re: I'm in the market for my 1st Rifle for Deer Hunting

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Your budget is really needed here....great rifles have been thrown out...but some have a nice little price tag attached.

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I would be willing to spend up to $1000 on the gun.

This is the only answer.

These threads always make me laugh. It's amazing what people with little experience will present to new hunters as infallible truth.

To deny that the 243 has earned a spot in the deer woods is just ridiculous. To claim that it out performs other calibers is as ridiculous.

Magnum advocates, fine, we get it. Now stop suggesting that every Joe blow that puts on orange should have one. The fact is that most magnums out aren't capable of performing to the standards advertised. They are either cheap rifles, topped with cheap glass, or cheap rings and bases. The magnum argument, to me, is best evidenced by a convo I had at the camp about 6 years ago. My bro had just purchased a 300 wsm and was bragging about how badass it was. After claiming that I didn't see how it was that much more then a 30-06, he looked at me and said, "dude, it's twice the rifle a 30-06 is. It's just a matter of time before they make a 30-06 wsm!". Point being, most people that shoot magnums do so because of the word "magnum".

Everytime I see a novice hunter with a magnum rifle, he's having problems with his accuracy. I don't care if your 7 mag shoots one hole at 100yds. I've been doing this for a looong time and helped a bunch of people get their shite right. Really, I'm not bashing any of you guys that have been hunting for years and shoot mags or even you boys that just bought your first rifle and love the magnum. Just saying that in my experience magnums are a horrible idea for new hunters and are ridiculous over kill.

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The 243 and 30-30 will be primarily closer range and smaller game weapons

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Why do people just assume the .243 is a "close range" rifle? Serious question. This guy will disagree:

450 yard shot

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Why do people just assume the .243 is a "close range" rifle? Serious question.

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Should I switch them around?
30-30 closer range.
243 smaller game (including deer, but not Moose, etc).
Does that make you feel better?

The guy said he only wanted to buy one gun.
That tells me that he needs a 270, 308, 30-06 depending on what he's going to be hunting.

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I think a lot of guys get 7mags as a phalic symbol-"Hey look how BIG my gun is brah!"

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But, there may also be some very valid reasons for getting it.

It's the same thing INFIDEl said, it isn't fair to make broad generalizations about any weapon. It doesn't really matter if someone has a .243 or a 7mag, and assuming something about the hunter one way or the other is shallow.

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There is absolutely no need to have that large a caliber while hunting in La/Ms/Al. A .270/30-06 will do everything you need and usually do a much better job. I think a lot of guys get 7mags as a phalic symbol-"Hey look how BIG my gun is brah!

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I agree. Most of the deer i have seen shot with a 7mm mag have had a bunch of wasted meat. That round is overkill on white tail IMO. The .270 gets my vote. From zero to 200 yds there is a 1.5" change in trajectory with 130 gr ballistic tips just doesn't get much better than that.

As far as rifles i love my browing A-bolt stainless stalker.

ive got the tc 30.06 centerfire encore pro with fluted barrel with zeiss conquest scope. i'm 8 for 8 with it including the best shot of my life. smoking a full sprint hog from about 180 yrds.

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You can get a T3 for around $500 and a good scope for $300.

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Do you have first hand experience with Tikka?
I was manhandling one the other day and i kinda liked it. I haver never shot a tikka...

hmmm

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a friend of mine has a Rem 700 300 mag, and it has misfired when taking it off of safety at least 4x on him

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Did he have work done on the trigger?