Buying a new rifle need advise

Vince · Last edited by Vince on Sun Nov 14, 2010 9:48 pm; edited 2 times in total

Gidday RB....after all of the advice so far mate, you are probably suffering an information overload...to cap it all off:

The brand of rifle is the one that feels best and most comfortable in your hands, is easy to carry for as long as you need to and offers the best factory support.

The calibre you choose will be the one that:

1. Does the job you require of it, when you require it.

2. Is readily obtainable (as a factory loading) in the load you require, when you require it, and comes in a broad range of loads, including bullet weight...and at a cost that is not disgustingly obscene.

3. Is easily reloaded (if that is the way you eventually choose to go) and the components are readily available, with a good diversity of bullet weights and styles, and won't cause you to have to mortgage your house.

4. Will not wear your barrel out just in getting the rifle zeroed ready for hunting. (Edit: 1350 hrs 15 Nov)

5. Is not going to cause you to cringe every time you think about squeezing the trigger...either from the cost or with a recoil induced flinch.

Call me crazy, call me wild, but I believe strongly that the 30.06 meets all of this criteria better than most other calibres. Very Happy

Good luck with your final selection mate...whichever way you finally choose to go, I think it will be the right one for you.

Cheers, Vince

Bushmaster

Well...Now that we got that out of the way. RB. I tend to go with the Browning A-bolt .30-06 with one of the old Redfield 3 X 9
x 40 Compact scope. It's about all the recoil I want to deal with at 67-8 and 5' 7" 145 lbs. And this one does the job with my handloads...

My son, who is 42, 6' 2" and 180 lbs, has a Winchester M70 .300 Win Mag. He says. "Oh dad. It doesn't kick that much." YEAH RIGHT!! Very Happy

Bushmaster

Hummmmm. Where IS Stovey anyway. Not that I'm in any big hurry to have to listen about "my gun is bigger then yours." and have to suffer through that photo of his starving doe that likes pizza again.

Vince

He's probably out trying to entice her in with a couple of Super Supreme pizzas in order to fatten her up for next season mate. Very Happy

Cheers, Vince

Suzanne

I dunno, I think with the right recoil pad the 30-06 and other .30 calibers are easily do-able. The only time your going to shoot a lot of rounds through them in a single sitting, is when you're sighting in or just getting familiar. Pad-up for that, then the one shot that counts, when hunting, will be a breeze. I got used to shooting ex-military rifles that have a steel butt plate by just wearing a coat or a heavy sweater. You have to concentrate on keeping the butt in your shoulder, as soon as you take it for granted, it will nail you good, and twice is enough. Pain teaches you pretty fast. It's so worth it though when you figure it out and realize what you've got in your hands.

Suz

slimjim

If you get a light rifle that had a lot of recoil like the 300 Win Mag, I'd suggest getting a scope that has at least 4 inches of eye relief.