Need some help selecting a new to me hunting rifle

Technician

Technician

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Yep, first post here and I feel all shiny and new, so go easy on me. Okay the background, as a kid I grew up at the lake cabin in the summers and like most kids I had a daisy pump BB gun when I was 8 or 9. I shot what seemed like a million rounds out of that thing, I actually wore it out I think.

Next I got the Cooey .22 single shot bolt action with .22 shorts. I remember the day we bought it at K-Mart like it was yesterday. We went there for pants or school supplies or something like that and the old man made a beeline for the sporting goods counter as soon as we walked in the door. He looks down at me and says, 'Would you like that .22 up there, as he points to the Cooey?' 'OBOY, Would I' Blue light Special! I had this stupid grin that lasted for days.

Next I got the Cooey .22 single shot bolt action with .22 shorts. I remember the day we bought it at K-Mart like it was yesterday. We went there for pants or school supplies or something like that and the old man made a beeline for the sporting goods counter as soon as we walked in the door. He looks down at me and says, 'Would you like that .22 up there, as he points to the Cooey?' 'OBOY, Would I' Blue light Special! I had this stupid grin that lasted for days.

So when I turned sixteen, I discovered cars and woman and dad ended up becoming sick and we just never went out anymore. I was set to inherit the Winchester and the Husky and some other things and my wife at the time said, 'I don't like spiders and snakes and guns' For all of you to young it was a Jim Stafford hit from the seventies, except for the part where I added guns, she pretty much laid down the law. So like an idiot I complied and let my FAC go. So fast forward twenty years and I'm now divorced and I'm thinking I'd like to go back to hunting. My PAL (Sigh) should be coming in the mail soon and today I wrote and aced my CORE Exam.

With all that outta the way now I'm looking for a decent rifle for hunting. I was thinking about going back to a 30.06 Winchester as it's what I know and I was talking to my cousin and he said that's old school and to get a 7mm. In talking to some other hunters they say that the 7mm tends to knock a large hole in your game meat. I went into three gun stores and since my PAL hasn't arrived yet they won't let you really handle anything, and from playing around with my buddies ancient moisin nagant I've learned that because it looks cool doesn't mean that it'll work for me. I'd like to choose right the first time or at least the second time in my choice for a hunting rifle.

The dream requirements would be, reasonable weight, reasonably priced ammo, accurate, decent take down power, proven reliability, reasonably rugged, magazine fed (in case I miss the first time, gettin' old you know). Price is a bridge that I will cross when I get there because I know that if you buy the right firearm it will always be worth something. Okay was that list too much dreaming? Okay any input? And remember I'm laying it out for you to chew on and banter about and it's my first real post here, so edumacate me.
 
IMHO you cant go wrong with a 30.06 as you can hunt anything with it and there is lots of ammo in different grains and its easily available .

Savage is making some very accurate bolt action rifles for a good price these days .

If you were to be more specific as to what you type of big game are you hunting, as well as how thick is the bush, is there lots of hills, are you sitting in a treestand or walking alot .What type of action do you prefer...ie bolt,pump , lever etc...are you going to put on a scope ?


As you dont need a big caliber rifle and a scope with lots of magnification if you are only hunting deer or moose out to 100 yards in thick bush...A bolt action 303 bought off the EE for $125 with no scope would do the job ....dont tell my wife that...lol



You have found a great source for info and equipment ...good luck


Lots of opinions here on the best rifle for the job :eek:
 
30-06 is a great round and pretty much capable of taking any game in North America. Ammunition is available pretty much everywhere too. As for reliability, I chose a Ruger KM77 Mark 2 Sporter. Accuracy? I think this rifle is capable of better accuracy than I am. That said, I can get decent grouping at 100 yards every time I go to the range. Mine is topped with a Bushnell Elite 3200 scope in a 3x9 with Rainguard. All in all, a pretty good hunting rig, but I still think I have room in my cabinet for a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .243.
 
My first rifle was a Remington 700 in .30-06 in 1965. The first scope was 2 3/4 power, followed by a 2.5-8 power, and now a 3 - 9 power. Availability of ammunition, and bullets for reloading was a big consideration then and still is. Due to its wide acceptance, loaded ammo is available all over the place - from Walmart to Ukrainian Wheel. I have reloaded 110 to 220 grain bullets and shot ground haogs to elk and black bear. You can't go wrong with a .30-06 but time at your local gun range will give you a better idea what might best suit your needs. There is lots of information on this site so there is no need to rush in until you know what you want to hunt.
 
Welcome to CGN and welcome back to the shooting sports.

Look for a rifle you like, this is the most important step. Worry about which cartridge to purchase second, as most modern high velocity rounds perform well on all North American big game. Of the 3 rounds I would most likely consider, the .270, .280, and .30/06 are at the top of the heap, but I have to like the rifle. If it was me, I would want the option of a glass sight or irons, but like scopes, good iron sights are almost always an aftermarket consideration. Regardless of its other attributes, the rifle must fit you, it must have a good trigger that is virtually free of creep and over-travel, with sights that are appropriate to the occasion. I also like QD scope mounts so I can change scopes or easily switch to irons.

I highly recommend handloading as a means of getting the most versatility and shooting with your new rifle. You site the wound diameter on game as being a problem with a 7mm, but this is more the result of a poor bullet choice than it is of excessive velocity at the point of impact. A mid-weight Barnes TSX is almost the "Hunting Bullets for Dummies" answer; it works, it always works, and it works on all game and over all normal hunting ranges. Remington and Winchester bulk bullets are inexpensive and quite suitable for practice and training.
 
First of all, welcome back to living...er, ah, hunting...:cool:

Secondly, you don't need much advice on rifle selection... you've got it nailed.:) If you go with a new rifle, I'd handle all three of the main M70 'sporter type' models Winchester currently offers and pick the one that calls to ya. If a used rifle, I'd find a nice 'user' M70 built before 1964... a guy could hunt the rest of his days with either.

Have fun shopping and don't forget, we like pictures of guns and successful hunts around here.:D

Technician said:
I was thinking about going back to a 30.06 Winchester...
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Like Boomer says...get something that you like and having it fit is the main concern. Ultimately, it's gonna be your "WALLET" that has the last and FINAL say!!.;)..Friggin thing of mine always does:mad:
If your an all weather hunter, consider the Bushnell Elite Series of scopes with RAINGUARD. One less thing to worry about and they have a great warranty(a little long wait sometimes...but always fixed or replaced)

There's some real nice accurate entry level guns available now...under 500 with a cheap scope on them. Savage, Marlin, and they're Really good shooters too. There's some decent used stuff around if you look a bit....you can get below new cost annnd you save the taxes!
Do some on line ogling, make a list of what you like...list your preferences and be sure to mark down where and what site you saw them on for future reference. THEN, ... when you finally get your NEW PAL((and I don't mean your buddy)...go fondle a few...;).GUNS that is!! :eek:...That the funnest part of wanting a new gun...trying to decide which one you want most!:D..Best of luck...Kevin
 
assuming you are referring to the 7mm Rem Mag when you say 7mm.....it's not much different than a 30-06...as for "7mm tends to knock a large hole in your game meat."...that's largely a function of the bullet, not the cartridge.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=575128


For a newish shooter who's not reloading a 308 Win is a better choice in a first rifle...cheap ammo and a little less recoil than the 30-06. If you intend to reload there a more choices,...of course it depends on what you intend to hunt.

First off, you have to decide if you want a "modern" style rifle like a stainless/synthetic rig, ala Tikka T3 or a Sako A7, or a retro style rig like a blued steel/walnut 700 or Model 70. Do you want a detachable mag?..or a hinged floorplate...When you have decided all this it narrows down your search a whole bunch.

Get a decent quality scope right off.....don't put a $60 scope on your new rig intending to upgrade later...you can't hit what you can't see. Start at the Bushnell Elite series scopes and go up from there.
 
In talking to some other hunters they say that the 7mm tends to knock a large hole in your game meat.
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Nonsense, the bullet construction is far more of a factor than the cartridge. As for 7mm, that could mean 7mm-08, 7x57, 7mmremmag, or one of the other 7mm based cartridges.

I went into three gun stores and since my PAL hasn't arrived yet they won't let you really handle anything,
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Find a new place to shop, when you are under the direction supervision of someone that holds a valid PAL, you don't require a PAL in order to handle a firearm.
 
a remington 700 in 7mm mag is hard to beat. if you're worried about big holes use core locked bullets.
if you want a light gun start with a synthetic stock, i recently purchased a tika t3 lite. nice lite gun smooth action and they tell me very accurate.
if you're not hunting big game a 22-250 is a good way to go.
you'll only ever need 3 guns if you have a 22-250 7mmm and a 12ga.
congrats on the divorce and welcome to the site!
 
If i was in your situation, i'd get myself a cheap, servicible rifle that would do the job until i figured out what i really wanted.

A sportered enfield can go for as little as $100, and it's Way better built that 99% of the brand new budget hunting rifles (see: walnut and steel, not plastic and (trademark brand name here) alloy.

You might even find that you like using an old 303 as you're not worried about the wood getting beat up, dropping it in the mud, etc
 
A sportered enfield can go for as little as $100, and it's Way better built that 99% of the brand new budget hunting rifles (see: walnut and steel, not plastic and (trademark brand name here) alloy.
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I would take a Stevens over any surplus Enfield. You get to choose a cartridge with superior ballistics, and on average, the accuracy will be much better.
 
Welcome back to hunting. Your cousin may think the 30-06 is old school but it will still do the job on most north american game. You won`t go wrong starting with one for big game.
 
mwjones said:
If i was in your situation, i'd get myself a cheap, servicible rifle that would do the job until i figured out what i really wanted.

A sportered enfield can go for as little as $100, and it's Way better built that 99% of the brand new budget hunting rifles (see: walnut and steel, not plastic and (trademark brand name here) alloy.

You might even find that you like using an old 303 as you're not worried about the wood getting beat up, dropping it in the mud, etc
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I also fail to see how an enfield is built better than, say a Stevens 200. Unless you are refering to the P14 or P17, which go for more than 100 bucks. What do you think would happen if you recahamber an old No.1 mk111 to a big magnum cartrige? I wouldnt dare fire it. So first of all, they are not built better. 2nd, 308 and 30-06 are cheaper to buy ammo for, far more available and both are far superior to the 303 british. And as far as dropping guns in the mud...I have never done such a thing...I have never hunted with anyone that careless, so i have never seen it happen. Besides, an enfield will blow up with a barrel plugged with mud just like any other rifle would.
 
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Rembo said:
For a newish shooter who's not reloading a 308 Win is a better choice in a first rifle...cheap ammo and a little less recoil than the 30-06.
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The 308 is the way to go.......chambered in your pick of modern bolt guns, truthfully all will easily shoot well enough for hunting and most will outshoot thier owners anyways.

Stop by your local gun shop and get a feel for the different rifles, 700 Rem, Savage, Tikkas, Marlins, etc. etc. quality is about the same across the board nowadays.....

How the rifle feels in your hands is far more important then what it's chambered for.:cool:
 
The 30'06 is still popular in the north country and as you are just starting out and not into reloading your own ammunition the '06 has a wide variety of bullet weights for everything from coyotes to moose.

The one thing the '06 and cartridges of a similar flavour are not good for is target shooting with a lady friend. Make sure to buy a .22.

Many suggest you get one that matches your big game rifle. While this makes excellent sense, I'm a little more prone to finding a gun that falls in love with me and wants to follow me home. This is an excellent source of inexpensive practice for yourself and once a lady has "killed" a few tin cans her fear and dislike of guns will fade if not completely disappear.
 
I wouldn't go with a milsurp rifle unless you really want to hunt with irons. They don't all work very well to scope(especially enfeilds, I know firsthand) and to set one up really well will cost you more than a production rifle.
 
Awesome

I love this feed back, as all observations and thoughts are taken into consideration. As for game the largest I'd go for is Caribou although my cousin is trying to talk me into going for a group hunt for Bison right here in BC. As for that I've heard you have a better chance of winning the 6/49 than getting a Limiited Entry tag for Bison(pipe dream) The woman I'm with now is supportive as we were in this State park in Washington State and a fawn walked right up to the car and I stopped and as I was looking at this deer my woman says 'Mmmmm......deer meat'. Hahaha, keep it coming....
 
Your lady has the right frame of mind and fine sense of humour, both good qualities.

Odds on a late season bison hunt where you are likely to freeze your important parts are only about 30 to 1. The minimum gun by law is a 7mm magnum with 175 grain bullets.

My 7mm Rem. Mag is my general go to gun for moose and elk, but think it a tad light for the buffs I've seen wandering around Pink Mountain.

Think of a buff hunt as a darn fine reason to buy another rifle.
 
Welcome back to the fold!

Here's another vote for getting a basic bolt action sporter in .308 or .30-06. Handle and play with as many as possible, then get what you like best. I personally think that, for the money, it's tough to beat a Savage.

Since you're in B.C. and surrounded by critters of species large and small, I would vote for the .30-06, since it will let you shoot heavier bullets if and when you go after something massive. Sure, 7Mags are cute little guns, but...:)

I'd suggest that you get a .22 immediately for cheap and fun practice. Look at a bunch and choose carefully, since you will probably shoot it much more than your centerfire...and maybe get your girlfriend shooting, too.

Good luck, ask tons of questions, and make sure you post pictures of your first kill.

John
 
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