Tired of looking for the "right" rifle

S

SavageScott

Inactive
My county in NY has just gone to rifle hunting, and I have spent the last 10 months or so trying to find the "perfect" rifle for hunting. I wanted accuracy, durability, and also something that was at least a little bit attractive to the eye. After buying Browning Medallions (regular and White Gold; a bolts and x bolts), Savage 116's, winchesters (model 70's), and lord knows what other dumb purchases I mad along the way (I was also choosing different calibers), i settled with a Savage 114 Classic in 7mm Rem Mag. My choice was based on the assumption that I may be able soon to get my first bear hunting trip in (and I will hunt whitetail with it).

Two things; anyone have experience with the Savage 114, and will this serve good as an all-purpose hunting rifle? The last Savage I owned was a 30 06 and would almost put 3 shots through the same hole at 100 yards. It had the accustock and my 114 Classic does not.......
 
I love it when people will purchase a gun and then come on a gun board and then ask what gun they should buy.
Other than that, you seem to be agonizing about nothing. I have killed deer with .32 Special, 30-06, 7x57, .257 Roberts, .444 Marlin, .41 Magnum, .45 Colt, 6mm Remington, .375 Winchester, 12 Guage #4 Buck Shot. Deer are very easy to kill and almost any rifle will do.
I learned long ago to pick a gun that was easy on my shoulder (less recoil), a put my focus on hand loading and testing the loads for accuracy.
For "all purpose", I would suggest a 30-06 inasmuch as most people consider it the epitome of the all purpose chambering.
 
Any of those rifles would have served you well. The 7mm Remington Magnum was a favorite of an old guy that hung around our rifle club in Natchitoches, a fellow name Grits Gresham. My son has a Savage in 7mm Rem Mag and it's a half-minute rifle. There's a lot to like in that caliber.

For myself, I have a wood-stocked Savage in .30-06 and it's my favorite, go-to hunting rifle. If I'm not sure what the game might be, the .30-06 gets the nod.

Any of those rifles would have served you well and the Savage will also serve you well. Now, put some decent glass on it and learn to shoot it.
 
Dahermit- the choice was not made without research; but it sounds like you want someone to argue with--- I'm not that guy. Just simply asking if anyone has experience with the Model 114 Classic.

Pawpaw- that's more of what I am looking for. I wang honest testimonials from people who aren't biased one way or another. I will be adding to my collection soon and want to see what else can be added to the collection :)

Btw- the Brownings were nice, but all were 30 06 and I just did NOT like the longer range performance of that caliber. Expensive lesson learned!
 
I wang honest testimonials from people who aren't biased one way or another. I will be adding to my collection soon and want to see what else can be added to the collection
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Sorry, I just had to...

I have an older 111 in 7mm also, it is a wonderful shooter. I am loving the 7RM, very versatile, very flat shooting, etc. I believe you'll love it!
 
Myshoulderissore--- I haven't purchased a 111 yet, but have seen a ton of package deals cheap and have been very tempted! They are a bit ugly, but if it's a good shooter who really cares! I'm not completely loyal to Savage, but a LOT of people here in NY that I talk to seem to swear by them!
 
The last Savage I owned was a 30 06 and would almost put 3 shots through the same hole at 100 yards.
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And you traded it for a 7mm Loudenboomer because you wanted MOAR POWER? Ummm .......errrrrr .......M'kay ........



The best rifle is the one you have, (provided it can hit what you are aiming at ....... if you have a Bubba'd Commision Rifle that will only do 4" grops at 50 yards, then that ain't right), and "it is a rare marksman that can shoot up up to his rifle."

"There ain't nothin' in the lower 48 that a properly fed 30-06 won't do for."

But you have your 7Mag, and that will do anything you need it to, provide your ears and shoulder and wallet can withstand sufficient practice to make you proficient.

To that end, I suggest 3 things:

1) You learn to handload, so you can make light practice loads-easier on your shoulder and wallet. 100 rounds of full house 7Mag at the range can leave a mark, and induce a flinch.....

2) work up a hunting load that groups well off the bench..... and,

3) strive to be able to "shoot up to your rifle" (shoot a group from field positions, under time pressure, comparable to what the rifle can do off the bench.

Only hits count, and within reason, any modern hunting bullet through the boiler room of nearly any game animal will be fatal. Whether it came form a .243, a 30-30, a 30-06, a 7mm S(hoots)T(o)W(isconsin) is unimportant.

Hopping from one perfectly good rifle to another is wasting perfectly good practice time with the ones you had...... you have your work cut out for you, General McClellan ..... nothing left to it but to begin.
 
Btw- the Brownings were nice, but all were 30 06 and I just did NOT like the longer range performance of that caliber. Expensive lesson learned!
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Long range? How far is long range?

A 165gr Speer BTSP launched at 2800 and zeroed for 200 yards allows you to "hold in the hair" to 300 yards and drops 22" from point of aim at 400..... provided you can hold to 2MOA at 400 yards ...... from field positions..... that's 1500 foot lbs to the chest fo your target...... it's a 400 yard gun.

If you are palnning on shooting at game further than 400 yards, and you are new to rifle huning........ methinks you ..... ummm ...... overly optimistic.
 
JimBob- thanks! Ten months ago all I knew was shotguns because that was all I ever was allowed to hunt with! I have wasted a ton of time and money listening to people that I assumed knew what they were talking about. But as they say you know what assuming will get ya......

I don't have a good reason that I don't like the 06, just that every one I shot i personally couldn't get to group well. I'm not by any means a superior marksman, but I am putting in good time at the range with my guns. Can't explain it but I doubt I will ever buy another 30 06.

The only thing I DO know is I have heard too many good things about Savages to ignore....... Didn't the Savage guys win a 1000 tournament not too long ago with stock rifles?
 
Also--- I have had too many rifles at one time to ever get really good practice at the range with just one of them. Now I just have the Savage and am planning a LOT of range time with it!

And no--- not planning on shooting anything at 400 yards now; not until I have put the time in at the range and feel confindent under the conditions where the bullet is going. I am a preacher of " you better know where your bullet is going cuz when it leaves the gun you CAN'T get it back" . Safety first!!!!
 
Hooray For Diversity!

You don't need a rational reason to not like the 30-06 ..... it's subjective, what you like or do not. That's why there are so very many good calibers and rifles out there.

Shooting well, on the other hand is objective, can or can't, pass/fail.

Since you are new to rifle hunting, in addition to the suggestions I mde above, let me make 3 more:

4)Establishing a "personal maximum range": the distance you can consistantly hit a target the size of the intended game animal's vitals , from field positions. I use a paper plate for deer. If my kids can't hit that plate 3 of 4 times at a distance, they can't shoot at deer at that distance.

5) A range finder, if you are contemplating "long range" shots.

6) Learn to use a shooting sling- you'd be amazed how much steadier you are when you are "looped up", and how quickly it can be used, with a bit of practice.
 
When you say "shooting sling", are you referring to a sling that you can wrap around your hand when shooting? If so, i already do that.......
 
Dahermit- the choice was not made without research; but it sounds like you want someone to argue with--- I'm not that guy. Just simply asking if anyone has experience with the Model 114 Classic.
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Why would you want anyone's experience with the Model 114 if you have already bought one?
And yes, I want to argue...do not make me come to your house!
Other than that, how am I being argumentative? I said that your choice of guns does not really matter when it comes right down to it, they are all good deer and all-around guns.
Nevertheless, I will stand by my statement, that we get a whole lot of people who buy a gun and then they want some kind of reassurance that they did not screw-up, or made the perfect choice. My failing is that I equate such a lack of confidence with one's decisions with pubescent girls. What would Gunnery Sargent Ermey say?
 
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Certainly in the Adirondack and Catskill Mts there is absolutely no reason for a magnum !! There was an excellent study of the 30-06 vs 7 mag I remember reading .They found there was no difference in performance until you got beyond 300 yds ! There are few deer taken at those long ranges .
But since you already made your choice I strongly suggest at ranges within 100yds ,that you use bullets of 160 gr .Lighter bullets at close range will destroy lots of meat .
 
Btw- the Brownings were nice, but all were 30 06 and I just did NOT like the longer range performance of that caliber. Expensive lesson learned!
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:confused:

So what range are we talking about. I have fired a .30-06 out to 600 yards and find the accuracy very acceptable. There is also a skill set that goes along with shooting at longer distances. Like knowing what the drop of the bullet is for that range so you can adjust your point of aim or scope for that distance.
 
When you say "shooting sling", are you referring to a sling that you can wrap around your hand when shooting? If so, i already do that.......
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No Sir, I do not mean a carrying strap that is wrapped around the hand ..... I mean an old style military type leather sling (or even better, a CW or "Ching" sling) with a loop that goes around the upper arm, pulling down on the forend and locking the gun into position. You'd be amazed how much steadier this makes a proper sitting or even a combat squat/"rice paddy prone" position....

http://carnival.saysuncle.com/001086.html
 
The last Savage I owned was a 30 06 and would almost put 3 shots through the same hole at 100 yards.
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Seems like you had the ideal rifle and got rid of it. What was wrong with that Savage that made it "less than ideal"?
 
You should be good to go.

More important than the specific rifle is the ammo. If you don't handload, you should. You'll already have brass that is fireformed to your rifle's chamber; why waste it? That, and you can load lighter bullets or heavier bullets for different purposes. It is perfectly reasonable to load low volume rifle ammo with a Lee Loader, and you're in for less than $100.

When I've been doing too much internet research and am driving myself crazy (this is what happens when one has more time than money for shooting, hehehe) I narrow it down to a few that I know are good, and just make an emotional decision.

I've always read that Savages are good, reliable, accurate guns, but that getting a nice-looking stock on them is tough. If you're happy with the stock on yours, then you're all set.

Top it off with a good scope. Weaver makes Leupold-quality scopes at fair prices, IMO.
 
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