What would be a good option around $400 for a deer rifle for hunting in Arkansas and Pennsylvania? I live in NJ where we cannot hunt with rifles so it will only see occasional use. I don't mind used guns. Looking to get a 270 or 308 but open to other options. Any advice will be appreciated.
Need a deer rifle...
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Awsomepossum
Member
I Know its not in your cailber selection, but an lever action 30-30 would do wonders. You can allways find one in the 300 dollar range.
Sheepdog1968
Member
Lever action in 30-30 would be my first choice at this price point.
gatorjames85
Member
American made bolt gun of some flavor. Either caliber you mentioned would work.
OrangePwrx9
Member
Lots of TC Venture's listed on Gunbroker for around $460...270s, 308s, 30-06s and even a .300 Win Mag. A few are much cheaper than that; but they're picking up the bids. The Venture is supposed to be a very accurate rifle, though I don't have one...yet. I've heard they come with a 1 MOA accuracy guarantee.
One thing for sure, TC is a very good company that stands behind their product.
Bob
One thing for sure, TC is a very good company that stands behind their product.
Bob
courtgreene
Member
Stevens 200 in .308. You can buy it new and still have money for optics within your budget. They're great guns. Eventually you will replace the stock but they still kill game with the factory stock. Oh, and I actually do have one.
Kachok
Member
Bought a Tikka T3 stainless for $408 LOVE THAT GUN. There are a few inexpensive American made rifles that I recomend too. Savage 110 and Marlin XS7 both shoot great, but they feel like cheap toys next to my Tikka.
270 and 308 are both great calibers. I liked my 270 a little bit more but it is mearly a matter of opinion. 308s can sling a heavier bullet while the 270 has a little zippier trajectory. Both drop deer like a bad habbit with proper bullet selection. Consider the good old 06 too, it does everything the 308 can do and more with only slightly more recoil. My absolute favorite round is the 6.5x55 but that is because I handload, factory loads are pretty limited to 140gr at 2550fps, my handloads are MUCH faster then that. Quality rifles in 6.5x55 are limited to sako/tikka/CZ so don't expect to find them at your local bass pro.
270 and 308 are both great calibers. I liked my 270 a little bit more but it is mearly a matter of opinion. 308s can sling a heavier bullet while the 270 has a little zippier trajectory. Both drop deer like a bad habbit with proper bullet selection. Consider the good old 06 too, it does everything the 308 can do and more with only slightly more recoil. My absolute favorite round is the 6.5x55 but that is because I handload, factory loads are pretty limited to 140gr at 2550fps, my handloads are MUCH faster then that. Quality rifles in 6.5x55 are limited to sako/tikka/CZ so don't expect to find them at your local bass pro.
BrocLuno
Member
Don't mind used guns 
)), then look for a nicely sporterized ex-milsurp. With only occasional use, you are not looking at a big ammo cost, so the sky's the limit. I just got a wonderful .303 Enfield No4 MK2 all done up real nice with precision peep sights, fine stock and finish and all for a little less than that. Good out to 150 yds and accurate enough. I've seen 30-06 rifles built from mil-surp that rival factory guns. There are used Mausers out there in every flavor you can imagine.
Point being, spend time in the used racks looking for a rifle that fits you well, comes to shoulder nicely, gets a good cheek weld with the supplied sights and looks like you can maintain it well. Take it to gun-smith and have them check it over. If OK, you are good to go. If a problem, return it and keep looking.
There are so many well built semi-customs out there looking for a new home, it's a shame. This recession has made folks part with stuff they never thought they would. Some of these rifles cost thousands to build. Now's the time to scoop these up and have them as personal assets
)), then look for a nicely sporterized ex-milsurp. With only occasional use, you are not looking at a big ammo cost, so the sky's the limit. I just got a wonderful .303 Enfield No4 MK2 all done up real nice with precision peep sights, fine stock and finish and all for a little less than that. Good out to 150 yds and accurate enough. I've seen 30-06 rifles built from mil-surp that rival factory guns. There are used Mausers out there in every flavor you can imagine.Point being, spend time in the used racks looking for a rifle that fits you well, comes to shoulder nicely, gets a good cheek weld with the supplied sights and looks like you can maintain it well. Take it to gun-smith and have them check it over. If OK, you are good to go. If a problem, return it and keep looking.
There are so many well built semi-customs out there looking for a new home, it's a shame. This recession has made folks part with stuff they never thought they would. Some of these rifles cost thousands to build. Now's the time to scoop these up and have them as personal assets
pikid89
Member
ill amend the first response, any US Made gun, but keep in mind that not all remingtons are not made in the US, stick with the model 7 or 700
i say get a ruger though
i say get a ruger though
dprice3844444
member
nef or pardner,you can get a 308bbl and a shotgun bbl. check the knight kp1
coug
Member
look at savage. you won't be disappointed. y
Kachok
Member
I will agree with the Savages, but stay away from Remington 
Owned four of them over the years and half were defective. Huge letdown when my brand new CDL would not chamber a round Owned five Savages now and the only one I had any trouble with was an old 22 semi auto I bought very used, it went full auto on me 
Every Marlin/Savage bolt gun I have ever used was easly sub-MOA and totaly trouble free, though I don't really like the el-cheapo plastic stocks. Two stage triggers are come on both of those, I perfer a really good single stage myself, but they are better then most singles on the market. S&W I bolt and Tikka T3 are the exception, both come with a VERY light and crisp single stage trigger.
Owned four of them over the years and half were defective. Huge letdown when my brand new CDL would not chamber a round Owned five Savages now and the only one I had any trouble with was an old 22 semi auto I bought very used, it went full auto on me Every Marlin/Savage bolt gun I have ever used was easly sub-MOA and totaly trouble free, though I don't really like the el-cheapo plastic stocks. Two stage triggers are come on both of those, I perfer a really good single stage myself, but they are better then most singles on the market. S&W I bolt and Tikka T3 are the exception, both come with a VERY light and crisp single stage trigger.mgkdrgn
Member
If you wanted to go cheap, and have a fun/cheep to shoot rifle to boot, try a Mosin 91/30 or M44. 91/30 will be cheaper, but a little long for some folks, the M44 more of a "modern" lenght, but 2X more expensive.
7.62 x 54R is cheap surplus ($90 for 440 rounds is not uncommon), and will knock down anything that walks in North America ... or most other places for that matter.
7.62 x 54R is cheap surplus ($90 for 440 rounds is not uncommon), and will knock down anything that walks in North America ... or most other places for that matter.
Old Time Hunter
Member
A .30-30 levergun or a used Browning BLR chambered for no more than a .308
jpwilly
Member
A Savage or Marlin would do you just fine.
wlewisiii
Member
Marlin.
.308 or 7mm-08 X7 bolt action.
.30-30 336 lever action.
Put a Weaver k4 on either and you're set.
.308 or 7mm-08 X7 bolt action.
.30-30 336 lever action.
Put a Weaver k4 on either and you're set.
Can't hunt with rifles?????????????? That's like saying you can't use a remote to change the channel. God I am glad I live in AZ. I'll put up with all the border issues.
Anyways, I'd go with a .308. The more the merrier
Nope here in NJ we can only deer hunt with a shotgun or muzzleloader. The houses are too close together for rifles I guess. I think my best option would be a nice used bolt or lever action but no sure where to start or what to look for. I like older rem 700s or anything with a wood stock and made in America.
RugerMcMarlin
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If it's like the country immediately west of Arkansas, MOA rifle will be of no earthly use to you, Between the up and down way they stack the land down there, and all the trees you'll need a chainsaw and a couple weeks to make a 100yd shot. I have a Harrington and Richardson Handy Rifle and it is, it's in 44Rem Mag, and new it cost about $215. The first shot is the only one that counts in that country. Use the other $ 200 bucks on ammo, or a good used chain saw. If you get to hunt on a logging or pipeline clearcut, mount a scope for $40 bucks. And only shoot the deer that are uphill from the truck, dragging a deer straight up sucks.
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gregory.moore
Member
I picked up a Remington 710 several years back. It is a 270, in your price range, and has been pretty decent. It has the composite stock. The only complaint I had is that the trigger guard was polymer too, and I broke it on my rifle rest while sighting in the scope. When I took it to my gunsmith to have it repaired, it was done free of charge under warranty. I was shocked, and it made me a definite Remington fan!
dldbrandon
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What about optics? Do you have some money set aside for a scope? I got a marlin xl7 in .270 and it works wonders. I looked for several months before making the purchase. The two biggest contenders being the savage edge (now the axis) and the remington 710. The 710 has bunch of plastic as part of the receiver, I moved on from there. Once I got to hold the savage edge, which was at the top of my list, the trigger was not very good. It had a lot of creep and pull to it. I went to a gunsmith where I looked at the firearms. He has these two in stock to show customers what a bad rifle feels like. He showed me the marlin xl7 that happened to be in .270. Picked it up the same day. The trigger is literally a copy of the savage accu-trigger, and some savage aftermarket parts can be swapped in.
As for optics I got a vortex diamondback in 4-12 with the dead hold bdc, again I looked for months at optics. My buddy got a S&W I-Bolt when they first came out and put a leupold vx-1 on his. We both like the diamondback more. I put weaver quad lock scope mount on for like 15 bucks and it holds like a rock. There's a torture test floatin on the web somewhere of a pretty brutal torture test that it held up to.
The rifle cost just under 300 bucks and the scope just under 200. I don't see it getting much cheaper than that with a reliable setup.
BUT go hold them, you might decide it isn't for you, doesn't feel right or you don't like something. Go to a store and check them out.
As for optics I got a vortex diamondback in 4-12 with the dead hold bdc, again I looked for months at optics. My buddy got a S&W I-Bolt when they first came out and put a leupold vx-1 on his. We both like the diamondback more. I put weaver quad lock scope mount on for like 15 bucks and it holds like a rock. There's a torture test floatin on the web somewhere of a pretty brutal torture test that it held up to.
The rifle cost just under 300 bucks and the scope just under 200. I don't see it getting much cheaper than that with a reliable setup.
BUT go hold them, you might decide it isn't for you, doesn't feel right or you don't like something. Go to a store and check them out.
Ruger44mag
Member
As others have said the 30-30 would be a great choice. They are pretty accurate with
iron sights. I hit a tennis ball at 40 yards with the iron sighs on mine. Unless you want a 300 yard gun then the 30-30 would be a good choice. They only run $200-$400 at pawn shops.
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