wanting a new rifle, suggestions?

I'm partial to the new FN/Winchester model 70's.

As for caliber, how about a 7mm-08? Good round capable of most all of your hunting needs.
 
well personally I would say that everyone needs 3 rifles in their collection. an AR15 in the standard 5.56/223 chamber for when society breaks down(such discussions are not encouraged on here BTW) but since you want more umph than 223 I will fore-go that recommendation and move to #2 on the list is a 22lr which is actually a lot more versatile than you would think and you can carry a LOT of ammo on your person but again, you have power requirements so I will move on to my #3 slot, the Mosin Nagant 1891 chambered in it's original 7.62x54r. it is the cheapest bolt action rifle money can buy at the moment and the ammo is around 20 cents a round making it even cheaper to shoot than 223 without having to give up stopping power.the 91/30 is a bit on the long side for use as a home defense gun but there were a number of carbine versions made over the years, many of which are quite common.

now most, if not all of your ammo would be full metal jackets in the 147 grain area which is still more than enough to drop a hog, wolf, most deer and the inevitable 300 pound body building crackhead that seems to lurk behind every corner over at the handgun threads. for anything larger though, hornady has a few options. they have a number of reloading bullets in .310 from ballistic tip to soft point which would work great for blackbear and elk sized game, if you don't want to reload then hornady also has hollowpoint 174gr ammo that will drop just about anything short of a bison but it's close to $40 a box.

all in all a mosin nagant would make a great bug out gun or hunting rifle and with a lot of the ammo available coming in sealed spam cans, the shelf life on ammo is probably greater than the shooter.
 
I know you said you don't like AK's but have you considered a AK74? 5.45x39 low recoil accurate enough and VERY cheap ammo that you afford to stock pile in case the world turns to shyt. Arsenal AK74 $800-900 over 2000rds of 5.45x39 in sealed spam cans for $250.00 Heck, that's cheaper than 22 magnum! Here's mine with a 45rd bulgarian circle 10 mag.
 
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Just throwing this out there but what about a SMLE, big enough to take down anything from crack heads to black bears, shorter then a 91/30 so it's nice for in the house, it's been proven reliable (this I know for a fact).

I don't know about ammo availability state side mainly because I live in Canada, but I know that every hardware store in my neighborhood has at least 1 case of ammo in the ware house.

But as I said "Just throwing this out there"
 
I would second that. my SMLE is by far my favorite rifle. I bought about 2400 rounds of ammo(a lifetime supply for me out of a bolt gun) out of a friends basement for a song so I have no idea of current pricing or availability of 303 brit but I can say that I am having a rough time deciding whether I want to take it out for blackbear this year or let one of my newer rifles have all the fun.

dead accurate, dead reliable, super fun to shoot and can drop anything short of a bison in north america.
 
ive had a nagant, still do, but i wouldnt rely on it for long term... if you cant make ammo for that thing then youre restricted to surplus... i just havent been able to find quality ammo in stores around here for it.. so id probably stick to a more common caliber... .223 is a bit lacking, so id probably step it up to a .308 or .30-06 either in a bolt gun (remington 700 or m1903 springfield).. or more likely i seem to be settling more on the garand/M1A idea... probably more so on the garand since i really do like the en block clips for it... so much lighter and easier to pack ammo with than box magazines

ive thought about a mini-14 as well, would be more interested if i could find one in 6.8mm which seems to be a growing favorite for an all-purpose round, am i wrong?...

so ill probably go garand, or take a remington 700 and make a WWII style stock for it myself to give it an old utilitarian look... but if i could be absolutely convinced that 6.8SPC or .300 blackout had a legit future in shorter action rifles, i would gladly convert a mini-14

nothing wrong with lee enfields.. they are absolutely beautiful, smooth... one of the best bolt actions out there... but im patriotic enough to take a springfield or krag rifle instead
 
you know.. i may consider 45-70 or .30-30 depending... i like the old winchesters and marlins.... how straight of a trajectory do you get when using the pointed flex tip bullets in 45-70? seems it would greatly improve the aerodnamics of the bullet, causing it to drop less and shoot straighter downrange, am i wrong to assume that?
 
currently.. im trying to see if its possible to get 9x25 dillon in a carbine of some sort.. close to 900fpe at the muzzle from a pistol, which is REALLY hot.. if it could be fitted with a pointed bullet and chambered in a carbine youd have something that would perform really close to 5.56mm, but be so much lighter to carry, and make a perfect outdoor rifle too
 
my brother in law is always playing around with goofy loads for his 45-70. so far he swears by the ballistic tips.

my best friend hunts with a nice 30-30 lever gun and I've witnessed him taking a 200 pound whitetail at over 200 yards(a shot the ballistics experts here say is impossible), he shot it twice but once we got to field dressing him it was obvious that the second shot was not necessary. so I would say if he can land 2 shots on a moving target at 200 yards then a 30-30 would also make a good anti badguy/homedefense/hunting rifle.

as for 30-06, I have a low serial m1903(yes I know, taboo to shoot but I do it anyway). it is in beautiful condition and works like a dream. if you can get one with an original military stock you have an entire cleaning kit stuffed inside the stock through a hinged opening in the buttplate. the absorb recoil great and now that I've found out how the sight post works it is pretty darn accurate for a rifle that's seen 2 world wars and is older than my grandparents. it's not really the most simple design to figure out and to tell the truth I see no practical purpose in some of the features on it but it does the trick, I'm having trouble deciding whether to take the 1903 or my enfield out for bear this spring.

as for 308, I have little personal experience with it, I've shot it a few times and thought that it was pretty similar to a 30-30 in terms of recoil and accuracy at 100 yards. never did shoot beyond that but I'll guarantee for hunting application that it will kill elk and anything smaller.
 
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the .308 is just a shorter, but higher pressured cartridge with ballistics the same as a .30-06, was just to get the same performance from a physically smaller cartridge (same way a 9mm equals the energy of a 45acp, while being smaller)...

as for military surplus rifles, i would prefer a project, so a barreled action is all i would require to install new springs, refinish, maybe replace a couple parts here and there... and with my years of carving wood by hand i would have absolutely no problem carving a new, military style stock
 
seriously though.. is it an odd thing that i think full auto is a waste, and dont like vertical pistol grips and telescoping stocks?
 
is it an odd thing that i think full auto is a waste, and dont like vertical pistol grips and telescoping stocks?
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Not odd at all. There are many out there who like the tactical rifles, but also a lot who prefer more traditional styles. I personally don't care for most of the tactical style rifles, either. The one exception, for me, is the Beretta CX4. I think it looks pretty darn nice, though their price pretty much dictates that I will never have one. Beyond that, I will take a bolt or lever gun over an AR every time. It all comes down to personal preference.
 
not to hijack the thread but I agree to a certain degree. I love nothing more than a good bolt action and thumbhole stocks are very nice and comfortable for me but they tend to be prohibitive if I want to loan it out to a friend or family member since a surprising number of my gun buddies shoot left handed. the telescoping stocks are good if a shorter person is behind it and vertical pristol grips are fully ambidextrous.

however I would never slap a set of the tacticool furniture on a M1 or SKS even if I had the parts laying around.
 
If you are thinking about a lever action then you may want to consider a Browning BLR since is has a detachable magazine which allows for shooting more aerodynamic bullets of any kind and is available in many calibers. I currently own one (243win) and have owned several and they were all quite accurate. Browning also chambers the BLR in 450 Marlin With that being said, I am most certainly not trying to belittle the Marlin 336's or Winchester 94's.
 
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if i were to consider a bolt action, it would have to be an older military style.. probably springfield 1903... for lever actions though i almost definitely go winchester 92 for pistol caliber, or one in 45-70
 
im looking to spend some money ive saved on a new rifle, partially from neccessity (hunting) and partially from paranoia (the world seems to be getting worse daily)... so im looking to buy a general purpose rifle, useful for shtf scenarios, survival scenarios, or general outdoor and recreational use...

but there is some criteria ive settled on

-id like reliability and accuracy
-preferably a full length stock vs seperate furniture
-would like something with more downrange energy than .223, but most .223 rifles can be converted to 6.5 or 6.8, etc, so ill leave that open
-bolt actions are OK
-semis are OK
-have owned, and learned that i do not like AK or SKS
-delayed blowback, long-stroke gas piston, or bolt action is what id prefer
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I would agree with some of your criteria but think some of it you should throw out the window, KISS the whole process. I'd loose the full stock option and forget 6.5 and 6.8 options as well they don't do anything for you. For me they would be ammunition availability, simplicity/reliability, and optics as well as iron sights.

1. Most important ammunition availability. .223, .308, and .30-06 are the most available and commonly found cartridges in the United States. LE and Military commonly use the .223 and .308 and these are my fist choices in chamberings, and because of the popularity for hunting the .30-06 would be third. Forget about 7.62X54, 7.62X39 and .303 they just aren't as available as the previous three at every place that sells ammunition. Plus if you are going to keep componets on hand to reload as well, you have far more options in .224 and .308 bullets. And forget about changing the .223 rifle to a 6.8 or 6.5 caliber as it wouldn't be practical in your "paranoia (the world seems to be getting worse daily)... so im looking to buy a general purpose rifle, useful for shtf scenarios, survival scenarios" the .223 will work.

2. Simple rifles that are capable of 1-2 MOA accuracy with a wide variety of ammunition, that are easy to repair, field strip/clean and proven reliable designs. Most simple would be a bolt action hunting rifle like a sporter M98 or clone (commercial Mauser, M70 Pre-64/Classic, FN SPR/PBR, and Ruger M77). Keep the simple two stage military trigger, don't add an enclosed trigger that could gum or freeze up. Add a spare firing pin and spring kit and you have all the parts you need to fix the action, plus it doesn't take up much room. The bolt action will be the lightest to carry as long as your not trying to lug around a Varmint/Tactical rifle.

First choice semi-auto and one you have to consider is the AR style of rifles because of their simplicity and parts availability. M1A style rifles would be next including the Mini-14. High capacity magazines for the AR style rifles are easier to find than the ones for the Mini.

The M1 Garand you like would be my last choice because the En-Bloc system is inferior to the detachable magazines of the AR or M1A style rifles. Plus there is factory ammunition out there that could possibly put it out of operation since it is too high of pressure for the M1 to handle. It is the heaviest to carry of all the rifles as well. Then there is the ability to add optics to them easily, not many M1's have this capability compared to the other styles of rifles I mentioned.

3. The addition of optics to your rifle choices. I know you said you didn't want optics but if they increase your chances of making a first shot count why not add them? Keep the optics simple as well like a fixed 4 or 6 power scope. Make sure it is quick detachable and the mounts, and your bases don't interfere with your back up sights when you have the scope removed. Make sure whatever optics you choose they are known to be rugged and reliable. I know most hunting rifles don't come with iron sights but any competent gunsmith can add a set to your rifle and I think you could still come in inside your budget.
 
enblock is not inferior... significantly less weight than a magazine, no springs to deal with, and it ejects itself... the only limiting factor is capacity...

anyway, what kind of accuracy could one expect from an 1894 winchester, 1886 winchester, the browning, or any of the marlins?... just kind of curious if they really are capable of bolt-action accuracy or not.. 1" groups at 100 would be nice
 
The Curcuit judge revolver rifle is fairly lightweight, it fires either the .45lc or .410 bore cartridges, and the operating mechanism is the same as any DA/SA revolver.
 
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enblock is not inferior... significantly less weight than a magazine, no springs to deal with, and it ejects itself... the only limiting factor is capacity
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Can you swap out a half empty en-bloc as easily as a detachable magazine? It was a great system at the time and the M1 is an awesome rifle. There are tradeoffs that the OP is gong to have to weigh to figure out what will fill his needs. There are just better choices out there than the M1 if you stick to the OP's scenario IMO.
 
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