New hunter, what rifle?

Badflies · #1 01-13-2019, 08:34 PM

Hello all. I am a middle age dude who hasn't shot anything larger than varmit. I am looking into a first rifle and I'm overwhelmed by the selection. I would like to get something soon and get some time in at the range before the fall. I'm looking for deer and elk. I have lots of practice chucking slugs out of a lightweight 12 gauge and I'm a big guy so I don't think I would be recoil sensitive. I don't want a cannon though as I go through a fair bit of ammo at the range and some of it isn't cheap.
So I'm thinking $1000ish tops with a scope. Popular candidates look like a savage axis, Mossberg patriot or Remington 783 in 270, 6.5, or 308. I would love a Winchester 70 or Remington 700 but they look a little pricy.
What would you guys recommend? What should I avoid?

Dweb · #2 01-13-2019, 08:43 PM

Get a weatherby vanguard in 270 or 308

The basic synthetic/black one I think runs around 750$

That will leave you a couple hundred for a scope

Nyksta · #3 01-13-2019, 08:43 PM

Get a Ruger m77 Hawkeye in 308 win or 270 win

Prophet river carries them

2-7 or 3-9 scope with a ballistic holdover reticle, you'll be happy out to 400 yards

sns2 · #4 01-13-2019, 08:44 PM

https://www.tradeexcanada.com/conten...98-m70-65x55-1

Joe Black · #5 01-13-2019, 08:46 PM

30-06. Bullet weight available 140 - 220.

Coyote gun to bear. Great first gun.

Nyksta · #6 01-13-2019, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sns2

https://www.tradeexcanada.com/conten...98-m70-65x55-1

That's really nice too!

weedcatcher · #7 01-13-2019, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dweb

Get a weatherby vanguard in 270 or 308

The basic synthetic/black one I think runs around 750$

That will leave you a couple hundred for a scope

This

Spruster · #8 01-13-2019, 10:31 PM

You're right about a lot of choices out there . Something now to maybe consider would be do you want a detachable magazine and rifle weight , if it matters . I like the 308 of your picks so far .

mattthegorby · #9 01-14-2019, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dweb

Get a weatherby vanguard in 270 or 308

The basic synthetic/black one I think runs around 750$

That will leave you a couple hundred for a scope

Very happy I went with the Vangaurd for my first centrefire. I went for a 6.5 caliber as I am not that big of a guy and I am recoil sensitive.

Go shoulder, cycle the actions, and read the reviews of everything around $700. The Vangaurd is a great deal, check out Howa as well - it is the same action and they have some rifle/scope packages all in under $1000.

mattthegorby · #10 01-14-2019, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spruster

You're right about a lot of choices out there . Something now to maybe consider would be do you want a detachable magazine and rifle weight , if it matters . I like the 308 of your picks so far .

FYI for the OP, the Vangaurd can be retrofitted with a mag after the fact if you decide you want one. I am happy with the hinge plate, but it would be nice for hunting from a vehicle.

SuperCub · #11 01-14-2019, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badflies

Popular candidates look like a savage axis, Mossberg patriot or Remington 783 in 270, 6.5, or 308.

Of the the 3 mentioned, the 783 would be you best bet. I've owned a couple and liked them. Get a lot of good reviews. There are lots of each right now after hunting season on the the used market.

Buy one of those with a good used scope and you'd be well under $1k, more like in the $500-$600 range with lots of $$ left over to buy ammo.

Justfishin73 · #12 01-14-2019, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dweb

Get a weatherby vanguard in 270 or 308

The basic synthetic/black one I think runs around 750$

That will leave you a couple hundred for a scope

.270 on sale-have one, great gun

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/29822...t-action-rifle

Add this scope

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/59913...-dead-hold-bdc

Same rig I've got-can save you another $40-shoot me a pm

Justfishin73 · #13 01-14-2019, 05:46 AM

Mossberg Patriot is garbage, avoid. Most gun/scope set ups, the scope is junk. Avoid these packages.

calgarychef · #14 01-14-2019, 06:08 AM

If I had one gun, I’d get a CZ 30-06, 308 or 270 and never look back. Come to think of it I have “a few” guns and all that gets hunted with is my CZ 30-06.

Dubious · #15 01-14-2019, 06:24 AM

Anything in the 6.5 creed it’s the master chamber of all rifles all heil

elkhunter11 · #16 01-14-2019, 07:04 AM

I would be looking at a Vanguard or a T-3 in a .264"-.308" cartridge. Bashaw Sports has some amazing deals on T-3 rifles. Prophet River has some great deals on Nikon scopes.

Kurt505 · #17 01-14-2019, 07:29 AM

Bashaw sports had the Tikka T3 lites on sale for $729, I would check that out first. Put a Nikon Prostaff on there for now and be just barely over $1000

CrisPbacon · #18 01-14-2019, 07:33 AM

Get yourself a Savage Axis 7mm-08 with a good 3x9 scope and focus on shot placement. Low price and low recoil.

Justfishin73 · #19 01-14-2019, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrisPbacon

Get yourself a Savage Axis 7mm-08 with a good 3x9 scope and focus on shot placement. Low price and low recoil.

Noooooo, savage axis are just awful. I bought one of these and couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

mattthegorby · #20 01-14-2019, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarychef

If I had one gun, I’d get a CZ 30-06, 308 or 270 and never look back. Come to think of it I have “a few” guns and all that gets hunted with is my CZ 30-06.

While I like my Vangaurd, yesterday I was walking around looking for grouse with my 452 Lux and was regretting not getting the CZ with iron sights in 6.5x55 as my first centrefire. I just love every CZ I pick up!

Nyksta · #21 01-14-2019, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justfishin73

.270 on sale-have one, great gun

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/29822...t-action-rifle

Add this scope

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/59913...-dead-hold-bdc

Same rig I've got-can save you another $40-shoot me a pm

That is an outstanding scope for the money. The bdc will be exactly 100y 200y 300y 400y 500y with 308 win 150 to 165gr bullets, or 270 150gr bullets, 3006 165 to 180gr.

barsik · #22 01-14-2019, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt505

Bashaw sports had the Tikka T3 lites on sale for $729, I would check that out first. Put a Nikon Prostaff on there for now and be just barely over $1000

the Tikka rifle is built by Sako, and is guaranteed to put 3 rounds into an inch group at 100 yards. the only other rifle which I would consider decent quality is the Vanguard/Howa from Japan in the OP's stated price range.

360hunt · #23 01-14-2019, 08:38 AM

Your best money spent would be to find an older well cared for rifle. I would suggest a rifle made at the Fabrique Nationale herstal armory in Belgium. These are extremely well made firearms that have a control round feed action. Usually go for $450-750.
As for caliber.......i'd say 30-06. By far the most versatile caliber for the game your hunting.
Good luck

elkhunter11 · #24 01-14-2019, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 360hunt

Your best money spent would be to find an older well cared for rifle. I would suggest a rifle made at the Fabrique Nationale herstal armory in Belgium. These are extremely well made firearms that have a control round feed action. Usually go for $450-750.
As for caliber.......i'd say 30-06. By far the most versatile caliber for the game your hunting.
Good luck

The issue being, that this is going to be a first rifle, as such , the OP likely doesn't know what to look out for in used rifles. The last thing that he needs , is to buy someone else's problem. As for scopes, keep it simple, no complicated reticals, or turrets, for a first rifle.

Nyksta · #25 01-14-2019, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

The issue being, that this is going to be a first rifle, as such , the OP likely doesn't know what to look out for in used rifles. The last thing that he needs , is to buy someone else's problem. As for scopes, keep it simple, no complicated reticals, or turrets, for a first rifle.

A bdc reticle scope is no more complicated than a standard limited basic reticle. He can set the scope use for max point blank range and use the main crosshair the same as a non-bdc scope. When farther shooting than basic crosshair becomes part of the interest, he already has a scope to work with. Why buy basic crosshair for the same price as a bdc scope only to sell the basic crosshair scope at a loss later.

elkhunter11 · #26 01-14-2019, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyksta

A bdc reticle scope is no more complicated than a standard limited basic reticle. He can set the scope use for max point blank range and use the main crosshair the same as a non-bdc scope. When farther shooting than basic crosshair becomes part of the interest, he already has a scope to work with. Why buy basic crosshair for the same price as a bdc scope only to sell the basic crosshair scope at a loss later.

New shooters tend to get excited more easily, and I have seen a few miss animals, because they got excited , and used the wrong hash mark, or had a turret adjusted wrong. That is my reasoning. I also don't recommend multiple loads with different trajectories for a newer shooter.

Kurt505 · #27 01-14-2019, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barsik

the Tikka rifle is built by Sako, and is guaranteed to put 3 rounds into an inch group at 100 yards. the only other rifle which I would consider decent quality is the Vanguard/Howa from Japan in the OP's stated price range.

The stainless tikka is also within his price range at only $729. If I had to buy a rifle/scope combo today and only had $1000 to spend it would be a new Tikka and a second hand Redfield from the classifieds.

Kurt505 · #28 01-14-2019, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I would be looking at a Vanguard or a T-3 in a .264"-.308" cartridge. Bashaw Sports has some amazing deals on T-3 rifles. Prophet River has some great deals on Nikon scopes.

I just read this post, lol.

Pretty much exactly my thoughts.

Nyksta · #29 01-14-2019, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

New shooters tend to get excited more easily, and I have seen a few miss animals, because they got excited , and used the wrong hash mark, or had a turret adjusted wrong. That is my reasoning. I also don't recommend multiple loads with different trajectories for a newer shooter.

I agree, one load only. My earlier comment about all the loads it works with was to say that the scope hash marks are compatible with those loads trajectories. Pick one that works and dont switch back and forth. Every different load will have to be rezeroed.

Kapustacrk · #30 01-14-2019, 11:08 AM

Well I have to admit that a T3 Tikka is a heck of a buy, and triggers and barrels are excellent, Bashaw is a go to store for me. !! Most Tikka's can shoot better that the guy behind the trigger, in caliber that covers what you'll be shooting. 2nd is the Vanguards !! Oh Boy the are the std of the budget rifles (JMO) and will shoot the lights out if you do your part. Good triggers, stocks and 24" barrels. Have had a few of each and #1=Tikka T3, then #2=Vanguard s2. Hope you handle each one and decide for your self. Good Luck. KC-out !!