My best friend asked me what gun he should buy,what caliber,etc. so i figured i would post it on this website.....his price range is about 1,500
he wants it for deer, so i suggested him a 30-06, what are your opinions??

Depends on what else he wants to do with it and where he wants to hunt. .308, 30-06 and the .270 are fairly versatile and common.

As far as make or model for that price he can pick about anything that strikes his fancy. He could spend much less and get a really good rifle in my opinion.

Paul

he wants to hunt only whitetail deer, with shots about 100 because of wooded area, and i recommend him a remington model 70030-06 caliber, so he is taking it into consideration and it not too pricey either, he was begging me to post it up on this site so he can get more opinions and different looks on what he can buy

30-06. Will be all the gun he needs. Get a Remington of Browning.

His budget of $1500 is more than enough to get a very nice rifle and have plenty to put good glass on it as well.

All of the major rifle makers make good rifles in his price range. What you didn't say was if he'd prefer a particular action.

I'd say I'd recommend the following:

Bolt-action:

Look at the Browning A-Bolts...a bit more spendy than others, but very nice. The Remingtons M700's are very good rifles too. Since he's got a fairly high budget, he might also look at the Sako's. Now that the Model 85 is out, he might find a brand new Sako 75 for under $1000, which is a real bargain. Also, don't discount the Savages. Not as nice as the Brownings or Sakos, but the Accu-Trigger is excellent and they are amazingly accurate out of the box. As for cartridge I'd suggest 7mm-08, .270 Win, or .280 Rem (if he can find one). .30-06 is also a great choice, as is the .25-06.

Lever action:

Marlin 336 in .30-30. Might be just about perfect for his application. Compact and fast handling, with more than enough power for 100 yard shots in the woods. The Hornady Leverevolution ammo takes the 30-30 to a new level.

Semi-auto:

Browning BAR Safari (or, if he likes Euro-Trash "styling"[:@], the BAR Long- or Short-Trac). Great rifle. A bit on the heavy side, but very fast handling with the ability to deliver a near instant follow up shot. Also, don't discount the Remington 7400/750. Lighter than the Browning and very functional.

As for the scope, I'd strongly suggest the Nikon Monarch line. Excellent glass for a good price. Might also look at the middle-high end Leupolds (VX-II) or the Zeiss Conquest line. I'd put a 3-9x40 or so on a bolt or semi-auto, and maybe a 1.5-4x32 on a levergun.

I'd strongly suggest that he go to a gun store with a good selection and handle as many rifles as he can. One might just jump out at him. The above suggestions are just a good starting point, as there are MANY good rifles that will suit his needs within his budget.

Mike

For what you just described a lever action 30-30 would be perfect.

Paul

For heavy timber it is hard to beat a good lever action rifle.

Tell him to go to the store and pick whatever he likes.

With a $1500 budget, I would look for a Sauer 200 in 270, 308, or 30-06 and top it with a Zeiss Conquest 3-9. There are a few Sauer 200's on Gunbroker now that can be had for around $1000.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=84424437
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=84425895

i would say your suggestion would be perfect