Buying first hunting rifle....

You know I looked at them actually, but that round, sweet. As it may be, is ridiculously expensive and really hard to find. In comparison anyhow.


Edit: 6000 post

 

I own a model 70 in 300 win mag and its a great shooter... I live in FL so i dont shoot it too often. The model 70 is a good gun i own a 270 also but neither of them are my go to guns for a hunt trip... i absolutely love my ruger m77... its 308 but they come in larger calibers... i own a ruger No. 1 in 45/70 which is also a great gun... but out of all the rifles ive shot and owned over the years my favorite and tried and true is my browning high wall... mines 30-06 but they also come in large calibers... its a drop block single shot and the accuracy is dead on.

 

Knockdown power is important, but so is range. What ranges do you expect/anticipate to shoot the majority of your game???

Taylor your weapon to the target and the range, then if you can, shoot what you "think" you might like (borrow a friends) at the ranges of your intended target.

You also hit on another point......ammunition availability and cost.

For a basic all around rifle, I like your suggestion of a .45-70 lever action, no scope needed (just something else to get dicked up)

 

I love my tikka, cant beat a sako barrel and the lightest rifle for long treks through the woods

 

From what I'm told, for moose we'll be taking our shots within 100 yards. Caribou probably 150-200

 

Ruger M77 Hawkeye in stainless, 30-06 cal, doesnt kick the shit out of ya, kill anything in the world, ammo is available at any mom and pop hunting shack across the unitedstates and cheap to shoot. Slap a 2-7 power scope of your choice and you have a all american hunting machine. The reason i say 2-7 power is the lower the power the more steady the cross hairs. To much power and you will be shaking all over the place.

FWIW the Marlin guide gun in 45/70 is a awsome gun, accurate with good peep sights out to 75yds or so. Most people cant shoot it very accurately even that far. Its a beast though and makes a good truck, hiking gun ect.

 

IMO Remington quality has gone to shit over the last few years. I have a Browning Xbolt and a Remington 700. The X Bolt looks, feels, and shoots better. The scope holes on my Remington are not lined up, and the action is rough as sand paper. Id buy either a Tika or a Savge for my next hunting rifle. However, older Remingtons were amazing guns and if you were interested in buying used Id consider one.

 

Remington for sure. Browning is nice but a little pricy.

 

Tikka is a sweet rifle, my father in law has one in .308 and he loves it. I own a savage predator in .223 and its an awsome gun but for big game hunting rifle you cant beat a Ruger. Comes w/rings just needs a scope.

 

I will cast a vote for the Tikka (or the Savage others have mentioned), based on all the stories I have heard or read. Reputed accuracy out of the box plus enough budget left for a very good scope to go with it.

 

.375 H&H Mag in a rifle with a claw type extractor

 

Good lord, he's not hunting elephant! I dont know how much experience with rifles the OP has, but most people shoot a smaller caliber much more accurate, especially in a hunting situation, therfore i would choose to be a little under gunned and be dead eye accurate than tote a cannon that your scared of. A lighter rig also if your gonna be carrying it all day.

 

A model 10 or 11 Savage accu-trigger in stainless/ synthetic would fit the bill. A Remington model 7 in 300win super short mag would be my other suggestion.

Oh and reload.

 

Of the choices I voted Remington

I have always liked the Rem 700s, years ago my first deer rifle was a Rem 700 Bdl 30-06, although the 06 round is not as accurate as many other rounds, it laid many a deer down

But I had a Ruger M77 in .280, I floated the barrel and put in a Timney trigger, it was a tack driver, with my reloads I could cover 3 rounds with a dime any day of the week at 100 yds, wish I would have never got rid of it, that was some years back, the older we get we learn not to make the same mistakes

My son recently bought his first deer rifle, Browning X Bolt in .280, I have nothing bad to say about it, it`s a well built gun and is quite accurate with my reloads and factory Rem core-lockt shoot pretty well in it also.

 

Obviously semi auto is cooler, but are they less accurate inherently?

 

My vote is for a Ruger M77 Hawkeye All Weather in synthetic/stainless.

I have a matching pair of those kind of Rugers in 270 and 243. I also have a Remington 700 in 308.

Comparing stock platforms; Hands down I think the Ruger M77 is just a much higher quality built gun for around the same price as the Remington 700. I picked both of my Rugers up around $600, which includes $50 stainless Ruger rings. I never even take my Remington hunting anymore. Also the Ruger has it's scope ring mounts built directly into the barrel which is nice. Pair it with a good all weather scope like the Bushnell Elite, and you'll have a really nice all weather hunting combo.

 

This

...and this.

These guys have hunted before, also don't leave Savage out of your trade study and save some $ to buy good glass (someone said it above)

 

Nothing can beat a Remington 700 when it comes to the perfomance and the price. I have mine in a .308 Winchester

 

As for the caliber. I'd personally pick 308 or 30-06 over a 300 WM, and probably 30-06 for Alaska hunting. It should be both easier to find and less expensive with plenty of knock down power for large moose and bear.

As for the semi auto accuracy, you can probably get an accurate semi but will pay a lot more and have to go top of the line everything. It's dependability that I would be more worried about with a semi auto, and the action freezing up on you. I'd recommend a bolt action rifle for hunting, it's the most reliable and accurate. That's what 3 out of my 4 hunting rifles are. There's a reason military snipers all use bolt actions.

 

I voted for the Remi 300, why isn't a 7MM mag an option? My Weatherby was $350 used I think and it's never let me down at 300+ yds.