A Good Hunting Rifle

saturnine138 said:
I've used plenty of .22s before, and shoot quite well with them but I dont know if that'll carry over to other rifles. I like shooting from long ranges, but it's not as practical so that's not much of a concern. Is there a list somewhere of various calibers and what they're best used for?
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The skills involved transfer very well from .22 to any rifle. However, the recoil and weight make the actual experience quite different! If you're on a campus, find out if there's a sport-shooting club. Or, go to the local gun shop and ask about clubs or groups that shoot regularly. There are most likely a number of guys and gals willing to share their "expertise". Keep in mind, though that just like here everyone has their own opinions and preferences.

#1, check your local regulations as well as the regulations of neighboring counties or other areas you might be hunting in. If you're set on a rifle, you can't go wrong with the .30-.30 for versatility and efficiency. The ammo is very prolific and it's a cartridge with a long and distinguished history.

I'll second Deerslayer's input, though that the Omega muzzleloader is a GREAT option! If you'll be hunting in the woods, shots beyond 100 yards are few and far between and the calibrated scope that is made for it makes it a tack-driving machine. Yeah, you only get one shot, but knowing that helps you to make that one shot count!

my $.02

J-
 
Hunting is all about putting the first round into the boiler room and anchoring your game. A bolt action, scoped 30-06, .308, .270 will handle deer or hogs in the USA. None of these rifles will punish your shoulder too much and cause you to possibly develope bad shooting habits.
 
if you want an inexpensive rifle you could go with an winchester 30-30. Cheap ammo and low recoil. If you get a marlin, you could mount a scope easier. yes I know they are lever action but they make up for it in weight. I love my Winchester .270 on PA whitetails in bolt action.
 
Stay with the 30-06 or the .308, they are good shooters and they are common rounds. take into consideration of buying ammo on the road away from home or not having your reloading supplies. Some small town mom and pop's hardware store is not going to carry the rounds for 7mm-08, .338, 22-250 even though they are all good rounds, they aren't in the norm.

just my .02
 
I use a Savage 7mm-08, fantastic caliber, but I handload for it, and commercial ammo is kinda sparce.

30-30 is another excellent option if you are in rifle country. It's been killing deer for about 100 years.
 
Savage 110 with the accutrigger in 308 or 30-06, it is the most bang for the buck, two of the most popular calibers that are easy to get ammo for, very accurate out of the box and will not break the bank. Chris
 
Heck, why stop at the 06, 308? Get a fifty cal for real knock down power:D
In all seriousness, I have killed many many whitetails with a 6mm Rem. but they are harder to find ammo for than it used to be. The more popular cal in this six mm class is now the 243. Damn nice little gun with much less recoil than bigger cals. and you will have no problem taking deer with it. The 222 Swift is the only other gun that is faster at 100 yards the bigger loads take over after that(in reference to the 6mm). 243 ammo is all over the place too and if you are just "thinking" about getting into hunting you might be able to keep the cost down also. Again, I like the smaller calibers for carrying hunting, but I like small blades over large ones.:thumbup:

In a nutshell, "why carry a machete when an Opinel will do the job"
 
Just about any round will work on a whitetail deer. Accuracy is what really counts. My rifle of choice is a Remmington 700 ADL .308 cal. The rifle of choice of the poachers in my area seems to be .22 magnum. Go figure. Happy hunting!
 
mewolf1 said:
Heck, why stop at the 06, 308?
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I don't consider these rounds "machetes" actually neither are very big at all, and are the two most popular whitetail rounds in the US.

Did I read your post right, the 220 swift is the only cartridge faster than the 243 win, sorry but not by a long shot. Chris
 
I stand corrected.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_ballistics_table.htm


Cartridge (Wb + type) MV (fps) V @ 200 yds ME (ft lb) E @ 200 yds
.204 Ruger (33 BTSP) 4225 3025 1308 671
.22 Hornet (45 Sp) 2690 1502 723 225
.222 Rem. (50 Sp) 3140 2123 1094 500
.223 Rem. (45 SpHP) 3550 2430 1259 590
.223 Rem. (55 Sp) 3240 2304 1282 648
.22-250 Rem. (55 Sp) 3680 2656 1654 861
.220 Swift (55 SpBT) 3800 2990 1765 1090
.223 WSSM (55 SpBT) 3850 3064 1810 1147
.243 Win. (80 Sp) 3350 2593 1993 1194
.243 Win. (100 Sp) 2960 2449 1945 1332
6mm Rem. (100 Sp) 3100 2573 2133 1470
.243 WSSM (100 Sp) 3110 2583 2147 1481
6x62 Freres (100 SP) 3300 2784 2418 1721
.240 Wby. Mag. (100 Sp) 3406 2882 2576 1844
.257 Roberts (120 Sp) 2780 2360 2060 1480
.25 WSSM (120 Sp) 2990 2484 2382 1644
.25-06 Rem. (120 Sp) 2990 2484 2382 1644
.257 Wby. Mag. (120 Sp) 3305 2801 2910 2091
6.5x55 SE (140 Sp) 2600 2220 2100 1525
.260 Rem. (140 Sp) 2750 2347 2351 1712
6.5mm Rem. Mag. (120 Sp) 3210 2778 2744 2056
6.5x68 S (140 Sp) 2990 2580 2779 2069
.264 Win. Mag. (140 Sp) 3030 2548 2854 2018
6.8mm Rem. SPC (115 Sp) 2800 2262 2002 1307
.270 Win. (130 Sp) 3060 2639 2702 2009
.270 Win. (150 Sp) 2850 2183 2705 1587
.270 WSM (150 Sp) 3150 2601 3304 2252
.270 Wby. Mag. (150 Sp) 3245 2823 3502 2655
7x57 Mauser (140 Sp) 2660 2260 2200 1585
7mm-08 Rem. (140 Sp) 2860 2402 2542 1793
.280 Rem. (140 Sp) 3000 2528 2797 1986
7mm Rem. SAUM (150 Sp) 3110 2563 3221 2188
7mm WSM (150 Sp) 3200 2648 3410 2335
7mm Rem. Mag. (150 SpBT) 3110 2751 3221 2520
7mm Wby. Mag. (150 SpBT) 3300 2896 3627 2793
7mm Ultra Mag. (160 Sp) 3200 2791 3637 2767
.30 Carbine (110 RN) 1990 1236 967 373
.30-30 Win. (150 FP) 2390 1605 1902 858
.30-30 Win. (170 FP) 2200 1619 1827 989
.300 Sav. (150 Sp) 2630 2095 2303 1462
.308 Win. (150 Sp) 2820 2288 2648 1744
.308 Win. (180 Sp) 2620 2198 2743 1930
.30-06 Spfd. (150 Sp) 2910 2342 2820 1827
.30-06 Spfd. (180 Sp) 2700 2023 2913 1635
.300 Rem. SAUM (180 Sp) 2960 2571 3501 2642
.300 WSM (180 Sp) 2970 2549 3526 2598
.300 Win. Mag. (180 Sp) 2960 2540 3501 2578
.300 Wby. Mag. (180 Sp) 3240 2826 4195 3193
.300 Ultra Mag. (180 Sp) 3250 2834 4221 3201
7.62x39 (125 Sp) 2365 1783 1552 882
.303 British (180 Sp) 2460 2020 2420 1625
.32 Spec. (170 FP) 2250 1630 1910 1000
8x57 JS (170 RN) 2360 1620 2100 995
8x68 S (220 SP) 2800 2417 3829 2853
.338-57 O'Connor (200 FP) 2400 1638 2558 1191
.338 Win. Mag. (225 Sp) 2780 2374 3860 2815
.340 Wby. Mag. (250 Sp) 2941 2553 4801 3618
.338 Ultra Mag (250 Sp) 2860 2443 4540 3314
.357 Mag. (180 HP) 1550 980 960 385
.35 Rem. (200 RN) 2080 1376 1921 841
.35 Whelen (200 Sp) 2675 2100 3177 1958
.350 Rem. Mag. (200 Sp) 2775 2186 3419 2122
9.3x62 (286 SpBT) 2362 1931 3544 2370
.375 H&H Mag. (300 Sp) 2530 1979 4262 2608
.375 Ultra Mag (300 Sp) 2760 2263 5073 3412
.378 Wby. Mag. (270 SP) 3180 2677 6062 4295
.416 Rem. Mag. (400 Sp) 2400 1962 5115 3419
.416 Rigby (400 RN) 2370 1890 4990 3130
.44 Rem. Mag. (240 FP) 1760 1114 1650 661
.444 Marlin (240 FP) 2350 1377 2942 1010
.450 Marlin (350 FP) 2100 1397 3427 1516
.45-70 (300 HP) 1810 1244 2182 1031
.45-70 (405 FP) 1330 1055 1590 1001
.458 Win. Mag. (500 RN) 2090 1650 4850 3025
.460 Wby. Mag. (500 RN) 2600 2037 7504 4605
 
No harm no foul Mewolf, I was just wondering, I tend to lean towards the smaller calibers myself. But for someone just starting out deer hunting a little bigger bullet I don't think is such a bad thing and in 308 you can get in a lot of practice for cheap and not destroy your shoulder or your bank account. Chris
 
runningboar said:
Savage 110 with the accutrigger in 308 or 30-06, it is the most bang for the buck, two of the most popular calibers that are easy to get ammo for, very accurate out of the box and will not break the bank. Chris
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That is the exact rifle I checked out and fell in love with after I first posted.
I have heard good things about both savage and the 30-06, so I knew it would be my first rifle.
Darn nice to look at, too. What do you think of the accuTrigger? Sounds pretty interesting, trigger pull adjustable from 2.5 to 6 pounds.


LR
 
Liam Ryan said:
What do you think of the accuTrigger? Sounds pretty interesting, trigger pull adjustable from 2.5 to 6 pounds.
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Very, Very, nice, second best trigger on a factory rifle, the only way to get better is with a custom trigger, or buy a CZ with the set trigger.

BTW I shoot a CZ.;) :p
 
I think I'm leaning towards the Savage 110 in 30-06. What's a good price for one new or used, and is it better to get a new one?
 
For my first gun I'm going to go new. Barrel wear can occur with a lot of shooting, but I just want this gun to be mine and mine alone, because I think it will be the only one I own. (hence the good all around caliber)
 
Liam Ryan said:
For my first gun I'm going to go new. Barrel wear can occur with a lot of shooting, but I just want this gun to be mine and mine alone, because I think it will be the only one I own. (hence the good all around caliber)
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Thats what I was thinking.
 
coote said:
Any larger caliber is capable of killing a deer. I don't recommend a .22 rimfire for large game, although I have killed feral pigs and goats with a .22 rimfire and I would not be reluctant to use it again for the same purpose if necessary. If you are fixed on the idea of using .22 rimfire, then a telescopic sight will make it much easier to place your bullet in the right spot...and this is absolutely essential. And a semi-auto .22 will help you get more lead into an animal in a short time....but this doesn't mean you shouldn't try to make a one-shot kill. A .22 is certainly economical to run, but it may be illegal for some of the things that you want to do...and being caught with one at the wrong time would not be 'economical'.

Somebody has already mentioned an SKS. These are excellent guns, but you have to constantly be aware that after you've fired a shot, another bullet is in the chamber ready to go. I would pick a bolt action gun myself for most purposes...I think they are safer. The caliber I would pick for economy (in my country anyway) would be 7.62 X 39 (Many SKS rifles use this). This is a military cartridge...the one that many AK47s would use. There is a lot of ammo around for this caliber. I have read that the ballistics are similar to some 30-30 loads. The trajectory is not marvellous after maybe 150 yards, so if you want to shoot at long distances then I suggest you get something a bit flatter shooting...and get a scope.

One caliber I've heard a bit about lately is the 7mm/08. My sister in law has one and she has had some marvellous results using the same point of aim for close shots and some very long ones. I don't know what the ammo costs though, and really the difference between this caliber and some other calibers and loads may not be significant enough to worry about.

Have a look in a gun shop and see what the various brands of ammo and guns cost.

One concern I have about big, powerful guns is that there is a lot of energy in a projectile and it can travel a long way, even after it has been through a deer sometimes. So for close shooting, especially where there may be other people around, I would go for a less powerful cartridge.

Good hunting and best wishes...Coote.
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7.62x39 is a great caliber. It is balistically equal to the .30-30, but the ammo is affordable, and available. There are a number of bolt actions available- sporterized Mausers, Ruger M-77's (Real sweet rifles to shoot:) ), CZ-527, and I believe that you can rebarrel a Savage as well. Wolf makes a 154 grain soft point round. That's an extra 30 grains of metal.

In a wooded area, you would not be done wrong with 7.62x39.
 
I have become kind of a "one gun guy" of sorts, meaning one pistol and one rifle.

I don't think a guy is doing himself a favor in the skills dept. by having a whole bunch of guns of any one type to try and maintain skill with. It seems smarter to put effort into maximizing the use of your one gun.

For me that means an accurate bolt action repeater in .308 Win. with a tactical scope.

This general setup with my decent bullets (like Hornady A-Max) will be effective on large game to ~500 yards, and will have a maximum accurate range of ~1100 yards, for targets where you don't need to dump that much energy.

One peculiar thing about shooting past about 300 yards is that the "flat shooting" cartridges don't help. All they do is maybe extend your "point blank range" over an old dog like the .308 -- but that is only true at relatively close ranges, and the range increase really isn't that much. For anything over 300 yards or so your main considerations are wind drift and knowing your elevation correction. "Flat shooting" doesn't really mean what a lot of people think it does.

Lighter bullets, especially the 6mms, can get "flaky" when you shoot through turbulent air or switching winds. Big bullets in the 7mm or .30 cal class are much more stable. The .308 Win is an extremely accurate cartridge, is very easy to load for (i.e., get good accuracy), and barrels last forever compared to smaller calibers.

These are the biggest reasons I lean toward .308.

Anyhow, a budget combination that a lot of people see to like is a Savage 110 in .308 Win with a heavyish barrel and a SuperSniper scope. I have never owned either, but these are reported to be solid, no-frills pieces of equipment. The biggest complaint about the scope is crappy glass. But reports are they do track correctly and are very durable, which is more important.

This is a "precision rifle" type of hunting rig. Not everyone's cup of tea, but there you go.

Scott
 
What's wrong with a 12 guage? It is probably the most versatile weapon in the world, and one of the most powerful. Certainly capable of taking a deer with slugs, and bigger animals, unless you're long-range shooting across open country. As far as economy goes, how many shots do you actually think you're going to be firing? You can find ammo for it everywhere, like a .22. Personally, I like old military bolt actions, but for a really useful shooting iron I don't see how you could beat a 12 guage.
 
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