- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: What should I get for my first hunting rifle?
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:32 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:32 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
quote:
but would like to move to other larger game animal.
OK, this changes everything. What do you have in mind? Elk? Grizz? What are the chances you ever act on these goals?
You need to be honest with yourself here. You can buy a Roger guide gun in .375 ruger and be ready to go for everything from piggies to Buffalo if you're going to be a one gun man. If you're going to make a once in a lifetime paid for trophy elk hunt, you can borrow a big magnum rifle for that, no need to take that into account now. You'll spend more money and take more of a beating to maybe pull the trigger once on what the gun is made for.
If you're going to casually elk hunt every few years a .30-06 will do it. I have lots of opinions on this, I have a .375 h&h because I got tired of being hung up on having the ideal gun for everything.
Buy a $400 in one of the calibers I mentioned earlier and worry about the dream hunts later. A .30-06 will do everything north America has to offer, albeit marginally for grizz. If you're young and don't mind recoil and want some horsepower we can talk about the win mags but I don't get the impression that's what you need.
1
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:42 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
I will say with the limited ammo availability during the Pandemic 243 was the one caliber I would always see in stock with a wide range of bullets. 243 is more than good enough for Deer size down. The more tacticool rounds tend to be non existence (308 + 6.5creed). But a Ruger American or Axis XP II on your chosen caliber leaves you a nice budget for good glass.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:43 am to SaDaTayMoses
I really don't see how you can go wrong with 270. I shoot 7mm-08 the most but the ammo isn't always as easy to find or as many choices.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:44 am to DeoreDX
quote:
Axis XP II
This is one I totally forgot. Savage makes some really great budget rifles. Their prices have creeped up in recent years I believe, but I have never shot a savage that wasn't a damn good shooter
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:50 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
No predators. Moose would be definitely a one time thing. I have some friends that do hunts abroad in Africa and would love to do that, but again that would be very limited due to costs. So let's stick to North American, mainly in the US.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:51 am to DeoreDX
quote:
I will say with the limited ammo availability during the Pandemic 243 was the one caliber I would always see in stock with a wide range of bullets.
Good point.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:54 am to Lakefront-Tiger
The ballistics of a 30-06 and .270 out to 250 yds (which If this is his first rifle, I doubt he’s making shots past 250) are very similar so why choose the smaller projectile?
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:55 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
Buy a tikka in 308 Or 7-mm08 put a Leupold on it and kill shite.
Later on you can swap out the barrel or stock on it and make into a carbon barrel mountain rifle or just build you one in a different caliber.
Life’s to short to only have one rifle but if you only gonna have one then a 308 or 7mm08 will work for everyone from a kid/woman to secure men and everything from pigs to elk.
Later on you can swap out the barrel or stock on it and make into a carbon barrel mountain rifle or just build you one in a different caliber.
Life’s to short to only have one rifle but if you only gonna have one then a 308 or 7mm08 will work for everyone from a kid/woman to secure men and everything from pigs to elk.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 12:07 pm to LSUSUPERSTAR
OK well that makes you exactly like 99% of the deer hunters east of the Mississippi. We've all been there.
I forgot to mention the ideal option for you. Get a CVA scout 2 in .35 Whelen. Its a damn fine do everything north American caliber, in an affordable rifle that will shoot well, and is legal for "primitive use" in some states.
If you decide you must have more gun one day in the future, it could easily and cheaply be rebored to .375 ruger.
That IMO is the perfect choice for you. If you have any other specific questions or already have a preference for certain things, spell them out and itll help filter down the suggestions. Like I said earlier this really is the golden age of affordable rifles.
I forgot to mention the ideal option for you. Get a CVA scout 2 in .35 Whelen. Its a damn fine do everything north American caliber, in an affordable rifle that will shoot well, and is legal for "primitive use" in some states.
If you decide you must have more gun one day in the future, it could easily and cheaply be rebored to .375 ruger.
That IMO is the perfect choice for you. If you have any other specific questions or already have a preference for certain things, spell them out and itll help filter down the suggestions. Like I said earlier this really is the golden age of affordable rifles.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 12:16 pm to LSUSUPERSTAR
Buy a Leupold VX3i in 3.5-10x
Handle rifles and see what fits you. Purchase one of the following calibers
7mm-08
308
25-06
30-06
270
Handle rifles and see what fits you. Purchase one of the following calibers
7mm-08
308
25-06
30-06
270
Posted on 8/13/20 at 12:17 pm to SaDaTayMoses
Why are you telling him to get a 6x24 scope?
Posted on 8/13/20 at 12:36 pm to LSUSUPERSTAR
Remington 700 in .308 or 30-06. i'll let someone else suggest the scope.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 12:52 pm to 257WBY
quote:
7mm-08
308
25-06
30-06
270
Well that narrows it down.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:16 pm to LSUSUPERSTAR
I'll say this, every caliber people have said here will work. I own a 30-06, .308, .243, and 6.5CM. With that said, the 6.5CM is what I leave home with when I'm going to camp. I can in theory shoot at a deer out to probably 6-700 yards where we hunt, but I'm comfortable out to 4-450. Whoever says that a 6.5 is not a good hunting round is full of shite.
Now you can argue about whether the 6.5CM is/isn't different than many of 6.5 rounds from years ago, but that's a different story all together. Ammo for 6.5CM, unlike many 6.5 rounds, can be found on just about any shelf where ammo is sold.
Now you can argue about whether the 6.5CM is/isn't different than many of 6.5 rounds from years ago, but that's a different story all together. Ammo for 6.5CM, unlike many 6.5 rounds, can be found on just about any shelf where ammo is sold.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:24 pm to LSUSUPERSTAR
quote:All of them. It will not matter.
but what does the OB view as a good all around intro rifle?
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:34 pm to Jack Daniel
quote:
The ballistics of a 30-06 and .270 out to 250 yds (which If this is his first rifle, I doubt he’s making shots past 250) are very similar so why choose the smaller projectile?
Recoil
Cost
The .270 beats the 30-06 in every category but kinetic energy, which is good to have, but as you said the difference is minimal.
.270 vs 30-06
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:41 pm to TigernMS12
quote:
Whoever says that a 6.5 is not a good hunting round is full of shite
Same people that think you need a 270 for a MS Whitetail.. just a waste of meat. 308 and 243 are both great options though if someone doesn't want to go the 6.5 Creed route. As for me, I still prefer the 6.5.
257WBY (From post below) - Will do Monday.. if weather holds I am going to a pretty cool area this weekend for black bear (and to collect berries). Grouse season also just started so I will try to get some photos over the weekend. Not much as far as hunting on it, but IG is TimeOutdoors if you want to see terrain/lakes.
This post was edited on 8/13/20 at 2:42 pm
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:49 pm to Loup
If you are very confident you will only be whitetail hunting:
.270
If you think you may also be killing elk etc one day:
30-06
We can get way more convoluted if we want, but this keeps it simple
.270
If you think you may also be killing elk etc one day:
30-06
We can get way more convoluted if we want, but this keeps it simple
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:59 pm to LSUSUPERSTAR
If you want a more compact rifle, go with a short action. That’s the .308, 7mm-08
If you want full length with slightly more horsepower, go with the .30-06, .270, .25-06
I realize in the earlier post that I didn’t narrow it down. No need to. You’ll never tell the difference in performance on big game with any of those calibers. The critical factor is that you shoot the rifle accurately.
If you want full length with slightly more horsepower, go with the .30-06, .270, .25-06
I realize in the earlier post that I didn’t narrow it down. No need to. You’ll never tell the difference in performance on big game with any of those calibers. The critical factor is that you shoot the rifle accurately.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 2:02 pm to TimeOutdoors
Timeoutdoors,
Start another thread and tell us about your Alaska adventures. Would like to hear about all that you hunt up there, etc
Start another thread and tell us about your Alaska adventures. Would like to hear about all that you hunt up there, etc
This post was edited on 8/13/20 at 2:04 pm
Page 2 of 3
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News