been told that by others, and apparently, didn't even read it. You are dangerously confused about this question.



You are NOT close, and the fact you think you might be is, in fact, beginning to make you actually look like "this idiot in the forum". If you don't want to take my advice, fine. But you obviously need a lot more advice than just the names of some semi-auto rifles that actually do NOT match your criteria in your OP very well at all. But you can read it all any way your mind is already made up, and, I suspect, no one will be able to change that.
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Hey, let the guy go. He can buy an SKS and a crate of .308 ammo. Then he can figure out how Ruger gets those rounds in the magazine, because he KNOWS. He read it on the internet! And then, he can tell us how they get the caramel in the caramilk bar.
 
Kindly meant, the rifle you seek likely doesn't exist and for good reasons, and before anything gain experience (re: the 7.62x39 and .308 interchangeability comment etc). Chose whether you like guns foremost or hunting foremost, first. Fortunately after that it gets simpler, good luck in your search lots of good and bad info here, you'll learn to sift it.
 
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