Hunting rifle recommendation needed?

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Seems like we have the rifle nailed down, as far as your caliber goes there have been some excellent recommendations here. Let's break them down shall we.
30-06
Pros: Ammo/brass is everywhere, and cheap. It has the power to put down any elk that ever walked within reasonable ranges and with proper bullet selection/placement.
Cons: Not very original, everybody has one.
308
Pros: 95% of the 30-06s umph in a compact short action package.
Cons: Cannot effectively use the ultra heavy 200+gr bullets the 06 can.
300 win mag
Pros: Speed and trajectory of a smaller caliber and the punch of a 30 cal, as long as you are not recoil shy what is not to like.
Cons: Brass and ammo are $$$$, real world performance is not that much higher then the 06 of the same barrel length truth be told.
6.5x55
Pros: Superb ballistics, very mild manners, easy load development, and disproportionate killing power for a small caliber.
Cons: You HAVE to reload to extract performance potential, and good brass (Norma or Lapua) can be hard to find locally, as are the rifles at times.
270 Win
Pros: Shoots flat and fast, quality ammo/brass is in abundance.
Cons: Few bullets in this caliber are really made for elk sized game.
7mm Rem mag
Pros: Shoots flatter then even the 270win, and delivers almost as much punch downrange as the 300 win.
Cons: As with all magnums the brass is $$$$ and there is some concern about barrel life with the 7mm RM, it is a bit overbore.
 
hunting rifle

I vote for a remington model 7 in 308 Remington, 150 gr Nosler accubonds loaded to 2850 FPS or use Hornady super performance loads if more velocity is needed. Small whitetails to Elk at ranges under 300 yards. I'm getting older and the rifles are getting heavier. Top it off with a Leupold VX2 2.5x10.
 
Since there is a lot of talk about the Tikka T3 here I thought I'd ask about it since I planned on getting one. I have heard about their great accuracy, amazing trigger, and smooth action, I just want to know how does their synthetic stock feel? Is it grippy or is it slick. I want to know if it feels good in the hands cause thats basically the bottom line when it comes to a hunting rifle.
 
Timmypage16 said:
Grumulkin did you change anything on the encore to get it shoot that well? Also who do you buy your barrels from?
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The only modification to the rifle was a trigger job. The other part of the equation is good handloads.

Not all Encore barrels shoot that well but a significant number shoot very well. It would be pretty unusual to get an Encore rifle barrel that wouldn't do at least 1.5 MOA and by far the majority will do less than 1 MOA. I would say the average would be about 0.6 to 0.8 MOA. I also have different Encore handgun barrels with which I've shot 3 shot 200 yard groups measuring about 1.5 inches.

I acquired most of my barrels from places like eBay, gunbroker.com and internet forums. Most of them were in used but pristine condition.
 
I like the Tikka T3 lite stainless. I'll have to try to get my hands on one. Reasonably accurate for a hunting rifle?
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They are very, very accurate. My 30-06 is sub-MOA with everything I put through it. My favorite hunting load is a max load of IMR4350 under a 165 grain Accubond. Shoots about 1/2" groups and is plenty for pretty much anything with a hoof. It also shoots cheap factory Remington, Federal, Winchester, etc. into about 3/4" of an inch.
 
Mentokk1 said:
Since there is a lot of talk about the Tikka T3 here I thought I'd ask about it since I planned on getting one. I have heard about their great accuracy, amazing trigger, and smooth action, I just want to know how does their synthetic stock feel? Is it grippy or is it slick. I want to know if it feels good in the hands cause thats basically the bottom line when it comes to a hunting rifle.
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I think their stock has a fantastic feel, never had any issues with traction or anything like that, since it is a real composite it does feel harder then the injection molded stocks, but I think that is a good thing. The egronomics of the rifle are very slim, like it was designed for smaller shooters to grip comfortably, but some large friends of mine say they like that too........go figure. The butt stock is not flat but is slightly curved to contour to your shoulder which I also really like. But these things are subjective, someone else might hate those same features, the only way to know if it is for you is to shoulder one.
Now to the two things I don't like about Tikka, their recoil pad is just too darn hard, mind you not even remotely an issue with a sissy kicking 6.5x55 but if I were shooting a 300 win or above I would insist on an aftermarket piece, and the other is that they don't use longer barrels on their overbore standard cartrages, I would not want a 22" tube on a 25-06 but with a 30-06 22" works just fine.
 
Just to add to the complexity of your choices, I recommend the Vanguard, take a look at them if you haven't. .30-06 is the way to go. Unless you have a supressed itch to chase brown or polar bears someday, it will do everything you need and ammo's more economical (ammo's never cheap...) than the less popular chamberings. As far as scopes, I just bought a Nikon ProStaff with the BDC reticle and am really impressed at the quality for only $180.
 
I love the Remington 770. I guess that you would call that one of the "newer models" but I love it. It has the stainless steel barrel and camo stock. Also it is very reasonably priced. Just about $400 after tax and shipping etc. I upgraded the scope on mine as the one that came on it was not the best. It was good for a start but... anyway I bought a Centerpoint scope that was much nicer.
Al in all I found it to be a great gun for a good price.

Round wise, you can't go wrong with the .30-06. The .270 is great as well!

However, the Remington 700 is also a GREAT gun!

Buy the 770 and get another gun with the rest of the $1000 ;)
 
I'd rather pay 400 for a weatherby vanguard/howa 1500 or savage than a remmy 770 any day!

I have a vanguard in 243 and would like a stainless one in either 270 or 30-06.
And the s2 versions(new stock and now moa guaranteed) are getting great reviews.

I feel the vanguard looks/feels better than my savage but the savage gets things done just as well in the field.
 
Texaszach said:
I'd rather pay 400 for a weatherby vanguard/howa 1500 or savage than a remmy 770 any day!

I have a vanguard in 243 and would like a stainless one in either 270 or 30-06.
And the s2 versions(new stock and now moa guaranteed) are getting great reviews.

I feel the vanguard looks/feels better than my savage but the savage gets things done just as well in the field.
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BIG +1 A Vanguard/Howa is a thousand times the rifle a 770 is, now as much as I admire the Weatherby's fantastic barrel, and "strongest in the industry" action the stock sadly does not fit me :( in an attempt to perfect ergonomics they ended up making the stock a but too bulky/heavy for little ol me (I am only 5'5") but I will be the first to admit that the Vanguard SII is amongst the best in the industry, a worthy rival for Tikka or Savage.
 
Sue for malpractice and buy something for Africa. LOL

Glad to hear you're NOT going to have to give up hunting. I'd not like that idea, myself. Although, if I were in a wheelchair, I'd build a box blind big enough for my wheelchair and pave a path to it. :D

Lots of good, accurate, used 700s at a gun show. They're not completely run off by the tacticool stuff. Savage is a good gun, good buy. Goes up from there, of course. Thompson Center has this new switch barrel bolt gun out that looks novel. I don't have any idea how it shoots, but it's amazingly affordable for a cool concept gun. I don't really need another rifle, of course, but I'd like to play with one.
 
When one asks for hunting rifle suggestion, one must expect that most of the responders will simply reply with the type of rifle they are using. That's probably because they like it, otherwise they'd be using something else. I'm no different!

I like .308 and 30-06 because ammo is so easily obtainable. That's not such an important factor if you're reloading, but if you are the variety of bullets is staggering compared to most alternatives. I and most of my friends use .30 caliber rifles and we're happy with our choices.

Whatever decision you make, if you start out with a positive frame of mind it will probably turn out well.

Best of luck!
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I have a Tikka T3 in .270 and really like it. As others have said, it shoots really well and is hard to beat for the money.

With that said, I LOVE my M70 in -06. Much better feel than the "plastic" of the Tikka, better safety, no plastic magazine, etc. Just an all around more pleasing gun to carry around and look at.

You can't go wrong with either.
 
If you have a .243, sounds to me like you have all the rifle you need............./QUOTE]
+1

Yeah, that .243 is a bit light for elk. I have heard really good things about Tikka rifles. A friend of mine has shot several with a Tikka .270...he says it is very accurate and reasonable to carry. modestly priced too./QUOTE]

since when is a .243 too light for elk? i have seen a .243 take a brown bear down in 20 yards first hand. Moose too! IMHO i would keep the m70 .243(which is an exceptional rifle) and spend that $1000 to top it with a high quality scope. the featherweight will really help you get around easier. carrying extra .243 rounds with you will cut down on weight compared to those .30cal rounds you will have to pack in. every oz matters.
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243 for brown bear?!?!?! I love the little 6mm but that would never be my first choice for dangerous game, my policy on big teeth, claws or horns is the largest caliber heaviest bonded bullet I can place with a high level of precision, and that is way larger and heavier then a 243.
 
bigger calibers are for bigger misses... to each their own i guess. it was winchester factory ammo, 100gr soft point, 150yd shot. it wasn't a pass through but it made it all the way to the hide on the opposite side. i found it while i was skinning it. still have it actually. it squared at 8'6".

unless the OP is planning some seriously long shots, or is not certain of his shooting abilities, the .243 would be adequate for elk. IMHO thats what i would stick with, and spend the money on a scope for it.
 
porktornado said:
bigger calibers are for bigger misses... to each their own i guess. it was winchester factory ammo, 100gr soft point, 150yd shot. it wasn't a pass through but it made it all the way to the hide on the opposite side. i found it while i was skinning it. still have it actually. it squared at 8'6".

unless the OP is planning some seriously long shots, or is not certain of his shooting abilities, the .243 would be adequate for elk. IMHO thats what i would stick with, and spend the money on a scope for it.
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I don't see it that way, if I cannot place a 300gr 375 H&H with just as much confidence as my 6.5x55 I won't bring it along, and placed in the same location the larger caliber will have a much greater effect, while both are surely fatal, the larger caliber causes more tissue damage and faster blood loss. Never met a dangerous game hunter who said "I wish I brought a smaller caliber" 243s are a fantastic little rifle, and many underestimate their deer dropping power, but I would absolutely draw the line at elk with premium bullets at reasonable ranges.
 
hahaha i agree with you Kachok, I've never met that hunter either. this guy was a special case and we assured him it would be ok and we would be there for backup shots with our .375s. i am definitely not saying go do it by any means. I'm just saying what it is capable of doing in the right hands. we had another guy take a moose with a .220 swift. he has been all over the world harvesting animals with that caliber, including an elephant. theres just something appealing about taking a large animal with an over looked, smaller, "incapable" caliber. i agree with all of the calibers and rifles everyone has suggested, they would all do the job. i was just trying to save the OP some cash with an adequate set up.
 
Tiny calibers require surgical precision on larger game, while some enjoy the extra challange of CNS shots I perfer having the extra umph for quick kills, I am a good shot by any standard, but if I want to show off I do it on paper and use cartrages of a reasonable level of overkill on live tragets. It is just more humane for the animals and alot safer for me.
I like overlooked calibers as well, some of my all time favorites are some of the old Mauser cartrages, I have never once felt handicapped with a 6.5x55 or 7x57 on deer or hogs. The only get so dead so quick no matter what you hit them with, no 300 magnum ever held a better track record of quick kills then my Sweed :)
 
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