Recomendations for a good hunting rifle

[ponycarman]

Hey everyone. Im still pretty new to the forum and Im loving it so far. Im also still kinda new to firearms. I bought my first last march I think. Well rescently I have been thinking hard into taking up hunting. I have some friends that hunt alot and I thought it would be a fun undertaking. I already have two mosin 91/30's that I thought about using to hunt with. And while I know they will work just fine for it, Im not so sure about using such an old rifle to start learning to hunt on. I dont know it my thoughts on that are right or not haha. Im going to be selling off one of the pistols soon and was thinking about using the money from the sale to invest into a more dedicated hunting rifle. I live in sc so I think the main animal that would be hunted with it is deer. But I guess the more versitile the caliber the better. I also dont expect any shots to be taken over 200 yards. Most likely far less than that range. Ive been researching and thinking on this for a few days now haha. I cant descide which rifle and caliber would be good. Also I dont want to spend too much on it. I can swing $400-450 but I would prefer it to be more in the $300 range. I cant fit a $500+ rifle into my budget right now as much as I would like too. Ive researched lever and bolt actions. Ive also researched many of the different calibers and I cant descide which would better serve as an all around hunting rifle. I think I may have narrowed it down to a 30-30 lever action, or 30-06 or 308 bolt action but Im not really sure. I would like ammo to be plentifull and easy to find. Any suggestions and advice would be great. Thanks a bunch!

[desdem12]

Savage makes a rifle scope combo for around $300-$400 and they come with an adjustable trigger. I was at the store the other day playin with the trigger display there and i would have to say i liked it. If you want a scoped rifle i am not sure i would go with the 30-30 though it is a good caliber. The 308 and the 30-06 ammo is cheaper here than the 30 30 also I think. I used a 30-06 for years with great success but have since changed to black powder for many many reasons. Good luck and i think you will enjoy hunting alot, I know i do.

[Junk Yard Dog]

A deer at under 200 yards? Winchester 1894, or Marlin 336 in .30-30, or 35 Remington, served me well when I was still hunting. Savage 110 if you want a bolt rifle, affordable, dependable.

[pacanis]

Are you opposed to a used hunting rifle? There are lots of good deals to be had on a used rifle already scoped and slinged. You could get into a higher grade rifle for the same money that way. I've got a 30-06, but .270 is pretty popular here, too.

[MN Fan]

When I lived in Iowa, you couldn't use a rifle to hunt deer. All mine were taken with either 12 ga. slug or bow. There was a black powder season too, but I never signed up for it. All my slug shots were within probably 200 feet and my bow shot was maybe 50 feet. All of 'em were big boys too Those Iowa corn fed deer were always good hunting!

For a hunting rifle, you may want to check out used guns too. I know our local Cabela's has several used rifles on the rack that would do you a fine job. Several even had scopes and slings. I simply browsed center-fire hunting rifles and don't remember pricing, makes, models...but I remember being surprised that there were several in the $200 to $300 range.

[MN Fan]

Are you opposed to a used hunting rifle? There are lots of good deals to be had on a used rifle already scoped and slinged. You could get into a higher grade rifle for the same money that way. I've got a 30-06, but .270 is pretty popular here, too.

(we think alike )

[pacanis]

I see that

[ponycarman]

Awesome thanks guys! There is a big gun show this weekend so I'm going to be doing alot of looking. I'm not apposed to a used rifle. If I can find a good one at a good price. Alot of times around here people tend to want a fortune for even their used guns haha. Just have to do alot of searching I guess. I don't have a cabela's here and the closest bass pro shop is 4-5 hours away. We have academy, dicks sporting goods, a good bit of pawn shops, and local gun shops. The gun show this weekend should be good to search at though because they all come together under one roof

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[Junk Yard Dog]

Hunting rifles, and I am not talking about Bubbas milsurp creations, are among the best used deals going. Your average hunter only uses the rifle during hunting season, fires maybe half a box of shells in it a year, or only uses it once and stashes it in the closet for 30 years. I am forever picking up used shotguns around here that might have been fired once or twice then never again, 40 year old guns that look like new and at a fraction of what a new gun of comparable quality would go for . Gunshops always have used hunting rifles, they are a shops bread and butter.

[pacanis]

Exactly. Only used by grandma to go target shooting with on Sunday

[ponycarman]

Haha I believe it. Kinda like people trading in their cars each year for a new one. I'm going to do some good searching tomorrow. As long as I don't get tempted to get another mosin lulz. What better way to celebrate my first year wedding anniversary than to go to a gun show haha

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[bunkysdad]

Yeah the used ones are actually much more profitable than the new guns that have such a small profit margin. I think of 30-30 as a great gun for brush hunting because of the heavy bullet. 30-06 & .308 great because of the long range capability and flat trajectory. All of these rounds are available everywhere including every small town Walmart. Someone mentioned.270 & I like them too. Great cartridge just like a 25-06 is a great cartridge. The options and opinions are neverending. Anything around 30 caliber is going to be good for deer. I actually use a Remington 700 in .243.

[ponycarman]

I guess it will depend on which I find I'm my budget. I think I'm leaning more toward the marlin 336 lever rifle. I like the design and how handy the size is for hunting back in the woods. I also like the 30-30. I think both of my grandfathers hunted with an old lever action haha. What do yall think about the 35 remington round vs the 30-30? I think im leaning more toward the 30-30 for a flatter trajectory and the ammo is available everywhere

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[millman]

Like you say, 30-30 is widely available. I think I would go that route.

[ponycarman]

Yeah thats what I'm thinking too. I going to keep my eyes open tommorrow for a good deal on a 30-30 lever action. Most likely the marlin 336.

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[knssrtrd]

Love the 30 30 Carbines they fit in vechicles, easier to get up into a stand with, and less trouble carryin in the woods. The new rounds make them real 175 yard guns. The 06 and 270 are good too esp. if you plan to go for bigger game or need to make longer shots.

[bunkysdad]

Marlin 336 oh how I miss you. You were my first rifle. Thanks mom and dad for the incredible Christmas gift. I was only fourteen but you trusted me that much. As a teen I hung you on the walnut 2 gun rack that I made in woodshop just for you. Everyone else in the class made checker boards but my teacher gave me permission to make you a special rack. After I got married I took you with me and placed you and a few other friends in a nice glass display cabinet. I never killed a deer with you but we sure tried. I know it embarassed you when I split that squirrel with your deadly round, but we hadn't seen a single deer for three days in that cold rainy blind in East Texas and the squirrel was laughing. We got the last laugh that day. I've never been the same since some low life castration deserving thug kicked in my door and the glass cabinet and took you away from me. Don't take it personally that I have often hoped that your muzzle was packed with mud when the thieving low life pulled your trigger.
Your friend, Russell

[MN Fan]

Don't take it personally that I have often hoped that your muzzle was packed with mud when the thieving low life pulled your trigger

[desdem12]

35 rem is neither cheap or widely available here anyway. I have taken Elk with a .270 Ruger. Loved that gun too. Srry for your loss there BD.

[ponycarman]

For right now the largest animal I plan to hunt so the 30-30 should be fine. If I get the urge to hunt something bigger then I will get a larger caliber rifle. We don't have anything much bigger than deer down here except for black bear. I don't ever plan to go hunt them haha. I don't know what we have here that is bigger than deer haha. That's the most common here anyways.

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