Recommendations for a .30-06?
- Thread starter dbdalton
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bang_bang
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I've got a Stevens Model 200 chambered in 300 Win Mag and I would seriously do some research on the Stevens/Savage line up of rifles. They're ugly, but I put mine through Hell and back. As far as shooting, they are about the best gun you can buy for under $600; and you wouldn't even have that in it with bipods, box of shells, good sling, and a $200 scope. The trigger on the Model 200 is adjusted easily, just by turning a hex screw. It's ugly, it's light, it's cheap...but it can get the job done.
Have you considered a 7mm Mag over the 30-06? Or maybe the big 300 Win Mag?
Have you considered a 7mm Mag over the 30-06? Or maybe the big 300 Win Mag?
The new Marlin XL7 is worth a look. Everything I've read about them has been very positive. Good trigger, similar to the Savage Accutrigger, and most people are talking 1" groups. A post on Marlinowners.com mentioned that Cabelas has them on sale for $269.
Dbdalton;
Note 1. Don't let your friend waste any money buying lottery tickets. If he's got a good Remmie 710, he's done used up all the good luck he's due for a long-long time.
Note 2. There are people who can't stand popularity, one's who say get anything but a .30-06. The .30-06 became the standard by which all others are measured simply because it's overwhelmingly recognized as one of the few truly excellent cartridges in the world.
Don't be afraid to buy used. Check the classifieds in the newpaper, or shopper paper. Ask friends to keep your need in mind when talking with people they know. In other words there are little ole ladies out there, with recently dead husbands, who are selling damn fine rigs every day. You just need to be able to be first in line.
900F
Note 1. Don't let your friend waste any money buying lottery tickets. If he's got a good Remmie 710, he's done used up all the good luck he's due for a long-long time.
Note 2. There are people who can't stand popularity, one's who say get anything but a .30-06. The .30-06 became the standard by which all others are measured simply because it's overwhelmingly recognized as one of the few truly excellent cartridges in the world.
Don't be afraid to buy used. Check the classifieds in the newpaper, or shopper paper. Ask friends to keep your need in mind when talking with people they know. In other words there are little ole ladies out there, with recently dead husbands, who are selling damn fine rigs every day. You just need to be able to be first in line.
900F
green country shooter
Member
A used Winchester or Remington (or Savage, but I see very few used ones for sale) with a decent scope is your best bet. A well-maintained hunting rifle will last for a hundred years and most have very few rounds through them. I don't know what the gun laws are like iin Washington, but at a typical gun show in Oklahoma there will be dozens of good quality hunting rifles for sale for cash.
Mike128
Member
$400 on a rifle AND scope is hard to do and get anything decent. You'll have to go used to do it. Plus if you get used the rifle will usually already have the trigger adjusted and stock bedded.
Unless you meant $400 on a rifle and another $400 on a scope. Or $800 total. Still a tight budget but not a problem.
I would also recommend the Savage/Stevens line to you. My first rifle I purchased was a Savage and it still shoots better than most people believe.
Second, spend money on the scope more than the rifle. There are good deals on Bushnell 4200 3-9x40 for $250 going around. Or a refurbished fixed 4 or 6 power Nikon Monarch for around $150. Leupolds VXII are also very good for the money though a little more expensive.
Cheap scopes will lose light faster than your eyes, good scope will gather more light. And I have lost shots because of it.
That happened to my friend last year. He couldn't find the deer in his scope but could see it with his eyes easy enough. Ten minutes later at "last call" I dropped a doe and had no problem finding it in my scope.
A 30-06 is a great caliber to start with. People will complain it does nothing well but it can do just about everything.
Unless you meant $400 on a rifle and another $400 on a scope. Or $800 total. Still a tight budget but not a problem.
I would also recommend the Savage/Stevens line to you. My first rifle I purchased was a Savage and it still shoots better than most people believe.
Second, spend money on the scope more than the rifle. There are good deals on Bushnell 4200 3-9x40 for $250 going around. Or a refurbished fixed 4 or 6 power Nikon Monarch for around $150. Leupolds VXII are also very good for the money though a little more expensive.
Cheap scopes will lose light faster than your eyes, good scope will gather more light. And I have lost shots because of it.
That happened to my friend last year. He couldn't find the deer in his scope but could see it with his eyes easy enough. Ten minutes later at "last call" I dropped a doe and had no problem finding it in my scope.
A 30-06 is a great caliber to start with. People will complain it does nothing well but it can do just about everything.
TCB in TN
Member
Look at the local pawn and gun shops for used rigs. I have seen plenty of savage, stevens, Mossy used combos in the $250 - $300 range. I agree that better optics would be good, but for a starter setup they are pretty good. One of my sons has a Mossy 30-06 with 4 x 12 Simmons scope (gave $250 at a pawn shop), the other has a Savage 30-06 with a 3x9 Bushnell (gave $225 at a different pawnshop) both will shoot better than 2 MOA with factory ammo. I would then buy plenty of ammo and find out what it really likes and learn how it shoots at different ranges that you might be likely to shoot at during your hunt.
glockman19
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Remington 700 or Savage 10.
ColeK
Member
DB. I own a lot of rifles and have owned a lot more in the last forty-five years. I’ve owned 8 Savage/Stevens and there was not a bad shooter in the bunch. I bought these rifles used for way less than a new one. The only trouble I had was with the stocks and scopes. If it a wood stocked Savage you may need to float the barrel and glass the action. With the syn stock models you may have to re-float the barrel.
The scopes the come on these kit rifles can be hit or miss.
If I were you I would look for a used Stevens 200. You should be able to find one for about $200. (There is one on gunbroker.com right now for $225.)
I would also look for a used Leopold or Nikon scope.
The scopes the come on these kit rifles can be hit or miss.
If I were you I would look for a used Stevens 200. You should be able to find one for about $200. (There is one on gunbroker.com right now for $225.)
I would also look for a used Leopold or Nikon scope.
One other thing to keep in mind. While the 30-06 is a fantastic cartridge, there are at least a dozen others out there with similar ballistics that'll do the job just as well. If you find a great rifle in .308 or 7mm-08 don't pass it up just because it's not a 30-06.
Snapping Twig
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I have several 30-06 rifles and it's an excellent cartridge, but there are others that can serve you well too.
For instance, there's a Remington 700 stainless in a plastic stock chambered in .270 at my local pusher - City Arms in Pacifica - for the price you're interested in.
If I didn't already have what I need I'd have bought it by now.
Keep an open mind and look at used as well as new.
For instance, there's a Remington 700 stainless in a plastic stock chambered in .270 at my local pusher - City Arms in Pacifica - for the price you're interested in.
If I didn't already have what I need I'd have bought it by now.
Keep an open mind and look at used as well as new.
eatont9999
Member
For short distances I would use a MN 91/30 without thinking about it. It was designed to take down 200LB creatures in the first place. Don't overlook your mosin. Scope it if you really feel the need rather than spending a few hundred on something you don't need.
Just my opinion.
Just my opinion.
Wolfgang2000
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- Sep 7, 2007
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First, good choice on the 30-06. I've seen it take down just about every thing the lower 48 has to offer, and it worked well in Alaska also.
Your first choice is action type. Bolt, semi auto, pump, or lever action.
I'm not a bolt guy. Most probably because I'm left handed, and when I was growing up there weren't any left handed actions. There is nothing wrong with a bolt action. It's just not my favorite.
Brands? Most of the major brands put out fair to good rifles, with some excellent ones if your are willing to pay for them. Pick the one that feels the best to YOU and the controls are the easiest for you to work.
My personal choice, the Browning BLR. But like life it's just a personal choice. Make yourself happy.
Your first choice is action type. Bolt, semi auto, pump, or lever action.
I'm not a bolt guy. Most probably because I'm left handed, and when I was growing up there weren't any left handed actions. There is nothing wrong with a bolt action. It's just not my favorite.
Brands? Most of the major brands put out fair to good rifles, with some excellent ones if your are willing to pay for them. Pick the one that feels the best to YOU and the controls are the easiest for you to work.
My personal choice, the Browning BLR. But like life it's just a personal choice. Make yourself happy.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
For your price range, you have to go used. Good packages are out there if you watch for them. You should be able to find a good Remington 700 with a decent Weaver or similar scope in the $400-450 range.
ruger m77 mk11
been my main hunting rifle for years... with a bushinell elite it gets the job done before the bedding job it averaged 1 inch groups at 100 yards now its quite a bit better.
but i got it for around 450 or so with a bushinell scope on it i guess a guy bought it at the local shop and during his background check he got into a domestic violence case with his wife and they put it on the used rack because they already mounted the scope and rings and a sling although it was never shot or taken out of the store.
sweet deal and left handed to boot!!!
been my main hunting rifle for years... with a bushinell elite it gets the job done before the bedding job it averaged 1 inch groups at 100 yards now its quite a bit better.
but i got it for around 450 or so with a bushinell scope on it i guess a guy bought it at the local shop and during his background check he got into a domestic violence case with his wife and they put it on the used rack because they already mounted the scope and rings and a sling although it was never shot or taken out of the store.
sweet deal and left handed to boot!!!
DeerSlayer7600
Member
I'd say go with a Remington 7600, great gun.
The difficult part is the cost limitation, not the selections available.
Based on my own experiences, I would suggest getting either a Remington SPS or a Weatherby Vanguard. Each rifle costs around $420.00, and you still needs a scope base, rings and a scope. I have used a Tasco 4X and Weaver base/rings and never missed pay-dirt on any game animal I hunted. Even so, this would come out closer to $500.00 than to $400.00!
There are there other options, but I do not have experience with those. Usually, I will only recommend those firearms with which I actually have (positive) experience.
Best of luck,
Doc2005
Based on my own experiences, I would suggest getting either a Remington SPS or a Weatherby Vanguard. Each rifle costs around $420.00, and you still needs a scope base, rings and a scope. I have used a Tasco 4X and Weaver base/rings and never missed pay-dirt on any game animal I hunted. Even so, this would come out closer to $500.00 than to $400.00!
There are there other options, but I do not have experience with those. Usually, I will only recommend those firearms with which I actually have (positive) experience.
Best of luck,
Doc2005
The new Marlin is the best budget rifle out there in my opinion. I have seen them for $299 and suspect some of the bigger stores such as Bass Pro Shops, etc to run specials at even further reduced prices just prior to hunting season. Pick up a Nikon Prostaff scope for $150 and you will be pretty close to your budget. Around here I cannot buy anything but junk used at a better price.
wankerjake
Member
Let me recommend the Cabela's Pineridge scopes. Their 3x9 scope sells for $90 and is well made. My family shoots them on our .30-06's and they work great, we get elk every year.
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