What gun would you buy???

Woodsong

Senior Member
I am going to buy a new hunting rifle...what would you buy?? I am looking for probably a stainless steel, synthetic stock gun...prefer something good for deer and probably (hopefully!) elk. I am thinking 30/06....But what make/model would you go with and why?
 

GeauxLSU

Senior Member
What deer rifle do you already have? If you've got a 'woods gun' and a fairly long range gun, then I'd just get a more traditional elk gun and be done with it.
.30-06 is obviously capable but if you've already got whitetail sufficiently covered, I'd just get a .300 win mag and let a friend sight it in. :bounce:
Can't comment on models since I'm a 'old school' blue and wood man myself. ;)
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil
 

j_seph

Senior Member
If I had the money

I would either buy a 7mm WSM or a 7mm STW
I just love the 7MM's :clap:
 

Lead Poison

Senior Member
Check out Savage or Ruger

Try one of the rifles I've listed below.

The Accutrigger on the Savage rifles is sweeeeet! ;) And you can't go wrong with a Ruger M-77 MKII in stainless/synthetic either, they're tough as nails, affordable and dependable.

1. Savage 16 Stn/Syn. (short action) with Accutrigger in 7mm-08 or 308 Win.

2. Savage 116 Stn/Syn. (long action) with Accutrigger in 270 Win. or 30-06

3. Ruger M-77 MKII Stn/Syn in 308 Win. or 270 WSM.

4. Ruger M-77 MKII Stn/Syn in 270 Win. or 280 Rem. or 30-06
 

georgiaboy

Senior Member
This isn't exactly an answer you were looking for but I would have one of my old rifle rebarreled. I had some custom work done on a Winchester and it doesn't look like the same gun. The rifle shoots better than anything else I have ever owned or shot of anyone else's (that wasn't custom). Costs about the same or less as most new guns depending on how far you go. Good luck whatever you decide!
 

Woodsong

Senior Member
thanks for the input guys and keep it coming!
right now I have been shooting a 30/06 and shot a .257 Roberts prior to that. The .257 is a Ruger M77 and i really liked that gun a lot.
While my current gun is a 30/06 I AM getting a different one. I am left handed and have been shooting a right handed gun my grandfather gave me. I decided it is time for me to get one made for me for once in my life. :D
I am leaning towards 30/06 but I have heard a lot of good things about the 7MM's.

Phil, I am typically a wood and blue guy myself and prefer that look. The only problem is that i have decided that no matter how much I like them and try to take care of them, I am evidently not as good at it as I ought to be, evidenced by the scratches on my current rifle. If I didn't hunt in the thick stuff so much it would not be a problem but such is life.
 

Ga-Spur

Senior Member
I'd buy a 30.06 in Browning BAR . I don't know about the BOSS system ; mine shoots really accurate without it. I understand the BOSS shoots a little different I understand .
 

Timberman

Senior Member
I am leaning towards 30/06 but I have heard a lot of good things about the 7MM's.

I am no professional by far but a gunsmith that has done much work on my guns says "There is no substitute for a .30 caliber." If'n it was me I'd take an '06 over a 7mm.

I have a .308 a .35 rem and a .300 Weatherby as far as guns .300 and above. My Weatherby will flatten things. I did not buy it by design just ended up with it in a trade, but it is wicked. :)
 

280AI

Member
My choice would be an encore in 300wm. The ideal caliber choice for whitetails and just about anything else that moves. If you get tired of the 300..just buy another barrel.
 

leo

Retired Woody's Mod 7/01-12/09
Ga-Spur said:
I'd buy a 30.06 in Browning BAR . I don't know about the BOSS system ; mine shoots really accurate without it. I understand the BOSS shoots a little different I understand .

I shoot Win Classics in 06 and 300mag with the boss system.

IMO, you do not need the "boss" sys to hunt with but if you like to "play" around on the range like I do they are fun to fine tune the gun with. :)

I bought a 300mag primarily to play around with on the range and while it would be nice to use out west I do not use it often here in Ga. :)

They are so many calibers today that seem, IMO, to duplicate older calibers performance with only a slight + or - in the actual trajectory, and being an old 30cal beleiver it is hard for me to get excited about them ;)

Good luck in your search and if you cant deceide, it's fun looking and you always have the old "06" to fall back on :shoot: :clap:

leo
 

Deerhead

Senior Member
270wsm without question!

Of course "In my opinion” is the best cartridge around. I have harvested many deer with the 270. However Saturday I shot my first deer with my new 270wsm Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker. He hit the ground and did not even move. The energy transfer was tremendous.

The 270wsm is my recommendation. But you need to choose your favorite so you will be just as happy as I am will my selection. Most calibers will do a good job. By the way I was using 140 gr Accubond (3200 fps) and it does not kick either.
 

Woodsong

Senior Member
Ok. Looks like it has boiled down to a few options that I will have to special order:

Savage 16/116 "Weather Warrior" Stainless w/ Comp. stock in 300 WSM or 7MM WSM

OR

Ruger M77 Standard in Stainless Steel/Comp. stock in 30/06, 300 WM, 7MM Rem. Mag.

OR

Remington 700 BDL stainless w/ comp. stock, either 338 Ultra Mag, 300 Ultra Mag, 7MM Mag, or 308 Win.

Whadda think???
 

Lead Poison

Senior Member
Woodsong, not trying to steer you to it by any means, but if you do decide to buy a Remington, check out the Remington 700 LSS (7mm Remington Mag), I have listed in the swap & sell forum.
 

Dough

Senior Member
Woodsong,
I have a Sako 7mm Rem Mag, which I LOVE!!! However, as I get older I'm looking at a custom rifle super light weight. Why am I telling you this? Becuse I'm in the process of checking out the Sako Finnlight since it's on a short action.

If I was looking for a deer/elk, maybe moose and bear in the future, I'd look real hard at a 358 win.

When I shot a 30 mag over a chronograph, the gains over a 30/06 weren't that impressive. I think you'd get more use out of a 358 plus your rifle would be a little lighter which is critical when you're humping up mountains.
 

Ga-Spur

Senior Member
In 30.06 rounds can be purchased at cross roads nationwide. You can get very heavy rounds and very light rounds and a lot in between. Most of these rifles mentioned are really modified 30.06 cases
 
H

HT2

Guest
Wood.....

Get you a "T/C Encore".......

You won't regret it...... :clap:
 

mockingbird

Senior Member
My girlfriend's son has a left-handed Browning A-Bolt that he's real happy with. He'd hunted so long with a right-handed gun, he was a little freaked out to get a gun designed for him! Give 'em a look. Forget the BOSS stuff.
 

Slasher

Senior Member
If i buy another rifle it'll be a break action...

I've looked at the Encore...But I don't care for the grip on them... the fit is unnatural to me...

I thought the NEF/H&R guns were not that good, till I found out you can get another barrel (for a price) and a trigger job if you send it back to the factory for fitting...

The ruger No1 is a thing of beauty!!!! I played with one that had a wierd (I think its a jewel or kandar SP?) trigger that if you push forward then its a hair trigger(a pound or so...)with a light lil button on the trigger that you rest your pad on and then click... or it works normal 3 lbs or so...

reason why a break action... no action length, so the rifle is much shorter.... Perfect for a treestand gun, perfect for in the woods gun... hey a 24 in barrel break action is as short as a 20 in bolt acton!!! You being a Lefty... its ambidextrous, what a bonus!!!! A 20 in barrel NEF is 3ft long!!!! Its accurate as a bolt action...

One thing for the NEF is the price even with a trigger job is minimal, so I would be more inclined to spray it with stone texture paint, then break out the stencils, camo it... treat it like I stole it... and focus more on hunting then protecting that beautiful stock and bluing fom the scratches that come from abuse which we subject our equipment to in pursuit of game...

Gee, i better stay out of the gun shops for a while since I already have one new rifle this year..... but I have a reason for a new one..... if so it'll be a break action for the above reasons.... cept not left handed.....
 

teethdoc

Senior Member
Ruger 77

Rapid Fire has a Ruger 77 in SS/Comp. 7mm mag. I saw what it would do to a little doe this weekend. It will put a hurtin' on one for sure.
 
Top