Rifle/Calibre recommendations for new hunter....

Kwattro

Kwattro

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Next year will be my first time for hunting big game in N/A. My budget dictates I'll need a very moderately priced rifle, maybe a packaged rifle from Savage? http://www.savagearms.com/11fxp3.htm I welcome your experiences and recommendations.

Also, what calibre? I need something that will cover the spectrum of larger animals I'll see in Alberta and BC. I intend to only use premium bullets. .30-06 seems to be a do everything bullet?

Thanks!
 
So is a .308. The difference is in the length of the receiver. The .30-06 does have a slight advantage of being able to use slightly heavier bullets, but ballistically they're the same. Both with the proper bullet will take any game in North America, but so will a .303 British. You won't go wrong with a Savage though.
 
guess i'll be the second :oops: (third?) to jump in...

30:06 will handle everything up to moose but some consider it a bit light for big bears.

your choice af a bolt action is the best one for starting out. don't forget a quality scope. if you're on a budget don't overlook a used rifle from a reputable gun shop.

for hunting rifles i'm personally biased towards the north american manufacturers - first the ruger M77, then winchester remington, savage in no particular order. I've found all of their bolt actions to be reliable and accurate for hunting purposes- better than I can shoot from field positions.


good luck with your hunt...
i'm currently using a 300.WSM bolt mainly for ease of carry - at the end of a shift in the bush even ounces become important....
 
The Stevens 200 is on sale for $299 at SIR, but I wonder if the .30-06 might be too much recoil for a new shooter in such a light rifle. What have you shot before and how much have you shot?

Additionally, the scopes on the package rifles are not very good. Some folks have excellent scopes for sale here at reasonable prices. It is a very important piece of equipment and you should get the best you can afford. Even a fixed 4 or 6x Weaver can be had new for under $200, and that, plus the $299.99 Stevens would be just about right. But maybe a .270 would be a better first choice. With premium 130gr. bullets your recoild will be much less than 180gr bullets out of a .30-06, and believe me a .270 in the lungs will drop any animal you will likely encounter at distances up to 300 yards.
 
I doubt I'll be going after big bears right out of the gate, but you never know I guess.

.270 was actually my 1st choice, and I've read good things about the Stevens on this forum before. I've only shot 20 gauge shotguns in the past, and only a few times many years ago. I've never shot a rifle before that you didn't have to fill with air first :) I appreciate the replies. I want to do this right, and in budget :D
 
KW I just got a Stevens in 25-06 and its actually fun to shoot, low recoiling and very accurate. You may want consider this caliber for your first rifle as I did. I tried a 30-06 a number of years ago and didn't care for it. This gun is also chambered in 7-08 which is also supposed to be a light recoiling caliber. Both guns are avilable at P&D in Edmonton but they are $ 369.00 at this store, regards greg
 
I'd go for the Stevens in 7mm-08, .308, .270 or .30-06... and top it with a Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x40mm or a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40mm.

Will take anything in the N/A deer family if you do your part... :wink:
 
Stevens 200 - $299.99
Weaver K4 - $169.95
Leupold Rings $31.99
Leupold bases $25.99

Total $527.92
 
I would buy something in the 308 family if I was a new shooter. My first rifle was a 3006 and I had to work to tweach myself to handle the recoil. I can now comfortably shoot magnums even to the point of owning and doing load development, but if I was doing it over again I would have started with a 308 or 7mm 08.
 
I actually just helped another buddy buy his first rifle. He's going to pick it up tomorrow at Bashaw Sports.

Looking at the current rifles available, from all the major manufacturers, IMHO dollar-for-dollar the Ruger M77 Mk-II or the Remington Model 700 CDL are the best values going. The Ruger is only $690 in RH and $700 in LH. For another $50 you can get the same rifle in a laminated stock with stainless barrel and action. The Model 700 CDL is only $760 RH and $790 LH, plus it can be had in a few "exotic" calibers such as .35 Whelen and a few of the Rem' Ultra-Mags.

The fact that these are offered in right or left-hand models is a plus IMHO.

FYI, the rifle we settled on for my buddy was the Remington Model 700 CDL LH; caliber of course .30-06. If it's your first rifle there is no better caliber to start with... .30-06.For this rifle/caliber combination a Bushnell Elite 3200 variable like a 3-9x40 is pretty hard to beat for value. It will get the job done and will take a helluva beating, and only $250...
 
any decent bolt action in 30-06 will serve you quite well to say the least

I'd opt for a used m700 ADL or a new SPS
 
1899 said:
Stevens 200 - $299.99
Weaver K4 - $169.95
Leupold Rings $31.99
Leupold bases $25.99

Total $527.92
Click to expand...

This is EXACTLY in my price range for everything listed. I need to direct some money for a 9mm IPSC pistol too. Thanks for researching that for me.
 
Forget rhe big bears in your selection...

You are not gonna run out an hunt grizz as a first hunt, and even if you were, a 30-06 with an X bullet will smoke em...

.30-06, 270, 7-08, .308- all good cartridges to look at.
 
.270 or a .30-06 IN A BOLT ACTION


forget all the others.

simple & cost effective

DON:T CHEAP OUT ON YOUR RIFLE OR GLASS. (you get what you pay for)
 
John Y Cannuck said:
I don't see any short mags :shock:
Are they now dead :?: Defuncked :?: Flash in the pan :?: :twisted:
Click to expand...
They're ghae :!: .......................................................................................................................... I like being a dinasaur!


SC.......................
 
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