Thread: Trying to decide on my first hunting rifle

30.06 is a good choice. Can't really go wrong with a Remington. I've got a Ruger that's very good though.

Savage is rifle of choice for me as it is built for accurace and not to look pretty. The Savage is a working tool, not a wall piece. I like both .308 and 30.06 as both are excellant calibre's. By choice for what you intend to hunt I would go the .06, but as has been said, shot placement is what you need to have to a high standard. Bolt action is best for accuracy. Semi-auto's are just waste bullets and encourage a reliability on a fast follow up. One shot, one kill is what you should be practicing.
As for a .22 a Savage series 200 is nice and cheap. Or one of those Ruger 10/22's in bolt action.
Everyone raves about Remingtons and a few other top brands, and yes they are great rifles, but you're paying more for the name.
In the end you will have to buy what fits your stature best or modify what you do get, to get the fit you want.
You don't want to be either scooching down too low or sticking your head up too high to look through a 'scope. That rifle stock has got to be an aid to putting your head in the right position. Not a hinderance. Anyway plenty has been said already. And being a slightly older thread you will have made some choices already.


Mick

I also hand loaded all my shells. While factory ammunition is extremely consistent, I never knew anyone who shot recreationally that didn't hand load.

That was 25 years ago. Of the three of us who shot together, I had a Remington 6mm, another of us had an array of Remington .223 weapons, and one of us had an old piece of crap JC Higgins 30-06.

We all hand loaded, and the variety of components available in 30 caliber is astounding. That 30-06 cartridge can be loaded to do more, and less, than almost any other commercially available caliber. Man, could that guy hit with that 30-06 of his.

The only drawback to varmint shooting with the 30-06 is the sheer volume of powder it took.

I'd guess a .308 cartridge can be made to do just about anything the 30-06 cartridge can do.

What to get? I'd get the '-06 in a modern bolt action rifle, for no other reason than cartridge availability. But, that's just me.

If you are going big game, you need a big caliber. Moose is big. You need lots of penitration for an animal that size. A 30-06 will work on elk but you are pushing the limit. As a sportsman I want a quick clean kill. That elk went around a half mile before he dropped and that was with proper shot placement.

I use a Browning A-bolt chambered in 338 Winchester mag and fitted with a Leupold scope. It may sound overkill for deer, but you can load it down for smaller game. But really, can you dispatch the animal to fast? A deer drops in its tracks and with the right loads I do not get a through and through which is good. That means the bullet expended all of its energy inside the animal killing it quickly. Go with hot 250 grain loads and it will drop an elk where it stands. Down side, you dont shoot it for pleasure. Ammo is expensive (I reload) and kicks like a mule.

Get yourself a Benelli R1 in 30-06. Reliable, accurate and rather pretty.

Is that Binelli Semi-Auto? Those are not legal for hunting some places. Not sure about the OP location, but I know in PA you could not hunt with a semi-auto.

Thanks guys - I'm in Ontario, Canada. I believe that semi-automatic hunting rifles may be legal here (don't really know), I'm actually pretty set on a bolt-action. I'm debating which on still, thinking about the Browning x-bolt, the Remmington 700 series, or one of the Savage Arms Accutrigger rifles.

I've still got a month before I take my course that allows me to go purchase a rifle, but when I do, I'll let y'all know what I get!

Thanks for all who responded with all the great info - you've all given me lots to consider!

Mark

Those are all really good rifles. You can't go wrong with any of them, IMO.

Buy whatever you can afford and is going to make you happy.

Kent

Originally Posted by klsmsn

Those are all really good rifles. You can't go wrong with any of them, IMO.

Buy whatever you can afford and is going to make you happy.

Kent

+1 Ditto


Mick

Originally Posted by Milton Man

Thanks guys - I'm in Ontario, Canada. I believe that semi-automatic hunting rifles may be legal here (don't really know), I'm actually pretty set on a bolt-action. I'm debating which on still, thinking about the Browning x-bolt, the Remmington 700 series, or one of the Savage Arms Accutrigger rifles.

I've still got a month before I take my course that allows me to go purchase a rifle, but when I do, I'll let y'all know what I get!

Thanks for all who responded with all the great info - you've all given me lots to consider!

Mark

with a month to go before your class/permit I would really look at air rifles for cheap practice untill you get your rifle...and as I said before I don't think that you need any special permit for one as long as its velocity and chamber pressure are under the legal limit, but I'm not sure what that limit is since im not from canada.