I'm going to buy a new rifle.

[BBQLS1]

I generally hunt in Mississippi... lots of up and down, lots of trees, not much distance. I have plenty in the short range hunting department... (Handi in .45-70, Winchester Model 1894 in .30-30, Remington Woodmaster 742 in .30-06... well that can reach out farther).

I'd like for this new rifle to be for shooting longer distances mostly for fun, but I would like to hunt with it and I would love to hunt somewhere else where they have Elk (someday )

I'm wanting a nice bolt action in either .30-06 or .300 Win Mag. I'm thinking about a Savage with the Accu-Trigger and maybe the Accu-Stock (but I sure do like pretty wood)....

I'm also thinking about a new Winchester Model 70.

What other guns should I look at?
Which caliber do I want?
Do I want the Accustock?
Would I want a stainless all weather (but I like blued steel and pretty wood).



So anyone have some opinions?

 

[husker]

Dont have one. But I like 243. My friend has a 243 in a Browning BAR. It will really reach out there. He loads for it. So he has loads for coyotes then he has his loads for Nebraska deer. My next rifle will be a Rem Mohawk 600 in 243

 

[HOOfan_1]

I like blued steel and pretty wood too. What is your budget?

Tikka T3 Hunter
Ruger M77 Hawkeye
Browning A-Bolt
CZ 550 American
Savage 14/114

Any of them would make a fine hunting rifle.

If it were me I would be going for

1)7mm-08
2).280 if it is available
3).30-06
4).270
5)7mm Rem. Magnum

 

[brettrow]

I own numerous Rem 700s including an old 30.06 BDL, but my favorite gun which I bought last year is the Winchester Model 70 Extreme weather SS. Its just awesome. Mine is a .270 but the 30.06 in the same model weighs the same and is the same price. I am real close to buying another 30.06 for big game (moose, etc) and I dont think you can go wrong with a stainless steel barrel (my old rem 700 .06 rusts pretty easy). All that being said, if you are buying one "for fun" as you say and want a caliber that is just as if not more deadly that a 30.06 (see chuck hawks' sectional density table) I would wholeheartedly suggest a .270, IMO its much more pleasurable to shoot with less recoil. And a 130-140 grain bullet will put the smack down on anything you shoot in Mississippi including hogs. I have killed numerous hogs on my farm in Texas. The SD of a 130 grain .270 is about the same as a 165 grain 30.06 round (.242 compared to .248) and is better than the SD of a 150 grain 30.06 round. The stainless steel remingtons are nice too. I prefer free floated barrels in synthetic stocks because they do not warp (not cheap flimsy stocks but sturdy fiberglass)

 

[BBQLS1]

Well, I have $850ish for rifle and scope. I might spend a little more on the rifle, buy an inexpensive scope (Maybe a new Redfield) until I can afford more glass. It wouldn't take much longer and I have a place for the Redfield after I get the new glass.

I've really gotten interested in the newer Savages. I really do like the 114s, but I'm interested in the Accustock... though again, I like the pretty wood.

I had a M77 MK2 scout that I liked.

Father in Law has an X-Bolt... I didn't like it as much, just didn't feel right, and I didn't like the trapazoid bolt. It's a very nice gun, but it just didn't do much for me.

I need to find a Tika and a CZ, but I'd kinda like to buy an American Rifle.. still they might be nice enough to sway me.

 

[BBQLS1]

I've considered .270, but .30-06 is just so plentiful and you can do so much with it loading wise. I like the idea of .300 Win Mag, but I'm not sure if I ever need that much even if I get to go hunt out west.

As far as hunting in Mississippi, I pretty much have what I need... .30-30 or .45-70 work fine on Hogs or Deer.

I'm just wanting a nice gun that I can hunt and target practice with.

 

[desidog]

I might spend a little more on the rifle, buy an inexpensive scope

I'd do just the opposite. All the guns listed above will give you decent accuracy; it's just the controls and ergonomics are slightly different, so you need to pick the one that fits your shoulder and wallet.

Glass is no place to go budget. A great scope on a mediocre gun will work very well, while a superb gun with a budget scope will shoot the same, and in a year or three you'll be shopping for a better scope after losing a lot of time and ammo on your wandering zero or ___(fill_in_the_blank)___ problem. Many guys who post on here have wasted loot on cheap optics, only to buy the right one later, after some consternation.

On some of my rigs, the optic cost more than the gun to which it is mounted.
/I also like irons...

 

[BBQLS1]

In my post, I stated that I would replace the scope pretty soon and that I had somewhere to put the cheap scope. I just stated what I had right now for a budget. The scope will be a later discussion.

 

[HOOfan_1]

For a budget of $850 including rifle and scope.

I think the Tikka T3 and Savage are your best bets. Tikka T3 Lite is a synthetic stock job. For big game hunting I don't think the Accustock is necessary. I've heard the Tikkas are absolute tack drivers too.

The T3 hunter with a Walnut stock is $600, the T3 Lite is $500
Savage has some Accustock models in the $500-$600 range.

I wouldn't buy a 7mm-08 from Savage though, as they have slowed down the rate of twist in theirs.

 

[NJGarand]

I'm seriously considering a Remington 750 Woodmaster in .270. I really like the look and feel of it. Also Cabelas has their Pine Ridge 3-9x40 scopes on sale for like $70.

 

[Maverick223]

With a budget of about $850.00, with the intended use of medium-big game hunting I would probably buy the new Winchester M-70 Featherweight. It is a beautiful rifle, accurate and reliable, and will serve you for many decades if properly maintained. That isn't to say the Savage is a bad rifle, I just like the M-70 a bit better (mainly aesthetics and that marvelous claw extractor). WRT the cartridge, I would probably opt for a 7mm-08Rem. because you already own a .30-06Spfd. for the bigger stuff, but either are fine cartridges. That will still leave you a couple hundred for optics, which places you well into a Vortex Diamondback, or even a couple Vipers (or spend a bit more for a Monarch, Sightron S-II, et al).

 

[BBQLS1]

My .30-06 is a Remington 742 Woodmaster. It was my fathers and it's in very good shape. The 742s needed good cleaning to stay functional. The bolts tend to eat themselves up if you don't take care of them. The 750s have a different (better) bolt design. It's got irons and an old Redfield wide view 4X scope on it. I don't really want to shoot it much as I would like to keep it in tip top shape. They aren't worth that much, but it's clean at it was dads.

Anyways, part of the reason I want another .30-06 is so I can have one I'll shoot the barrel out on.

 

[Maverick223]

Anyways, part of the reason I want another .30-06 is so I can have one I'll shoot the barrel out on.

Fair enough...I could talk all day about how the .30-06Spfd. isn't my favorite cartridge (it's not) or how there are others better (I believe better exist)...but I have a hard time coming up with an argument of how it's inadequate and won't perform nearly any task required of it with relative ease (at least within the confines of NA). Besides, availability is well, plentiful (which is useful, even for an avid handloader).

 

[brettrow]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/1000_hunting_rifle_system.htm a few ideas

 

[BBQLS1]

Cool article. Thanks!