First Deer Hunting Rifle
 

Hey everyone,

I'm a newbie looking for some help here. I am really looking forward to purchasing my first rifle, primarily for deer hunting here in PA, but am quite lost on what I should buy. I've done a lot of Google searching and have come across suggestions for a Marlin X7, Stevens 200, Savage Arms 111, Savage Axis, Remington 770 (which I read is poop), Remington 700...etc etc.

I don't know where to start. I am also wondering if a 270 Win would be better than a .30-06 (ammo availability, type of hunting, etc).

So, excuse my newbieness, but can I get some help here? Ultimately, I want to buy a rifle that will last and that I can even pass down to my little son some day. I don't want a budget rifle for the sake of having a rifle, but if there are ones out there for less than $500 that would be worth it, I'm all ears!

If there are other things you guys would need to know in order to better direct me, I would really appreciate it. I'm a novice with terms, as well, so if you use a bunch of acronyms, you'll confuse me more.

Cheers!

for a new hunter would be hard to beat a 7mm/08, will kill any deer or bear or elk that ever walked, gentle recoil, ammo is readily available. I have one, along with the 270's, 6mm's, 25's, you will not go wrong with the lil 7
RR

Save most of your budget for good optics, rings, bases, ammo and targets !

I like a .243 for a first deer (predator) rifle, but the .270 is my choice for hunting deer; north, south, east or west.

You are going to get many opinions as to which brand and caliber (Ford vs. Chevy, etc.) with this question, so take the responses with a grain of salt.

For around $500 (maybe less) you can often find a new Remington 700 ADL or a Remington 700 SPS. If you want a good quality rifle that is about the best you can buy for that budget. There are a lot of other less expensive choices but in the long run you will be happier buying quality. The ADL and SPS models are the same as any other 700 except for a cheaper stock. With a Model 700 you can upgrade it later (stock etc.) if you wish.

There is a large market in very good used rifles. You can get a lot more bang for your buck by buying quality used rifles (but not used scopes). For less than $500 you can find a Remington 700, Ruger 77, etc.

Buy the rifle and scope separately if you can. Package deals sometimes do not work out in the long run. A good scope with rings and bases will cost you a bit, but that is another issue.

For me it would be a .30-06 as a first choice and a .270 as the second choice. You can find ammo easily for these two cartridges and they are flexible enough to allow you to hunt larger game than whitetail deer if you ever decide to do so.

I would start with a 243, 7mm-08 or maybe the 308 if you plan to stick with hunting and ever need the rifle to do more for you. But a 243 is fine for deer. No issues with it at all. A 7mm-08 or 308 will have more recoil however and for a first rig it can be a little unpleasant.

Now personally i have 308 that is far less recoil than my 7mm-08 so keep in mind the rifle design and weight matters. I also have a few 30.06 rifles but since i hunt mostly deer its really not needed and to have more recoil and blast its just not worth it to me.

Burris Fulfield II scope and you are good to go. I would look at Marlin or savage rifles. Both are good for the price. Also the Ruger American. These are budget rifles that do well and will last a long long time.

You'll hear different advice from different people. I would advise buying a rifle chambered in .30-06. This cartridge is suitable for all big game in the lower 48 states. You can find it chambered in almost every rifle you would want to buy. You can buy ammunition for it anywhere. I have hunted elk 5 times in SW Colorado and taken 3 elk with my .30-06. I see the .30-06 used a lot in the elk hunting mountains.

I would suggest you buy as cheap a rifle as you can find. You can consider buying used -- either from a private owner or from a pawn shop (be advised, however, that pawn shops sometimes put an excessively high price on used guns). As an example, about 10 years ago I bought a Remington model 300 ADL in synthetic stock for $280 at a grand opening of a Bass Pro Shop. While that rifle is not pretty, it shoots very accurately.

If you have money to put a good scope on it right away do that. But if you can only afford a cheap scope now . . . save your money, accumulate cash until you can afford a truly good scope. Your rifle may have open sights to begin with. People have killed a lot of game over the years with open sights. You can too. You can decide what constitutes a "truly good scope." I put a $500 Leupold VX-III 3.5-10x 40 mm objective duplex reticle scope on my $280 ADL.

Over time you may buy other rifles, nicer, more expensive, more beautiful walnut stocked rifles. This initial cheap rifle can serve as a back-up. That's why I got my ADL, as a backup that I wouldn't feel uneasy about taking out in foul weather or to fill the place of my go-to rifle if I drop it out of the truck on the concrete at the hotel at an out-of-state hunt. Note that though the back-up rifle can be cheap and homely in appearance (which do not generally reduce the accuracy of a rifle), if you are going to hunt with it -- possibly during an expensive out-of-state hunt -- you will want to be able to depend on the sighting system. You don't want a cheap rifle scope fogging up on you and causing you to not get a shot at the only bull elk you see on your expensive out-of-state hunt.

If you pick a common cartridge and have difficulty with recoil, both Hornady and Remington offer reduced power loads. Even the reduced power loads would be enough for whitetail deer in a .30-06 or .270.

I believe that there are more different ammo options offered for a .30-06 than any other cartridge.

I would check out all of the dealers in my area and find a used Ruger model 77 in either 30 06 or 270 Winchester. Either will do all that you ask.

X2!
I like yours and RR's comments! A .243 on up, equals great deer medicine! With today's gun quality, good glass should be the ultimate focus over gun brand & caliber!

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Mancan, how many different threads do you have to stick your advertisment before it is enough?

I have a bunch of rifle and if I had to recommend one it be a Remington 700 chambered in 7mm-08

I actually started out very Young shooting a 30-06 & a .308,as I got older and wanted something with less recoil I bought a Browning A-bolt Hunter in a .243 and later a Savage model 11/111 wood stock 7mm-08 Bolt-action both have light recoil and great accuracy.

I would like to get a 30-30 Lever Action Rifle in Winchester next to add to my Collection.I think a 30-06 or .308 would work fine using some Remington Managed Recoil shells in my opinion!

Price wise.....shop around and look at several makes and models of Rifles.The Savage Axis II is affordable and has the Accu-Trigger and scope package,the plain Black synthetic Stock Rifle is the cheapest and getting Camo and/or scope will add more to the price but still very affordable for someone just starting out!The Ruger American is another good choice with an adjustable trigger and Weaver scope mount on it already and the Brownings are really nice but more expensive plus adding the price of rings and a scope and sling will add up in cost but will last a Hunter a life time if they take good care of it!

RR told me once that if you put the bullet where it is suppose to be, the deer won't know the difference between a .243 or a .30-06 (given the proper bullet construction).

...............and I believe he is right !!!

As a new shooter it helps to shoot a lot (they call it practice); start with a gun that you can/will shoot a lot.

Winchester model 70, Winchester 94, Ruger model 77, Marlin 336, Browning BAR, Remington 740, Remington 700, Springfield M1903, Savage 110, Savage model 99.

Those are some of the best deer rifles ever made. I didn't post them in any specific order so this didn't turn into an argument. Keep these in mind and shop around until you find one that's been well cared for.

I would say that, by far, the most important factor in your choice should be whichever one feels best to you. Buy the one that you'll shoot often. The more you shoot it, the better you are with it. The better you are with it, the more you'll love it. The more you love it, the more you'll shoot it. The more you shoot it, the better you are with it. The better you are with it, the more you'll love it. The more you love it....

I have a Savage Axis chambered in 30.06 that I really enjoy. I've used it to take elk and I shot my black bear with it this year. I'll keep that rifle forever and pass it down to my girls once they start hunting. I took my first big game animal with it. I also love my Tikka T3 Lite chambered in .270 win. I shot my bull elk this year with the .270 and dropped in at 75 yards. Both the Savage and Tikka are tack drivers. Both guns are super light weight and have very smooth actions. I never really have problems finding ammo for either one. Good luck with your up coming purchase!

Hi.
You cant visit to website below my signature choose the best air rifle for hunting

Jonathan,

I don't know if a air rifle is going to work for what the OP had in mind ??

Why post that here..............................you're developing a reputation ?!?!

Dollar for dollar, Savage makes the most accurate out of the box rifles out there. I would strongly consider them alond with the tried and true Remington 700 line and Brownings, depending on your budget. Personally, I'm looking at the new Thompson Center Bolt action Rifles. The company has a strong reputation for quality and they look to be a solid rifle..

For optics, go with the best thing you can afford, then get the next model up. Don't cheap out. Bushnell Elite, Burris, Leuopold (even though I've been hearing Leuopold isn't what it used to be) are some good budget optics.

Caliber debate will never be settled. many are out there that will do the job. I'm a .308 fan. It'll kill anything in North America and there's plenty of ammo availability in the stores, and if you step up to reloading, there's probably more info on loading the .308 than anything. Otherwise, 30-06, .300 Win Mag, 7MM, 6.5 Creedmore, .270, and a dozen others will fit the bill.

Ruger American or Remington 700 sps or adl and savage 110/111 are great options. 06 vs 270 I'll be different and say 270 cuz it's a flatter shooting bullet

Spend around 300 dollars on a scope too. Vortex Diamondback
Nikon pro staff
Leupold Bari x 2