budget white tail rifles

I need to get a new (or used) rifle to deer hunt with. Ive been using a Marlin 30-30 I borrowed from my uncle and need to give it back soon and was wondering if you guys could throw out some suggestions. I have around 500 to spend on one maybe a little over for something I really have to have. So heres the guidlines

1. $500 or less
2. Avg shot would be 75 yds max distance is 250 yds
3. used for whitetail and wild hogs
4. Easy enough to find ammo
5. I would like to have iron sights so I can use see throug scope mounts but this isnt a deal breaker

I've been looking at a few guns like another lever 3030 or 35. the savage bolt. E
ven considered a mosin nagant. Just need help deciding

 

30-06 or a 270. Savage has some good stuff. Get one with the accutrigger.

 

the see through rings are good in theory but not that good for accuracy. you will not be able to obtain a proper cheek weild using those skyscraper rings.

If you have a decent scope then you wont need to worry about having to use irons.

something like this would be a decent starter gun. You can always upgrade the optics later on as well.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s...10151_10051_298227_-1__?N=39632024+4294965700

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s..._126416_-1__?N=39632024+4294951388+4294958181

 

Thanks for the tip on the see through mounts ive been looking over all the suggestions and also the Marlin XL7

 

Check out the Ruger American rifle and look at .308 caliber because it's popular, cheeper and everywhere. I haven't handled one but I have read alot of good things about them and I have seen them for $299. Enough left over to buy a decent scope and rings.

 

You may want to consider the Ruger American in something like .270 or 30-06. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the trigger. Definitely better than Ruger's typical lawyer triggers. Crisp, virtually no overtravel, and quite easily adjustable. Better than most triggers in $400 guns for sure.

That said, if I could afford the Accutrigger Savage, I'd go that way first. Or a CZ 550 with the single-set trigger. Personal preference.

30-30 is a nice round (easy to find when not in an ammo shortage , mild recoil) but I wouldn't be pushing past 200 yards on it myself. Also it's harder to clean a lever gun from the breech unless you use an Otis kit or something similar.

A 30-06 has quite a bit more recoil than a 30-30, so just be aware of it. It's right up there with a typical 12 gauge or muzzleloader. Really high rings could be spooky. You don't want to get too close to that scope by accident.

 

Bingo, I've got the Savage 30-06 w/Accutrigger, great gun.

 

I use that .270 mossberg posted above...threw a leupold scope on it and it gets the job done.

 

Anybody suggest .243 Winchester yet? Pretty good all round gun for Whitetail and hogs IMO.

 

My wife shoots a Thompson Center Venture in .243 she loves it and i steal it every now and than and take it out. Will drop a deer no problem.

 

.243 is a good round. I had a few different ones growing up but once you are able to handle a little more recoil why not go for a little bigger caliber?

 

Dont waste your money on a cheap gun if you are buying just one to do most of your hunting with, you will regret it. Take look at the remington 700sps model in 270. ive got one and love it.You can get 270win ammo everywhere.You can also get a wide variety of factory ammo in everything from 100 grain bullets for woodchucks up to 180 grains for elk if you want. The see thru mounts are garbage,get a low power scope in the 2-7 range or 1.5-5. The low power scope will let you get those close in moving shots on them hogs @ 20yrds and let you crank it up and drop that ten point out there in the clover @ 100yrds. The 7oosps is a synthetic stocked gun w/ matte barrle.comes w either a drop box or detachable mag also. you can get into one for around 500 and look @ nikons prostaff scope in 2-7 around 120.You wont be disapointed.

 

My cousin shoots a remington 770 during hunting season, the MSRP of which is at 373, he has it in .270. it isn't the best rifle in the world, but it is solid, and more than accurate enough for hunting

the scope that comes with it will work (hat my cousin uses), but isnt that great. for a decent hunting rifle, i would take the one that comes with it off and top it with something like a burris fullfield II or a leupold, you can get a decent scope for about 250 that would match up very well to the gun, I actually think you can find the fullfield II for 200

 

I'd be looking at, in this order, Savage with accutrigger, Remington 700, Ruger American, and the Mossberg in your price range. Calibers are prety much whatever you can get ammo for right now....locally, about the only thing on the shelves is shotgun slugs or shells with a few boxes of .22LR and .17...

If you plan on shooting quite a bit of paper look at the overall cost of pulling the trigger...rounds can add up fast and make an expensive day.

edit: FWIW, the Mosin Nagants available vary wildly in quality. Some of the big box stores, not sure which are around you, have some real piles of crap on their shelves.

My advice would be when you go hunting hogs, have a back-up sidearm (pistol) just in case one decides to turn towards you...they can be nasty, aggressive bastards.

 

I got a used savage .270 for around 200$, it wasnt perfect, but it shoots good. Id go with a savage if your looking for a bang (literally) for your buck (literally).... see what i did there lol

 

Yeah I keep my 357 with me to for the hogs.

Anyone ever used a Remington 760 pump rifle. I might try to find a used one I like the idea of quick reloads for the hogs. Any opinions good or bad are welcome.

Ill look into the low power Scopes to since I mostly hunt in the woods and only hunt open fields and power line a few times every season

 

.357 is a good choice...

As far as the 760, no experience with it but in the original post you mentioned being able to put rounds out to 250yds, I'm not sure I would be confident in doing that with that rifle. In my experience bolt guns are quite a bit better at anything over 100 yards. Most pump and levers are good brush guns and would be a good choice within 75yds.

 

If it helps I would be looking at the 760 in 30 06

 

if the 760 is in good shape they are great guns,thats what my brother hunt w,30-06.check out the chamber and make sure there is not any rust in there, people tend to skimp on cleaning that out very well because the cleaning has to be done from the muzzle.

 

What kind of range is that reasonably accurate to? I'm just kind of curious I guess, nothing negative against them (no experience with 'em). I just thought 250yds sounded like a stretch with one possibly. IDK.