First rifle purchase... looking for opinions

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BigMikey76

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I have always wanted to get into hunting. Never had the opportunity when I was a kid - mom hated guns and everything to do with them - and I started my family young and had other more important priorities that took up both my time and my finances. At 35 years old, I have finally gotten to a point that I can justify spending money on a rifle, and I am looking to start putting some venison in the freezer.

I have about a year til next deer season, and I am starting to look around and get myself outfitted. The hardest part has become choosing a rifle. I have talked to a few people, and I am quickly finding that a lot of people seem to be more opionionated about their rifles and caliber choices than they are about their truck brands, and we all know how heated a Ford/Chevy debate can get. I even had a guy at the rifle counter of my local chain sporting goods store give me a 20 minute lecture about the merits of the .243 that ended with the statement "If you can't drop a deer in it's tracks with no tracking needed using a .243, you aren't a hunter - you're a killer and you have no business being in the field."

I am hoping for some more objective advice than that, and maybe some comparison between the most common deer rounds. Based on what I have already read and heard, I have narrowed it down to .243, .270 and 30-06.

Of course, there plenty of manufacturers that make rifles in those calibers, and I am also looking for some advice on which ones have proven to be reliable without breaking the bank. If I have to spend more than about $450, my wife will probably change her mind about the benefits of hunting vs. buying meat at the grocery store.

Let me have it guys - I want to know what you think.
 
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First, I'd like to welcome you to TFL! You most likely will get plenty of answers with your question.

My recommendation would be the .270 Winchester. It's plenty enough for deer size game.

Now your rifle manufacturer, Remington 700, Savage Axis, Marlin XL7, Weatherby Vanguard...take your pick. They are all good rifles and all are within your budget.
 
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From those choices, I'd probably take the 270 since I'm a handloader. The 243 is a fine deer round. Excellent actually. Still, it's not the end-all, be-all.

In factory ammo options, and if I was only hunting deer and smaller, I'd probably go 243.

Ultimately, any of those 3 would be fine cartridges. I don't enjoy shooting the 30-06.

For a rifle, Savage. Why? I like the way many of them look, the Accu-trigger is very nice and... see this thread:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=470435
 
The 270 would be the best for your type of hunting (accross fields). My personal choice would be a Savage with the Accutrigger (Axis models do not have them) to keep it simple I would look for a "package rifle" from Savage (comes complete with rings and scope) and they can be found around $450.00 or better.

This is one such package rifle:
SAM_0447.jpg


Excelent accuracy (Loves 130 grain soft point Remington CoreLokt cartrages).

This is my choice, there are other good rifles out there.

Good Luck on your search.
Jim
 
Have you ever shot a rifle before? I started about 4 years ago. I purchased a Mossberg 22lr and started fine tuning my rifle skills. Then a year later I purchased a Marlin 30-06 XL7 rifle for $300 and put a $75 scope on it and took my first deer with it that season.

I bought the 30-06 because I heard great reviews and the price was right. It has been a great rifle for me.
 
I have fired a rifle, but not for a long time. The boy scout camp I went to when I was 13 had a rifle range. I got to shoot a .22 and a 12 guage. Spent as much of the 2 weeks on the range as I could, but haven't shot since.
 
Well you have a year, go out and purchase a 22lr, you can get one for under $125. I have the mossberg 702 plinkster and it works well for me, I think I paid $99 at Dicks on sale. Fine tune your rifle skills, you will be back into shooting and then spend some time researching which deer rifle you want to get.
 
Good advice on getting a 22 first.

Will leave it to the other guys to recommend best cartridge for deer.

But! Find a decent shop. That is invaluable. My LGS (local gun shop) doesn't stock much, but can order about anything and have in the next day, the advice is great, the dogs are friendly and there is no pressure or overblown macho talk about "you have to use this or that!"
 
All of the calibers you mention are excellent deer cartridges. I would add the parent cartridge of the .243, the .308. Out of those four, I would recommend getting something you are comfortable shooting. If you are at all recoil shy, I would stick with the .243 or .308. If not, the .270 and its parent cartridge, the 30 06 are exceptional for deer and are not bad for elk, moose, pretty much any North American game. If you ever decide to start handloading, the 06 is a very versatile round and can be loaded up or down for just about anything. It has always been considered to be the best "all around" cartridge by many.
 
If I was only going to have one rifle to do everything with, based on the rounds you listed I'd get a .30-06. If I was eventually going to have a few rifles then I'd start with the .243. The .243 is a very easy shooting gun and will you shoot a lot without having to put up with heavy recoil.
 
I highly recommend that you buy a cheap .22. You can buy a decent .22 for well under $200. Ammo is about as expensive as it has even been, but its still cheap. You will learn to shoot a .22 way better and way faster than you would be able to shoot a .270.

I recommend you buy both obviously, but learn to shoot on a .22 for cost and practicality.
 
Picking up a .22 to work on my shooting really makes sense. Any suggestions for what model? It would have to be cheap so I can still afford the larger rifle for deer season, but I would want something that will last.
 
If you want a decent .22 that you can hand down to the next generation, I can't recommend the CZ452 enough. Plus if you get used to the ergonomics, CZ also makes rifles in deer hunting caliber range.
 
After you got your 22, sign up for the nearest Appleseed shoot. Cheapest basic rifle shooting class you can get. Maybe you can avoid all the bad habits us self trained folks had to unlearn.
As for your first hunting rifle, as you're financially limited, look for a 308 Winchester. Universal round for nearly everything you'll run into in the lower 48, cheap practice ammo available, and a huge selection of hunting bullets.
 
The .270 in a Savage 110 would be hard to beat. Best trigger and superbly accurate for the money invested. Learning on a .22 rimfire or even an air rifle is a great idea also. I get a lot of trigger time with my son's Crossman 760. Trigger pullin' is trigger pullin' when you are working on proper form hence the extensive us e of dry firing by most shooters of note.
 
If I was only going to have one rifle to do everything with, based on the rounds you listed I'd get a .30-06. If I was eventually going to have a few rifles then I'd start with the .243.
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Yep, that pretty well sums it up.
 
Dont let the man at gun stores sell you on what he wants you to have. 243 is a good round but getting on the small size. 270 is a very flat shooter. 30-06 is what every high power round is compared too. I myself have a remington 700 in 30-06. I can hunt anything. The advice on the 22 is great. everyone needs one to practice. Ammo is cheap, and they are great fun . You can pretty much get a 22 in the same configuration as your hunting rifle.
IMG020.jpg
This is my bolt 22
2010-09-03073326-1.jpg
This is my 30-06
 
I would like to add if you notice my rem 30-06 I have my scope on see through mounts. You can use the iron sights in low light, being deer hunting is getting in the woods before daylight some times staying till dark. you will need a good flash light
 
Picking up a .22 to work on my shooting really makes sense. Any suggestions for what model? It would have to be cheap so I can still afford the larger rifle for deer season, but I would want something that will last.
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Marlin Model 25 if you can find one (under $100 for used). Bolt action and very accurate. Not scoped though, so you'd have to add that to the price.

There are plenty of inexpensive offerings out there. Marlin, Savage, Remington goes for under $200 with a scope package.

CZs are great guns but you'd have to pay the same price as your original budget for one.
 
horse pucky

Its actualy verry simple, 30-06, any one that wouldnt suport this statment is not a rifleman and doesnt need to be giving advise about hunting anything. If you intend on hunting deer , you need a rifle that is capable, not a .22. There are many afordible accurate rifles chamberd in 30-06 and with time at the range you will become good with the rifle whether you have a .22 or not. I have killed deer with every caliber that has been mentiond in this thread and by far the 30-06 is the performing champion.
 
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