tealboy

All 3 choices are at gander mountain and come in 243 which is what i want for my 14 yo daughter who is 5"6" and 120 lbs. she has totally outgrown the rem 770 youth. Would prefer to surprise her but that may not be a good idea in terms of proper fit?? Not really looking for votes on the caliber but would love feedback on these 3 guns. I can afford any of the 3 and have a spare $350 scope that i can use to compliment the gun. The only thing i didn't like about my rem 770 is the finish is textured and seems prone to rusting easily, not sure if these are the same, which could be a price point characteristic. All for florida and texas deer hunting


Remington Model 783 Centerfire Rifle, $269 net of 40$ rebate and on sale, reportedly reg price is $399
Key Features
Adjustable CrossFire Trigger System
Dual Pillar-Bedding Platform
Precision Button-Rifled Barrel
Detachable Steel Magazine


Ruger American Rifle , $349 on sale
Key Features
Integral Bedding Block System
Ruger Marksman Adjustable Trigger
Hammer-Forged Barrel
Three-Lug 70-Degree Bolt w/ Dual Cocking Cams
Lightweight, Ergonomic Stock

Remington Model 700 ADL Centerfire Rifle Package, $440 after $35 rebate
Synthetic, comes with a 3x9 scope, 24 inch blued barrel which seems long to me

Bbj270

I have the ruger American and the Remington 700 adl. Like both have a set of adls. For my newphew to grow into they are the older ones with the wood stocks. Have looked at the rem 783 and just plain don't like the feel and looks of it. My tiger will shot lights out. If their is a walmart close to you that sales guns you can get that same rem 700 for much less. The scope on them I think are junk but the guns are great.

Oldtimr

I would go for the Ruger American. Ruger builds their firearms to last.

stalkingbear

Get the Ruger American and put a decent scope on it. Spend what you have left on a spare mag and loading components (or ammo if you don't reload). Several different brands/types/bullet weights to see which the rifle prefers. The cheapest I've personally seen decent scopes start out around 150$ which includes Nikon Prostaff, Bushnell Elite 3200, Weaver Classic, or the like. Have you thought about the 7mm08? It don't produce much more recoil than the .243 but performs all out of proportion to it's modest size & paper ballistics. It would also permit her to humanely harvest a elk with the right bullet/load, while the .243 is a bit small for good use on elk.

Addition-you can also purchase a shorter stock for the American and have both shorter and full length of pull for when she's grown. I started my daughter out with a 7mm08 when she was 12 and her very 1st year she harvested 2 whitetails, both clean 1 shot kills.

jrbsr

Why not this,
Savage Axis Whitetail Pro Bolt-Action Rifle with Scope

http://www.basspro.com/Savage-Axis-W...1502260841505/

CalHunter

I know you want to surprise her but have you considered (slyly of course) inviting her on a trip to your local gun store for YOU to maybe buy another rifle? You could get her "input" and ask what feels best to her in case she wants to "borrow" it. You would get her favorite choice and it would be a fun surprise.

Of course this ploy only achieves maximum surprise the first time but it's fun to see the surprise and the "now I know why you asked for my input look" on their face. This way, you get another trip to the gun store, another fond memory with your daughter and she will NEVER want to get rid of the rifle you bought her because of the memory of you buying it for her and because she got to pick it out as well.

nchawkeye

I want someone to explain to me how a 7mm-08, pushing a 140gr bullet kicks the same as a .243 pushing a 100gr bullet???

btw...A 7mm-08 does not kill deer any quicker than a .243...My brother has owned one since the early '80s and I have owned my .243 since 1980 and killed at least 300 deer with it...We see no difference in how far lung shot deer run and high shoulder shots drop on the spot with either...

alleyyooper

I fully agree with cal hunter on the surprise being at GANDER MOUNTIAN. I don't think the surprise would be any better at home and she got to pick what she liked to boot.

As you can see already people are very happy to spend your money on what THEY LIKE.

The Ruger American is a nice rifle for the price point.

Al

stalkingbear

Nchawkeye, you're trying to twist my post around. I never said the same recoil, I said not much more recoil. Also we'll have to agree to disagree about the 2 casrtridges killing speed as it's difficult to compare all the different shots & circumstances but yes in my experience spanning 45 years and deer guiding less years on average a deer usually drops with higher percentage of in their tracks with the 7mm08 than they do with the .243. Again, that's MY personal experiences, yours are different.

bronko22000

I've own both the .243 and the 7-08 and while I've killed a lot of deer with the .243 and all but one was DRT. I've only killed a few with the 7-08 but had the same results.So I would say you're correct. But the 7-08 have a more KE. And comparing sectional density and ballistic coefficient of, lets say, a Nosler Ballistic Tip the 90 gr 6mm has a SD and BC of .218 and .365 while the 140 gr 7mm is .248 & .485 making the 7mm a much better bullet for longer ranges. It's hard to say that recoil is the same because they are two different manufacturers. But even then, recoil, even of the same model varies from rifle to rifle. I've witnessed this first hand. Any variation in butt angle can alter the felt recoil. But with the same case the bigger bore IMO negates the heavier bullet making recoil feel pretty much the same.
As for you shooting at least 300 deer! Wow that's almost 9 deer a year. You've either got a very large season limit where you live or you're shooting them for someone else. But IMO that's more deer than anyone should shoot and utilize. I understand that you like almost all of us love hunting. But there is I fine line between sport hunting and greed just to satisfy an ego. I personally shoot no more than 2 deer a year. And even at that and eating it in some form or another at least once a week, its more than enough for my family.