10 replies to this topic

[lukem]

hi im pretty new to hunting and am looking for a rifle suitable for medium to large game. a relative who is comming to town later this year suggested a .308 cartridge, but i would like some advice on a rifle that wont cost to much, but wont be a peice of crap. any suggestions are welcome

[Braz]

When you say medium to large, I'm not sure what you mean. If large is Elk, Moose, that kind of thing, then yep, the 308 will be just fine, maybe a bit small. But if you are talking deer as large, then the 308 is fine. You could even drop to like a .243 size for deer. So, what are you wanting to shoot?

[lukem]

thanks for replying braz. i guess i should have been more clear. a dear is probebly the largest game i would ever go for, but what i really need to know is if the .308 is too much for something smaller, say a yote or bobcat. thanks for any answers

[Fjold]

I would recommend any of the Remingtons (except the 710 and 770 models) $500 - $1000. Savages and Stevens (not the heavy barrel models) $350 - $650) Tikka Lites - $500 or so, Winchester $750 - $850 (I think), etc. There are a lot of choices, you just have to find the one that feels right to you.The 308 win is a good all around choice. I hunted pigs, deer, elk and antelope with mine for years.

[Braz]

Well, if you want to save the hide, then the .308 may be a bit on the large size. Otherwise, it will kill them just fine. But maybe a smaller rifle, like a .243 would be better suited to what you want. The .223 is a great rifle for the coyote/bobcat, but a bit on the small size for the deer. That's why I carry a .243. It's a good all around cartridge and I only have to have one that way.

[CA Desert Dog]

If you are looking for an excellent value in a bolt rifle, the other posters failed to mention the Marlin Model X7VH line of bolt action rifles. You can read a review here. I have looked these over and they really impressed me. Before dropping the bucks on another brand, you owe it to yourself to check out the Marlins. Also, go to the Marlin Owner's Forum because there is a bunch of excellent feedback there from active hunters. I plan on picking one up and for the $$ I save, I can dress it up in a nice aftermarket laminated stock.

[Frank]

As already stated, there are lots of great choices to choose from... As long as it says REMINGTON on the barrel. Ok, just kidding... sorta! LOLSeriously, there really is a broad range of choices, and it will really come down to actually HANDLING many various models to find the one that FEELS & PRICED right to you. With one (old) exception being; "the cheapest ($$) rarely ends up being the cheapest"; with anything we buy, right? So be careful on that! CZ is another excellent choice as is Browning to go along with the others. I've also heard good things about Marlin as Red mentions but have no personal experience with them.Another idea is to Google the various rifle Brands & check out their different models on line. You will gain a LOT of knowledge & ideas of potential rifles you may (or may not) like before you ever go in the stores. The 308 is a fine caliber as is the 243. A tough call between those two for what you are wanting to use the rifle for. Another is the 25/06. I doubt if I would go larger than a 270 win for your needs. And yes, the 308 is a larger bullet, but slower caliber velocity. Ugh, that just gave me goose bumps (I'm a speed junkie as some know here). LOLSo, you see, you'll eventually end up owning several calibers & rifles anyway, so won't matter too much what you'll buy for your first one anyhow. LOLGood LuckFrankp.s. I "think" I vote for the 243...

[BearWhoHunts]

If you are looking for an excellent value in a bolt rifle, the other posters failed to mention the Marlin Model X7VH line of bolt action rifles. Before dropping the bucks on another brand, you owe it to yourself to check out the Marlins.

+1 to that one Dog. I have the Marlin xs7c in .308. It is a great rifle. If I am shooting really well I can make a ragged hole with 3 shots at 100yards. Much better shooter than I. The .308 is a very versitale round and can be found just about anywhere that sells hunting shells. I used the money I saved to snag myself a nice scope. Best deal I could find new or used. Check them out. They have impressed me.

[whatjeffhunts]

Thompson Center Arms venture makes a 308. You can find themon sale for 399 and they are guaranteed MOA. I have one in 300wm and its an excellent gun. You could also try the savage edge's, im thinking about getting one in 243 or 308, very light and inexpensive gun.

[Braz]

From what I'm hearing and reading, the Marlin, since being purchased by Remington, aren't doing well. They are having lots of quality control issues. Don't know how true this is, just commenting on what I'm hearing.

[mackeralboy]

Most of the major manufacturers are going to make a good bolt action in .308 win. I personally have two Remington 700's and a Winchester model 70 in .308. One of my Remingtons is a heavy barrel sniper and the other which I just picked up at Big 5 about two months ago is a Stainless steel ADL hunting model that came with a 3-9x40 scope for around $500.00. A buddy of mine picked up a nice Howa in .308 with a simular scope set up for about $450.00 a week later from Turners. I've taken deer, pigs and yotes with all of my .308's. I have been using a 180 gr. bullet which would be a bit much for some of the smaller game you mentioned. If you get loads or reload with bullets down to about 110gr. you probably would not mangle your game so much that you could still have a nice pelt afterwards.