courtgreene
Member
A few things to consider:
1. Don't believe everything some dude in a store tells you (no offense gun store workers). While many are honest, several dishonest and a few in a weird brackishness of mixed honesty, the fact remains that 7mag is more expensive and the guy who sells you the rifle might also sell you the ammo. See a reason for his suggestion developing here? When I was younger and less gun-wise I got a 300wsm on a guy's suggestion. Turns out I love it and most definitely prefer the short actions to the longer action of the 300 mag i was looking for at the time. I got lucky in that, but I still find myself thinking "man those 300 mags sure are cheaper." So think about that. Just to complete the story, I've heard the same guy in later years raving about how the 300 mag was the best thing ever. It's just a sale to him.
2. a lot has been said about rifles and I believe more has been said of scopes. Don't make the same mistake I did on my first rifle and forget about the all important mounting hardware. It's every bit as important as rifle and scope because neither is any good without something decent holding the two together. I guess I should do like most on here and suggest what I have, and that would be (for my factory rifles) the dednutz gamereaper one piece system. What you choose is up to you, of course, and that's the way it should be. But don't leave that factor out.
3. I don't know if this calls for its own number, but some rifles limit your mounting options. For instance, a lot of newer rugers come with rings and as far as I understand it those are the only rings that fit their rifles. Good news: you get rings at no added cost. Bad news, you didn't choose them and may not like them. To replace them guess where you have to go? Ruger. They aren't the only company that does that but they ARE the only one that comes to mind. (it's 2am)
4. Whatever you get, if it doesn't hold zero, don't start cussing and trash the scope. some scope mounts shoot loose. It doesn't seem to be a brand specific problem either. Sometimes on a single mounting system a few of the screws will be perfect and some will vibrate themselves loose. It's not a common problem but it happens. (of all my scoped rifles only one has ever done that and it was a military rifle with the whole scout-style mount deal) Calm down, get some blue thread locker, and try it that way.
It's your rifle (or it will be) and it's your scope (prostaff) but many of us, when we first got into the bolt rifle scene, didn't ever stop to think about ammo affordability (get a 308) or scope mounting hardware.
1. Don't believe everything some dude in a store tells you (no offense gun store workers). While many are honest, several dishonest and a few in a weird brackishness of mixed honesty, the fact remains that 7mag is more expensive and the guy who sells you the rifle might also sell you the ammo. See a reason for his suggestion developing here? When I was younger and less gun-wise I got a 300wsm on a guy's suggestion. Turns out I love it and most definitely prefer the short actions to the longer action of the 300 mag i was looking for at the time. I got lucky in that, but I still find myself thinking "man those 300 mags sure are cheaper." So think about that. Just to complete the story, I've heard the same guy in later years raving about how the 300 mag was the best thing ever. It's just a sale to him.
2. a lot has been said about rifles and I believe more has been said of scopes. Don't make the same mistake I did on my first rifle and forget about the all important mounting hardware. It's every bit as important as rifle and scope because neither is any good without something decent holding the two together. I guess I should do like most on here and suggest what I have, and that would be (for my factory rifles) the dednutz gamereaper one piece system. What you choose is up to you, of course, and that's the way it should be. But don't leave that factor out.
3. I don't know if this calls for its own number, but some rifles limit your mounting options. For instance, a lot of newer rugers come with rings and as far as I understand it those are the only rings that fit their rifles. Good news: you get rings at no added cost. Bad news, you didn't choose them and may not like them. To replace them guess where you have to go? Ruger. They aren't the only company that does that but they ARE the only one that comes to mind. (it's 2am)
4. Whatever you get, if it doesn't hold zero, don't start cussing and trash the scope. some scope mounts shoot loose. It doesn't seem to be a brand specific problem either. Sometimes on a single mounting system a few of the screws will be perfect and some will vibrate themselves loose. It's not a common problem but it happens. (of all my scoped rifles only one has ever done that and it was a military rifle with the whole scout-style mount deal) Calm down, get some blue thread locker, and try it that way.
It's your rifle (or it will be) and it's your scope (prostaff) but many of us, when we first got into the bolt rifle scene, didn't ever stop to think about ammo affordability (get a 308) or scope mounting hardware.