Which Caliber for first Bolt Action

[SKINRBACK]

I don't see 280 rem in there so here it is.

 

[Maverick223]

I don't see 280 rem in there so here it is.

Check post No. 11...

 

[FMJMIKE]

I went with a Savage in .243 Winchester for first bolt action centerfire.

 

[Almond27]

I'm a .308 junkie myself its just a caliber I'm very fond of if I ever want to hunt I can harvest deer with it no problems. I can target shoot at the range and all with not alot of recoil some of the bigger calibers give ya a good thumpin.

 

[Adair]

I went with a 308 for my first hunting rifle. I wanted readily available ammo (in case somehow I ran out on a trip or forgot it or something. I didnt want to be searching for 6.5-06 ammo at the feed store in Ballinger, TX.) I wanted something big enough for almost any game in NA, but not overkill for whitetail, which will be 95% of what I hunt. I didnt want a concussion from shooting.

IMO, 243, 308, 7mm Mag, 30-06, 270 would be good options. From there it is personal preference. I think the 308, day in day out, will will be more accurate than the others given availability of handloading and factory options.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Get yourself a Savage Weather Warrior 116 in .30-06 and don't look back! Accutrigger, Accustock, Stainless Steel, it can be had in a Hinged Floor Plate style or Detachable Box Magazine format, user changeable bolt handle and adjustable trigger.

The Accustock, for a production rifle, simply put, is awesome! I am not a huge fan of the Accutrigger, but it is realy nice and best of all, it is 100% safe even set to the lightest amount of pull. And we all know the excellent accuracy Savage offers.

If you have to have the 308, the same model is offered as the model 16.

 

[winchester '97]

In all seriousness a Fin mosin would be very accurate, but my real suggestion would be a Swiss K-31, easy to install non destructive scope mounts, hard hitting caliber, and match grade ammo is readily available. Runs about 300 bucks and inch groups at 100 yards seems to be the norm for them. Also straight pull with is just plain cool.

 

[uwspmgc]

another vote for .308! seems to be an all-purpose cartridge. i guess the caliber choice is going to come down to what your local gun shop has, huh? keep us posted on your decision!
_________
when guns are outlawed, then i will become an outlaw

 

[Dr T]

Regen,

I think you got it right the first time: A Savage accutrigger 308 will work very nicely for a first bolt action.

The cartridge is inherently accurate, the rifle is inherently accurate and the $14/box ammo from Walmart will print under 1 MOA.

tds

 

[Hatterasguy]

Get a Mosin, 7.62x54 is a very good round and you can get them for $.20 cents each if you shop.

 

[oneounceload]

All good cartridges, and I'll add the 7X57 Mauser; along with the 6.5X55, have taken many game animals all over the world - they are easy shooting, available, and accurate

 

[Mr. T]

I'm a huge fan of .270 Win. There is a wide range of loads for the caliber and depending on your sensitivity to recoil, you can purchase loads for reduced recoil with no change in impact at 200 yards -- this is ideal for kids just learning to hunt. My son took his first deer with this caliber at 200+ yards and that whitetail never knew what hit it. I think it's just an awesome round.

 

[SpeedAKL]

I have lived in VA all my life. The most common cartridges I see trotted out every deer season are .30-06, .308, .270, .243, .30-30, and 7mm-08. All are effective for deer hunting. .30-06, .308, .270, and 7mm-08 are adequate for most shots on any game you will see in Virginia. .30-30 is a classic woods cartridge for lever guns. .243 is a flat-shooting cartridge with low recoil that is great more younger or recoil-sensitive deer huntings; it has enough power to take any whitetail.

For your purposes, I'd get a .308 Winchester. The .308 is an excellent all-around rifle cartridge. Match-grade ammo is widely available for target shooting, as is relatively cheap military surplus. Get a tactical or varmint-type rifle for accurate range shooting; it will be heavier than a sporter-weight rifle but if you're shooting from a stand Virginia-style it's not too much of a problem.