What Rifle for Graduation Gift?

[Cato the Younger]

My Brother and I have both just graduated (he from h.s., and I from college), and, as we both have plenty of shotguns, our father has decided that we both deserve rifles as a graduation present. We need some advice on what kind of rifles to get, within these parameters:

1. It must be a hunting rifle
2. This will be our only rifle for a while, so it needs to be able to take deer-sized game
3. We can spend no more than 1000 on each rifle.
4. Both my brother and I enjoy shooting milsurps, and like a heavier rifle.
thanks

 

[Darkmossy]

Hunting Rifle

Winchester mod 70 in .300 win Mag

 

[Foxtrot427]

Couldnt a black rifle be a hunting rifle too?

Anyway...

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976575564.htm

 

[ocabj]

M1 Garand
M1903 or M1903A3
Swedish M96 Mauser

 

[ugaarguy]

Ok, $1000 budget, must be able to hunt deer sized game with it, and you like shooting heavy mil-surps. If I had a $1000 budget I'd skip a mil surp and grab a Winchester model 70 "classic" with the full length claw extractor bolt in any caliber between 243 and 30-06 (I want my featherweight 308 back :banghead: ). Now, if ya want a mil surp most all of them will easily handle deer. Here are some ideas;

1)An SKS with the addition of a 5 round mag and you have a handy little semi auto hunting rifle that can convert to a fun plinker with a change to a higher capacity mag. Rember that 7.62 x 39 is almost a ballistic to twin to our 30-30 with a slight advantage at range with the pointed bullets.

2)M1 Garand is a great heavy mil surp in 30-06. Check out www.odcmp.com for details on how to buy one direct from the gub-ment.

3)A 1917 "Enfield" or '03/'03A3 Springfield rifle also available from the CMP.

4)Any of the Mosin-Nagants will easily take deer and pack quite a punch

5)Any of the surplus '98 Mausers in 8mm or Swedish Mausers in 6.5x55 Swede

6)British Enfield in 303 Brit or Swiss 7.5mm Scmidt Rueben K-31. Though ammo will be a bit harder to find for these two.

7)Used Springfield Armory M1A (semi-auto M-14) if you can find one for under a grand.

Check out www.surplusrifle.com, www.sarcoinc.com, www.classicarms.us, www.militarygunsupply.com, www.samcoglobal.com, www.interordnance.com, and www.southernohiogun.com for more mil surp ideas.

Edit to Add; If it can be a black rifle an FAL would be great - I love mine.

 

[Dmack_901]

But to include a decent piece of glass you'd need to keep it lower than that FN. I like the .308 700ADL my dad got me, but 7-8lb trigger won't let me under 1". Of course it could be me or just the gun its self, and heavy is probably better for hunting.

I'd look at Savage's 10FP. It seems to have the accuracy of an evil black sniper but with the modest look of a synthetic 700. And with the accu-trigger, it would be fun for plinking and hunting.

 

[dakotasin]

remington 700 cdl in 7-08, talley lightweight mounts, leupold vx-2 3-9x40.

timeless class and functionality in a rifle, and you're under $1000.

if you have $1000 for rifle alone, then you should go w/ a semi-custom.

congrats on your graduation! i just graduated myself - and am getting ready to move for my new job. my graduation present to myself is likely to be another rifle - though a single action handgun hasn't been entirely ruled out yet.

 

[ugaarguy]

Congrats on the graduation to both of you. If you don't go mil surp and have to keep it under $1000 including glass then go with a Savage as was earlier stated. I've heard nothing but reports of superb accuracy from these rifles. Now that they have the adjustable accu-trigger from the factory it makes the deal even sweeter. Consesus is that Savage barrels will out shoot the owner. Therefor, the left over room under $1000 for the intial rifle price gives you plenty of money for good glass for such a capable rifle.

 

[Commissar Gribb]

get him a nice M1 Service rifle.

with 5 round enblocs you can hunt with it.

 

[eagle716]

Definitely go for the Savage (I personally love the 111F in .30/06), make up the difference in good optics. I've found I can neuter a fly at 200 yards. I'd love to take it out to the desert and see just how far that sucker can maintain a good group.......

Little heavy on the shoulder, but it's a special occasion and you guys should go for the rifle you'd be proud to pass along to the next generation.

None of my semi's have that "feel". I love them all, but there's just "something" about a good bolt gun that makes you want to care for it and see it passed along.

 

[BusMaster007]

Remington 700 BDL / .30-06
NIKON Monarch 6X42
Redfield JR 1-pc. base / JR medium rings
Uncle Mike's leather military type sling / swivels

Simple. Powerful. Within budget.
Try for a used rifle to save more money to apply towards ammuntion.

Congratulations!

 

[CB1961]

Weatherby Vangaurds are pretty good guns at a budget price. (400-600 dollar range) plenty left for a top line scope. They weigh in around 7.5lbs and put a good scope on one and you are in the 8.5 or 9 lb range. I have one in .308win and it is solid with a good finish. Triggers can always be adjusted, but mine was just fine out of the box. Gun shoots better than I can. Really nice bolt on their guns too.

 

[cracked butt]

Remington 700 BDL or a CZ 550
If milsurp, 1903A3, M1 Garand, or Spanish FR-8.

 

[Dannyboy]

You could always go the Tikka route. Every one I'ver ever seen has had an action as smooth as glass. They're also relatively inexpensive.

 

[garrett1955]

Browning A-bolt stainless stalker in a composit stock! mabee 30-06?

ps. mine is left handed!

 

[BusMaster007]

Deserves a bump.
What are you guys looking at so far?

 

[DWARREN123]

For just plain fun and hunting accuracy ask for 2 each, a Mosin-Nagant and a Mauser. Never had so much fun so cheaply.

 

[Buzter]

rem. 700 in .308. too bad it has to be a hunting rifle. What about a man hunting rifle. Dragunov or a psl is for hunting right.

 

[MachIVshooter]

It is pretty easy to get a nice rifle and glass for under $1k. If it were me and I were planning on using it for deer and smaller, I would go with a .25-06 in any decent rifle (Remington,, Winchester, Ruger, Tikka, etc.) which will all be in the $500-$650 Range, and then top it with a Leupold, Weaver, Nikon or other decent 3-9x or 3.5-10x. You should still have enough for a few boxes of ammo.

The rifle I bought my sister on her 20th B-day (after she decided that she wanted to hunt elk) was a Ruger Mk II Stainless/synthetic in .280. We topped it with a Nikon Pro-staff 3-9x w/ Butler Creek blizzard caps and added a good sling and Harris bi-pod. All said and done, roughly $800.

 

[bigcim]

why not a 7mm rem mag great round i enjoy it

 

[Srigs]

Marlin 336 in 30-30.

 

[Cato the Younger]

We are looking at either a Ruger M77 or CZ 550

We went to the gunstore today and looked at the Ruger M77 II which they had in stock, but they did not have a CZ 550 in stock.
1. I really like the Mauser-98 actioned rifles, and my brother and I have both decided on a 30-06 for the caliber. (the ruger cost 450, I don't know about the Cz-wouldn't give us a pricecheck).
2. Has anyone had good experiences with the CZ 550, as well as CZ's customer service policies. I like the fact that the CZ's specs say it around 8 lbs (we like heavy rifles).
3. Finally, I was looking at some scopes, and they had the VX-II 3x9 for 300, and a Zeiss Conquest (I think) 3.5-10x for 450 bucks. Would either of these be a good choice, and what other choices are out there.

Thanks

 

[ugaarguy]

Cato, I've found that scopes are much like rifles; find one from a known maker that fits your needs and budget. Burris, Leupold, Zeiss, etc will all work. At what ranges do you plan to shoot when hunting? For example when hunting in SE Ga on paper company leased piece of land shots can be long down the "lanes" between planted rows of pines or close in small clearings. Are you in open territory like the flat lands of the Midwest? Tight deep woods like mant places in the South? Mountain timber like you'd find in Colorado? The range you plan to hunt will help define your glass needs. Don't forget the venerable fixed 4x scope - it'll handle most hunting situations you run into. I agree on Mauser style actions - something about that full length claw extractor just feels so right. With your stated budget you may may want to look for a used Winchester Model 70 before they're gone with the plant recently being closed. If you liked the Ruger get your hands on a Model 70 and see how sweet those actions are. Keep us updated and have fun with the search.

 

[Sunray]

Why graduating from high school is a big deal escapes me, but so be it. Just remember to thank your da profusely.
"...we like heavy rifles..." You'll get over that. Assuming you're speaking of the weight of the rifle. Eight pounds isn't particularly heavy. Except about half way through a day of hunting.
For a milsurp, you'd both be daft not to go with a CMP Service Grade Springfield M-1 at $425. There is no rifle that is quite like a Garand.
For a commercial hunting rifle look at the Savage Packages.

 

[roscoe]

I think the lever-action 30-30 is the most versatile and visually appealing rifle out there. If you have $1000 to spend you can get a beautiful take-down model from Taylor's in .44 mag or .357 mag. Or, you can have a Marlin 30-30 converted to take-down by Wild West Guns.