Elk/Range rifle: 308 or 30-06?

[warnerwh]

30.06 from me also. You should do research on the Marlin XL7 rifles. Accuracy is as good as any of the big name rifles. I mean sub MOA accuracy consistently. The adjustable trigger is excellent. If you would like to try the Marlin I live in Portland. I'm a member of Douglas Ridge Rifle Club. We have a 100-200yd range and once a week on Thursday is long range day for 300-1000 yards which is too far for me.

The Marlin can be had for 300.00 with the synthetic and about 435 with a laminated stock. My point being as the scope is very important and you don't want to only have money for a 100 dollar scope. The scope is just as important as the rifle and some people spend more for the scope than their rifles.

 

[Grizfire]

My vote is for 30-06 in a Remington model 700 lightweight mountain rifle...

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/model_700/model_700_mountain_LSS.asp

 

[blackops]

Honestly all three rifles are quality. I'm not a big Tikka guy, I like savage out of you three. Personally I would pay a little more and get a Winchester m70. Put all of your current options to your shoulder and decide what is most comfortable. I will also highly recommend trigger work.

 

[Matrix187]

I would go for a CZ 550 American in .30-06, or a Winchester M70 in .30-06. Both are fantastic guns. The Winnie is a bit lighter, but the CZ 550 has a set trigger which is nice for the range or long range shots.

 

[ArmedBear]

Personally I would pay a little more and get a Winchester m70.

Ditto. Featherweight. 7 lbs. in .30-06, so 8 with a scope. Not terrible to carry, not too light to shoot.

Or the Savage if you really only want one on your list.

Tikka and Ruger can keep their rifles, as can Remington and Marlin.

A side-by-side comparison of the various guns, with an eye towards quality, fit and finish for long-term range use, price, and the features required for a decent hunting rifle, will make it obvious why I write this.

To start with, I wouldn't consider a hunting rifle that doesn't have a bolt-locking safety or some other means of locking the bolt down (like the Icon, which has a separate control). That eliminates the Remington and Marlin right off the bat. The prices Remington wants now seal the deal.

If I'm going to have one rifle, it has to make me feel warm inside. I have to LIKE it, and enjoy just taking it out of the safe and putting it in a case for a ride in the Jeep. That eliminates the Tikka. Buttery action? Compared to what, exactly?

The Ruger has the features I require. It's superficially similar to the Winchester. However, the Winchester's action is SO much nicer in fit and finish, it's not even funny. So the Hawkeye is out. It's slightly cheaper than the Winchester, but not nearly enough.

That leaves the Savage in push-feed and the Winchester in controlled-round-feed.

On a tight budget, I might still consider the Tikka. With scope rings included, it comes out pretty cheap compared to the others. The Lite is nice and light, for mountain carry, and could make a good seasonal-use gun in, say, .338 WinMag, for elk season only. But I can't get excited about the things as "only guns".

 

[rbernie]

Look at the comb on this stock:

There is no way that you can get a proper cheek weld on that stock at all even when prone, much less when shooting offhand or from a field-expedient position (sitting, kneeling).

I don't care how great the action is - if the rifle isn't shootable because it doesn't fit, then what's the point?

 

[ArmedBear]

When I've fooled with them in the store, they've fit me. Don't ask how, because I can't say for sure. It surprised me, too. Note, however, that this comb is about exactly what Browning's new shotguns have on them, considering the height of the scope over the Tikka.

Now as for how they'd feel under recoil, that's a whole different story. The one I was looking at was a Lite model in .338 WinMag.

And all of that said, give me a Weatherby comb. I'm generally not real big on the continental Euro ideas of what makes a gun stock.

 

[rbernie]

And all of that said, give me a Weatherby comb. I'm generally not real big on the continental Euro ideas of what makes a gun stock.

Roger that. I can't buy most Browning rifles, due to the same stock issues as the Tikka. And I have learned the hard way that Browning and Tikka are NOT well supported in the aftermarket stock marketplace...

 

[paintballdude902]

either the 06 or a .260

 

[MistWolf]

I get a good cheekweld with a modern classic stock. California stocks? BLEH! Ugly, heavy and uncomfortable! They were back in the day and they are now. Weatherby can keep'em!

 

[usmc1371]

Lucky stirke what part of oregon you hunting in?

I have been elk hunting all over oregon since 1994, mostly cows with a hair tag once and a while. I started out with a ruger M77 in 30-06 and killed my first 8 or 9 elk with it, all under 400 yds. I have now gone to a all weather m77 300 wm and I haven't thought twice about going back to the 06. I had the chance to shoot a m77 and a tikka both in 300wsm this year and both were great shooting rifles, recoil is not bad and shorter and lighter than my 300 wm. You can't go wrong with the 30-06 and the amount of factory rounds means you can find a elk bullet that will shoot good in what ever rifle you choose.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Lucky stirke what part of oregon you hunting in?

I have been elk hunting all over oregon since 1994, mostly cows with a hair tag once and a while. I started out with a ruger M77 in 30-06 and killed my first 8 or 9 elk with it, all under 400 yds. I have now gone to a all weather m77 300 wm and I haven't thought twice about going back to the 06. I had the chance to shoot a m77 and a tikka both in 300wsm this year and both were great shooting rifles, recoil is not bad and shorter and lighter than my 300 wm. You can't go wrong with the 30-06 and the amount of factory rounds means you can find a elk bullet that will shoot good in what ever rifle you choose.

We hunt in the Pine Creek unit (just outside of Halfway about 10 miles from the Idaho border). The group always puts in for a bull tag so I've never had the chance to hunt for cows...i'd actually prefer it since I've been in position to shoot one 2 of the past 4 years and would just like to have a bunch of elk meat. Since I'm new to the group (it was started by my dad and his friend when they were my age) i'm not about to tell them that we should switch things up and put in for cow season.

 

[Harve Curry]

308 or 30-06 are good within their range. But for elk size game I would spend the money on a pure copper bullet like the Barnes bullets. They stay together and peel back like a banana. The difference a bullet like that can make is substantial. I've seen it work on deer and elk.

 

[UniversalFrost]

30/06 is my choice due to its availability everywhere on earth and every centerfire rifle in a long action is chambered in 30/06, so great selection of guns and for reloading there is more availability to load light or heavy. my favorite 30/06 elk loads are the 200 or 220 gr nosler partitions. also a great load for 300 win mag and rem ultra mag for elk and moose.

also might want to look at a single shot break open like the encore. They are light and very reliable and you can just swap barrels depending on your conditions.

in oregon and idaho and montana where you might run in to griz I would be looking to carry either a big sidearm or someting bigger than 30/06, or some really heavy 220gr 30/06 loads.

 

[ArmedBear]

But for elk size game I would spend the money on a pure copper bullet like the Barnes bullets.

Note that Nosler and Hornady make tipped gilding metal competitors now. They load, shoot and foul like regular rounds.

I tried some of the Hornady GMX bullets, and I could just load them up just like my SSTs. They were less than 1 MOA different in POI, and groups were excellent. Same powder charge, seating depth, everything. No fooling around like with Barnes, and I can practice with the much cheaper SSTs.

Now what is a bummer is that the .338-06 is pretty much DOA. With the benefit modern powder in the .30-06 case, it gets .30-06 velocities with heavier .338 bullets. Too bad Weatherby bought it from the defunct A-Square -- nothing against Weatherby, they just don't have much incentive to push the round, given their existing rifle offerings in .338, .340, .338-378 Magnums.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Don't dis-consider a particular rifle over the stock! As long as the length of pull is to your fit, and even that can be adjusted, the drop at the comb also can be modified.

We add adjustable cheek pieces routinely for customers. There are but a couple 'hunting' rifles that will offer the proper cheek weld on the market, the others simply do not.
Most folks will say theirs do, maybe unknowingly, and adjust their hold to compensate... all the while adhered to the fact that it is right.
Fact is, most stocks, even by today's standards, are still cut for open sights, even the ones found on rifles with no sights.

If you find a rifle that you like, a simple add-on cheek piece such as the ones manufactured by this company http://www.blackpowderbags.com/ or http://www.imageseek.com/karsten/gallery/forsale or http://www.beartooth-products.com/shop/vmchk/comb-raising-kits.html is a cheap and effective way to cure the problem.

 

[ArmedBear]

Fact is, most stocks, even by today's standards, are still cut for open sights, even the ones found on rifles with no sights.

That's one reason I like Weatherby's stocks. They're not.

An adjustable comb, though? What a dirt-catcher.

 

[ArmedBear]

California stocks? BLEH! Ugly, heavy and uncomfortable!

Ugly is a matter of personal opinion.

Uncomfortable? Again, personal differences. It's comfortable for me (like any other design, the stock has to fit). Under recoil they're great, and I get a perfect cheek weld and natural pointing with mine.

But heavy? The only production 24" long-action rifle I know about, that's well under 6 lbs., is a Mark V variant. In 2009, a plank-like stock isn't the only way to shave weight.

 

[Wanta B]

My .02 for what it is worth.

'06 all the way.

Rifle,well,there are a lot of good ones out there and I have many of them but if I could only have one it would be one of the new Browning,um ah,Winchester,yeh,Winchester or Rugers.Control feed,rock solid extractors. 20-22" barrel. The best scope you can afford!! Give iron sights a good deal of consideration as back-up to the scope.They may not look pretty but falls,drops happen and iron is better than nothing.

The last trip I took to the sporting goods stores back home every rifle there had great actions.Perhaps a fluke but it has been that way for some time now.The new browning-chesters are awesome.

GOOD SCOPE!!

 

[30mag]

.30-06 is gonna give you more versitility, more loadings and more power available.
I'm a pretty small guy and shoot a .30-06. It's not bad.

 

[ArmedBear]

Don't dis-consider a particular rifle over the stock! As long as the length of pull is to your fit, and even that can be adjusted, the drop at the comb also can be modified.

I don't know if I agree.

If a production rifle doesn't have what I want on it (fit, features, etc.) I'll move on. You can throw too much money at a production rifle to try to make it into what you want, and it's no better than it was when you bought it. At some point, it makes more sense to just put a gun together if you're picky.

 

[UniversalFrost]

i like the weatherby stocks.

I am a big mark v fan and have several and for me they just feel natural and I actually prefer their sleek lines over the classic monte carlo style.

also might want to look into a Jon Shundra style stock (boyds sell them as a JRS), but just about any stock maker can cut a stock to the same style.

as far as adjustable cheek rests. I have a blackhawk version on one of my 700P's and has a handy shell holder and an side pocket for ballistics charts, etc...

 

[9mmepiphany]

the only Weatherby i own is a Mark XXII (the original semi-auto ones) and the stock really is very nice, but then...

...it's only a .22lr

i think i like the straight comb on my Anschutz 1412 just as well

 

[sleepyone]

My .02 for what it is worth.

'06 all the way.

Rifle,well,there are a lot of good ones out there and I have many of them but if I could only have one it would be one of the new Browning,um ah,Winchester,yeh,Winchester or Rugers.Control feed,rock solid extractors. 20-22" barrel. The best scope you can afford!! Give iron sights a good deal of consideration as back-up to the scope.They may not look pretty but falls,drops happen and iron is better than nothing.

The last trip I took to the sporting goods stores back home every rifle there had great actions.Perhaps a fluke but it has been that way for some time now.The new browning-chesters are awesome.

GOOD SCOPE!!

Totally agree. Winchester or Ruger. Both rifles are all steel, baby! No plastic. Tikkas were mentioned in an earlier post. My Tikkas T3s are great shooters, but the synthetic stocks and the feel of the plastic parts are starting to irritate me. Might be seeing them for sale here pretty soon. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the feel of wood and the look of a blued barrel. But I digress. Ruger really has to be one of the better values out there. Integrated base with rings included. stainless bolt. But the m70 Featherweight is one purty rifle. Yes, I said purty.

 

[Uncle Mike]

If a production rifle doesn't have what I want on it (fit, features, etc.) I'll move on. You can throw too much money at a production rifle to try to make it into what you want, and it's no better than it was when you bought it. At some point, it makes more sense to just put a gun together if you're picky

.

Exactly!...I feel the same way, but you wouldn't believe the people that piece together rifles!
Not that... that is a bad thing, for some it is a choice, others a must.

The new and improved Winchesters come with a scant 3/8" of drop at the comb...now that is a company (FNH) that is ahead of the game.