Thread: Best first Hunting Rifle?

Hey guys so hoping I can count on ya'll for a little more advice. I am looking to purchase my first hunting rifle. Does anyone have any advice on what would be some good choices. So far I've been thinking a remington 770 .270 or .30-06. Never hunted much but have done a fair amount of skeet shooting. I do own a 12 ga. Remington 870 and a .22 but thought a bigger rifle might be better suited. My budget has to stay around $300.

Chris you need to look into a remington short action preferrably in a model 700. My competition gun is built off of one and it is a solid platform. As far as calibers go, I personally would go with a 308 due to the wide range of bullet sizes and availability of ammunition. My second choice would be a 7mm 08 followed close by a 243.

[size=12pt]Chris, you will get as many suggestions on this as you would by asking about the best all around reel for the pier.
I like a .270 for open areas like fields and clear-cuts, has a really flat trajectory up to 200 yds, and the 30-30 for walking in the brush. Also a 12 guage is good in the brush.
I got this one walking with my double barrel Stevens.[/size]

Chris, like fin said it's really a personal preference and more importantly what kind of area you will be hunting. The Rem 700 models are great rifles. We fielded quite a few rifles when I was in a scout/sniper section and by far my preferred rifle was the 700. We used 308s, I have a 270 and I like it about the same. The main thing is the area/terrain you will be hunting. I've wanted a 300 ultra mag and a 7mm mag for a while now but I really have no use for either. I got a Marlin lever action 30-30 from Santa years ago and I still use it quite a bit too, great rifle for thickets and brush style hunting. Don't forget, your optics are just as if not more important as the rifle. That 870 you have with OOBuck is also good to use. Hope this helps.

I have to agree with Pest for the most part. The 308 is a great gun and the shells are easy to find. The 30/06 is also a great gun, very versatile. I'm impressed with the 7mm/08 too. Flat shooting but shells aren't as readily available as the other two. I don't care for the .243 unless you're hunting pipelines or open areas. Alot of people use them but I like something that has a little more knockdown power and that's going to leave a better blood trail. There are alot of good brands out there but I recommend a bolt action and get a good scope.

Go to Campbell Hardware R'dale and see what they have in a used bolt action,any caliber .270 or over will work fine out to 300yds with the right ammo.If you are planning on hunting green fields in the late afternoon,the scope is more important than the gun,ya need to be able to see in order to shoot.In other words,buy the best optics you can afford.

I personally prefer something with a 30mm tube and a 50 mm lense. I really like leupold, as well as zeiss and nightforce, but bushnell makes a good scope as well.

GREAT STUFF BLOOD BROTHERS, CAMPBELLS HARDWARE TOFER, THEY WILL HOOK YOU UP BROTHER. I SHOULD KNOW,WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. SPRINGER IS STILL HUNTING WITH THE SAVAGE 110 30-06, BOUGHT AT CAMPBELLS WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD, OMG, :yippee: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. HAD THE BARREL FLOATED, AND THE TRIGGER PULL WORKED ON BY EMEROY, THE GUN SMITH AT CAMPBELLS HARDWARE, STUCK ONE OF THEM BAD A$$ LEUPOLDS ON IT . IT HAS KILLED OVER 100 DEER, WHATTTTTTTTTTT, YEA THATS RIGHT 100 DEER.WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. AND AS SOON AS THE WEATHER GETS BACK COLD HERE. ITS GONNA KILL DEER 103 :spank: :headbang: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."'IF YOU AINT HUNTING, AND FISHING, YOU AINT LIVING".(TED NUGENT).WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :yippee: PS -- CHRIS, SPRINGER WORKED AT CAMPBELLS HARDWARE FOR 7 YEARS. JUST TELL THEM OLD SPRINGER,AND JOHN G. SENT YA. AND THEN GET READY FOR THE BS, AND GOOD GOD, STORIES, STORIES AND MORE STORIES :yay: :yay: . MAKE SURE YOU GOT SOME TIME,WOOOOOOOOOOOOO. :yippee: :headbang:. SPRINGER MISSES THOSE DAYS. :wall: :wall:

Thanks guys, I'll tell 'em that Springer haha. I've been up there a time or 2. That's where I got my .22 from. Good stuff right here.

YOU CANT GO WRONG, :yay: CHRIS. ASK FOR NELSON WINGO THE OWNER OF CAMPBELLS HARDWARE, AND THEN TELL HIM SPRINGER, AND JOHN G, SENT YA, :headbang: :yippee: AND LOOK OUT, GOOD GOD, THE SMILES, AND STORIES, WILL FLOW LIKE THE GULF STREAM, BROTHER, :banana: :banana: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. :headbang: :headbang:PS---- IF YOU GO THERE CHRIS, PLEASE TELL THEM SPRINGER SAYS HELLO. :headbang: I SURE MISS THAT PLACE AND ALL THE GOOD, WONDERFUL PEOPLE , ALONG THE EMERALD COAST :wall: :wall: :wall: ,WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.