Which Rifle to buy?

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djardine

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I am going to buy a .308 rifle soon (within the next few weeks) and I have $400 to spend. The choices are...
Savage 10 (Walmart- with Accutrigger and scope) - $384
Weatherby Vanguard $399
Howa 1500 $410
Marlin XS7
Stevens 200
I am very familiar with the Savage, Stevens, and Marlin as I have owned or do now own them. I am familiar with the features of the Howa and Weatherby rifles, have handled them frequently, but have never owned or shot them...
Any preferences on these guns?
 
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I recently bought a weatherby vanguard which is made by howa and is almost identical to a howa 1500. That thing is SWEET accurate as can be, looks good, good trigger, seems to be well built. I really think that the vanguard is the best new rifle deal on the market. Why not add a poll?
 
I know how the Savage rifles shoot (good) since I have experience with them (not with their scope for that price). The other rifles probably shoot well, but no experience with them. The .25-06 is an excellent deer cartridge, but so are the others. I would probably lean towards the other calibers for a little more versatility.
 
I vote Marlin XL/S 7.
Made in USA and a great gun for the $$$.
Mine is a 25-06 but I have other rifles for elk, this ones for deer.
 
I don't think you can go wrong with either the Savage package from Walmart or the Marlin XS-7. I prefer the Savages just because I don't like the cheek piece on the stock of the Marlins but both are great super accurate rifles. I just don't really think for the money that the Savage package deal can be beat for what it is. The Marlin is the only thing I've seen that looks like it's close.
 
I think you should handle some of the rifles and see what you like best. I personally hate where the safety is located on the savage/stevens rifles which is why i went the weatherby route. If i needed a new do-all rifle i would go and buy a howa or weatherby in 308 or 7mm mag and never look back. Those two cartridges will do fine on elk.
 
Weatherby Vangaurd. I bought one in .30-06 for $390 and I couldn't be happier.
A Vangaurd in any of the calibers you mentioned would be great. I want to add a 7mm Rem Mag to my collection eventually and it will likely be another Vangaurd.
 
If you're really going to use it for elk hunting, I'd plan on buying a much better scope than the one from the package. .308 will be fine for everything.
 
Good point about the scope- The first thing I would do with the scope from the Savage package deal is sell it or give it away- I have a nice nikon to put on whatever I buy.
 
I would opt for the Marlin XL-7 or XS-7, and probably go with the new Stainless version chambered for 7mm-08Rem. Why 7mm-08?...because the ballistics are similar to a .270Win. with less recoil than a .308, and more than enough energy to get most jobs done (but is about as light as I would go for elk, if this rifle will be used for a good bit of elk then a .30-06 is better IMO).

:)
 
I'd go with .308, which is certainly the most versatile round you've named. And definitely go with a short action. (Savage Model 10, Remington Model 7), etc. A lot of companies offer .308 length rounds in long actions, which is just wasted weight and longer bolt movement, for no purpose. I'm not sure if most of the models you name are long or short actions, but that would certainly be a deciding factor in my decision.

So, go .308 and rule out the long action rifles in that cartridge, then choose from what's left.
 
I picked up an XS-7 in .308 and gotta say, its one solid gun. Threw a new Nikon scope on it and had a whole setup for 420 bucks.
 
I have the xs7 in 7mm-08. Im completely impressed with it. In fact, its the best shooting gun for the price that I have ever purchased. Mine shoots MOA at 100yds with the cheap winchester 140s.
 
The Vanguard comes with a factory-fired, 3-shot target. You will see the rifle's accuracy before you buy. The Vanguards come as-close to point of rationality as I can imagine. By the way, don't let the synthetic stock scare you. The test target will have been fired with that stock. They are fantastic rifles.

Geno
 
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