Signed up for hunting license, need a rifle (precision maybe?)

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Kanwar88

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Hey CGN,

I've just signed up for my hunting license in Ontario and plan on going hunting for the first time with my friend in November for moose and/or deer.
I am looking to purchase a rifle for the job.

I would prefer to purchase a rifle that is essentially a tactical/precision rifle that would be okay to take hunting. I am more interested in getting into tactical shooting as after this hunt I may not go again for a while, but would go to the range or into the bush for target shooting. So what would you guys recommend ?

In terms of calibre I believe its between the .223 or .308, but the .223 may not be powerful enough for moose.
As for tactical shooting, the ranges I got to only have a distance of 300 yards so .223 would suffice there.
.223 is cheaper, but I would definitely be willing to get into reloading in the coming years if I went with .308.


In terms of a firearm, the R700 AAC-SD or a similar savage seems to be a good all rounder. I once shot a MODEL 700 CDL SF LIMITED EDITION and absolutely hated the trigger, is the trigger not adjustable? and is it the same on all the Remingtons? I am use to shooting with a Geisselle SSA-E trigger and would like something similar.
The thought of biting the bullet and purchasing something like a SSG 3000 (upper end of my budget - buy once cry once).
Are there any other options? A semi perhaps? Am I trying to do too many things and just focus on one setup for hunting then worry about tactical shooting later?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
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.308 is about the minimum I use for moose with premium hunting bullets and then you can switch over to precision type ammo after hunting.
Keep in mind that any precision type rig is going to have some extra weight that you will have to tote around in the bush.
 
Going for Moose with a .223 is a REALLY BAD IDEA and may ( depending on local hunting regs ) be illegal. A .308 will be adequate for moose but, personally, I'd be happier with a .300wm for that particular animal or, at least a 30-06.

A starter tactical precision rifle would be something like a Remington SPS or Savage Model 10.
 
.308 it is, any more suggestions on rifles
would be great.

Savage 10 Carbine seems to be a good
choice over the R700.

Would I have to install a cheek riser or would a cheek
pad suffice.
 
Definitely do not attempt a moose with a .223. A .308 will do the job, but be selective on the bullet you use. I've seen a .30-06 shooting 150gr bullets pass directly through a rib, through the boiler room, and lodge just beneath the hide on the other side. It killed the moose fine, but I like to make two holes when I kill an animal. I personally use a 180gr bullet from a .30-06, but a .308 will suffice as well.

In Saskatchewan, it is illegal to hunt big game with anything less than a .23 caliber. That essentially limits us to .243 Win for big game hunting, if looking at the "common" hunting calibers.

I would look for something like a Rem700 SPS Tac in .308. Not overly heavy for packing around the bush, and a great platform for shooting at the range and upgrading.
 
OP I posed the same question to myself so many years ago when I started hunting. thinking kill ranges would be "way out there" and I went with a precision tuned model 70 7mm rem mag
after all these years I'm still killing animals every year, BC mulies, moose (not every year for moose) with a 18.5" barrelled under 200.00 sporterized lee enfield in .303 Brit.
I've lurked in this part of the forum for many years and learned a lot and to do it all over again, because cash is precious, I would have two different rifles to fill the role of "hunting rifle" and "precision rifle"
but that's just me
 
The current generation of X-Mark Pro(XMP) triggers on Remington 700 rifles are adjustable, and if that does not suffice there's an extensive market of third party triggers that might thrill you. I have the AAC-SD in .308 Win with a 20" barrel. The XMP trigger was fine for me, but I have since replaced it with a Rifle Basix trigger from when Accurate Action was doing a sale a while back. A rifle like that would probably do you just fine.

Or, I have heard decent things about the Benelli MR1, and the FNAR. Or there is always the classic M14/M305 for if you wanted it to be a semi.

However, depending on your idea of precision, you could end up with a very heavy hunting rifle, or a light benchrest gun, or a mediumweight gun that decent weight and accuracy and repeatability.
 
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You are correct OP regarding the .223 as being INCREDIBLY USELESS/usually ILLEGAL/UNETHICAL for shooting moose (do some serious research of ballistic tables before you think it "MAY not be powerful enough"). If you want something to hunt with that will shoot accurately with a decent trigger that you don't mind banging up, look into the Weatherby Vanguard S2 models in a .308 or bigger. My S2 in 22-250 is more than accurate out to 400 yards for an inexpensive hunting rifle, and many will agree that their larger caliber rifles are also very accurate. If you're idea of precision shooting is exploding water jugs and pop cans at extended ranges I wouldn't drop the big bucks on a top of the line rifle, especially when you can get the S2s from $600 to $1200. The heavy barreled varmint .308 runs around $850 or so IIRC.
 
Kanwar88 said:
Hey CGN,

I've just signed up for my hunting license in Ontario and plan on going hunting for the first time with my friend in November for moose and/or deer.
I am looking to purchase a rifle for the job.

I would prefer to purchase a rifle that is essentially a tactical/precision rifle that would be okay to take hunting. I am more interested in getting into tactical shooting as after this hunt I may not go again for a while, but would go to the range or into the bush for target shooting. So what would you guys recommend ?

In terms of calibre I believe its between the .223 or .308, but the .223 may not be powerful enough for moose.
As for tactical shooting, the ranges I got to only have a distance of 300 yards so .223 would suffice there.
.223 is cheaper, but I would definitely be willing to get into reloading in the coming years if I went with .308.


In terms of a firearm, the R700 AAC-SD or a similar savage seems to be a good all rounder. I once shot a MODEL 700 CDL SF LIMITED EDITION and absolutely hated the trigger, is the trigger not adjustable? and is it the same on all the Remingtons? I am use to shooting with a Geisselle SSA-E trigger and would like something similar.
The thought of biting the bullet and purchasing something like a SSG 3000 (upper end of my budget - buy once cry once).
Are there any other options? A semi perhaps? Am I trying to do too many things and just focus on one setup for hunting then worry about tactical shooting later?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Click to expand...


Well before you start with buying and hunting there is a good chance you will not have your licences before November.

Once you get licences get yourself 308 and you will be good for moose and deer.
 
If you want to go hunting, get a hunting rifle. If you want to target shoot, get a target rifle. What do you think a heavy barrelled .308 is going to do for you that a sporter won't? You don't even have a range to practice past 300 anyway.

If rifles were just for shooting at the range they would all be heavy barrelled rigs that didn't wander as they heated up, and heavy to minimalize recoil. Fact is, a sporter is a compromise that will be carried a lot and fired very seldom.

The .308 part is fine.
 
I agree with dog leg. A rifle that's a tactical and hunting probably is not really good for either one. Tactical rifles are not just for looking cool. They have a purpose of being incredibly accurate. That accuracy comes with very heavy barrels, heavier larger scopes, stocks more designed for comfort and ergonomics and again heavy. What you get is a gun that is really only comfortably shot from prone or a bench.

A hunting gun is a rugged, light easily maneuverable rifle. You want to be able to carry it for km and km of bush. And you want to be able to swing it around your back and aim and shoot free hand, of a tree branch etc.

Now calibers again the two sports don't mesh. 223 and 308 will be the most common tactical only because ofnthe amount of bullet selections etc for hunting 308 will do. I use it. But there are better choices for moose especially. 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag. Both make great tactical rounds though as well by the way.

Now if you can only afford one rifle. I would buy a tikka t3. Amazingly accurate so while you learn and get better at the precision game, you have a really good accurate rifle. Then down the road when your ready for a purpose built precision rig. You can keep the tikka as a hunting rifle only. And build your precision one.
 
Chago said:
I agree with dog leg. A rifle that's a tactical and hunting probably is not really good for either one. Tactical rifles are not just for looking cool. They have a purpose of being incredibly accurate. That accuracy comes with very heavy barrels, heavier larger scopes, stocks more designed for comfort and ergonomics and again heavy. What you get is a gun that is really only comfortably shot from prone or a bench.

A hunting gun is a rugged, light easily maneuverable rifle. You want to be able to carry it for km and km of bush. And you want to be able to swing it around your back and aim and shoot free hand, of a tree branch etc.

Now calibers again the two sports don't mesh. 223 and 308 will be the most common tactical only because ofnthe amount of bullet selections etc for hunting 308 will do. I use it. But there are better choices for moose especially. 300 win mag or 7mm rem mag. Both make great tactical rounds though as well by the way.

Now if you can only afford one rifle. I would buy a tikka t3. Amazingly accurate so while you learn and get better at the precision game, you have a really good accurate rifle. Then down the road when your ready for a purpose built precision rig. You can keep the tikka as a hunting rifle only. And build your precision one.
Click to expand...

I was originally looking at the R700 AAC-sd but heard bad reviews about the stock, and how it should be upgraded. I prefer not to get into the upgrade game and considered the ssg3000, but like you said it will be tough to lug around the bush.

And to clarify , I'm not interested in benchrest or crazy precision, but more tactical type shooting, moving targets or snap shooting.
 
Dogleg said:
If you want to go hunting, get a hunting rifle. If you want to target shoot, get a target rifle. What do you think a heavy barrelled .308 is going to do for you that a sporter won't? You don't even have a range to practice past 300 anyway.

If rifles were just for shooting at the range they would all be heavy barrelled rigs that didn't wander as they heated up, and heavy to minimalize recoil. Fact is, a sporter is a compromise that will be carried a lot and fired very seldom.

The .308 part is fine.
Click to expand...

X2 on this. The only trouble with heavy barrels is they're heavy. I have a bull barrelled .308 built on a K98 Mauser action, and though I love it dearly and have shot a few truckloads worth of deer and coyotes with it over a number of hunting seasons, the old fence post is a c##t to heave around all day. These days it's relegated to days I think I'll be limited to my box blinds due to lousy weather. The Vanguard that replaced it still isn't a flyweight, but it's a feather by comparison. And nearly as accurate at respectable hunting ranges...
 
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