Buying my first rifle - Preferably Remington 700

[LittleJake07]

Hey all,
I'm buying my first rifle and wanted some forum input on things that I'm probably not thinking of since no one in my family has been into guns at all.

I want a rifle that would be versatile for hunting, home protection(bears), to SHTF. I'm from MO, but am currently trying to get a job in AK.

A few questions:
Should I go with .300, .308, or 30-06?
-Based on ammo availability, versatility, range, power, and capability of quick subsequent shots.

I want it to be durable. Synthetic stock and stainless barrel?

Flash suppressor?

I plan on adding a bipod and scope, even though I have no idea what kind of scope. Would a 10x scope be good enough?

Give me some input.
Edit: I do somewhat realize the problems that I'm getting into with wanting one rifle to "do it all".

Thanks,
Jake

 

[snake284]

I love these kinds of questions. I'd look into the Remington SPS or ADL Synthetic in a mag caliber if you're going to Alaska. At least look at a 30-06. But being that you're new to this game, to make the 06 good for Alaska, I would think you might need to hand load, unless you can find some good premium ammo with bonded 180-200 grain bullets. But if you go with something like a 338 Win. Mag. you could find good ammo on the shelf that would dispatch the largest bears. A Remington 700 in 338 Win. Mag. would be a heck of a choice there. Also, look at a Ruger Alaskan. It comes in some good large calibers too. Anyway, good luck and don't go to Alaska undergunned.
Another option is a 35 Whelen. I think Ruger chambers it in their Hawkeye or their Mark II if I'm not mistaken. The Whelen is capable of taking anything walking in the U.S. mainland and Alaska.

 

[Abel]

A 30-06 would be great. Get a 3-9x40mm variable power scope, and spend as much as you can afford on it. Take a look at Ruger, Browning, Winchester, and Savage.

I like this one:

http://www.ruger.com/products/m77HawkeyeAllWeather/models.html

 

[natman]

If you are serious about going to Alaska, get a 30-06 in stainless/synthetic. It rains in Alaska. A lot. The one time I was there it was 34 degrees and it rained all week. In mid-August.

 

[Picher]

StainLESS steel still needs protection. It will corrode if not coated with either rust preventative or automobile-type wax.

That said, Remington 700s are good guns, but there are others that are at least as good, some of which have been mentioned. I also like Thompson Center, Winchester, and Savage rifles, but Remingtons have the most after-market options. I haven't seen many Remingtons that either didn't shoot well or coudn't be made to shoot fantastic with a few minor improvements.

It's hard to beat the .30-06 for a great all-around cartridge. It was my first centerfire and I used it for both deer and varmint hunting, with the proper bullets/loads. For those who don't handload, the lighter, "managed-recoil" rounds by Remington and perhaps others, can make range sessions easier on the shoulder. PAST recoil pads work great for the range as well.

 

[Beacon]

From what I have read, Alaskans seem to have some preferences regarding their rifles. Most are strong advocates of sythetic and stainless. The weather in Alaska is harsh, and the stainless actions help minimize maintenance and rust, and the synthetic stocks are more weather-proof and eliminate concerns about the warpage of wood stocks affecting accuracy and changing point of impact.

Probably 3 of the most popular calibers are .30-06, 300 Winchester Magnum, and 338 Winchester Magnum. If you haven't shot rifles very much, stick with a .30-06, which is an adequate caliber, ammunition is easy to find, and it doesn't have excessive recoil. Use good 180 gr. bullets.

Alaskans prefer either Winchester Model 70's or Ruger Model 77's, mainly it seems because those rifles have controlled round feed (CRF) instead of the more common push feed. This deals with how the rifle loads rounds from the magazine. The CRF is preferred since it is considered more reliable if the big bears are being dealt with.

You might want to try going here and using the search engine and reading the forum, and then asking questions if you have any.

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/forumdisplay.php/5-Alaska-Shooting


A couple of rifle options:

http://www.ruger.com/products/m77HawkeyeAllWeather/models.html

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=001C&mid=535110

 

[Art Eatman]

Beacon's comments fit with what other Alaska folks have said, through the years.

It's hard to find a rifle in today's world which won't be plenty accurate. The way a rifle fits you is IMO more important than the brand name.

First, check the length of pull. Hold the rifle with your finger on the trigger and your arm bent. The butt should be barely clear of your bicep. But remember that the thickness of clothing makes a difference, and consider winter garments in Alaskan hunting. Length is adjustable, of course, whether shortening the stock or adding a thicker pad.

Mount the rifle to your shoulder with your eyes closed and a good cheek weld to the stock. When you open your eyes, you should be looking right through the scope or sights or along the axis of the barrel without moving your head. Same sort of deal as with a shotgun...

If the Remington fits, hey, great. If not, keep looking. Special order if necessary. Rifles last through generations...

 

[Pacsd]

Jake, a flash supressor????...why?

 

[unwise11]

A flash hider can be useful on a shorter barreled rifle in a magnum caliber, if shot at night, those calibers throw a big flame, and a flash hider could help, don't rule out anything without consideration, a flash like that will temporarily blind you.

 

[LittleJake07]

@Pac, IDK, just saw it as one of the options on the Remington sight. I wondered if it had any drawbacks.

Remington 700
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-stainless.aspx
7.37 lbs
Barrel: 24" - 44.5"

Ruger M77
http://www.ruger.com/products/m77HawkeyeAllWeather/models.html
7.25 lbs
Barrel: 22" - 42.75"

I guess I'll have to try them out for size.

 

[jbr]

For what an opinion is worth - My favorite gun is my Browning Safari 30-06. Plenty of ammo choices -Good for 300 or 400 yards (if you shoot better than me)-versatile-Reliable-Great recoil. Softer by far than my 30-30. I have a 4.5x14 Burris Fairfield II on it - like it for the price. Killed 6 deer with it in the last 2 years - one moved a little after he was hit, i think. Same basic rifle is made in synthetic choices i believe. Good luck

 

[Dr T]

First rife? Have you done much shooting? If not, I would strongly suggest staying as far away from the heavy recoiling magnums as you can get. Forget the macho factor. Magnums are difficult to handle without experience (and my 375 H&H with 270 gr bullets is more pleasant to shoot than my 35 Whelan with 250 gr bullets--probably because of the stock).

MV and ME mean nothing if you can't hit the target. You learn to shoot by practicing, and you won't practice with something that beats you up every time you fire it.

In hunting, bullet construction and bullet placement matter much, much more than MV and ME (which are nice abstract concepts which exist primarily on paper).

I would actually suggest you acquire two rifles: A good 22 LR (to learn to shoot and practice) and a 308 or 30-06 (probably the 30-06 because you can find ammo anywhere and it handles heavy bullets better than the 308. The 308 is a bit better for 165 gr and below, the 30-06 for 165 gr and above).

My choice for the best value would be a pair of Savages. My 93 is a tackdriver and the 110 derivatives are nicely made and accurate.

For your purposes, I would suggest a 2-7x or 3-9x scope (my preference is for 2-7x since my target acquisition time at 2x is faster than at 4x). If you can find a GOOD fixed power 4x scope, that provides another option.

 

[Aaron2091]

Just an idea but do you own a shotgun...thought about getting a slug gun ?...mossberg makes a nice 930 autoloader(4+1 capacity) that has interchangeable barrels for rifled slugs and buckshot. In my 4 trips to AK I have seen alot of mag caliber guns on the backs of hunters but the guides always seem to have a shotgun w/slugs. Any large game out to 150 yds should fall with a good sabot slug.

 

[memphisjim]

First rifle I'd definitely steer clear of anything larger than 30-06 one thing I didn't see addressed is home protection unless you hand load the 308 seems best for that as others will over penetrate. I say check out that new scout rifle ruger put out 308 bolt action 10 round mag

 

[Maverick223]

For a first rifle I have to recommend a .22LR. While you can just jump into centerfire, I believe a rimfire helps to promote marksmanship and affords much cheaper practice.

For a first centerfire rifle, I have to echo the folks that say a magnum (or big bore) should be avoided. I believe the .30-06Spd. would be a fine choice. As far as the rifle type, I have always preferred a good ole CRF action, as found with a Mauser, Winchester M-70, CZ, or Ruger M-77 amongst many others (listed roughly in order of preference). A synthetic stock and SS will make it more durable and require less maintenance, but some is still required. A flash suppressor is not necessary, but wouldn't really hurt anything either (other than costing a bit more and being more prone to snag on things).

I think it is best to purchase good optics. I believe that the best deal on the market ATM is the Vortex Viper, but the Sightron S-II, Bushnell Elite-4200, Nikon Monarch, et cetera are good scopes as well. In all likelihood, the old standby, a 3-9x40mm or similar would meet your needs; many times I find a 2-7x as long as it has good glass quality.