thndrchiken

I would also suggest checking the pawn shops, there are some really good deals to be had. Just be patient and don't rush into anything. Does your dad hunt alone or does he have some buddies that may be able to help. The guys that have hunted the area for years would have a much better idea of what type of gun/cartridge choice would work best. Just remember when it comes to guns and optics you get what you pay for.

CrowMagnumMan

Get him a Savage. I'd go with the 7mm-08. Get him a Savage Model 11FNS.

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/savage/savage11FNS.asp

You can get it here for $384...

http://www.ozarkguns.com/rifles/sav/savage_11f.htm

Get him a Sightron SII 3X9X42. Do NOT skimp on good glass. The Sightron is a very good scope for a very good price.

You can get it here for $198...

http://www.discoveryoptics.com/st200037.html

Buy him a box of 140grain PSP (Pointed Soft Point) Remington CoreLokts.

You can get it here for $23...

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=462106&t=11082005

Although you can get the ammo about 8 dollars cheaper from a local place that sells ammunition.

You don't even have to leave your house. You can order him a great setup from home for $605 plus S&H for the gun and ammo. The scope ships free.

Let him get the cleaning materials, sling, and scope mounts that he likes. It'll be another $75. He can spring for that! LOL!

You can also get a cheaper scope, but again, I wouldn't skimp on a scope. If you don't want the Sightron, look at the Nikon ProStaff. Whatever scope you get, get a 2X7 or a 3X9.

You can get the Nikon ProStaff 3X9X40 here for $150...

http://www.discoveryoptics.com/nik6310.html

He'll be one happy camper.

Happy shopping.

arcticap

You sound like a reasonable wife looking for a bargain. Check out this auction for the budget Remington Model 710 rifle. It's under $400 with a scope included in .270 Winchester.
You can go to any local dealer and you should be able to get one for about $400 with scope.
Stay within your budget, and if your husband doesn't like it when he goes to pick it up, then let him pick out something else and pay the difference.

Here's the auction (and there are many more like it):

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=81851148

Here's the gun on the Remington website. Like a car, the MSRP price is always about 15% higher than the actualretail price (This one's camo):

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/special_runs/past_special_runs/model_710_camo.asp

P.S. There is currentlyalso a $30 rebate on this model until 12/30/07. So save the receipt. I have the info. sheetthat I picked up atD1ck's Sporting Goodsjust today!

Typethe name belowin your address barto see if there'sa storelocated near you. (The **** lettersare D-I-C-K)

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/corp/index.jsp?page=storeLocator

Good luck!

TUK101

Either the Mossberg or Savage bolt action rifles in the $300 - $400 range would be just fine for your husband. If he is sticking primarily to deer then a tried and true .243 or .270 would work well for him. The .270 would also give him a bit more oomph for a bit larger game as well. The .243 has noticeably less recoil though. Ammo is pretty cheap for either caliber and can be found pretty much anywhere it is sold. The rifles in that price range are usually already equipped with an entry level scope and rings and then all you would need is a sling, ammo and a cleaning kit. Maybe even a gun case, soft or hard too. Stay away from the Remington 710 rifles though, they have proven to be not such a good value for reliability reasons.

arcticap

I justread some mixed reviews about the Remington 710. Theycan shoot verygood groups at long range,but some of their bolts can be sticky until they smooth outfrom use, andtheycan be found in pawn shops for $200.
Maybe a Mossberg 100ATRwould be better.

deepdiver

Here's my $.02.

Don't skimp now. Go with something moderately priced like a Remington 700. If it is his thing, then he will be able to use it for many seasons to come. If not, then the resale on the gun won't be horrible, and you won't be out a bunch of money for a rifle that will just sit in the closet, or that you loose a bunch of cash on.

driftrider

Forget the Remington 710. It's the disposable razor of rifles. Sure it'll do the job, but you get what you pay for and it's a disposable gun. If you want to get him a gun that he'll use for a lifetime and pass down to one of your kids someday, stay away from the 710.

That being said, I do appreciate that you're probably on a budget (I'm a member of that club myself) and need to get good value for your money without overspending.

With that in mind I'd suggest, as others have, looking at the Savage bolt-action rifles. The Model 11 or 111 (the rifle is the same except for being a short or long action, respectively, depending on the cartridge the rifle is chambered for) is a great choice. I prefer a rifle with a walnut stock instead of the synthetic composite (read plastic). I recently bought my Savage 111 in .30-06, with a small handling blemish on the stock, for $450 from Gander Mountain. It's a good gun that shoots well that I'm proud to own.

One thing to consider strongly is the scope you put on it. The best rifle in the world is only as good as the glass you put on top of it. That being said, you should strongly consider budgeting a minimum of $250 for the scope. A 3-9x variable power scope is probably the best choice for an all-around hunting scope. There are a lot of good quality scopes in the $250-350 range in 3-9x power.

Another consideration is what cartridge. If he's fairly new at shooting high-powered centerfire rifles, get him something (or strongly urge him to get) a rifle in a cartridge that doesn't have "Magnum" in the name. For whitetails (and black bears) in the woods I'd suggest .243 Winchester, .25-06 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington, .308 Winchester or at most the .30-06 Springfield. I'd err toward the .25-06 Rem or the 7mm-08 Rem. These are more than enough for deer and anything else one might find roaming around in the Wisconsin woods, the ammo is readily available and not terribly expensive, and most importantly they don't kick that hard. The latter will make the rifle MUCH more comfortable to shoot, which will lead to your husband shooting more and becoming a better shot which is, by far, the most important aspect of riflery and hunting.

You, too, might also enjoy shooting either of these cartridges if you should be so inclined. I introduced my (reluctant, at the time) wife to shooting shortly after we were married, and now she loves going to the range and shooting. She hasn't started hunting yet, but she has expressed an interest. She just never seems to be able to find the time to take the hunter safety course so she can get a license.

BTW, I glad to see that you are supportive of him and his hunting. There are many wives, unfortunately, who are not. I am truly blessed to have a wife that, like you, supports my hunting and shooting hobbies, and better yet participates with me. I'd also ask you to encourage your kids to participate when they are old enough. A kid who learns to safely handle and respect a gun and hunting the woods is not the kid that will take a gun and go hunting at school.

Good luck and please feel free to ask as many questions as you like. Most of us here are glad to help.

Mike

bkalbach

remington 710 in 30-06

scope and bore sighted outta the box. they were like $420 last i heard?

8mm/06

Troll the gun shops and pawn shops and look for a bare bones Savage 110 in 308, 30-06, or 270 With a scope already mounted. It might be a decent scope or a lower end model, but either way it'll probably serve him fine unless he really beats it up. You can always get some advice about the scope from other friends, but even if it's a cheap model scope it'll probably serve him this year. If you act soon the gun shops or pawn shops may be able to assist with a scope upgrade right there.

Buy 1 box of Remington Core-Locks and one box of Winchester or Federal in the caliber of your obtained cartridge and have him sight in 1" high at 100 yards and he'll be good to go. A total of 2 boxes for starting is fine right now, and I suspect one of those factory loads will allow him an honest 2" group at 100 yards ... good enough for hunting this year.
I'd shop right away for a chance to find something decent before the season rush hits the shops. You might find an apparent deal that ends up being a excellent deer package.
Good luck, he's a lucky man to have his wife helping out in finding a hunting rig!

Wilds

My wife knows better than to buy me a savage.......

If the hubby's been once and wants to go again then a Rifle investment will likely make it stick.

Rem 700 in7-08, 25-06, .270 or such, all good.

I dig the CDL line....

Slam a LeupoldVX 1 or a VX 2 3X9 on it in dual dovetail mounts or a set of Talley LW'sand let him rule the world.

Buy the ammo that thegunshop finds hard to keep in stock....means it's popular.