Suggestions for my first hunting rifle

Personally,I would avoid the Leupy VX1,not that there is anything wrong with them,but for the same money or less you could get a better scope of another brand without paying for the Leupold name?That said,Leupold's lifetime gaurantee is 2nd to none.You mentioned $5-800 for optics,that will easily get you a VX11 or VX111.
Can't go wrong with the 30-06 for any NA big-game,with the exception maybe of the big browns/grizzlies.it will certainly kill them as well,just not the bestchoice for them.
 
Remington Titanium 700 with Leopold VXIII 3.5 to 10 X 40 Scope

Remington Titanium 700 (300 Rem Short Action) with Leopold VXIII 3.5 to 10 X 40 Scope

I was given this setup by a local dealer. Is this a good rifle, scope and caliber setup package for bears and moose hunting?

What would you change or recommend changing in this package. I was quoted about $2000, is that a good price?

This will be my first hunting rifle and have never shot one before or hunted, i am a complete virgin when it comes to hunting and hunting rifles.

Much appreciate all your recommomendations so far. Once again thank you in advance.

Thank you

John_Internet@hotmail.com
 
People will probably jump on me for this but...I wouldn't buy a .300 SAUM. They are on the way out. Plus the ammo is more expensive than the stuff others have been mentioning. If you really like the rifle, then try the same thing in a .30-06 or .308 Win. Remember that with such a light rifle felt recoil is greater than with a "regular" weight rifle. Some places have Sakos on sale, and you could get the same setup for equal or less money. And the Sako is a much nicer rifle than the Remington.
 
John_internet said:
Remington Titanium 700 (300 Rem Short Action) with Leopold VXIII 3.5 to 10 X 40 Scope

I was given this setup by a local dealer. Is this a good rifle, scope and caliber setup package for bears and moose hunting?

What would you change or recommend changing in this package. I was quoted about $2000, is that a good price?

This will be my first hunting rifle and have never shot one before or hunted, i am a complete virgin when it comes to hunting and hunting rifles.

Much appreciate all your recommomendations so far. Once again thank you in advance.

Thank you
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John, all of this sounds o.k., except for the cartridge.
I presume it's the .300 SAUM(Short Action Ultra Mag?) and since you don't reload it's a bad buy.
Sure it's up to your choice of game but ammo is already hard to find for it.
If it was .300 WSM, the Winchester cartridge, it would be fine but 300 SAUM is fading fast and I fear that soon only components for reloading will be available for it.
It may be cheap for what it is but that's the reason.
He can't shift it because no one wants it in the chambering so I counsel against buying it unless you can get it in a more readily available round, like my first suggestion, 30-06.
Anyone else have an opinion on this?
 
I wouldn't know, never having shot one, but I'll bet that rifle you are considering kicks like a mule too.

Without rushing into things, is there any way you can go to the range with a buddy, or ask here [or on huntingbc.ca or huntshoot.com] if someone wants to take you to the range and sample a 30-06, a 300 Winchester magnum, a 270 and maybe a 7mm Rem. mag, or any hunting rifle, to see what you are getting into?

Maybe you'll get to sample a Ruger or Savage or Sako or Remington to see the difference.

Sounds like you can afford it and I don't blame you, but you don't HAVE to buy new.

There are always good used rifles on sale in the sporting good stores. Reliable is good to deal with and Italian is popular too.

It's probbly too much to do in one day, but I'd suggest you do a lot of .22 shooting if you haven't shot rifles much.
 
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1899 said:
People will probably jump on me for this but...I wouldn't buy a .300 SAUM. They are on the way out.
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As a matter of fact if anyone has been following the headlines Winchester is or has shut there doors. So I would not only stay away from the Rem SAUM I would also probably stay away from the WSM's as well.

For North American game, the 30-06 is plenty big enough. If you decide to reload one day it is easy to reload for as well. You can get bullets in weight from 100gr Plinkers to 220gr Match Grade bullets. In regards to make, GET WHAT YOU LIKE AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. You are going to be the one carrying it and shooting it. We all have our own opinions. Decide which caliber you want. Go to the stores and try different makes and models see how they feel when you shoulder them. Maybe you find you like a palm swell on the grip, mabe not. Is the stock a little long? Is it to heavy for your liking? Do you want clip or top loader? I Personally have a clip rifle but not by choice. What happens if the clip is lost out in the field? The clip for my Sako is in excess of 150.00 for some plastic with a ring of metal. Just some of the things to consider.

In regards to Optics look thru them and see what you find easiest to aquire your sight picture. But compare apples to apples. I have a Bushnell 3200 5-15 and personally would never have another. I find the sight picture is not as easy to aquire as my Leupolds. This is even with a Leupold VX 1.

Just go out and enjoy the experience of shopping for it. One of the biggest things I could say is do not be intimidated what guys might say at the store. I mean the guys just hanging around B-Sing with one another.


Calvin
 
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Some of my advice is going to sound silly but.....
Calibre is your primary consideration. Look for something that'll kill the game, but beware of heavy kickers. Assuming you're an average-size adult male, I'd stop at the .30-06 or 7mm Rem Mag. After that, you'll pretty much get what you pay for. Virtually all modern rifles are dependable, accurate pieces. If you decide you want something in particular, that's what you should have, unless someone can rationally tell you why it's a bad idea. If you pass on a particular rifle you like because one person says that his uncle once knew a guy who had one, and it was no good.....you may settle for something you didn't really want. Action type? Yup, bolt guns are generally a bit more accurate and dependable. A bit. A properly cleaned and fed auto, lever or pump will also put the venison on the table. And don't be afraid to let looks influence your choice. It sounds ridiculous and impractical, but if your rifle has a style you like, you may just like it better, shoot it more, and keep it longer.
If I were buying one rifle for your game and budget tomorrow, I would probably go for a mid-priced stainless synthetic a la Browning A-Bolt, Win 70, Rem 700, Ruger, Sako, Tikka, whatever. Calibre .308 Winchester (or .270 or .30-06) and slap on a mid-line scope, maybe a Burris Fullfield II or Leupold Vari-X II. 3-9 X40. I'd avoid 50mm scopes, I find them heavy and clunky. And ugly. Practical? Probably.
Then I'd buy several loadings of ammo and go to the range weekends. Find out what it shoots best.
Best of luck. K.C.
 
the 30-06 is a great choice for your purposes,as is the leupold 3-9x40,With your budget,like tod bartel said the sako is very nice..The cz is a very good rifle as well.I would stay away from the magnums until you have done a fair bit of shooting.I have seen people ruined with a flinch from their magnums.
 
Another fine choice is the Sako 75 in 6.5x55. Bashaw has a used one in exc condition for ~$1100 IIRC. Top it of with a really good scope and you are set. And it will kill the game you want to hunt very well. With the money you have left over you can get a .22, which will be great for practice.
 
todbartell said:
I would take a good look at a Sako 75 stainless laminate in 30-06

topped with a Leupold VXII 3-9x40mm scope



shoot 180 gr. Accubonds and you're set for anything you may come across
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Bettttter still, go with what 'TB' suggests but 'Tikka' which is less expensive (same Co.) in .270 which will do the same job as a 30-06 but with less recoil !!!;) ;) ;) and the money that you will save buying a 'Tikka' instead of a 'Sako" will give you that much more money to spend on optics:cool:

I went through the same thing last year, 'Sako' Vs 'Tikka' 30-06 Vs 270 ???

Bought a 'Tikka' Hunter in 270 (wood/blue) with a Leupold VX II 3-9x40 scope.

$900 for the rifle, $500 for the scope, $140 for the 'Tikka' rings and bases.

Great set up, you cannot do better ( IMHO ) You can spend a great deal more $$$, but, you cannot do better as in an all round accurate,good quality rifle and scope
 
haggisbasher said:
Bettttter still, go with what 'TB' suggests but 'Tikka' which is less expensive (same Co.) in .270 which will do the same job as a 30-06 but with less recoil !!!;) ;) ;) and the money that you will save buying a 'Tikka' instead of a 'Sako" will give you that much more money to spend on optics:cool:

I went through the same thing last year, 'Sako' Vs 'Tikka' 30-06 Vs 270 ???

Bought a 'Tikka' Hunter in 270 (wood/blue) with a Leupold VX II 3-9x40 scope.

$900 for the rifle, $500 for the scope, $140 for the 'Tikka' rings and bases.

Great set up, you cannot do better ( IMHO ) You can spend a great deal more $$$, but, you cannot do better as in an all round accurate,good quality rifle and scope
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This is great advice... but get a 270WSM....;)
 
BLR in .308 with a Leupold scope of VX-1 and up.

Short, light and if your scope comes down with a case of bush fever, off it goes and iron sights it is.

Man can that rifle makes things really dead.:D

Love the can openers.
 
hi john
welcome to the world of hunters .as far as hunting rifles go my immediate thoughts would be something in a 270 or a 7mm mag for a slightly beter range . both these rifles will take bear deer and moose , in the right hands. it is the well placed shot that does the work , you do not want to chase a wounded animal into the bushes . always go for heart lungs . at a range you are comfortable with up to 300 yards . after that forget it . there is lots of rifles on the market . go to a gun show and you will be amazed at the weapons ranging from your everyday 22 to really high performance weapons . cost is off course your preference as is scopes . everyone wants a leupold and stainless steel barrels . before you hunt then you must take a hunters course and obtain a firearms certificate .i could go on all day on this subject ,but at the nd of the day it is your choice of make and your choice of scope around 700 dollars will put you right go to wwwwholesalesports.comand there is deals there riflesWITH SCOPES;
TAKE CARE LEFTIEMAG
 
BIGREDD said:
This is great advice... but get a 270WSM....;)
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BIGREDD: Thankyou for the compliment as to'This is great advice':D

Let it be known that I have very limited knowledge on this subject,It just worked for me:cool: ( as you had suggested by email to me before i bought the rifle etc)
ENOUGH of this WSM stuff, OK:) :p
 
BIGREDD said:
This is great advice... but get a 270WSM....;)
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X2 - I'm thinking more and more that I may as well go for the 270WSM instead of 270Win (if available). I was thinking about 30-06 all along for the advantage of multiple bullet weight options (for a deer and moose gun) until I read up about ballistics. I now understand that a heavier bullet doesn't necessarily translate into greater killing power if energy is the defining factor (shot placement notwithstanding).

I'm looking to get my first "all-around" rig as well. Living in BC and being VERY budget conscious I've decided to look at synthetic stock only with a stainless barrel if I can afford it. I've checked out a couple of rifles recently that fit the category. The Tikka T3 is very nice but didn't feel quite right. I think it would be great for someone who really wants the light weight. I'm 6'-4", 245 lbs so weight and felt recoil aren't much of an issue. The rifle that felt the best right away is the Weatherby Vanguard. It's only $630 from Wholesale Sports with the stainless barrel. The matte blue barrel version is $500 but I think $130 is a small premium to pay for the advantage of a ss barrel in BC (rain, rain, rain . . , then some snow to finish the season).

The relatively new Mossberg 100ATR looks attractive as a dead cheap option at only $300 for black on matte blue from S.I.R. mailorder. It's has gotten generaly good reviews as a solid, accurate shooter. However, I need to hold one before deciding if the $ saved is worthwhile. Also, it's not available in 270WSM yet so I'd have to choose between 270Win or 30-06.
 
dieseldog6, I have a simple question to ask.
Do you reload?:confused:
If the answer is no, as I suspect, then the 270 WSM isn't ideal.
BigRedd knows exactly what he is on about as far as ballistics & killing power but there are 6 factory loads available to you and they're all made by Winchester, a little problem if your beastie doesn't group well with the ones designed to knock over bear or moose.
Let's face it, a 270 cal needs to use decent bullets and better bullet placement on animals like moose and bear due to it's smaller cal.
If you intend to start reloading soon then go ahead, get a 270 WSM.
A Lee Anniversary kit and some dies woúld probably cost just over the $130 you're willing to spend on a stainless bbl and will started paying for itself bigtime once you've put 100 rounds through the rifle.
Hell, a Lee Hand Press, powder scales, loading block, autoprime & dies would get you on the road.
There are also a wide range of bullets in 270 cal and there's plenty of decent loading data too.
Out in the boondocks you're unlikely to find ammo for it if you accidentally leave it behind, hence the trouble if you depend on factory ammo.
I won't reflect on the demise of Winchester USRAC because frankly I think it won't kill the WSMs.
They're too successful and FN Herstal will produce the Model 70 outside the States anyway.
But as I said before, I find it the most interesting recent cartridge & would buy one myself if I had the dosh......simply because I do reload.
 
Dieseldog, I am about the same size as u in weight and height. I to didnt like the fit of the Tika or Savage but the Vanguard fit me perfect and the Monte Carlo stock really brought my eye in line like rifle was a part of me. Wholsesale in Saskatoon didnt show any ATR's in stock anywhere( cpl months ago) and I have heard they dont have a favourable review in US.
I love my Vanguard- shoots 1" groupings with factory ammo and I am currently working on reloads. On a side note about cost of ammo in WSM. I dont consider it a factor for the extra $6 a box. Hell I spend more then that on coffee in a cpl days0 frickin TH:D and once I have it dialed in then its only to the range every other week to keep my skills up.
 
Actually I have to apologise on one point.
Vanguards all are guaranteed to shoot 1.5" with premium ammo and since alot of the stuff loaded by Winchester for this is premium it should be fine.
So my "bad grouping with factory ammo" comment was a load of bollocks.:redface:
 
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