First rifle, advise

[zio]

Hey,

Knees still aren't 100%, so it looks like no hockey for a while (by that time I'll have a bike anyway). I've started to gain an interest in hunting again. Used to go squirrel hunting w/ my trusty 10/22 a lot, then one or two deer hunts that were more or less unsuccessful (only one time was a deer taken). But I think I want to try deer hunting (whitetail), not for sport but for the entire experience of stalking, making one-shot, and taking home food.

Looking around on the net, found that the .270 Win, 30-06 & .308 seem to be most popular, along with 7mm Rem for ammunition, then Win Model 70, Rem 700, Browning A-Bolt and Savage 110 for rifles. Personally, I'd prefer a semi-auto like the Rem 7400, but that's just because I'm afraid of bears and have this weird idea that I'll happen upon one & need to fill him full o' lead in a hurry.

I don't have a lot of money to spend, and found a used Savage 110 chambered in .270 Win, with some kind of variable scope (doesn't specifiy brand/type) for $299.00. Is something like this a good beginner/all around deer rifle?

What else do I need to get started, other than range time getting used to it, etc? I've already started learning about long-range shooting basics. For instance, I've learned about bore-sighting, zero-ing in at different ranges, rise/drop of different ammunitions at different ranges, point blank range, etc.

Also- how do I learn to hunt? I mean, I'm a decent shot at the range (for real), have the right instincts, handle my 92F & other guns with great skill & respect for safety... but I know I don't want to/shouldn't just run out into the forest & start a shootin'.

Anyone in Central CA want to take a kid hunting? XRP, 380EXCMan & the rest of the Idaho Militia- I'm waiting for you experienced hunters to chime in. I've got an itchy trigger finger and I wanna kill something. :D

 

[buffmaster]

That's a good gun, both in rep. and in the caliber, and the price is tasty. You won't go wrong w/the .270, .30-06, .308, 7mm, or a .243. I prefer the bolts b/c they are more reliable and more accurate, even thou' the semi's are nice. You can still crank off some quick shot's w/a bolt once you get used to it.

If you don't have any bud's or family that hunt, give the state DNR a call and see about a hunters safety course. It's pretty valuable. I had to take one when I was 14 in order to get my first hunting license.

Good Luck!

 

[thorman75]

if your interested in 1 shot,take a hard look at muzzleloading rifles.i just bought a muzzleloading shotgun,knight tk2000 for turkey hunting.and if you want to take a big whitetail,you need to plan a hunt in the midwest.ive been hunting deer with gun and bow for thirty years now.its a great,but sometimes aggravating sport.

 

[zio]

Thanks. Got my license already, and the Hunter's Safety course was a prerequisite. Don't have any friends/family that hunt (uncle hunts ducks, I don't want to hunt ducks, pheasant/doves maybe). My brother-in-law has expressed similar interest, & he & I will probably start doing this together. We already trout fish together, & both want to take home some big game.

 

[smarttoys]

I really like my Rem Model 700. I have one in 30-06 and one in .308

They both shoot great and have taken quite a few deer with them. Just make sure you know what is behind the things you are shooting at.

 

[oldguy]

You can't go wrong with the combo you described. I love the 30-06 but for the area we hunt it is overkill. the next rifle I buy for myself will be a 270 but for the kid I want to geet a 243. One thing to remember is semi autos have more moving parts and therefore more chance for failure. My dad missed getting his deer this year because 7400 wouldn't fire. The mag was dinged and the bolt didn't close tight. I started with a lever moved to a semiauto and now prefer a bolt- afterall a one shot kill is the best.

I really plan to get a muzzleloader this summer as WIS has a late season for muzzle loaders only and any extra oppotunity to hunt is perfect.

For more info try http://gunforum.net/forum/ it may look familiar;) hope it keeps alive and grows like this place

 

[thorman75]

and dont ever miss a chance to hunt pheasant.thats number 1 in my book

 

[kdx357]

you need a small canon :p naw if you want a good gun get a gun with cheap ammo that way you can practice at a range and get real good, then you wont have to worry about the second shot or the deer not dropping

 

[Lostrider]

What kind of cover will you be hunting in? If it is open or semi open a .270 is a good choice. If its really thick then you'd be better off with something like a 30-30. As far as learning how to hunt, the best way is for an experienced hunter to take you along. I am the only one in my family to hunt so I had to learn the hard way and it took a long time. Another option might be videos, they have them on how to do almost anything nowdays. Whatever happens, good luck to you. There's nothing quite like stalking through the woods after big game.

 

[thorman75]

another thing to consider,if you want to gun hunt,is try archery too.the season starts sooner,and lasts longer.if anything else youll get to see deer movement and try to figure their pattern,although their pattern changes before,during and after the rut,the more time you spend in the woods the better off youll be.also in my opinion a muzzleloader makes you a better hunter,youve only got 1 shot,so it has to count.my knight disc with 150 grains of pyrodex(3 pellets) pushes a 250 grain barnes red hot sabot out the barrel at over 2000 feet per sec.right in there with the best of them.and with the 209 primer ive never had a miss fire.the accuracy of these rifles is unreal too.

 

[IDkTm]

I've not heard much bad about the Savage rifles. They have a really good reputation for accuracy and a 270 should do just fine for any whitetail you'll encounter. The only knock on the Savages that I can really think of is they are not always the most beautiful rifle in the world, but if thats not much of a concern to you then I say go for it; you can always upgrade to something else later. The 270 shoots pretty flat so you'll be pretty good at most any range that you encounter deer at. Also the 270 should serve you fine if you do have to fend off the chance bear that you're scared of. Just be sure to know your own limitations on distance and to stick to them. Bullets in the 150 grain range are what I'd look for if I was you, they should serve ya well. Fire away on anymore questions.

 

[TOFAS4YOU]

BOLT ACTOIN IS THE WAY TO GO HIGHLY ACCURATE 30-06 IS NICE ROUND BECAUSE THE DIFFRENT TYPES OF BULLET WEIGHT (GRAINS)BUT NOT A GOOD CHOICE FOR HUNTING IN THE BRUSH. YOU NEED A CLEAR SHOT WITH FAST BULLETS ONE SHOT ONE KILL !:aj:

 

[zilla]

You can't go wrong with .270.. I hunt with one and have killed everything from jackrabbits to canadian moose with it.. Savage 110 is an allright rifle, the scope may be one of the low end models though.. As for leariing to hunt, well it takes experience.. I would look at the local library as there are several books that deal with hunting techniques.. First and formost is safety.. Amke sure to sight your rifle in before going out hunting.. A good rule of thumb is to have the bullets impact three inches above the point of aim at 100 yards.. That way you can aim dead on out to 275 yards or so and still place a bullet in the vitals.. Hunting is more than just walking around hoping you run into something.. You need to figure out the movement patterns of the game you are pursuing.. Thrrere's just too much info to post here so get to the library and start reading.

zilla

 

[Chevalier]

Here is a gun you really don't want, its a video, you will need to go to this site( www.videoklips.com ), then click "watch the most popular clips here", then look at the " taliban weapons expert", you are going to have to ignore some of the rubbish that comes up when you use the links, the video is great though!!!:eek:

 

[Jaybird]

I'm with thorman on the muzzelloader thing. Once you try it, it's hard to use anything else. It has a great allure to it.
With the proper ammo and load, a muzzelloader can shoot with the best of rifles.
An old friend of mine was going to build me a rifle to hunt squirrels with, but my friend passed away before he got the chance. I've always wanted to hunt squirrels with a cap and ball.

thorman, I have always wanted to venture north of I-70 and try for a pheasant. Those I know who have, report there is nothing like it.
We have a few pheasants around here now (release program by DNR) but they are almost tame like chickens.

 

[thorman75]

pheasant hunting to me is number one.i could go out without a gun just to watch the dog.a good bird dog is something to behold(im partial to springers).those dogs live for it.ive seen them when you get the gun out and the vest(that smells like pheasant from last year)the dog will run to the back door and just cry,and jump up and down because they know theyre goin hunting.just like a young kid at xmas.jaybird there are still pockets of wild pheasants in illinois,getting at them is another thing,farmers dont want to let you out,afraid youll get hurt and sue them,everything else is leased and these clubs want you to sell your house to join.save some cash and go to south dakota,they have so much public land itll make you sick,also its 5 birds a day.there are pheasants everywhere.i know ive done it 3 times, waterfowl in the am,pheasants in the pm.we went to the watertown area.the dnr has a book that you can buy,that lists every county,and where the public areas are.thousands of acres are waiting.but these are wild birds and gun dogs are a must have

 

[bwalker]

Zio, You cant go wrong with a 270,280,30-06 for deer. The magnums are ok also, but most people can not shoot them as well as the standard calibers. I prefer a bolt action because they are more reliable, and accurate. I would also reccomend a stainless synthetic gun because they are more resisitant to adverse weather and they are more consistent over time. I have a ss syn 280. that I have not had to resight in three years. I have heard good things about the Savage 110 and they can be had cheap from wally world. I like Remingtons the best though. They cost a bit more, but imo they are worth it. I would also reccomend a buying a good quality scope like a Leupold, or Burris. Scimping on scopes just doesnt pay. BTW anyone that says a 280,270, 30-06 isnt enough gun is full of crap. I have taken tons of deer and a moose with my .280 and not one has gotten away yet. My dad has taken a lot of game with a 270. includeing elk, moose and many african antelope.The standards get the job done .

 

[XRpredator]

Originally posted by zio
. . . XRP, 380EXCMan & the rest of the Idaho Militia- I'm waiting for you experienced hunters to chime in. I've got an itchy trigger finger and I wanna kill something. :D

Ah, the lure of the hunt . . . :)

Personally, I'd go with the .30-06. Good all around gun. I use either it or a 7mm Rem Mag. But, when I'm deer hunting, I'm also elk hunting since the seasons overlap, so I like to have a rifle that will do all. I'd like a 300 Win Mag, but that's definitely overkill for deer!

Now, if all I were hunting were deer, the .270 would be the way to go. And like said before, they'll kill purt near anything just as dead as any other rifle. It's all about shot placement.

As far as the actual rifle, Remington now has what's called the 710. It comes chambered for either .270 or .30-06 (either one of which gives you a very wide range of ammo choices) with a synthetic stock and a matched, mounted, and boresighted Bushnell scope, all for just over $400. That's a heckuva deal, since the scope's included, and it's basically a 700, which a lot of people say is the most accurate out-of-the-box rifle out there. But no matter what you get, get a bolt action. Probably the safest bet as far as actions, also requiring the least maintenance.

As for finding someone to hunt with, you may do well to hang out at the gun shop or sporting goods store to find someone. Trouble is, most of us are pretty secretive about where we hunt, so we're real selective about who we take with us! ;)

 

[zio]

Great info, everyone. Thanks. XRP- thanks for the tip on the 710. Although I'm sure a well cared for, used rifle is as good as new (for the most part), I'd prefer to start with new, just didn't think I could afford it. $400 is maybe doable.

thorman, muzzleloading sounds like there's one too many variables that I'd have to learn. My bro-in-law will probably love the idea- he's a fly fisherman, super-traditionalist type guy. Pheasant hunting is out if it means you have to have a dog. No can do. Maybe planned hunts, though. There's a lot of those around here.

I have a cousing who is huge into archery, loves hunting so much he bought a taxedermy shop in Durango, Colorado. Too far away, though. But he's offered to teach me. I just don't think that's feesable.

Not sure of the terrain where deer are hunted around here. Last time I went was in Kings Canyon which is terrain like the Clear Creek riding area- hills, small trees, scrub brush, but mostly open.

I was also thinking about hunting pig. Heard they're excellent eating. But people seem to be split 50/50 on deer from what I've heard. I'd prefer to hunt deer only because pigs freak me out. I would have a hard time field dressing one.

bwalker- I was considering blued steel, but only for stealth purposes. Stainless is ok?

 

[XRpredator]

Originally posted by zio
. . . Stainless is ok?

Stainless would be my preference, just because of the lower maintenance (no worries about rust), but you're also usually looking at about $100 more. If a guy is vigilant, you can keep a regular blued barrel looking good.

I think someone makes a blued stainless barrel too . . . but more $

 

[thorman75]

just a quick note:1 muzzleloading is not anywhere as complicated as it used to be,2 stainless is excellent my muzzleloader is stainless/with a synthetic stock.3 you dont have to have a dog to hunt pheasant,but it makes things much easier,those birds love to run and hide but they cant hide from the dogs nose.its also a lesson in conservation,anyone will tell you,shooting a pheasant is easy,finding it after its down is another proposition,even the rooster with all that color can be next to impossible to find in tall grass,and if you only cripple the bird,hes gone.he'll run his butt off

 

[bsmith]

I agree with the 270. My first gun was a Rem model 700 270, wait my only rifle is a rem 270!
It is perfect for deer. I use about a 130 grain and site in at 100yds. Don't get many shots over that.
The bulk of the works starts after you pull the trigger. I suggest hunting with someone that can show you how to properly take care of your game. From cleaning to cutting.

I tried to Muzzleload for the first time this year(got a nice 4 point muley, I mean 10 point for you easterners;) )
But I had some issues though, whole new game.

Have fun.

 

[thorman75]

hey bsmith what was the problem

 

[Rodzilla]

Have two model 700's in .270 and 30-06. the 06 is scoped and the 270 is iron sights. Still like the .270 the best.

Course the Model 870 slug gun of my grampa's is my all time favorite (just gotta be a little closer) ;)

Haven't lost a deer due to the gun, just the hunter!

Rod

 

[zio]

cool. looks like finding the right rifle may be the easiest task. better start doing some more research.

BTW- do you guys all do your own cutting? I've helped field dress a deer (when I was 12), but then it was just taken to a butcher after skinning. How much does that usually cost? If it's too much, I just may stick to shooting squirrels & go buy some choice meat from the butcher.