Need help deciding if I am doing the right thing!!

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JakeG27

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I am planing on buying my first rifle. I plan to hunt deer with this rifle and possible larger game. I want a rifle to also practice long distance shooting.(500yrds) I want something with very good range and accuaracy. I was thinking about getting this rifle Savage 11FXP3 & Scope 308. Here is the one I found that seemed decent. http://www.gunsamerica.com/976591197/Guns/Rifles/Savage-Rifles/Savage_11FXP3_Scope_308_New.htm

I am open to any suggestion but from what I read I want something that is either 30-06, 308, or Win Mag 300. I am very new to rifles but any information or guidance will be extremely appreciated. Thanks a lot.
 
Local prices can vary as much as 30% from region to region. Since we don't know where you live it is just a guess on the price but seems about right.

But that is a fine rifle that will do everything that you have specified.
 
I live in PA. Is a .308 the best choice. Would I be better off with 300 WIN MAG? I am planning on putting a decent amount of rounds through the gun, should this make me lean toward one or the other?
 
* .308 & 30-06 are both much cheaper to shoot then any .300 Mag caliber.

* If you get into reloading at some point, they both can be reloaded much cheaper then any .300 mag. (Much less powder per charge, cheaper brass, surplus brass, etc.)

* Barrel life will be about double on either the 30-06 or .308 over the magnum calibers.

* Some folks will find .300 mag recoil very objectionable for the most accurate shooting.
(Not you of course. :D)

* There will be more deer meat left to eat if you whack a deer with either of the standard calibers at normal 50 - 200 yard ranges most of them are killed at.

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rcmodel
 
got ya thanks...can you tell me what reload is? i am not familiar with this term
 
saving meat is shot placement, not caliber. I've seen 30-06 take deer out past 700 yards too. Stick with the .308 or 30-06 in my opinion. get the mag calibers later
 
sounds good thanks a lot. i'm def going to get either a 3006 or 308 now
 
You might do well to do some reading in general.
(tieing the two threads together, and also making note that I'm not an expert in anything beyond tieing my shoes - and even those come untied sometimes.)

Reload = reloading. If you're thinking of getting into target shooting for accuracy then you would be well served to at least read up on reloading and what it offers you as far as being able to fine tune a load for your particular specific rifle and personal needs and wants.

243 = .243 rifle caliber. One of many calibers of centerfire ammunition.

I've read that some find the .308 to be a little more consistant and accurate than the 30.06, and some consider the .308 and the 30.06 to be overkill for deer in general.

If you're thinking of getting into long range target shooting then you should find out what the local long range high power shooters are using in your area.

I've personally never shot a .308, but have shot a fairly wide variety of other calibers including a 7mm Remington Magnum. A 7mmRemMag will definitely get your attention when you shoot it, along with everyone else's attention on the range, but I don't think I'd want to shoot it a whole lot. That 300 Mag you mentioned is in the same category.

Somehow I don't think you're going to be happy with just one rifle. If I were to make a suggestion then I'd suggest getting the .308 of decent quality and go from there. But ultimately the choice has to be your's.
 
You mentioned getting something good for up to 500 yards--do you have somewhere to shoot that gives you that much space? If not, it's purely an academic question--
 
Yea I belong to a Sportsman club that has a 400 yard range and behind my house there is an open field that runs for about a mile and a half. In the middle is a corn field but when corn is not in season it is wide open. I could take a m82 50 cal out there if I wanted to.
 
Next thing to think about is glass. That Simmons scope, like alot of Simmons scopes, is trash. Mine had crosshairs for 3 shots. Then, nothing. Think about Burris, Nikon, Leupold, etc. You can't skimp on a scope at long range.
 
Where'd u get Simmons from? I like Nikon, I have one one my 12 gauge and has never done me wrong so I will probably go with their brand, do you have any suggestion to a specific Nikon scope that would fit my use?
 
7mm Rem Mag...... by far more accurate than the .30 calibers(IMHO), the only differance is....no vapor trail to watch with the 7mm
 
.308

The Simmons refered to by Il Duca is the scope shown in the GunsAmerica ad you referenced . Nikon is a good choice . I'd go with the 50mm objective lens Nikon Monarch as long as you can get a good cheek weld with the stock with the higher rings required for the 50mm Obj. lens otherwise go with the 40mm Nikon Monarch.
 
haha i don't have one, i said i could take one out to the field because it is so open. someone asked if i even had a place to shoot 500 yards plus. if i had a 50 cal id be the most experienced shooter ever haha
 
thanks alot for all the help and information it has been very useful, from my other forum it looks like im going to go to the range this weekend and see if they will let me shoot both a 3006 and 308. i am not sure if they rent out rifles though. in the meantime i guess i will stick to my brothers 22 even after i get my new rifle for xmas just to get really good with it. thats what seems to be the general feedback from most people...thanks a lot guys
 
Jake, definitely do a little research into learning to reload your own ammo. It's the only way to go if you want to practice a lot without ending up in the poor house. Plus you will learn a lot about ballistics.
 
yea funny you said that I just called and left a message to my sportsman club to see if they offer a course in it. thaanks!!!
 
If your sportman's club can't help you, write the NRA and see if there is a certified instructor anywhere near you. Or you can pick up a few loading manuals and the ABC's of loading and just study them. But don't buy equipment until you have a good idea of what you will need. It isn't hard to do if you simply follow the directions to the letter, and the guys in here will help you as well.
 
Jake,

Look here for an excellent primer on long range shooting, rifles, and optics.

http://www.demigodllc.com/

Scroll to the bottom, look for "Practical Long Range Shooting." Zak Smith, the author of that site, is also a member here. He has lots of good advice.
 
Go with the .308.

It's plenty to punch paper and take deer out to 500 yards, if you've got the skill to put lead on target at that range. Also cheaper to buy factory ammo and cheaper to reload than the big 30's and a little cheaper than .30-06.

The Simmons scopes are a crap shoot. I've had a few that worked well and are still working fine, others got trashed. Shoot a "box drill" after a few rounds downrange and see if it's suffered any ill effects. Nikon would be a good replacement if you get the urge.
 
thanks a lot everyone i will definitely have pics up come mid january
 
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