New Hunting Rifle

gastch

gastch

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Location
Nackawic New Brunswick
Well after 3 years of concentrating on duck hunting I've decided I miss deer hunting and want to get back at it. So its time to retire the Enfield and get a new rifle.
I've looked at many of the web sites at various guns and have come to this conclusion. To much to choose from and yet not enough selection meeting my requirments. Why are there so few detachable mag versions out there.
Here is what I need: 1. Hunting deer and moose if I get drawn for a tag.
2. Light under 9 lbs with scope,base, and rings.
3. Detachable mag.
4. Synthetic stock.
5. Under $1200 for complete set-up
6. 308 but still not firm on this.

I'm thinking on a Tikka T3 lite, Browning A bolt composite stalker, or some sort of Savage but the stocks kinda look cheep. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Stainless Steel? Although I think SS will go above budget. Pros and cons of 308? Another note I may want to us this in some sort of semi/long range target shooting. I'm thinking on a Nikon scope or a cheaper Leupold. Anybody purchase a scope on Ebay before? Any and all help or suggestions welcome.

Chris
Fredericton NB
 
gastch said:
Well after 3 years of concentrating on duck hunting I've decided I miss deer hunting and want to get back at it. So its time to retire the Enfield and get a new rifle.
I've looked at many of the web sites at various guns and have come to this conclusion. To much to choose from and yet not enough selection meeting my requirments. Why are there so few detachable mag versions out there.
Here is what I need: 1. Hunting deer and moose if I get drawn for a tag.
2. Light under 9 lbs with scope,base, and rings.
3. Detachable mag.
4. Synthetic stock.
5. Under $1200 for complete set-up
6. 308 but still not firm on this.

I'm thinking on a Tikka T3 lite, Browning A bolt composite stalker, or some sort of Savage but the stocks kinda look cheep. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Stainless Steel? Although I think SS will go above budget. Pros and cons of 308? Another note I may want to us this in some sort of semi/long range target shooting. I'm thinking on a Nikon scope or a cheaper Leupold. Anybody purchase a scope on Ebay before? Any and all help or suggestions welcome.
Chris
Fredericton NB
Click to expand...

I have bought 3 Burris Fullfields from the same company.

No complaints, good service.

PM if you want to know camp name.
 
308 is a great cartridge. Only slightly better, is the 30-06. My son has a Browning stainless stalker in 308 with a leupold vari x ll 3-9x40. He uses a homeloaded 165 grn hornady SP for deer and federal's 180 grn NP high energy factory load for moose, elk & black bear. I do the same with my 30-06 and as luck would have it, with the 165 grn deer load sighted 2" high @ 100 yrds, the 180 grn high energy loads are 1.7" high. That puts both loads on the money @ 200 yrds, without having to adjust the scope.
 
Chilly Willy said:
T3 Lite S/S with Burris 3-9x40 BP, rings, bases and sling and case package in 270 WSM for under $1200 at most shops these days!
Click to expand...

why on earth would a deer hunter in New Brunswick need a 270wsm? :rolleyes:
 
Rem SPS DM, Leupold VX1 3-9x40, talley Rings..... should go under $1000 all up taxes in.

spend the left over on a big stack of practice ammo
 
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gastch said:
Here is what I need:
1. Hunting deer and moose if I get drawn for a tag.
2. Light under 9 lbs with scope,base, and rings.
3. Detachable mag.
4. Synthetic stock.
5. Under $1200 for complete set-up
6. 308 but still not firm on this.
Click to expand...

First off ........ You're not getting a moose tag till I get one, so forget that one. :D

A T3 will fill all your requirements. There are priced well, and are accurate out of the box. A 2x7 Leupold would be perfect for hunting here in NB. And the .308 is a good choice for NB as it is available at CT and Walmart, where all good Maritimers have to get their factory ammo. :)


.
 
biggest bang for buck

If you looking for a good rifle to bang around and not something so pretty you'd hate to harm. I would look at Remington SPS, 700, or Savage.

A nice rifle I bought for under $600 was a Remington 710 in .270, it came with a bushnell 3x9 scope. I also have a Model 700 VSSF(varmit stainless steel fluted) in .308, a .300 win mag Sendero, and a 7mm Mag Browning bar. All shoot under 1" MOA at 100yrds.

The plus for .308 is the ammo is readily available and you can find it usually alot cheaper then most out there. The trajectory of the round is a lobber but it is reliable at closer ranges. Most people don't hunt past 400m

I like the .270, 300 Win Mag, and 7mm mag for their flatter trajectory which makes adjusting to shooting over distances easier and more accurate on the fly. The 300 and 7mm are awesome for knock down power (I've never had big game run very far, usually under 50m from impact at any range).

Optics are a bigger decision then a rifle. I suggest a new rifle if possible the factories today build them for accuracy as consumers demand it. The rifle of the year is Savage's Model 12 it comes in .308, 30-06, 300 WinMag, and 270. If you buy the rifle new remember to break in the barrel as the factory suggests it makes a world of difference. The optics and bases need to be solid.

I have hunted elk, whitetail, and moose. In my opinion you have alot of choices, just a matter of picking something that you want to start with and go from there. I'd highly suggest talking to some people from your local clubs and seeing if they would mind letting you try out a couple of their toys on the range just to see what you like.

That's my .2 cents

Cheers!

Jake
 
because unless you're shooting past 1/4 mile there is no ballistic advantage a WSM has over a standard 270, or 308 for that matter. Several disadvantages though, including higher ammo cost, more recoil and muzzle blast, ####ty performance with a non-premium bullet, less factory ammo options

oh but wait, the short fat powder burn will overcome all of those, I forgot :D :rolleyes:
 
Why do you flag efficiency? Who's talking about ballistic advantages?
Someone just threw out a caliber and...
Who cares Tod about advantages over a quarter mile?...
Would a 270 WSM work for deer in NB? The answer is yes...
But a SPS definately wouldnt work in NB for deer... :)
 
Im with the others on the Tikka T3 w/ maybe an Elite 3200 or something equivelent.
I hunted last season with a T3 in a 270 wsm and killed 5 deer, each shot knocked the deer right on his butt. Ive since sold the 270wsm in favor of a Sako 75 Finnlight 7mm mag just for the fact that it has alot less plastic, just a personal thing.
Id also consider waiting for that new T/C Icon in .308 comming out soon. Sounds like a real quality piece, with excellent accuracy and great bullet/cartridge selection w/ the .308. I heard they will retail for around $800 so its in the same playing field as the Tikkas.

Cheers!!
 
i think what someone was talking about is the diff. between hunting in NB and Sask., Sask. has a lot of open areas where depending on ones hunting style, may include some very long shots and the 270WSM may be a good choice. Some of us have never hunted(or been to)NB,. but assume that the shots will be much closer, esp. when you include Moose, and the .308 may be a better choice, or a 30/30 or a 45/70.
 
DarrylDB said:
Why do you flag efficiency? Who's talking about ballistic advantages?
Someone just threw out a caliber and...
Who cares Tod about advantages over a quarter mile?...
Would a 270 WSM work for deer in NB? The answer is yes...
But a SPS definately wouldnt work in NB for deer... :)
Click to expand...

If you want to talk efficiency, the 308 is much more efficient than a 270wsm, pushing a 150 grain bullet to within 250 fps of the bigger case, with 25-30 grains less powder. For your average deer hunt and the odd moose, a 308 would be damn near perfect. For a hunter used to an Enfield 303, the 270wsm is probably too much to handle right off the bat. A 308 wouldnt.
 
On the original post.... go with the Tikka. And the .308 Win is a more than capable ctg. Throw on a Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x40mm or a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40mm and you're done!

If you want to do it on a more econo budget put the same glass on a Rem 700 SPS in the same ctg - if I was doing it I'd go for the stainless... ;)
 
In response to your question regarding buying scopes over e-bay, I have done it several times with great success and saved a lot of money. I always buy from dealers, gun shops, etc., and never from private sellers. I always buy brand new, in the box stuff with full warranty. There always seems to be some dealers that have left over stock that they want to move before the new stock arrives and they are willing to let it go quite cheap.

I have sent you a PM regarding your search for a gun.
 
Thanks all for the comments so far. Any comments on stainless vs blued? What about that Browning? I always thought of browning as a good gun manufacturer, but the more I look on CGN not many people using them?
 
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