RE: back-up rifle
 

well out of the choices you mentioned above , i' de go for either a .308 or a .30-30

in a .308 i' de look at a savage model 11 , they are made in a synthetic stocked version and can take a beating and are also highly accurate.

in a .30-30 , i' de go for a winchester mainly because they offer a model 94 in that caliber in the ranger version , it' s got a hardwood stock ,
marlin also makes rifles that are weather resistant , like the 336ss , it' s a stainless steel rifle or the model 336cc , it' s got a hardwood stock , and the whole rifle is done in mossy oak camo.

those would all be good choices especially on a tight budget :D:D

RE: back-up rifle
 

Thanks guys I always get great advice on here, and I try to do the same, especially in fishing which I have a lot more experience in. Nomercy you had some interesting choices, and some of them I am not familiar with. I am definitely open to lever action and single shot rifles. My question is what price range are we talking about, and do any of ya' ll know where I could find any of these. Also is ammo available. Thanks.

RE: back-up rifle
 

I' ve not looked at the H&R prices on their single shot rifles in a long time, but they are quite cheap, I bought my W&R, which is now H&R 1871 for $200, I think new they are around $300, but I' m not certain, wally world had them last I looked, although I don' t condone buying guns from them. Used single shots, in either NEF or H&R (now the same company) are all over if you look, and many can be bought for $150.

I too am very concerned about ammo availability when I buy guns, I reload, but when a guy has to pay a dollar per empty brass, that' s still expensive. Every round I listed is fairly common, with probably at least two loads of each to be found at every store I go to, usually much more than two even. (.44mag, .444, .450, .45-70, .30-30)

The leverguns are a bit more expensive than the single shots for sure, however, at the right shop they aren' t bad, I bought a Marlin 1984 a while back for $425 in .44mag, and a marlin 1895GS in .45-70 for the same. The .444' s and .450' s are the same. The thing about the .44mag and the .45-70' s is that they are fairly common to find used at pawn shops, maybe not as much so as .30-30' s, but when you do they are similarly priced, $200 is a decent price on a good conditioned one.

Around here, at any decent gun shop at least two of those guns I mentioned were present, and I found all of them at one shop or another (I drove around to make sure for you!!) I usually order them in if they aren' t there and they can get them, if they try to charge you extra, just tell them the next time they order in a " shipment" to put one of what you want on the list, and you' ll buy it from them when they have it " in stock" then walk towards the door, they' ll knock off the order fee in a big hurry when you do that.

RE: back-up rifle
 

I really appreciate your help. I am very limited on my knowledge of hunting rifles, something that I hope to change, so your help is very much welcomed. I think I am going to try a single shot, since I' m a broke college student. I found some H&R' s online, but it says I have to have a signed current FFL. I have no idea where I can get one or even if I can. Seems like I have heard that you can have someone with a FFL order it for you, and pay them a fee, but I might be mistaken. If anyone knows how I can go about it let me know please. I found it at http://www.guwholesale.com/Rifles/Neweng.htm they have some for $169. Again thanks for the help

RE: back-up rifle
 

How about a ruger 77/44 . This is a 44 magnum bolt action with a 4 round clip in a synthetic stock and 18 1/2 inch barrel.

RE: back-up rifle
 

Ideally your backup rifle would be of the same action and handle similar to your main rifle. If you are looking for a 300 yard deer rifle with less recoil than the 7mm Rem Mag then look into a Savage 7mm-08 Rem. If you are really looking for a value in guns and don' t mind a different action type then H&R/NEF is now chambering the HandiRifle in 7mm-08 and it should be available this summer. I think they sell for around $275-300, maybe less depending on your area. As far as a 30-30 goes, you couldn' t give me one. I know I will catch heat but I feel that is a cartridge that should have been retired years ago. It is one dimensional and not even great at that.

RE: back-up rifle
 

I guess back-up rifle is probably not the best term. I want a secondary rifle. I like my 7mm mag, and it is perfect for the open fields that I hunt primarily, but there are a couple of places that I hunt that a 7mm mag is a little overkill. Plus, I just want another toy that has a different feel. My problem is that I don' t have much extra cash. If I was smart I would not even be talking about getting another gun, but I never said I was smart.

RE: back-up rifle
 

The NEF single shots sell at Walmart for about 200.00 bucks new. I have several. I am starting to lean toward the low pressure calibers in these guns. They are 22 hornet,223Rem 357 mag 44 mag 3030 and 45-70. They seem to shoot a little better than the others. Going a little higher and my choice with what you alredy have would be a 22-250 Synthetic 700 Rem. About 379.00 where I live.

RE: back-up rifle
 

Look at it this way, the 7mm you have will take anything on the NA continent. Do you anticipate varmint hunting or thick brush, your from GA, so I would imagine you hunt the swamps some. I would go with a lever action in 45-70 or 35 Remington for the thick brush, for the varmint and up I would look at a 243 or 25-06 giving the advantage to the 25-06. If you really want to be different then a 257 roberts is in order. Another consideration is a Remington 7600 pump action, though I haven' t shot one yet, I' ve heard good and bad about it. Being on the budget check out the pawn shops and buy used.

RE: back-up rifle
 

I am thinking about a H&R singleshot 44 mag. I think that it would be a fun gun to have, and shoot. A buddy of mine has a 25-06, and I really liked it when I shot it, but I think the 44 mag would be fun, and none of my buddies have one. Thanks guys. Probably going to be a while before I get it now though. My dad' s furniture store was flooded, so I don' t have a place to work this summer. Oh well I' ll get one before the season.