First Rifle

[F-Body Demon]

Go for a Savage!

Inexpensive (note I did not say cheap) and very accurate.

My first rifle was one chambered in 7mm Rem Mag. Its a totally awesome weapon. Great for deer and paper!

Savage Savage Savage!!!

 

[Dee]

Thanks for all of the great advice everyone, it has certainly given me a lot to think about, it sounds like a lot of good options out there.

Saturno- That is a good point about the .22, that is high on my priority list but I wanted a good rifle in time for deer season so that is why I wanted the bolt action first. Hopefully I can get a decent .22 soon after followed by a good lever action .357/ .38 carbine and then hopefully an AR at some point.

 

[bri]

My vote would be to find a used Rem 700 in 30-06. The ammo can be found anywhere, at a decent price and the 700 speaks for itself.

 

[saturno_v]

Dee

If your budget is extremely tight, go for a Savage....is the best for the money......a Mossberg ATR is good too (and even less expensive...can be had at Wal Mart for about $250) but I cannot "digest" the plastic trigger guard and other details extremely econonic.

A Savage 30-06 or 7mm Magnum usually go on sale for $399 every other week at Big 5 around here (the deal it includes a cheap 3-9x scope).
A Stevens 200 (which is nothing other than an ever lower budget version of the same rifle....same accuracy and action) can be had for about $100 less.
The main difference is that the Stevens does not have a magazine plate, so you have to unload it one round at the time through the action, no quick unloading through the release through the bottom of the mag.

If you can spend few dollars more go for the Weatherby Vanguard, the best rifle for the money at the moment ($400-450). Better finish, better look, 24" barrel in standard calibers (the Savage and the Stevens 30-06 have 22" pipes), accuracy guaranteed including a factory test target for each individual rifle....a nice touch

 

[Dee]

Thanks guys, I did see a Whetherby Vanguard the other day, that is a nice looking rifle. Also I did see a Savgae 7mm mag that looked pretty good. I was beginning to wonder if I should consider the 7mm or not. I have heard/ read that is has better ballistics than the 30-06; flatter trajectory and whatnot. I saw that the ammo ofcoarse runs about $5-$10 more a box and it has a pretty sharp recoil, not that I am very recoil senisitive, but I have never fired one. It may be getting a little much for any game in my area or to punch holes in paper but I would like to hear any other thoughts on it.

 

[DIM]

you could probably get 270 win it has flat trajectory better then 30-06 or 308, as far as 7mm its more cheaper when you buy 270

 

[Maverick223]

I wouldn't choose any magnum for a first rifle, or second for that matter. Quite simply a .30-06 can do nearly anything that is required of a hunting cartridge in NA.

 

[Uncle Mike]

I don't like the 7mmMag. for target work, if you must have a caliber less than .30, the 7mm is the one to have, look at the .280 Remington, it is 7mm and can be loaded with some of the 165 grain bullets for your long range work.

The .280REM. parallels the .270WIN. in the numbers department but can be loaded with better, 7mm bullets. And either the .270 or .280 will hang with the 30-06 up to about 165 grain and heavier bullets, where the 30-06 shines.

 

[Maverick223]

I agree with Uncle Mike WRT the .280Rem. It is a magnificent cartridge, the only downfall is slightly more costly and more difficult to procure ammunition. I am getting ready to build a .280Rem. rifle for myself, as I find it to be the best cartridge for large game available (and yes I have a .30-06 as well as several magnums).

 

[Uncle Mike]

Mav, are you going with the .280AI or the base model?

 

[DIM]

I don't see why you guys don't like 270 win, looking at the performance it will out shoot 280 express (rem) to up to 150 gr, bullets for 270 in 150 gr have better BC then 150 gr 280 I'm just comparing Nosler Ballistic Tips, the only plus I see 280 has more heavy bullets to choose from, 270 currently limited to 160 gr, but with 150 gr going 3000 fps it is great cartridge developed almost century ago...

 

[Maverick223]

Mav, are you going with the .280AI or the base model?

I plan on going with the standard round. I will go with AI if that is the only reamer my smith has on hand, but given the option i'll stick to the standard one. Despite the slightly better performance, I would rather have better feeding, and the longer taper should help with that.

I don't see why you guys don't like 270 win, looking at the performance it will out shoot 280 express (rem)

I just don't like .277cal bullets, while they are getting better, the selection remains dismal compared to everything around it (6.5mm, 7mm, and .30cal). Additionally the 7mm affords slightly better performance because, like you mentioned, there are heavier bullets available. It is not a fair comparison to say that the BC is better for the same grain weight, because that is almost always the case with the smaller bullet. A more fair comparison would be a slightly heavier bullet for the larger caliber.

 

[DIM]

Ok, that would do it, but I will stick with my 270

 

[non2os13]

have you thought about looking at used rifles. i bought my remington 700 in .270 for less than $300 a couple of years ago. look in the local classifieds before and after hunting season. there are always plenty of them.

[/IMG]

 

[Dee]

Great info everyone, I appreacate it. I'll probably end up sticking with good ol' aught 6'er for now afterall or maybe the .308 depending on how I like the individual rifle. The other cartridges mentioned sound like some very good ones though.

 

[ithaca49]

Hey, check out the mossberg maverick rifles

Maverick (by mossberg) now has rifles and one is a .30-06. All it is is a mossberg 100 ATR without the lightening trigger. Best part of all is you can get it for 250 at walmart. So if you are just looking for a cheap rifle that is probably a good bet.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Originally Posted by DIM
I don't see why you guys don't like 270 win, looking at the performance it will out shoot 280 express (rem)

You, or anyone else never heard me say I didn't like the .270 Winchester cartridge, it is the epitome of sub 30 caliber hunting rounds...but as Mav opines, there are people that prefer the .284 caliber bullet over the .277 caliber bullet for various reasons...

Mainly because the .284 caliber offers a wider range of projectiles, some with extremely high ballistic coefficients.

As was said, if one was to settle on the .280, over the .270 it probably would be because of the offerings of projectiles one could access for reloading the wonderful .280 Remington!

As for sticking with the 30-06 for your first deer rifle...an excellent idea!

 

[Eb1]

I have a Marlin XL7 .25-06. It has a Bushnell 4200 Elite scope and Talley rings.

$249.00 for the rifle
$299.00 for the scope
$35.00 for the rings

$583.00 total, and it is a laser beam of a rifle out past 300 yards. Awesome caliber. Little recoil, and it is just a great gun.

 

[kludge]

If paper punching is your primary goal and deer hunting a possible secondary goal, then I would look right at the 6.5 and 7mm cartridges... maybe a 25 caliber or 6mm.

7mm-08
.260 Rem
6.5x55 Swedish
.284 Win
6.5-284
.243 Win
6mm Rem
.25-06
.257 Roberts

IMO the .308 and .30-06 beat up your shoulder too much for paper punching, and a .30 cal is unnecessary for deer.

I like Savage.

 

[Maverick223]

Ok, that would do it, but I will stick with my 270

Fair enough; and while the .270Win. is far from my favorite cartridge, I won't stoop to the level of saying that it won't do near everything that a .280Rem. will (close enough that most folks probably couldn't discern a difference), as well as most everything that a .30-06 will. It is a fine cartridge, just not right for me.

 

[DIM]

I know 6.8 SPC that's what you need, not sure if Remington still makes bolt action rifles for it, but its out there ;-) if you handload then you'll be set to punch paper and shoot bambies...

 

[blackops]

Everybody seems to have looked past the deal Zeiss has going for a 3x9X40. You won't find better glass for less than $500.

 

[Maverick223]

Everybody seems to have looked past the deal Zeiss has going for a 3x9X40. You won't find better glass for less than $500.

Last I checked it was at $400.00; and despite how great Zeiss optics are, that is still far above the OP's budget, unless you can find him a rifle complete with rings for sub-$200.

 

[gdcpony]

I would also like to add that if your budget is a prime concern, try looking at H&R rifles. They are lighter than comparable bolt guns, often less than $300, and surprisingly accurate. I mounted a Simmons (under $100) scope on a Survivor model (available in .308), and it is still the center fire rifle I killed the most predators with. Mine was a .223, but it was still a lethal device out to about 400yds. One of my friends still uses it today.

 

[goredsox]

Burris Fullfield II's 3-9x40mm are on-sale currently for less than $180. Burris' quality control is industry-leading.

Beyond that -- I know I listed a slew in my earlier post... but I'm actually quite partial to the Howa/Vanguard/ATR/4X4 family when considering sub-$450 rifles.

I'm just itching for that Hogue overmolded stock for the ATR. even as after-market.