What is the best 30-06 for hunting less than 800$?

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dstan

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I am about to purchase my first rifle and I have narrowed it down to the 30-06. Now... who makes a good one? I want a rifle I can fall in love with, but dont want to spend too much right at the start.
 
If I had to replace one or both of my 30-06 rifles at this time, I would probably pick the Tikka T3. There are a few things that I don't like about them, like the fact that it has a detachable magazine, and the "plastic' bolt shroud, but overall, I think it is the best factory rifle on the market for the price.
Mike
 
If you are looking for a budget rifle to get started with, but achieve well above budget performance, it is really hard to beat a Stevens 200. You can find one here on CGN or buy new for $365+tax. Then buy some good optics with the extra cash you have saved. Or get a Savage 111 package for well within the budget you have. The neat thing is you will find plenty of aftermarket goodies like barrels, stocks, triggers etc that you can personalize without breaking the bank, where that appeals to you. My two bits...
 
Just picked up a Rem 700 SPS .30-06 $509 new out the door. Decent accuracy from the factory.

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Quality used rifles allow you to take advantage of a superior product without blowing the budget. I would look for a Husky 1600, Brno ZK-600, ZG-47, or something similar. If its a new rifle you must have, I consider the Ruger 77 in the role of a big game rifle a step up from either a Remington or a Savage/Stevens.
 
There are dozens of offerings out there, the glass you'll put on it will likely end up costing more than the rifle it sits on so that's something to consider if 800$ is your total budget.
 
....$500 for a Husqvarna 1640 from Trade-Ex, $200 for a good used Leupold M8-4x from the EE, and $100 for ammo. Your grandchildren will still be hunting with it.
 
You may be dissapointed in trying to find a budget rifle that shoots well and that you could fall in love with. The Stevens, as suggested, has a reputation for being a good shooter for the money, but I haven't heard anyone swooning over it for anything other than its accuracy and price point.
 
Remington Model 7600 pump action.
As accurate as a bolt with the advantage of quick follow up shots as well as not losing your sight picture while 'bolt throwing'
MO.:)
 
Having owned both a Remington and a Stevens in .30-06 I prefer the Rem. Not to say there was anything bad about the Stevens (other than the totally cr@p stock), or that the sps stock is great either, for that matter. Accuracy was about the same, and you can only expect so much from a factory rifle. I think that good glass is much more important.
 
I'd go the new Mod. 70 route as well.

Both the Tikka T3 and Savage will shoot, but neither is something
that would seem to meet your "fall in love with" criteria.

That being said, one of my favourite rifles is a Mod. 700 Mountain in
.257 Roberts that I bought from a collector NIB for $500. He needed
the cash and I liked the gun.
 
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