kinda off topic - need gun advise

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newknife

Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
588
Hey Guys,

I was wondering if some of you who have guns could help me out. I'm looking for "one" rifle (all I can afford) that would be dependable in the woods for most medium to big sized game. By my house I can get a Marlin 30/30 or a Remington 700 for about the same price.

What would be a better all around rifle between these two?

(Also, I've never owned a gun before).

Thanks...
 
It really depends on the caliber of the model 700 and what type of terrain you are hunting in. I have both guns in different calibers. Also, distances you expect to shoot could play a role. We need some more info.:thumbup:
 
Your phrase "in the woods" would have me leaning towards the lever action. It is a superior firearm for the woods just as the bolt action is superior at long ranges out in the open. That I think is the deciding factor, what range you expect to use it at the most. 150 yards and under the Marlin in 30-30 will do anything you ask of it, and it is easy to handle in cover. The bolt action really shines at longer ranges with a more powerful scope, in .308 it is easily a 4-500 yard gun depending on the competence of the user.
 
What do you want to do with this firearm? Is this strictly for hunting? Will it make double duty for home defence?

The price of ammunition is going up, and if you get something that is relatively powerful you will have to have deep pockets to go plinking.

My suggestion would be to first off to take a hunter education course.
It is the rifleman that drives the rifle. Give a moron a wonderful tool, you still have a moron.

My suggestion would be to get some range time and have some fun with a .22 rimfire. Shop around and find one that you like, since you have never owned a firearm just about any will suit you. For $15 you can plink all day with a .22, $15 wont buy you 20 rounds of most centerfire rifle ammo today.

Read as much as you can about whatever you will be doing before you make an investment. Alot can be learned by the most popular rifle and the most popular round in existance.
 
The .30-06 will take down North American big game. LtCol Jeff Cooper wrote that he took 6 grizzly bears with his .30-06. Of course, hitting the bear in the right place helps a lot.
 
Go pick yourself up a surplus Russian Mosin-Nagant. You can find them for less than $100. Look for pre WWII or post WWII dates, they tend to be a little better put together. Ammo is dirt cheap and is comparable if not greater in power than the 06. You can get a whole bunch of aftermarket stuff to put on it if you want to.
 
The 30 06 is a versatile round that is good for any game in the lower 48. You can shoot 125 gr to 220 gr bullets as well as cast lead bullets for inexpensive practice. You can buy 30 06 ammo any place ammo is sold. If your shooting in the woods use a low power scope or iron sights or use a good variable scope for all around shooting. Beware the man with one gun.--Whatever you buy practice and more practice--buy some snap caps and dry fire for a few minutes every day. Be safe-have fun
 
I live in kantucky and I have a savage 110 30.06....I use it deer hunting and love it, I usually shoot 165 grain and it kicks like a mule.....love it.....That being said, you can't go wrong with a 30.30, it's the best brush gun out there.....just my opinion
 
The thing is... they are both good guns.
When I think of the 'One Rifle.' I think in terms of hunting, survival, self-defense,
availability of ammunition, price of ammunition, reliability.... etc.

I'd pick the 30-30... unless you plan on hunting brown bear, or have them very close to you.

The reason for my choice is that in general the ammo is cheaper, a Marlin 336
is very reliable, although a good bolt action is probably more reliable.
But if you think in terms of SD, I'd rather have a fast working lever action then
a bolt action. Also, again in general, the 336 is lighter and shorter.

Maybe get an M1 Garand.... now you have a fast working rifle in 30-06! :)

Just my opinion. I think in this case there is no right answer.
 
The lever action 30 30 is a fun gun. Ive shot both. The 30 06 is a much better deer gun.
 
I wouldn't be using it for self defense...just hunting. The reason I say one gun it because it's really all I can afford. I do have an air gun I bought because I wanted something that technically wasn't a fire arm and that I could shoot anywhere at rabbits and squirrels and such. But I haven't shot it yet because I just got it.

But I did want to get One rifle that would be a hunting rifle and I guess also fit the title for survival rifle. But I'm sure in any real survival situation any rifle will do.
 
dipbait said:
The lever action 30 30 is a fun gun. Ive shot both. The 30 06 is a much better deer gun.
Click to expand...

so if you were limited to just one due to finances which one would you get?

They're both around the same price here. The Marlin 30/30 is at Walmart for about $350 and I would say a good scope is probably another $100-$150. And there is a gun store here that has a Rem 700 on consignment for about $500 with scope.
 
For what you describe, the Marlin would be the better choice.
They are fine guns, can be scoped or use the iron sights. Ammo is cheaper and will recoil less. .30-30 has been killing deer very well for a long time now.
 
Check out a lever gun in 357 mag. powerfull enough within 100yds for deer, holds lots of rounds, and cheap to shoot using 38 special ammo. Or go for a 44 mag if you want more power. Also good for home defense. Handy too !
 
newknife said:
so if you were limited to just one due to finances which one would you get?

They're both around the same price here. The Marlin 30/30 is at Walmart for about $350 and I would say a good scope is probably another $100-$150. And there is a gun store here that has a Rem 700 on consignment for about $500 with scope.
Click to expand...

Cpl Punishment said:
For what you describe, the Marlin would be the better choice.
They are fine guns, can be scoped or use the iron sights. Ammo is cheaper and will recoil less. .30-30 has been killing deer very well for a long time now.
Click to expand...

Would it be good for killing elk? There are also elk here.

also I noticed the remington doesn't have iron sights.
 
Are you dead set on a rifle? If I had to choose only one long gun it would definitely be a shotgun. You can pick up a good pump action (Mossberg 500 or Rem 870) for well under $500. You can get a rifled barrel for slugs for deer and a regular barrel for shot for birds and small game. You also cant beat a shotgun for self-defense, even though you cite that as a non-issue.

As far as survival goes, if I had to grab one long gun it would be my Mossy 500, no second thoughts. With a variety of ammo (birdshot, buckshot, Slugs) you can handle anything you would ever need to.

Or hey, you can pick up a shotgun and a Mosin and have both bases covered.
 
newknife said:
Would it be good for killing elk? There are also elk here.
Click to expand...

I consider the 30-30 on the light side for even deer. I know that it has killed alot of them, and I've killed a deer with a 30-30, but I prefer something a little stronger. With this in mind, I would definitely say that a 30-30 is not an appropriate choice for Elk.
 
If your shots will be under 100 yards, I suggest you get a Winchester Model 94 or Marlin lever chambered in 30-30. All the gun you'll ever need. Place your bullet where it should be! The 30-30 isn't a huge caliber and you can't rely on it to cleanly kill your prey unless the bullet hits right where it should. I recommend neck and head shots on anything bigger than deer sized (pigs>150lbs). Deer, sheep or other thin skinned game animals can be taken with vital shots with good results.

Another good choice for short distance would be a Remington 870 or any other comparable shotgun. 20 gauge is more than enough for deer or pigs, but 12 gauge gives you that extra knock down power. You can purchase seperate barrels for different kinds of hunting. With this one gun you can do everything you need. You can purchase one long barrel with different screw in chokes and shoot ducks, pheasants, squirrels, rabbits. Then in minutes you can switch out to a rifled barrel and shoot deer, elk, pigs with great accuracy out to about 100-150 yards. My friend has had great luck with a 20" barreled Remington 870 20 gauge with a smooth barrel shooting rifled slugs.

If shots will sometimes be in the 150-300 yard range, get a quality bolt action rifle with iron sights and a scope that costs as much as the rifle. I like .308s personally. But anything from a .270 to a .30-06+ will get the job done.

I dont know if I've posted these photos before but I'll post them anyways, all these animals were taken with an 18" barreled peep sighted Winchester Trapper 30-30. Theres nothing like the small size, quickness and portability of a small lever action with no scope. Peep sights are another GREAT addition to any brush gun.

evbull.jpg

evcow-1.jpg

ram.jpg

boar.jpg


...You get the idea...
 
newknife said:
Would it be good for killing elk? There are also elk here.

also I noticed the remington doesn't have iron sights.
Click to expand...

It can kill elk (I'd use 170-gr ammo, not 150-gr). Some think elk are tanks, but they go down quite well. The '06 would, however, be better for game larger than deer.

Remington makes the 700 BDL in .30-06 that has iron sights. That way you'd have the option of either scope or irons.

You can also find the marlin 336 in .35 Remington, which would be good for elk.
 
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