looking for a new rifle and not sure which one to get

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dannyblake10

New member
hi, im danny and brand new so bare with me here
im looking for a new rifle

currently, i have a mini-14 and a remington model 700 sps varmint in .308 win, but this is too heavy, for it is a target rifle
what i am looking for is a good hunting rifle, and it must be made in America and be relatively affordable

so far, its a toss up between the...
remington model 770
wheatherby vanguard
the winchester model 70 (ultimate Shadow, Featherweight, and sporter, dont know which would be the best for my needs)
marlin (not sure which one so suggestions would be appreciated)
and the Browning x-bolt (not sure what is good for these. and are they made in japan)
other suggestions are good too

ive been doing some reading and a lot of people are happy with the tikka but its not made here so its kinda out of the selection.

on a second note, i was looking at the 300 win mag and the 300 wsm, becuse they are all around good calibers. would anybody suggest a different caliber?

thanks,
Danny
 
I have all but the Browning.

I sat down a few years ago and 'culled the herd'. I hunt deer and hogs in SoFL and the animals run kinda small. Here's what I got down to.

A few 30-06's, some have sentimental value and I have opportunities to hunt up north.

I dumped all of the Wbys. You pay for the name.

The 742 Rem. and 700 Rem's will all shoot sub MOA. The 742 is in 30-06. The .243 is my favorite.

I love my Marlins for in tight. The 1894 is hard to beat when you're under 100 yds. You also have a nice selection of rounds.

FYI, my next purchase will be the new Savage, most likely in .243 because I like that round or .270 because I don't have one. All of the write-ups have been excellent.
 
My first choice would be the model 70 featherweight. The second would be the X-bolt. The WSM will cut around a pound off the weight. Never been to big of a fan of the short mags till I got a deal on a 270 short mag. I really like the results I've got with that one so far. The ammo is more expensive for it though. Not to sure if it's much more on the 300. You will get a little better ballistics out of the 300 win mag than you will with the short mag, but nothing to write home about.
 
My used Rem. 700's would constantly outshoot the Whyb's Mark V's caliber for caliber. If you need a cannon to really get out there and touch someone fast Whby's one of the ways to go.

I have no plans to go to Africa and I don't shoot over the flatlands here. There are gluttons for recoil out there but I'm not one of them.
 
Buy a Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .25-06. You won't regret it. It's fast and hits hard enough to kill anything. Here's a picture of the standard beauty!

320L.jpg


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.25-06_Remington

.25-caliber bullets typically have high ballistic coefficients without being heavy. This characteristic, when combined with the large case capacity of its parent .30-06 case, allows relatively high muzzle velocities without heavy recoil. The combination of high ballistic coefficients with high muzzle velocities give the .25-06 a very flat trajectory as well as retaining kinetic energy down-range.

The .25-06 is generally considered to be a good round for medium-sized game such as deer and antelope because of its combination of substantial kinetic energy and moderate recoil. The addition of a flat trajectory makes it particularly popular in plains states where the open fields can require longer-range shots on game, as this flatness tends to minimize range-estimation errors by the hunter. However bullet types and weights are loaded that allow the .25-06 to be used for taking game ranging from small animals like prairie dogs and coyotes to heavier elk. These bullets range from lightly-constructed 75-grain bullets with muzzle velocities in the 3,700 ft/s (1,130 m/s) range to heavily-made 120-grain bullets with muzzle velocities in the 3,000ft/s (915 m/s) range.

Most manufacturers of bolt action or single-shot rifles offer the .25-06 as a standard chambering and factory loaded ammunition is available from Remington, Winchester, Federal Cartridge and most other major manufacturers.
 
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Please don't be hasty to rule out a lever gun or a single shot.

I have taken deer with the Ruger mark 1, as well as the H&R handi rifle.

Many people have taken many deer with lever actions of several calibers, ie 30-30, .32 win special, .357 mag, .44 mag, etc.
 
it must be made in America and be relatively affordable


The model 70 is made in South Carolina by Fabrique Nationale. I think the Vanguard is made in Japan by Howa. Not sure about the others.
 
Hard to answer. You never said what are you hunting and at what distances. Judging by caliber choice I assume larger than deer and\or fairly long ranges a possibility??? Keep in mind magnums will typically have longer barrels than standard calibers. Going lightweight in a fairly stout kicker means recoil. There are not many bad choices nowadays as far as the rifle itself. Across the board the triggers are light years better than offerings only a few years ago. The Marlin bolts are the best buy and least expensive (not always the same thing). Less money usually means lower stock quality. While these are fully bedded they're likely not the most comfy to shoot. The X-bolt is light but likely has the best recoil absorption. I love the Browning short bolt throws and they balance great for me. The new Featherweights deserve a serious look. Very nice looking rifles and reports on these new ones are really favorable. Was never interested in a Winny before but am now. A touch more weight but not a bad thing in a 30 caliber magnum. Don't overlook a Savage - the model 14 (or 114) American in particular - is actually a very good looking rifle- yeah a good looking Savage- go figure. In synthetic they have a new "accustock" I would recommend. Savage synthetic stocks traditionally have not been great but this one is certainly one of the best in a factory offering. Remington sells more guns so you will hear more negative feedback about them. You already have one and sounds like you are looking for something else. Most Vanguard owners are loyal and very happy with their rifles. On caliber choices I think a 270 is really hard to beat for deer\hog and a possible elk or black bear. I am on the short side am beginning to prefer short actions and 22" barrels. I have and love a 260 but the more common 7mm-08 would fill almost anyones needs nicely in a tidy sized package with very modest recoil.
 
I know you did not mention what I would get. I like the .30-06 for many reasons. Rifles I like the Rugers. I always really liked the No 1's. I have a few of them and they are great. The only thing you may not like is they are a single shot. I love the look, and the single shot does not concern me. They do cost alittle, but you get what you pay for. Also they have about any caliber you may want. Like the prior post said there bolts are also very nice, and like the picture look great! For reloading the No 1's are a dream, at least for me. They have a real solid lock up, and you can push them pretty hard if you want to. I dont, and never had the need to. For deer I use the Nosler 165grain partition. At 100 yards it will stay inside 1" all day long if I do my part, and that is a light sporter. Good luck on your selection, and have fun!
 
so i think i have narrowed it down to the winchester model 70 featherweight
but now i have been told to forget about the 300 win mag and the 300 wsm and focus on the 30-06 and .270 win

any thought on this?
 
prefer the 270. Thats all it is- a preference. It was made specifically for deer at all ranges. Can do more than that. Kicks a bit less than an 06.
 
Both those calibers are great. You could not go wrong with either one. The .270 does have less recoil. I prefer just myself the .30-06 you can go from a 110 grain bullet all the way to a 220 grain bullet I believe. But like the prior post said it is just preference.
 
Danny, I understand you wanting information but did you need to start three topics in two forums with the same heading:
looking for a new rifle and not sure which one to get
Click to expand...
Really the decision boils down to what you like the best. Again I'll stick with you getting the .308 Win in whatever rifle you pick because you already shoot that cartridge, and are familiar with it. The .30-06 will not offer you an advatage unless you shoot heavy bullets over 180 grains.
 
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