ORIGINAL: 06dodge
i am getting into deer hunting and hunting in generalthis year. i have been reading up on differnt guns and what people use. i would like to keep the gun under or around +/-700$ sense it will be my first gun. looking for something that will be accurateand durable and reliable right out of the box.i noticed alot of talk about the remington 700 series and how its a great gun and accurate but i have also read alot of problems with it. I have seen alot about the savage guns and really havent heard about any mechanical problems with it just that the bolt is a little rough andit isnt the prettiest gun out there wich doesnt really bother me. any help with recomendations on what would be good would be great?
Most people will probably knock me for suggesting this one, but if you are gonna put a $700 price cap (that will buy a great gun), I would recommend that you buy the TC Encore with the muzzleloader barrel as your initial gun (you have to decide on whether you want to upgrade to the ProHunter, I would not thought). That firearm is everything you require, accurate, reliable and built buy a sound reputable company. The 209X50 will allow you to start hunting your firearm season and will allow you to hunt the special muzzleloader seasons (1 gun = 2 seasons) right away. Buying anyother firearm, be it a rifle or shotgun, will only allow you to hunt one season. The TC Encore will cost about $550 to $600. You will also need some muzzleloading accessories (and I recomend a scope) that you can get for another $150-$200 if you frugal on scope choice (I recommend spending at least $100 or more on a quality scope).
Now comes the nice part about the Encore. YOu can buy a wide range of additional barrels for the frame. The barrels cost about $300 and are as accurate as anything else you can buy. I am not sure of all the calibers, but I know you can get the 7mag, 12ga, 12 turkey, .243 win, 30.06, .308 and alot more check out TC website. Buying any one of those barrels in a seperate rifle will cost at least another $500 as opposed to the $300 it will cost to expand your Encore.
One caveat, the TC Encore is a single shot rifle. But I take pride in 1 shot, 1 kill. The Encore should be the envy of all hunters in my opinion.