New to this
09-17-2013, 06:49 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
New to this
I'm new to deer hunting. This will be my first year. I am an adult so I will be able to shoot anything. My question- I'm in the market for a rifle and not sure what to purchase. I know that different people like different things but I need a good all around rifle. I have a few places to go that includes hills, valleys,fields and large pastures. I'm a city boy so I need help.
09-18-2013, 04:56 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 1,035
$600 including optics or rifle alone?
If you went with something that has iron sights, you wouldn't have to spend any money on a scope, but then your shots are limited more by your ability and your effective range will be significantly less than if you had a scope, assuming you're not an experienced marksman.
If you went with something that has iron sights, you wouldn't have to spend any money on a scope, but then your shots are limited more by your ability and your effective range will be significantly less than if you had a scope, assuming you're not an experienced marksman.
09-18-2013, 05:13 AM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: IN.
Posts: 530
If you have the option go to a couple differant gun shops and tell them what your looking for and you price range. You should be able to stay well within your range even with a decent scope. Smaller shops should have your best information as opposed to larger chain stores that happen to sell guns (For the most part)
09-18-2013, 09:34 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186
Ditto 30.06 Spr. Very good all around 30 cal. cartridge for hunting. Every maker of center fire hunting ammo that I know of offers several options for the 30.06 Spr.
Take a look at the Ruger American rifle. I have seen these selling in the $300 range. But do not leave out the "good" used rifle option. You can often find a good buy on used gear. If you are new to buying center fire rifles, take a friend that has experience ... especially if buying used.
If you need (or just want) a scope, with a $600 or so budget, you will not have much left for glass after buying the rifle .... but in the $250-$300 range you can definitley find a decent scope. Look at Vortex, Leupold and Bushnell scopes in this price range. Some will disagree with me on this ... but stay away from Simmons, Tasco, and BSA. I and several of my buds have had poor experiences with scopes carrying these brand names. If you can swing it, the Ziees Conquest is a very good value, but it is going to push $450-$500. A 3-9x40mm should suffice.
Once you get the rifle-scope combo, you'll need to head to a range with a few different factory loads and determine which groups the best. LOts ofinfo on the web of how to sight in a rifle. I suggest trying out ammo with a bullet weight of from 150 gr. to 180 gr.
Good luck and welcome to the madness that is deer hunting !
Take a look at the Ruger American rifle. I have seen these selling in the $300 range. But do not leave out the "good" used rifle option. You can often find a good buy on used gear. If you are new to buying center fire rifles, take a friend that has experience ... especially if buying used.
If you need (or just want) a scope, with a $600 or so budget, you will not have much left for glass after buying the rifle .... but in the $250-$300 range you can definitley find a decent scope. Look at Vortex, Leupold and Bushnell scopes in this price range. Some will disagree with me on this ... but stay away from Simmons, Tasco, and BSA. I and several of my buds have had poor experiences with scopes carrying these brand names. If you can swing it, the Ziees Conquest is a very good value, but it is going to push $450-$500. A 3-9x40mm should suffice.
Once you get the rifle-scope combo, you'll need to head to a range with a few different factory loads and determine which groups the best. LOts ofinfo on the web of how to sight in a rifle. I suggest trying out ammo with a bullet weight of from 150 gr. to 180 gr.
Good luck and welcome to the madness that is deer hunting !
09-18-2013, 10:25 AM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 848
30-06 and .308 are both good, versatile, widely available, time tested rounds -- do some reading on both and decide what you like better. Ruger American is definitely one to consider. You also might want to look at the Savage 11/111 line, the Weatherby Vanguard, and others (I narrowed down to those 3 last summer and ended up with a Savage, which I'd recommend). Marlin also makes a reasonable series of rifles. Read up on them, then go to a gun store and see how they feel in your hands. Any of these will leave you around $200 for a scope. Stick to a basic scope, no frills or bells and whistles like illumination of a/o. The Vortex Diamondback line runs under $200, as does the Nikon Prostaff. Leupold recently bought Redfield, and they make a few scopes in that range as well. I pretty much agree with Mojo's list of scopes to stay away from, though I'd add low-end Bushnell to it.
