best gun for the money: should be some fun to keep us going untill our seasons start

[killer243]

hey i just got done reading the 710 thread and got thinking to myself "what really is the best gun for the money?" now i would want to know what you would pick for the 1.) "the average hunter" and 2.) what you would pick for the extreme huntering conditions

1.) well i thought long and hard and i think that you will be hard pressed to beat a savage. now i am not saying this is the gun that i would want to go hunt grizzles on the coast or sheep in the mountains with. but for normal hunting conditions i think the savage can't be beat in the price/payout department. it has a great trigger and shoots some impressive groups out of the box. as for caliber i have to go with an old buddy the 270 wincheter. because with today's ammo this gun can handle almost anything in the U.S.

2.) now i am going to go big in caliber because i don't want to come up sort after all that work i did to get to where i am. so i need a solid gun that will hold up under lots of punishment. i also am going to need a caliber that will let me "reach out and touch them" because the difference between a 300 and 400 yard shot is a long way in elk country. the gun should have a synthetic stock so it dosen't warp like wood. last i want a gun that is on the light side, every once counts when you can barrely breath. for this gun i choose the ruger M77 Mark II All-Weather in 300 Rem SA Ultra Mag or a remington model 7 SS in 300 Rem SA Ultra Mag. i think either would be a good choice.

what dose everyone else out there think? what would your two guns of choice be for the money and what caliber would you get it in?

thanks!

[stubblejumper]

My vote is for the howa 1500.Good quality and fit for a reasonable price.

[TerryM]

I would buy a Tikka T3 in stainless/synthetic. If I could only have 1 rifle it would be a 30-06. Don't own an 06 right now but if choosing 1 only that would be it. Would likely top it off with a VXII 2x7.

[frizzellr]

Howa 1500 is real hard to beat for the money, so is Savage. For a little more money Ruger is a tough, well shooting rifle.

[WeatherWarrior]

Without a doubt a Savage Weather Warrior stainless with the synthetic stock and the new accutrigger. Hard to beat for the price. That's why I bought one.

[Moose_Maximus]

I think Savage is to be commended for their support of us left-handed shooters. Accurate, reliable rifles at a very reasonable price.

The Remington 700 BDL LH is a beautiful rifle--sleek, elegant, and deadly, I like to say, but they're not cheap and not easy to find.

[Superpig]

I would choose a Savage Weather Warrior chambered for the 300 WSM. For both of your scenarios. The 300 WSM can be used with 150 gr. ammo for the average hunter. For elk or other game larger than deer you can step up to one of the 180 gr. loadings. I have recently fired this cartridge quite a bit for a friend. The 150's don't recoil much more than my 280 firing 140 grainers. I don't think the 180's are much worse than a 30-06 with 180's. The Savage with the accu-trigger is just all that much better.

My second choice would be the Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard. These rifles are one in the same. I would choose the Weatherby because you get the 3 shot group guarantee. Also, the Weatherby can be had in 300 WSM or 300 Weatherby Magnum.

[Virginia7]

ORIGINAL: killer243
hey i just got done reading the 710 thread and got thinking to myself "what really is the best gun for the money?" now i would want to know what you would pick for the 1.) "the average hunter" and 2.) what you would pick for the extreme huntering conditions
......what would your two guns of choice be for the money and what caliber would you get it in? thanks!

Well, first, I think one of the best rifles for the money available today would be the
Remington 700ADL Synthetic. It's available in 270Win., 30-06, 308Win., etal.
No doubt, Savage is good, but I just like the Remington better.

As for cartridges, if I could take any two I guess I'd go with a 270Win., and either a
35Whelen or 375H&H. I'd pick the H&H if I anticipated doing much in Alaska (bears).

[Cordite]

Go down to your local Weatherby dealer and buy a Weatherby Vanguard. Their prices will surprise you. Ours has the Synthetic for $399 and the beautiful Sporter for $499. Weatherby now makes special scope mounts for the Vanguard. The dealer is a better choice than Wally World because he will have a better choice of chamberings. Prices will usually be about the same. There are some significant differences between the Howa [which I own] and the Vanguard. Put a Bushnell Legend scope on your Vanguard and smile all the way to the hunting fields . . . without a hole in your pocketbook . . .

Forgot to mention . . . the Vanguard is now available in .270 WSM and .300 WSM . . . . I still would pick the .338 for an all-around rifle in this area. Pick the right bullets and you can hunt anything . . . well . . . maybe not rabbits . . .

[Moose_Maximus]

Here's another thought:

A Marlin lever-action in 30-30.

They're very inexpensive, especially used rifles. Also reliable, historical, and they look great.

Lots of people have killed a lot of deer with them over the years...