New to the game, first rifle choice help

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boomboy

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Well I'll soon be heading off with one of my brothers so we can get our PAL's and soon after our hunting licenses, and well i need a suggestion for a "economy" class hunting rifle. Here is where it gets ugly for you folks :nest: . I am neither sure of which caliber or brand/model of rifle to choose. But to fair, no one in my family hunts so me and my older counterpart are breaking the mold. We'd need an all-around caliber (ie deer-elk[possibly moose]), something where ammo isn't going to kill us at the bank as we're both full time University students, and most of all something reliable. Any help would be great. Oh and recoil isn't an issue for me 200+ rugby player but my older brother could have some issues with it being 145lb-ish.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.
Riley
 
I would suggest one of the Savage rifle combo's. Usually priced around $450(ish). They come with optics, which you will probably want to upgrade, but they are serviceable.

As far as caliber.... I would probably have to say 30-06 is the only one that comes to mind that fits all of your criteria. 150gr for Deer & 180 for moose/elk.

My $.02, YMMV

Cheers!
 
notsorichguy said:
I would suggest one of the Savage rifle combo's. Usually priced around $450(ish). They come with optics, which you will probably want to upgrade, but they are serviceable.

As far as caliber.... I would probably have to say 30-06 is the only one that comes to mind that fits all of your criteria. 150gr for Deer & 180 for moose/elk.

My $.02, YMMV

Cheers!
Click to expand...

This is good advice.
You really can't go wrong with the 30-06.
The Savage bolt gun also has a good reputation, its not a high grade rifle, but it will get the job done.
Another often overlooked choice would be a Remington 7600 pump.
They are faster for follow up shots than a bolt action and the 3 I've used are almost as accurate as my bolt actions.
HTH
Eric
 
If you spend a little time with the search function I think you'll find the question of "best all round caliber" has been pretty much beaten to death across many threads...

30-06, .308 and 7mm Mag all seem to be popular choices. All three will kill pretty much anything that lives in your part of the world. All three are available in a bewildering range of manufacturers, bullet styles/weights and power loads and all three can be found at pretty much any hunting store, rural gas station or Canadian tire. Some people will tell you that you need a bare minimum of .338 Lapua for whitetail and .50 BMG for Moose or Elk. Read the posts, get good at sifting thru the Bull****.

Recoil is something that can be managed. Again, lots of discussion here already. Padded vests, recoil pads on the rifle, reduced power load where it's appropriate... On and on. The more you shoot, the more you get used to the recoil.

"Economy" means different things to different people. To some it would mean the absolutely cheapest way to get out and get it done. If that's the case, a bubba'd (sporterized) Mauser in 8mm or Enfield in .303 can many times be had for around $150.00 on the Exchange right here. If you need a new rifle, again, try the EE or look around locally. Wholesale Sports used to have a package deal on a Wetherby with a cheapish scope and hard case for around $500.00. My local guy has a deal on any Savage in stock for $450.00 with a bottom-of-the-line bushnell 3x9...

Or, get your PAL and sit on it. Since most aspects of hunting are best learned from someone who knows what they're doing, ask their advice, ask them to take you. Use what they use. Heck, borrow a rifle the first time out. You pay for the tags, beer and the shells.

=)
 
One of the surplus Lee Enfield 303 British rifles. I know it is an oldie, but it was my first rifle, it is cheap but it is good. The 303 British cartridge will easily take deer, bear, Elk, and Moose, judging from the pile my grandfather took with his before he gave it to me. There are some real nice sporterized ones out there. As a bonus, they come with a 10 shot clip.
 
As was well advised above, I too would recommend looking for a rifle in .30-06 for several reasons. It won't kick you to death. Your 200 pounds, I've got a few on you and I can sheepishly say I've developed a bit of a flinch from time to time. The .30-06 is about as good as your going to get for a rifle that will take deer, moose, elk or any other big or small game. Ammo is sold everyplace and is usually one of the cheapest to buy for hunting ammo. Every manufacturer sells just about every bullet loaded in the '06, too. For example Winchester makes a good (cheap) bullet that works great at '06 velocities but is probably a little fragile at .300 Winchester velocities. So with these two cartridges, the '06 will probably work better with bottom dollar ammo. However you can also buy it with the best bullets on the market for considerebly less money then the same bullet loaded in the .300 Mag.

Now, pick your rifle. Do you want a bolt action, lever action, auto or pump? Do you want to use a telescopic sight, or iron sights? What kind of ranges do you want to shoot at?

My suggestion would be to look for a bolt action. There is nothing wrong with the others, but the bolt is easiest to take apart and clean. I would also suggest buying a scope for a sight. While I can never totally trust a scope, they are built much better then they used to be. You still can't abuse the gun, drop it or bang it into a tree and expect the scope to hold zero though. The reason I suggest it is first they help you learn to shoot. You can see your targets clearer and easier and soon learn how your rifle shoots. They are also easier to adjust then open sights. Don't buy one that's too large or powerful. You don't need a 24 power scope with a 50mm lens. A fixed 4 or 6 power or at most a variable in the 3-9 power range works plenty good. 2-7's are usually a little smaller and lighter and keep the rifles balance better.

You said economy but you didn't say price. You can buy brand new rifles from Savage or Stevens for about $400 or $500. Some come with a scope, usually they are good for a .22 rifle, but don't put too much faith in it on a heavier rifle. Stay away from the remington 710-770 series of rifles. They are ok, but too many people complain about them. Or, search the EE for a rifle you like. If you see somthing in there ask about it in here. Lots of knowledgable folks would be willing to give you their opinions on it.
 
I would look at a savage,a 700sps or a Howa rifle in 30-06 or 7mmremmag.All are good rifles for a reasonable price,and either cartridge is suitable for your needs.
 
I'd say a 30-06 for reasons most have already mentioned.

Also, a sporterized Lee Enfield No.4, MkI in .303 brit. One in good shape can be had for around the $150 mark and higher depending on condition. Ammo can still be bought for it in 150 grain for deer and 180 grain for moose size game. Winchester, Federal and PVRI Partizan make hunting ammo for it. You might find some with a decent scope on it already, or spend a little more money on some quality optics for it. A good investment that can be transfered to the next rifle you purchase. Another advantage to the Enfield is that they are very durable and dependable, also have a 10 rd capacity. They are a very capable out to 200yds and if new to hunting and shooting you likely shouldn't try to take any game out past that mark without a lot of practise.
 
Get something in a 7mm ( 280rem,284win or 7mm-08 ) or even a 270, less kick than 30-06 and they will do the job on anything you are talking about.
 
I would go with one of the Husqvarna 1600s listed on the Tradeex website in .30-06. The "package" guns don't come with very good scopes.
 
Here's a better Idea For all of us. You decide on the rifle/calibre that you want. Go to the range and practice this hunting season and as often as possible until next season. Forget about hunting this year. Killing is serious business and we want you to become proficient before you head out on your first trip. Get to know how that rifle shoots from all angles and distances. Then next year you will have the confidence and experience to seal the deal.
 
Savage 30-06. Cabella's has a scope combo on sale right now... I think around 450. Nice little bolt action, my cousin just bought one. Shoots very nicely! Don't let anyone tell you you NEED a 300 win mag or whatever to shoot what you're shooting. It's not the size of the bullet that counts, it's shot placement. Get good at taking steady shots and you'll find hunting will get cheaper! (Not to mention you'll have more meat).
 
If you haven't shot much, get a cheap .22 to learn to shoot and be comfortable shooting. A cheap semi .22 or bolt gun will let you get used to aiming and hitting the target.
 
Do you have a hunting mentor first? If you are a reasonably half-competent shot, the typical kill distance for deer is something like 75 yards or less so you ought to be able to manage that. But if you haven't been shooting since you were kids, I'd also suggest you don't hunt this year, and instead work on your shooting skills. If you can find a mentor to tag along with this year - great. It'll give you a taste of what you're in for.
 
boomboy said:
Well I'll soon be heading off with one of my brothers so we can get our PAL's and soon after our hunting licenses, and well i need a suggestion for a "economy" class hunting rifle. Here is where it gets ugly for you folks :nest: . I am neither sure of which caliber or brand/model of rifle to choose. But to fair, no one in my family hunts so me and my older counterpart are breaking the mold. We'd need an all-around caliber (ie deer-elk[possibly moose]), something where ammo isn't going to kill us at the bank as we're both full time University students, and most of all something reliable. Any help would be great. Oh and recoil isn't an issue for me 200+ rugby player but my older brother could have some issues with it being 145lb-ish.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.
Riley
Click to expand...

I love my Savage 99C lever action in .308

I brought down a nice bull moose with it this year at about 200 yards (shot it through the spine) and I dropped a cow elk at around 500 yards with it last year.

I've killed numerous deer with it too and still have my 'general whitetail' and 'general elk' to fill this year and I hope to be hanging a nice rack from each to my wall to hang beside my first ever bull moose! :)

I use 165 grain bullets only since I know they work nicely for everything big and bigger.

It's worth noting I spend a lot of time at the range in the summer and I know this gun very well and have a scope with mildots so I can shoot over greater distances accurately.

No matter what you decide to go with as a rifle you will most definitely want to spend some serious time at the range shooting it before you go hunting. The one thing that will make the biggest difference is practice, practice, practice. It doesn't matter how big the gun is so much as how well you place your shots.
 
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