Help me choose my only rifle! (And cartridge!)

E

Elliottsdad

New member
I've owned a few different .22s, and I had a Rem700 CDL .270 a few years back but wasn't real fond of it. It was a good rifle, but for whatever reason (sterility? "standardness"?), it lacked the mojo required for me to hang on to it.

I've heard people say there's no such thing as a "general purpose" rifle (too many situational variables), but there's got to be something close. I'm not a huge outdoorsman, but I'd like something to hunt deer with my father in law from time to time, that I could also shoot for fun, and if for whatever reason, could work as a "survival" rifle.

I'm leaning toward a Marlin lever-action, but am not totally sold on the .30-30 as an 'all-purpose' round. I like the idea of the Browning BLRs, but kind of feel like because they're not a true lever gun I might as well be going back to the bolt-action Rem 700s. Any opinions on a BLR in .30-06?

Any other ideas for a general use/deer rifle for Nebraska? Not looking to break the bank on this one, though!! Thanks in advance for your insight!
 
A good 30-30 is always good to have. If you were going to go with a bolt action rifle I would say a savage/stevens in .308. Plenty of surplus FMJ out there you could practice with. And a lot of good game getting options for it too. and the .308/7.62x51 has been used for a while to shoot long range paper. I prefer the .308 over an 30-06. I just like the shorter action on a .308. Nothing wrong with either round though.
 
There are Marlins chambered in .308 Marlin Express and .338 Marlin Express, which should give better long ballistics than a .30-30. Of course, ammo availability could be a problem.

If range isn't an issue, and you just want more power, there's always .45-70. Ammo is expensive, but you can get the Lee Loader in that caliber be set up to reload for it for less than the cost of one box of ammo.
 
In 2-3 months there will be a bunch of "used" deer rifles in the want ads for a big discount. You really do need to set your priorities as to needs in order to get the "one" rifle that suits you. A 30/30 lever action and a BLR are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of performance and cost.
If a Rem 700 didn't have the "mojo" you wanted, I can't recommend much since this rifle is the standard by which I judge attractive rifles.
The current standard go to caliber seems to be .308 which is a decent choice for deer and medium game hunting.
 
On the cheap end, you could go for an SKS. You can find them for under $200; the round is effective. Accuracy is okay at short range, but they are light kicking, fun to shoot, and ammo is dirt cheap.

For a lever, I am a fan of the marlins (and I like the 338 over the 30-30), but a browning in 308 is probably what I would get if I could only have one rifle.
 
If you like lever actions, the Browning BLR is the way to go for an only rifle. Due to the box magazine you have the full choice of bullet designs available and can make up as least partially for your lack of caliber choices by picking appropriate rounds for hunting, target etc. . I would go with a 308 over the 30-06, cheaper ammo and not quite as much overkill on deer, but that's personal taste.
 
If you like lever action rifles but don't like flat nose bullets, the BLR is tough to beat. 30-06 or 308, same thing, no major differences. Pick the one you like.
 
General Purpose Rifle = Savage 110, Long Action 30-06.

Don't forget - a dead deer tastes about the same as a deader deer but a lot different than a not dead enough deer.
 
You do not provide enough information, but from what you do provide I would offer up the advice that the best "all around" rifle (for everything up to deer hunting and fighting as well as fun shooting) would be an AR-15 in 6.8 SPC with at least 4 magazines. (3 in a GI pouch and one in the rifle)
Now that suggestion is no cheap. Such a rifle costs about $1,100 for a good one and the mags cost about $18 each. The ammo is expensive and not super easy to get, but if you throw another $350 on top you can also get into a reloading set up that will cut the cost of the ammo about 50% to 60%.

(That is true of any rifle you buy incidentally)

So if you have a budget of $2000 or so the AR in 6.8 SPC is probably the best thing you could get.

If you have a tighter budget you should look at the offerings of several companies that have good reliable rifles and carbines. If reliability is the top priority I can't think of anything that cost much less or works better then an M-98 Mauser. Get a surplus 98 in 8mm with a perfect bore, and you can expect to pay about $325. You can alter the bolt handle, install a scope safety and a scope mount for about $125 more Add a good 4X scope and rings and you'll have between $160 and $200 more on top of that.
Again, spend the money to get into reloading you'll be saving 50% to 60% on ammo.

You will have close to the same amount in a good Savage with scope and rings, and the savage is very accurate right out of the box, but lacks the controlled feed that makes the Mauser the king of reliability.

Speaking only for myself, if I were really to only have one center fire rifle and I had a tight budget, I would go for a good Mauser before any other rifle.

Between the AR-15 set up at $2,000 and the Mauser set up at $$600-700 there is a LOT of room, and a LOT of options.
 
You like lever actions and

it sounds like you like the 30-06 which is an excellent all around caliber.


Sooooooooo go with the BLR in 30-06 and invest less than $200 in reloading equipment and have a rifle you like and a ball reloading for it. The "06" can be loaded with bullets weighing between 110 grains and 220 grains and can also be loaded "lightly" for lower recoil and "heavier" if you like for game even larger than deer.

If you are worried about fighting extensively, invest in additional magazines so the rifle can be reloaded quickly.

I would also suggest you invest in a 3x9x40 scope which will allow for both close shots out to several hundred yard shots accurately.
 
Nothing at all wrong with a Marlin 30-30. They will work for your purposes and everyone should have one. But if you are looking for pure performance, and less cost you can find a good bolt action for considerably less and get more performance to boot.

There have been some good suggestions, but I'm afraid some are more expensive than you want. Shop around and you can often find Stevens, Marlin and Savage bolt guns for under $300 new. Weatherby Vanguards are selling for around $350 now.
 
For what you're describing, the ruger gunsite is the way to go. .308 ammo will always be out there, and 308 will take any game you would be hunting for survival. Get a good sling and put together an ammo reserve. Call it good.
 
If you like levers prehaps a used rifle would suit you. Perhaps a Savage 99 in either 300 sav or if you're worried about availabilty .308. Might as well hunt with some degree of style.:cool:
 
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