Hunting & Fishing Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

[AznDragon533]

Hello,

I am looking for my first hunting rifle and would like some suggestions

Game (Virginia): Mostly Deer, Elk , maybe Bear in the future.

I was thinking of the Weatherby Vanguard® Series 2 Deluxe in .257 Wby. Mag. , Pros and Cons?

http://www.weatherby.com/product/rifles/vanguard_2/deluxe

 

[djskit]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Very 1960's retro cool.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

300winmag

 

[MagnumSecurity]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

The caliber wouldn't be my first choice, but it would do the job nicely unless you plan on hunting brown bear in Alaska. I would prefer a 270 wsm or a 7 mag. That is mostly due to ammo choices and availability at my local sporting goods store. Although they can easily be ordered online.

I wouldn't have any issue with the Weatherby, but I like my Savage.

 

[Killer Spade 13]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

.30-06.

 

[SledDog]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Nothing wrong with that rifle, it's the same as a Howa 1500 and has good accuracy potential. The caliber is up to you. I love the 25-06 for deer, but a more versatile round would be something like 30-06. I wouldn't take a .25 for bear.

 

[Nuke Man]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I'm in the same boat. I believe I have found the rifle, a Tikka T3 lite stainless. Now I just need to decide on caliber. Either 30-06 or 300 Rem. Ultra Mag. Alot of guides and outfitters recommend these two. I'm looking to be able to hunt western big game from antelope to elk.

 

[Engine 22]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

.300WM will do it all and then some.

 

[pitfa1490]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Used to consider same in these caliber until I got my hands on a 260 Remington. The ballistics made me switch. Longer range, higher ballistic coefficient and deadly acurate. If you depend on accuracy and you dont have the extra dough for fancy, Savage makes an outstanding action, when coupled with a Krieger barrel they are like food on the table. Optics are important so don't short yourself with so-so glass. If its important enough to do, do it right, you won't regret it. Especially when you drop an elk with one pop or a whitetail across a field.

Bottom line: frustration in the field doesn't put food on the table

 

[irondude]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

.280 Remington is my go to rifle for both deer and elk.

 

[Pr0VideR]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

That's a nice rifle forsure but just for the sake of available ammo, you can't go wrong with 30/06, 270 or even 308 IMO.

 

[Ringman308]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I've brought, sold, and traded guns for 35 years. The only gun that's remained is my 270. Over 500 kills with it from hogs to elk (plenty of wall hangers). Comfort and accuracy are important. But whichever you purchase, practice as much as possible at different distances and conditions so that you are confident. My 270 is not the most expensive or fanciest gun in my collection, but I know how it will perform out to 300 yards in most all conditions (uphill, downhill, cold, wet, hot, humid, altitude) and I'm confident of the outcome when I pull the trigger.

 

[Quigley77]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I second the 300 Win Mag. It's available in a lot do different rifles, with lots of ammo choices.

 

[fdkay]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

That is a very nice looking rifle in an excellent chambering.

You are hunting in Va, so that means black bear. They are relatively small and not terribly hard to kill, so the .257 would work.

That being said. It is an overbore, high velocity cartridge. Short barrel life. You must also be very careful about bullet selection as the high velocity will play hell with close range, heavy animals.
It is a flat shooting cartridge best suited for animals at extended range.
Have you priced wthby mag ammo?

That same rifle is available in both .270 and 30'06, either one of these would be my primary choice for your area.
Good ammo selection, capable of taking anything in the lower 48.

 

[300rockbuster]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Rem. 700 30-06. Taken deer,elk and lope never missed a beat.

 

[tlsmith22]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

300 win mag

 

[darkstar]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Your in VA and if hunting there 30-06 will cover all bases and have room to spare.
the 30-06 round has so many bullet configurations and weights available on the shelf that it will fit so many hunting applications.
for dollars spent. it has the most going for it

do not expect to find 257 web mag ammunition anywhere when you need it. you will almost always find a box of 06 of some type that you can use almost everywhere and for good reason, it works!

300 mag is overkill and way overpriced for hunting in the lower 48 imo.

 

[The_Duke]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I pretty much agree with everybody else, nothing wrong with the gun but the caliber wouldn't be my first choice. Ammo is expensive and hard to find when compared to more common hunting rounds.

 

[my human host]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I would favor something a little more weather resistant.

It's just a personal preference. No walnut for me. Regular steel is fine as long as it's properly coated. Again, just my preferences.

I would think something like an LTR would serve you well. Not very traditional looking, tho.

 

[HkPlinker]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I really like the Kimber 84M Montana. I shoot the .308 Fantastic trigger and no nonsence rifle.

+1 on 300WM

 

[AznDragon533]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I think after researching more, im going with the 30-06

 

[pawater]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Good choice, I have a 257, super fast, not much of a brush gun though.

 

[roggom]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Good choice on the 30-06, you should do well with that combination of rifle and chambering.

 

[AznDragon533]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I guess my next question is, what is the recommended Scope for this? $800 budget

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

For $800 or a little more you can get a swarovski Z3. IMO they're the best scope for a hunting rifle there is. The BRH reticle is sweet too, not too heavy but also not so thin you're going to lose it in low light.

 

[Woodlanddude]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I would not choose another wood stock after a couple bad experiences involving a good downpour or 2 and damaged stocks. Synthetic with aluminum pillars or bedding block would be paramount. Something along the lines of Rem700/Win70/Savage in your chosen caliber should be golden. Stainless finish to top it off. 308 and 30-06 are still probably the 2 most versatile cartridges available for a variety of hunting.

 

[AznDragon533]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Woodlanddude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would not choose another wood stock after a couple bad experiences involving a good downpour or 2 and damaged stocks. Synthetic with aluminum pillars or bedding block would be paramount. Something along the lines of Rem700/Win70/Savage in your chosen caliber should be golden. Stainless finish to top it off. 308 and 30-06 are still probably the 2 most versatile cartridges available for a variety of hunting. </div></div>

I thought about the potential damages first too, I was hopeing just to buy some sort of oil sealant and use it on the stock

 

[Lowe Left]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

.308

Everytime I hunted in VA, the longest possible shot was within 200 yards. Good luck.

 

[J.Davis]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Its really hard to find a problem with a good ol' 30/06. Tons of factory loads in any bullet you could want to shoot. The biggest problem I can see with .257 other than it tends to be a barrel burner is you may have a problem finding ammo. Where as you will find .270, .308, and .30/06 on every sporting goods retailer's shelf, you may be in deep if you need .257 in a hurry and do not reload.

Between cost of ammo, scarcity of ammo, and limited barrel life; I would go with another caliber.

 

[rookie7]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Another vote here for the 30-06. It will handle all of your requirements with ease.

For some reason hunters have contracted "magnumitis". Why cope with the added expense and punishment a Magnum caliber brings to the equation.

If you like lever rifles a .35 Remington would handle all of your needs 100 yds and under.

 

[Bill Larson]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

Tikka T-3..308.....stainless,synthetic.$550.... 1 MOA guarunteed from the factory.

 

[krw]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

First hunting rifle, 30-06! Hands down. Hunted with one for 30+yrs. I use handloaded 150gr Barnes TTSX bullets for my bolt rifle, and use factory Rem Core-Lokt 180gr Round Nose in my autoloader. Both are awesome. Get a '06 and never look back.

 

[He Shoot Me]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

I have one of these and I'm very happy with it so far. You can get it in 270 (Green stock) or 30-06 (Brown stock)I have the 270 and it will kill anything in N. America with a little less recoil than the 30-06.

I like it for several reasons:

It didn't cost much, so I really don't care if it gets beat up in the field.

Having a stainless steal action, barrel (free floating btw), and synthetic Houge stock, it's pretty much weatherproof.

It's lightweight, (7.5lbs) accurate, (Sub MOA @ 100yds) and it's extremely reliable at feeding/ejecting rounds with it's Mauser type action. I have zero problems with this stick.

http://www.reedssports.com/Product/product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=14344&pc=2457

Good luck,

-Pat

 

[thewileyone]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

7mag or 300 wm... They will kill everything you need and with a good recoil pad, they won't stomp ya. There is readily available ammo, lots of bullets to choose from and not too expensive to shoot. I would suggest the 7mm over the 300 just due to better ballistics and usually a little less recoil, plus you can load a 120 gr bullet for smaller game.

 

[weber61]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AznDragon533</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think after researching more, im going with the 30-06</div></div>

Good all around choice!

 

[MK75]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

That is a fine rifle. As for the cartridge, there are essentially 4 all around cartridges that will be able to harvest just about anything in North America. 270, 308, 30-06, and the 7mm. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[rubicon06on33s]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

257 Weatherby mag has awesome maximum point blank range. Meaning how far you can shoot without the bullet traveling above or below line of sight more than 3 inches. I was considering this cartridge as a low recoil replacement for my 300wsm. I ended up with the 6.5x284 Norma after comparing between 270 and 257 weatherby. I would look at the 6.5mm options if you are shooting past 300 yards and need high bc bullets to buck the wind.

 

[EBM]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

The 30/06 is a good all rounder that will work for 95% of big game animals in North America. There is plenty of ammo choice and you can find the ammo everywhere. I also have a few 257 Wby Mags and as Rubicon says they have awesome MPBR. Ammo cost is high, but they are fun to shoot, very effective and recoil is very manageable. If you're leaning towards more longer range stuff I'd go with the 257 Wby.

Eric

 

[ctsmith]

Re: Looking for first Hunting Rifle, need suggestions!

308 is never a wrong answer inside of 600.