Sorry for the long history here, please bear with me...
I may have an opportunity to hunt white tail deer in Texas soon. It's been many years since I've hunted deer, as a teenager, and that was in Pennsylvania with Dad's circa 1955 Winchester 94. I'm seeking an entry level bolt action rifle and scope. I'm open to suggestions on caliber, quality, and price, new or pre-owned.
The history... Dad gave me a rifle 25 years ago that is a WW II Japanese army rifle that was given to him by my uncle who brought it back after serving in the USMC. He modified it into a deer rifle. It's an Arisaka 7.7. It has a Monte Carlo stock, front sight and peep sight, and a Weaver J 2.5 scope. Factory 30.06 bullets will chamber, but will not fit into the top load magazine. Bullets are about 1/16 inch too long to fit. He said that in the Fifties he had the barrel chromed to shoot the 30.06. (7.7 down to 7.62) The trigger was also modified. It's very smooth and breaks like a glass rod at the slightest touch. I keep it in my safe, and it looks like a brand new rifle/scope to this day.
He made good use of it back in those days, but think it would not be a good choice for me to use, given the limited scope power and inability to have a follow up shot, due to the magazine limitations.
Can I get a suggestion for an entry level deer rifle and scope at a combined cost of less than $650.00?
I've ruled out the Remington 770 rifle/scope combo due to negative reviews, and I've read positive reviews on the Ruger American Rifle, so can anyone steer me to an American made bolt action sporting rifle? I'm leaning towards .270 but open to suggestion on caliber as well.
Sorry for the long post, but I thought the story might be interesting.
BTW, I'll never sell Dad's old deer rifle.
I may have an opportunity to hunt white tail deer in Texas soon. It's been many years since I've hunted deer, as a teenager, and that was in Pennsylvania with Dad's circa 1955 Winchester 94. I'm seeking an entry level bolt action rifle and scope. I'm open to suggestions on caliber, quality, and price, new or pre-owned.
The history... Dad gave me a rifle 25 years ago that is a WW II Japanese army rifle that was given to him by my uncle who brought it back after serving in the USMC. He modified it into a deer rifle. It's an Arisaka 7.7. It has a Monte Carlo stock, front sight and peep sight, and a Weaver J 2.5 scope. Factory 30.06 bullets will chamber, but will not fit into the top load magazine. Bullets are about 1/16 inch too long to fit. He said that in the Fifties he had the barrel chromed to shoot the 30.06. (7.7 down to 7.62) The trigger was also modified. It's very smooth and breaks like a glass rod at the slightest touch. I keep it in my safe, and it looks like a brand new rifle/scope to this day.
He made good use of it back in those days, but think it would not be a good choice for me to use, given the limited scope power and inability to have a follow up shot, due to the magazine limitations.
Can I get a suggestion for an entry level deer rifle and scope at a combined cost of less than $650.00?
I've ruled out the Remington 770 rifle/scope combo due to negative reviews, and I've read positive reviews on the Ruger American Rifle, so can anyone steer me to an American made bolt action sporting rifle? I'm leaning towards .270 but open to suggestion on caliber as well.
Sorry for the long post, but I thought the story might be interesting.
BTW, I'll never sell Dad's old deer rifle.
, even if the mag would hold a stack of .30-06 rounds? That's also a solvable problem. But now we're getting OT for the Rifle Country forum and more into the Gunsmithing and/or Firearms Research forums. Why don't you post the issue over there, even if you don't have the time, money or interest to do the conversion right now? You may later. I bet a box of ammo that someody on THR has done this conversion before or knows all about it.
