Best hunting rifle?

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Lone Ranger

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Wife gave me go ahead to buy a hunting rifle. Always nice to have the okay from the SO. So what would the knowledgeable hunters here recommend with regards to make/model and type of ammo? Large game ( not prairie dogs) would be the ultimate goal for hunting.
 
Wow that opens up a ton of possibilites. What area are you intending to hunt. Are you in a plains state, mountians, dense woods, what. How much are you willing to spend. A marlin 336 is a fine rifle and can be had for under $300. A savage bolt rifle in 30/06 or even in a .270 is a great hunting rifle that is plenty accurate. Give us a little more info and anyone would be happy to offer help.
 
Since we don't know your:

-Budget
-Definition of "large" game
-Budget
-Territory / Terrain type(s)
-Budget
-Affinity or aversity to recoil
-Budget
-Age and general fitness level
-Budget
-Longest shots you are willing and skilled enough to take
-Budget
-Affinity for one action type vs. others
-Budget
-Affinity for traditional wood/blued vs. others
-Budget
-Your state's game laws
-etc., etc.

I'll just say that one of these is the best one:

http://www.cabelas.com/hprod-1/0006192.shtml

http://www.futurefirepower.com/shooter-movie-cheytac-intervention-m200-sniper-rifle

Take your pick! :D :p
 
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^^^^Wow.
I need details on that bear hunt. Please my wife gave me the blessing to plan a bear hunt. She thinks the rugs are nice.
 
Well H2O-man at least I don't have to be jealous of you anymore:D. That is one heck of a bear. Wish it was taken by yourself or another member of the THR.
 
Try the Thompson Center Encore. They are a single shot break open rifle. www.tcarms.com What makes them very practical and versatile is that you can interchnage the barrel from the small .22lr for varmint hunting to the 7mm magnum for the big game.
 
Howa has some great combo deals right now (rifle with mounted scope). The scopes are Nikko Stirlings and are actually really good quality. Legacysports should have all the info you would need on them. Other than that, Savage and CZ deserve your attention too.
 
Lone Ranger,

As previous posters have already said, there are many, many variables to consider.

Assuming that you are looking for a versatile 'general purpose' hunting rifle that will allow you to hunt medium game such as whitetail deer, mule deer, black bear, pronghorns, etc. in a variety of terrain, you would be well served with a bolt-action rifle equipped with a 2x7 variable-powered scope (not one of those huge 4x12 boat anchors). A 20" or 22" barrel in a calibre such as .308 Winchester, 7mm-08, 7x57 would provide adequate power without much recoil, and factory ammunition is relative inexpensive (I assume that you don't reload) .270 Winchester, .30/06 or .243 Winchester are also reasonable choices.

There are plenty of options available to you, and the above is not necessarily the 'best' choice. It would provide you with a very versatile rig, though ... essentially the same as used by J.Y. Jones and Grancel Fitz to collect all species of North American game.

If you prefer a lever-action, a Winchester 88 or Savage 99 (secondhand, they are both long out of production) are viable options. Browning's BLR is fine too.

The 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum certainly have their places in a hunting battery, but for a 'one-purpose-suits-all' rifle I would counsel staying away from the magnums: too much recoil, ammunition is expensive, barrels need to be too long, and barrel wear is significantly faster. See generally "Do I need a magnum rifle?".
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I was thinking of a general purpose rifle if their really is such a thing. I don't trust sale people as I feel they are there to make a sale, sort of like a car salesman. So that is why I asked and then I can check out the suggestions to see if they work for me. Best car I ever had was an '87 Buick Regal Turbo. Only time I threw money into that was to fill the tank and to buy parts to make it go faster. Shoes, I got these old gym shoes that fit like a glove but look like *hit. Right now I have a Mini 14 and a Marlin 1894c.

-Budget - Open to what is reasonable based on what I find, I don't want the most expensive golf clubs, but don't want the cheapest either. Get what you pay for.

-Definition of "large" game - Not as big as that bear, don't want to buy something and find out that I should have bought something else, so I value what you all say.

-Territory / Terrain type(s) - Open.

-Affinity or aversity to recoil - I like my shoulder.

-Age and general fitness level - 57 and average.

-Longest shots you are willing and skilled enough to take - Practice makes better.

-Affinity for one action type vs. others - Open to what I find.

-Affinity for traditional wood/blued vs. others - I like wood but appreciate other material that doesn't show wear, haven't given much thought blued or not.

-Your state's game laws - will travel since more of my friends are retiring and living out of state, Illinois. I think a 50 would be overkill for me.

The more info I get the more I can make an informed decision and not have buyer regret later.
 
I am a huge fan of every Savage rifle I have ever owned. My personal favorite is in a .270. My go to gun is a model 110 (laugh if you want) with a 3-9x40 Burris signature scope. The rifle is ugly but has taken numerous deer, one barren ground caribou, one 5x4 Elk, three hogs, and one black bear. With appropriate loads for what you are doing. A .270 is a flat shooting rifle and is fairly easy on the shoulder. You like wood stocks I have heard nothing but good reports on the Savage model 14 american, or the new T/C icon rifles. Browning makes a fine rifle as does CZ. As for open country all around calibers .270, 30/06, .280 rem, .308 win, .260 rem, .300 win, 7mm STW, and many others.

You are still leaving several pretty open ended questions but I hope it helps.
 
Dr.Tad's equation will most definitely provide you with the information you need to make YOUR decision-

Unless your independently wealthy, the budget part of the equation will likely have the most significant affect on your decision!

Opinions will fly... this will get out of hand... and we'll be lucky to live through it! hehehe

BTW... I should say that the Savage line has been good for me!
 
You cannot go wrong with a 30-06 or 308 Win. cartridge. The 30 calibers are one of the most abundant to find ammo and components for. Lots of bolt actions to choose from new and used. The Savage 99's are still around in 308 Win. if you like a traditional lever gun.
 
Its hard to beat a 30.06 or 308 for an all around cartridge. With those two calibers you could take any game in the lower 48 and buy ammunition at just about anywhere that sells it. With that being said I currently shoot a 25.06. In the past I have huunted with 30.06, 7mm Magnum, and 300 Magnum. The magnums were way over kill for the Arkansas game. I liked the 30.06 and I like the 25.06 but the 25.06 is not really a big enough caliber for some western states game. I don't think that you could go wrong with a Browning, Ruger, CZ, or Savage. They are all relatively comparable in price. I own Brownings, Rugers and CZs. I have not owned a Savage but my friends have them and like them. just my .02
 
I was thinking of a general purpose rifle if their really is such a thing.
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Any decent-quality rifle chambered in a medium bore, non-magnum calibre such as .270, 7x57, 7-08, .280, .308, or .30/06 will come pretty close to being a 'general purpose' rifle.

Affinity for one action type vs. others - Open to what I find.
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Bolt-actions tend to be the most accurate, but semi-autos (e.g., Browning's BAR) and well-designed lever actions can shoot well enough for practical purposes. Single shots like the TC Encore and the Ruger No. 1 are also fine. Choose whatever type appeals to you the most.

I don't trust sale people as I feel they are there to make a sale, sort of like a car salesman. So that is why I asked and then I can check out the suggestions to see if they work for me.
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Some people like, and some people hate, this website. The proprietor makes a big deal out of the fact that he is not selling anything and (unlike the gun magazines) is not influenced by advertising revenue. So, you might want to check it out.

Two books that are now somewhat dated but provide good commonsense advice are as follows:

Jack O'Connor, The Hunting Rifle (1970)

Jim Carmichael, The Modern Rifle (1975)

Layne Simpson's Rifles and Cartridges for Large Game (2003) could be worth checking out. I have not read that book and am not personally familiar with its contents.

Budget - Open to what is reasonable based on what I find, I don't want the most expensive golf clubs, but don't want the cheapest either. Get what you pay for.
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Buying secondhand is one way to stretch your dollar. Most firearms are not shot very much, and it is possible to find some good bargains.

Don't want to buy something and find out that I should have bought something else.... The more info I get the more I can make an informed decision and not have buyer regret later.
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Don't worry too much about that. Human nature being what it is, your subconscious will do an excellent job of manufacturing ex post facto rationales for whatever choice you make. :)

Affinity for traditional wood/blued vs. others - I like wood but appreciate other material that doesn't show wear, haven't given much thought blued or not.
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Stainless is more 'modern' and is certainly desireable for certain applications (i.e., hunting in very wet climates). On the other hand it is typically shinier than a blued finish (undesireable for hunting), usually costs a bit more, and looks 'industrial'.

For most purposes, it doesn't make much difference. Stainless is fine, but if you are prepared to spend a bit of time keeping your rifle clean and oiled, a blued firearm will last several lifetimes.
 
I think you really need to get out and look at whats availible at the local (or not so local) mega gun mart. Start by looking at what apeals to the eye as you don't want to own a gun you can't stand looking at (Benelli Nova ex.). Thats also the easiest and fastest way to limit your choices. Then start narrowing them down based on ergonomics, weight, caliber, product support...lastly cost. Then go back and look at those guns you thought were too ugly and see if they have grown on you yet. Be aware of the laws where you are going to hunt. You can't get an AR15 in .450 Bushmaster and hunt with it in Canada. Always keep in the back of your mind that quallity is remembered long after price is forgotten. I live by that analogy and have not looked back since. I just have less money for food now :)
 
Just in case the big game travels in packs...I would go with a six-lb gun (note: gun weighs > 6lbs...bring mules to carry gun) loaded with grapeshot. :D

On a more serious note for distance I like a Browning A-Bolt chambered for the appropriate "large" game. For relatively close range a .45-70 lever gun is hard to beat. The .45-70 is a very versatile cartridge and can be used on anything from varmint control (accuracy is not so important...shrapnel is your friend) to Bear/Buffalo/Moose/T-Rex. ;)
 
Or most African countries, if that is a possibility (you never know!).
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I think the .450 bushy is a bit light for dangerous african monsters...but that brings up a good point...if you define large game as big-boy dangerous African monsters, then a .458Lott is the only way to go. Your shoulder will thank me. :)
 
Take a little trip... over to your local gun emporium and fondle several different models.

The right one will follow you home. Fit and feel....

As for the caliber...have you ever watched weaponology on the military channel and seen those man cannons that hurl a quarter pound projectile just under light speed..... you don't need anything like that! :D

Stick to the 270 winchester, 7mm-08, 7mm Remington Magnum, 308, 30-06(the best choice IMO), type rounds, the list goes on... :)
 
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