Thoughts on 1st deer rifle?

[Lonnie]

Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T

Remington was bought out a number of years ago and has been in a QC landslide since then. Best trigger? not by a long shot. Hearsay from people who have recieved a rifle that needed to see a gunsmith right out of the box is enough to be weary of their product if nothing else.


for the price range you describe that gun will do what you need it to GhostGuy...its not the best Remmy has to offer but its not the worst either (770 )...30-06 is a great all around cartridge for alberta as long as you arent overly recoil sensitive.

For the price of that Remington plus just over a 100 bucks you can get a Browning X-bolt and have a far superior rifle..rotary mag that fits tight....adjustable trigger that feels like a Jewel compared to the x mark pro and glass bedded from factory.

Regardless of your choice...handle them before you buy...if the gun doesnt fit you right you will never get the most out of it.

that last line about fit is the best piece of advice in this post.

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by Marlin xl7

Check out the Marlin XL7, i was in the same situation a year ago. I looked at the Rem 700 sps, didn't like the feel of the action, thought it was kinda gritty? I walked down the floor 10 feet, picked up the Marlin, action was smooth as silk, it comes pillar bedded. You can get it in 30-06, but I got mine in 270Win. I think if you went with the 30-06 in the XL7 recoil would be a little harsh. I shoot 150gr pills in my 270 and you know when you pull the trigger, but it's definitely manageable. I also believe the Marlin is still a little cheaper than the 700 sps?

Wife has on in 7mm-08.
Great low cost shooter....a bit better than the Edge or Axis.
Not a lifetime rifle for a guy that shoots an awful lot. But I think it is good value, a great choice for an entry level rifle and not a bad backup down the road if you upgrade.

[Rugerlover]

My first deer rifle is a .300 win mag X bolt Browning. I will be using 150 grain rounds. I wanted a one gun fits all, and good knock down power if I ever encountered a Bear by chance.

.270 is probably a good choice.

[gunkle]

+1 to the 270

(though for you the 308, and 30-06 work nicely as well)

[Tracker34]

Never fired an 06, but if that many people own one, must be doing something right. My first deer rifle was a Winchester, model 94 in 32 spl. Stepped up to a Browning, BLR in 308. Nothing ever walked away from either of them. Deer, moose, black bear. I bought a 300 win mag a few years ago for bison. Now I use it for elk and moose as well, most of the time.

[trapshooter]

Tikka T3 7mm-08!!!
Thats what I got and love it!!!

[BallCoeff.435]

Don't confuse a good 'all-round' rifle on the one hand, with a best initial deer hunting rifle on the other hand.

For a first rifle, you want something that is very consistent/precise ('accurate'), relatively inexpensive when new, powerful enough to be deer-effective at moderate ranges, recoil-comfortable enough to shoot all day several days a week, and have relatively cheap ammo.

That would be a 308 or one of the 6.5 cartridges or 7mm-08. Maybe in a heavier-barreled Savage, maybe one of these:
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12FVSS
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12bvss
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12LRP

Potentially get an inch or two lopped off the muzzle of those if necessary to improve swing or balance, and increase bbl stiffness further. (Don't need any more than 24 inches for 308 loads). The rifle sort of has to feel OK, then get it properly fitted for length of pull, and then cheek height after fitting the scope to it.

You want to shoot the heck out of it in the first few years of experience, in addition to snagging your first whitetail. Develop good shooting skills, body position, trigger & breathing control. (Not just bench-banging or 'sighting in' a couple of days before hunting). Good precision is very encouraging. And you want to know that if you made a bad shot it was for sure your fault and not the rifle somehow, so you can trust the feedback. Keep pushing the distance envelope while keeping small groups, especially when prone or sitting.

You also want to be able to take long strings of shots before the barrel gets too hot, instead of having something with a pencil barrel that feels like a soldering iron after 5 rounds.

Point is, you want that rifle for lots of effective practice in the first few years, not just for hunting. A .22 is a good start, but won't get you to 400 yards.