rifle hunting choice. need help

S

Smiley

New member
I will not be going hunting very much as my time does not permit it but I was wondering if I were to go hunting up in the Northeast what would be a better rifle. The Marlin 30-30 or an M1A. Another consideration in this is that I shoot at the range often enough so I would like the rifle to be a good range rifle as well. All the guys who I would go hunting with have marlin 30-30s and 1 Remington .300 magnum. I don't really care that much about fitting in with their choices but they are just what I wold be using s a point of reference to compare by. I like both rifles but have extremely limited experience with both. I already have a Savage tactical in .308 that I hit the paper halfway decent with, but I want another choice for a hunting rifle. I like the idea of the M1A after my buddy told of the time when he was out trying to get a nice deer and was surprised by a bear that was stalking him. He didn't notice it until it was rather close. I know that if I were in that situation and didn't really have a rifle that one shot woudl do the trick then I would want the auto loader to save my behind.

Any suggestions?

By the way I have no experience hunting.
 
I would reccomend a good bolt action in .308 or 7mm08. Top it off with a low power varable scope and you will be in business. I doubt if you will want to lug that M1A around very long. A Remington Model 7 will be just about as handy to carry as a model 94 Winchester but will have a lot more reach.
 
Deer hunting? If so, walking and stalking, or sitting in a stand? Ask your buddies about the "how to hunt" part of the deal. What is the typical range for a shot, for instance. Do most of them use scopes? (Scopes are *definitely* Good Things for early morning or late evening.)

An M1A can get very heavy when walking. The odds are that you'll only get one shot on your deer; that fabled "quick second shot" is mostly myth, except in rather open country. A bolt-action rifle will serve as well as any lever gun, auto-loader or pump. Tradition is not always without a reason, but it often carries beyond its true need.

I surely wouldn't argue against M16's comments. I would advise spending some time around gun stores, asking and listening. (And realizing you'll get fed a lot of BS, but that comes with the territory.) Start now, while people need somebody to talk to about last season. :) Don't be in a hurry to lay your money down, but after you decide, spend a good bit of money on practicing. After your rifle is sighted in, forget the benchrest and go kill a bunch of tin cans from a standing or informal-rest position. Practice, all you can afford time and money for.

And good luck!

Art
 
The 30-30 is not a bad rifle cartridge to hunt with. If you just want a lever action and something that is easy to handle in brushy country I would go with the 30-30 or the .35 Remington. You can get the .35 Remington in a Marlin 336. If your hunting limit is at 100 yards or less then these two calibers will do you well.

If you are looking to reach out a little farther then you need to step up to something like the 30-06. It has a good range of bullets sizes available and will handle most animals in the area you are talking about.

As for the M1A. I have one and like M16 says I don't think I would want to lug that thing around for to long.
 
I think Art has made some very valid points, especially where weight is a concern. If you are willing to lug an M-1A around, why not just tote that Savage?

Being stalked by a bear is nothing to take lightly, but most of us can probably rest assured that it won't happen to US (I did NOT say ME!).

Actually, for your type of hunting, I think something like a Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08 or .243 would be perfect, as long as you use the right ammo.

-RR-
 
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