White Tail Deer - Hunting Rifle

30-06 or .308 will do fine for large game in general, so pick on or the other. I’d worry more about rifle fit than caliber, take a trip to your local gun stores if you have them and handle a few different things in your price range. You’ll quickly get a feel for what fits you and what doesn’t.

I’m hunting large game with an $80 sported no.4 Lee Enfield, I added a rail and a scope and a new sling and I’m set. Last year I dropped two whitetails with 150gr sp, this year I’m trying 180gr.
 
starke22 said:
Hi All,

Trying to decide on a first hunting rifles. Any recommendations?

30-06 vs .308?

Scopes?

Wanting to stay under $1,000 for the whole set up.

Thanks,

-James
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mate imo the 7mm-08 would be an ideal White tail cartridge choice!
i use one for Fallow deer and Red deer up to Sambar, but with standard cheap bullets in 140gr it is deadly for Deer in general. 0-300m !

less recoil an not such a bang either!

out of your options, 308 proberly, in a Marlin X 7 with a good Scope! i am liking my 3006 X7 a fair bit atm
 
The gun dealer still has some stainless Tikka T3's in stock discounted to $699 in .30-06, get yourself a $200-300 scope, Bushnell 3500 or Leupold, and a set of talley rings should be around $1000 or there about.
 
starke22 said:
Hi All,

Trying to decide on a first hunting rifles. Any recommendations?

30-06 vs .308?

Scopes?

Wanting to stay under $1,000 for the whole set up.

Thanks,

-James
Click to expand...

Get a BSA P14 or 17 in 303 or 30-06 for $200, spend the other $800 on binoculars. I'd rather forget my rifle at home than my field glasses.
 
9.3mauser said:
Tradex has some Husvarna's in .30/06 in stock at the moment, that would be a good place to start, and would leave enough of your budget for a decent scope. Much better than a new Savage Axis imo.

Otherwise, I would seek out a rifle you like and not worry too much about the calibre. I think that the 7x57 and 6.5x55 are perfect deer cartridges, for what it's worth.
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This is what you want to do, pick up the 6.5x55 and put a vx1 or vx2 on it. I reload, but I found the Hornady sst shoot out of mine great.
 
I see this often in these forums, where respondents don't seem to have read the original post. The OP asked specifically about .30-06 vs. .308. Don't get me wrong, good input from all but getting off track. One of the advantages to a common caliber is the knowledge that ammo is readily available in any sporting goods store or country Canadian Tire. If you went out hunting and forgot your specific ammo at home (which has happened to a lot of guys I know), you can be pretty sure that .303, .30-30, .30-06, and .308 will be on the shelves. Go looking for 7mm-08, 6.5X55, .257 Roberts, or some other less common calibre and you can be snookered.
 
starke22 said:
Hi All,

Trying to decide on a first hunting rifles. Any recommendations?

30-06 vs .308?

Scopes?

Wanting to stay under $1,000 for the whole set up.

Thanks,

-James
Click to expand...

If you're hunting short range, 200 yards or less, or even groundblind/ treestand distance than a nice 16" barrel 308 is something to consider. Consider the Remington Model Seven with Synthetic stock or a Ruger Scout with synthetic stock weight under 7lbs. There is also the Remington SPS in 16"barrel.

Price wise check out Elwood Epps website for pricing.

Got my antlerless tag this year and going to use my 16" barrel 308 with 180gr SP for both deer and black bear at ground blind distance.
 
LawrenceN said:
I see this often in these forums, where respondents don't seem to have read the original post. The OP asked specifically about .30-06 vs. .308. Don't get me wrong, good input from all but getting off track. One of the advantages to a common caliber is the knowledge that ammo is readily available in any sporting goods store or country Canadian Tire. If you went out hunting and forgot your specific ammo at home (which has happened to a lot of guys I know), you can be pretty sure that .303, .30-30, .30-06, and .308 will be on the shelves. Go looking for 7mm-08, 6.5X55, .257 Roberts, or some other less common calibre and you can be snookered.
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I see this often on this forum, guys assuming respondents didn't read the OP's post instead of considering that people might just be bringing other options to the OP's attention and if YOU actually read the OP's post you see the first line is "Trying to decide on a first hunting rifles. Any recommendations?" which is a separate question from the "30-06 vs .308?" question. So we're giving recommendations.
 
I have had a few of each and always prefer the 30-06. I just picked up a ruger american on blow out sale for my father in law in 30-06. Found a leupold vx1 also on blow out. All rigged up for less than $700. Was the easiest rifle I have sighted in to date, and so far shoots amazingly well.

I have quite a few much more expensive rifles, but if I was looking for another I would actually look at one of these.
 
Dogleg said:
Weatherby Vanguard in 270, 308, 30-06. A Leupold VX1- VX2 or these days a Freedom in 3-9X. You'd have shop around to bring that in under $1000, but you can do it. You'd wouldn't be compromising much if anything; Vanguards are bargain for what you're getting.

Or buy the Remington CDL in 30-06 that I have on the EE.;);)
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There ya have it.
 
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