Mission: Deer rifle gift. Budget: $150. Can it be done??

[scubie02]

One random idea: sometimes you can find bolt-action 30-30 rifles by Savage and such for around $100 at a pawnshop or on Gunbroker. Same ammo, but in an "updated" format. Just throwing ideas out.

-MV

oh man, if you ever see one of those old savage 340's in decent shape for that kind of money, please let me know! I've never seen one that wasn't a tackdriver. Had one in 222 when I was a kid that'd do dime sized groups with the old steel weaver 4x it had on it.

 

[mustanger98]

I got an old 340 E series in .30-30 I found on Gunbroker.com and I got lucky and got a Bushnell 3-9x32 (w/duplex reticle) on that deal. It's a good shooter and it ain't for sale. Get on Gunbroker and you might find you a good 'un for not a lot of money.

I was on Gunbroker this evening and they also have some real deals listed on Winchester .30-30's... I'd pick up any one of those in the less-than-$200 range and add a Williams reciever sight or Lyman #2 tang sight. Based on my experience with my old '94, it'll really help good accuracy get better.

 

[Mannlicher]

nothing in the world with the old 30-30. Spend the money on a new scope for it, and maybe a laser rangefinder.

 

[mustanger98]

The problem with scoping those old '94's is they're top eject- mine's that way. The scope requires an offset mount and it's goofy. I agree that a laser range finder would be nice. But if you want to scope a .30-30, I recommend adding a Marlin 336 or Savage 340, or both, to the collection.

 

[jamz]

I forgot about this thread for a bit.

Thanks for the suggestions! I don't know how many pawn shops there are in Maine, but I will check them out. His current gun is his Grandfather's Savage 30-30, which shoots 303 savage ammo- I can reload for him, but brass is getting scarce, etc.

He loves the gun, but it has simple iron sights, and I think he wants the option to take longer shots if he can. Quite possible, especially if you hunt the power lines up here.

I think by "updated" he means a rifle that shoots regular current production ammo, bolt action, magazine fed, capable of mounting a scope, and not too heavy. I personally still like 30-06, and I don't know his feelings on more modern calibers like the win mags, but he tends to be a pretty traditional guy.

I think plan B is to maybe go halvsies with his mom (my MIL), $150 from each of us gets us right into normal rifle price range. I'm going to check out the Kittery Trading post next time I'm down around that area.

--James

 

[mnrivrat]

I think plan B is to maybe go halvsies with his mom (my MIL), $150 from each of us gets us right into normal rifle price range.

I think plan B is a good plan. The choices open up then to a range of decent guns in the bolt action rifle area. A little tight yet to buy the gun with scope, but doable if going used , or going with a cheaper end combo package.

30-06 is a great caliber and will be around forever (or until the pulse lasers).

 

[mustanger98]

Thinking of Plan B, sometimes you can find a real good used Ruger M77 Mk2 in .30-06 for under $250, or you could five years ago cause that's the last time I really looked, but you might could still find 'em under $300.

 

[jamz]

[stewie]BLAST!![/stewie]

The MIL has a long standing rule I didn't know about: No guns for Christmas.

So Plan B is a wash for now. This may fall through. Maybe I'll get him a scope instead, even though it might just get his hopes up.

-James

 

[mustanger98]

The MIL has a long standing rule I didn't know about: No guns for Christmas.

Okay, this rule sounds to me like it's only effective inside her property lines. That depends on the answer to the next question: how old are you and how old is your BIL?

So Plan B is a wash for now. This may fall through. Maybe I'll get him a scope instead, even though it might just get his hopes up.

If the answer to "how old are you and your BIL" is "over 21", take this part of your Christmas gift-giving off site and give him the new-to-him rifle in a setting where she has no say in the matter. If she still has a problem with it, she's probably a flaming anti.

 

[taliv]

hate to wus out on the xmas spirit and alll, but have you thought about a $150 gift certificate to a local store that sells rifles? maybe he can come up with the extra $50-100 to get what he wants?

that might fly under the "no guns for xmas" rule too

 

[mustanger98]

That gift certificate is a good idea too. It's not like a tangible present wrapped up and all, but it generally works.

 

[jamz]

Taliv, highly unchristmaslike but nevertheless excellent idea!

We are in our 30's, (him early, me very very late) and MIL is not a flaming anti, she let her kids keep guns in their rooms growing up. She just doesn't think guns are very Christmasy, I imagine.

I like the gift cert. idea. Maybe put $150 toward a gun, give him a picture or something......

-James

 

[vmfrantz]

got my daughter a handi rifle in 7mm-08. she shoots twice a month with it year round. she can handle about 10 shots with it before she starts to feel it. got it for her when she was 11. now she is 12 and whent for deer this year. she carried it all day. cost was 180 w/o a scope

 

[taliv]

cool, jamz. maybe that 'picture' could be an oleg poster. gun pr0n would make a pretty good stocking stuffer, you know. i wouldn't be disappointed if i got a big poster with one of a dozen or so EBRs

 

[mustanger98]

We are in our 30's, (him early, me very very late) and MIL is not a flaming anti, she let her kids keep guns in their rooms growing up. She just doesn't think guns are very Christmasy, I imagine.

Well, everybody has their own ideas about Christmas and everything else, so...

I like the gift cert. idea. Maybe put $150 toward a gun, give him a picture or something......

...I think I got an idea... Give BIL the picture with a gift cert. Attached to the gift cert. is a note that says "go to (insert favorite gun shop's name) and pick up (pictured gun) after Christmas."

 

[rugerfreak]

Check your local Walmart-----just scored this smokin deal TODAY---Winchester Black Shadow 70 .30-06 w/ Simmons 3x9x40 scope mounted.

Was clearanced at $150 with employee discount---I got it for $135 plus sales tax----$144 and change ---total out-the-door.

Need another rifle like a hole in the head and not really fan of Winchester--Simmons or the .30-06 come to think of it----but $135 it was too good a deal to pass up.

You can't even get the plain Jane 10/22 that cheap.

Thinking this will be my truck gun now

 

[pete f]

WAIT A MINUTE did you say and mean you had a lever action rifle that shot 303 savage and you think it is a 3030?
that would be a model 99 savage and it is not a 3030 it is a 303 savage caliber, The only lever action made in 303 savage was the model 99. and no you can not improve on a 99 for 150. It takes different dies than a 3030 and shooting 3030's in is a good way to have a case split and although the 99 savage does a good job of holding back gases, a case split could send brass and gas into his face or worst ignite a ready round in the rotary magazine and blow the wood panels oout of the but stock.

MAKE sure you know what you have before you try to update it.

 

[jamz]

Hi Pete! Yes, I know it is a .303 Savage, I don't know why I referred to it as a 30-30 in the first post. Edited now.

Thanks for the heads up!

Also, by "update" I mean "buy him a completely new gun". I'd never try to improve on his granddad's old gun.

-James