New Shooter - First Rifle

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by CM29

Any thoughts on these rifles? All are walnut stocks as I am not interested in a synthetic stock. They are all comfortable (with the Winchester and Weatherby having a slight edge over the Tikka in this department). I'm not a fan of the two-piece bolt or the drop box magazine on the Tikka, but everyone seems to be raving about their accuracy and the smoothness of the action. Please remember that it is a new Model 70, which is much truer to the pre '64 in terms of some features. Also, what about safety in the event of a misfire or ruptured primer? I know that the Weatherby has the three gas ports that vent out the side. I would really appreciate any information or experience you might be able to give. Thanks!

Now you're getting way too worried. All three rifles are safe, have no known safety flaws. They all have legions of devoted users. I wouldn't let gas ports sway your decision. You said the Tikka wasn't quite as comfortable (for you), so ditch that rifle. They are all good so there is no reason to select the less comfortable one.

Personally I'd pick the Winchester. I like the 3 position safety and the controlled feed. But that doesn't really make it the better hunting machine. Pick the one that feels best and that you like to look at. .270 vs. 30-06? Too close to call in the real world. IF you like gun A over gun B and all they have in gun A is 30-06, take it. Same if all they have is .270. If they have both, close your eyes and eenie-meenie.

[Silas]

cm29 welcome to the shooting world

Listen to rottie and the like, this is the best advice you will get. Grab the gun/s "you" like become comfortable with it get your scope mounted well and get the calibre that works well for you. At the end of the day you say you want to log lots of time shooting, all the cal's you mentioned are just fine and shouldnt hurt if you practice well and maybe invest in a good recoil pad (the remy comes with a good pad). It's a matter of taste I don't own any of your cal's my self but would not be presumptuous enough to say they are not all good choices. If any of the guns out there were really that different they would not be compared to each other. I also think the best "opinion" you can get is your own so get out there break in your first barrel and have some fun!

Then after many boxes of ammo a few sunburns at the range and a couple of freezer full’s of your own harvests people will ask you what you think.

Again welcome and enjoy.

[6.5 shooter]

AHHHHHHHHHHHH another hunter with good taste who likes wood ...welcome to the forum, and the world of geeeeee , what should I buy now.
You sound like you have done some research and have come to a wise choice in the end. Unfortunately I did not read your post soon enough to lead you to the world of the 6.5 bullet and the wonders of the .260 but that too, will come in time..

Like all the others have said before, choose the rifle/caliber you feel the most comfortable with and says "take me home".

6.5
Shooter

[BallCoeff.435]

You're 30-ish? That means you're probably not a lightweight junior-high school kid 110 lbs soaking wet. Don't get hung up on the recoil thing. Don't get a .243 or 6mm if you're going to start hunting - you don't need the extra lightness unless you have physical problems. Some people even enjoy the feel of 20 rounds of stiff recoil.

You need something with *relatively* little recoil granted, but that's also accurate, has enough punch for most game at 100 yards, and ammo that's cheap and nearly everywhere.

You really want a .308, in a rifle that's accurate enough to keep yourself interested. It's more than light enough on recoil, and quite hunt-able. At the same time, you should get a target 10/22 just to pop off rounds all day long and get used to proper form and discipline. And to shoot rabbits on winter weekends to start you off hunting.

http://www.ruger.com/products/1022Target/models.html

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12FVSS or:
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/12VLP%20DBM

[CM29]

Well...I bought my new rifle today. I ended up getting a Weatherby Vanguard Synthetic with a blued action and barrel in .270 Winchester. There were things I liked about the Winchester Model 70, and I was wanting a wood stock, but for the price I paid ($499 at Bass Pro Shop in Calgary while I was coming home from Canmore) I'll live with the synthetic, plus I will not have to worry about dings and scratches in the bush, etc. I have read that the injection moulded Weatherby Vanguard stock is the best of the cheap synthetic stocks, anyway, so I am sure the quality will be just fine. Additionally, I bought a Leupold Rifleman QDManager 3-9X40 scope for a great price ($239...about $60 cheaper than I've seen it at other stores).

I know that when elk and moose are part of the equation I will probably buy a nicer wood-stocked rifle in a heavier calibre, but I am certainly going to enjoy shooting my Weatherby for now. Got some Hornady Superformance SST 130 grain rounds on sale, too. Should be fun. Once I get the scope mounted and get things sighted in, I'll let you know how it shoots. The bolt is smooth and the trigger feels nice when dry-fired, so I am optimistic. Thanks again for all of your advice, everyone!

[leo]

Congratulations ..

[Elkaholic6]

Originally Posted by CM29

Well...I bought my new rifle today. I ended up getting a Weatherby Vanguard Synthetic with a blued action and barrel in .270 Winchester. There were things I liked about the Winchester Model 70, and I was wanting a wood stock, but for the price I paid ($499 at Bass Pro Shop in Calgary while I was coming home from Canmore) I'll live with the synthetic, plus I will not have to worry about dings and scratches in the bush, etc. I have read that the injection moulded Weatherby Vanguard stock is the best of the cheap synthetic stocks, anyway, so I am sure the quality will be just fine. Additionally, I bought a Leupold Rifleman QDManager 3-9X40 scope for a great price ($239...about $60 cheaper than I've seen it at other stores).

I know that when elk and moose are part of the equation I will probably buy a nicer wood-stocked rifle in a heavier calibre, but I am certainly going to enjoy shooting my Weatherby for now. Got some Hornady Superformance SST 130 grain rounds on sale, too. Should be fun. Once I get the scope mounted and get things sighted in, I'll let you know how it shoots. The bolt is smooth and the trigger feels nice when dry-fired, so I am optimistic. Thanks again for all of your advice, everyone!

First gun I used for hunting was a .243, for mainly moose and elk. It would get the job done. All about shot placement. Then I moved to a 30-06 for a bigger boom haha.

Great choice. Ordered a 25-06 in a Weatherby Vanguard Sporter, can't wait for it to come in. You're gonna love that rifle and caliber. All my family likes to buy is Weatherbys lol.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by CM29

Well...I bought my new rifle today. I ended up getting a Weatherby Vanguard Synthetic with a blued action and barrel in .270 Winchester. There were things I liked about the Winchester Model 70, and I was wanting a wood stock, but for the price I paid ($499 at Bass Pro Shop in Calgary while I was coming home from Canmore) I'll live with the synthetic, plus I will not have to worry about dings and scratches in the bush, etc. I have read that the injection moulded Weatherby Vanguard stock is the best of the cheap synthetic stocks, anyway, so I am sure the quality will be just fine. Additionally, I bought a Leupold Rifleman QDManager 3-9X40 scope for a great price ($239...about $60 cheaper than I've seen it at other stores).

I know that when elk and moose are part of the equation I will probably buy a nicer wood-stocked rifle in a heavier calibre, but I am certainly going to enjoy shooting my Weatherby for now. Got some Hornady Superformance SST 130 grain rounds on sale, too. Should be fun. Once I get the scope mounted and get things sighted in, I'll let you know how it shoots. The bolt is smooth and the trigger feels nice when dry-fired, so I am optimistic. Thanks again for all of your advice, everyone!

First of all congratulations! Second of all your .270 is plenty of gun for moose. I've taken 3 moose in the last three years with mine, 2 died on the spot and one made it 20 yards, the one that ran was a one shot kill. I just used cheap 150 and 130 grain Remington Coreloct amo and it worked fine. To get a noticible gain in performance you'd have to go at least to a .300 mag or larger.

Now my advice to you is to get a .22, the amount you save on amo while practicing will cover the cost of the gun anyways. I use my .22 to practice out to 100 yards, usualy I shoot 3 shot groups from the .270 at 200 yards or more and then shoot 10 shots through the .22 while it cools down.

[CanuckWR]

I am pretty much in the same boat as you, decided on a .308 Rem 700 SPS Varmint myself (26 inch heavy barrel and price was my factor). Scope selection is underway as the mailman brings my new toy closer!!!

I Highly suggest the semi .22, I went with the Rem 597 VTR and its a hoot! Girlfriend loves it too so I get to shoot more.

I will let you know my view on the .308 as I am pretty damn excited to put some lead through it.

[bigoldan43]

Originally Posted by CanuckWR

I am pretty much in the same boat as you, decided on a .308 Rem 700 SPS Varmint myself (26 inch heavy barrel and price was my factor). Scope selection is underway as the mailman brings my new toy closer!!!

I Highly suggest the semi .22, I went with the Rem 597 VTR and its a hoot! Girlfriend loves it too so I get to shoot more.

I will let you know my view on the .308 as I am pretty damn excited to put some lead through it.

Congrats on joining our sport.
You've got a very good rifle.
If I can make a suggestion on your scope? Depending on your budget, get as good as you can afford. If you're on a tighter budget, sacrifice bells and whistles like bullet drop compensation and illumination in favor of quality optics. In a lot of ways you do get what you pay for.
And don't settle when you mount it.
I've seen more, and had more shots screw up because of optics and how they are mounted than by poor bullet or caliber choice.
When you go to your local sports store and they tell you they'll mount it for free, and it'll take just a few minutes think of this. What do you do for a living? If you are a craftsman of one kind of or another, think of how you do things. Now consider what the job would be like if you did it for free, in a few minutes.

[CanuckWR]

I was planning on spending a fair chunk on my scope. VX-3 or 6500 elite in something around 4-12 50mm. I am completely sure this combo will be far better than my skill level for some time. lol

I planned on mounting myself (I am kinda handy), seems like a straight forward task to me. And I planned on running several boxes of different brands and weights of shells through her to make sure it was right.

I am by no means new to shooting, this is just my first big boy rifle. lol (The ol`Cooey .22 bolt has seen literally thousands of rounds)

Reloading is the next challenge, but thats a different thread altogether....

[Twisted Canuck]

Hey CanuckWR, are you shooting target, hunting game, varmints...? I ask because your scope choice would be great for target or varmint, but for hunting game, I would suggest something in the 3-9 x 40 range. Just my .02, but lugging that bigger scope around can take a toll on a person, and you don't need it for bigger game.

[CanuckWR]

You pretty much got me pegged. I am more leaning toward varmint/target shooting but still plan on killin a bambi or two. Its just a great reason to get a more practical big game rifle.

Lol. Practical.... Ya right...

[CanuckWR]

She isnt a bad rifle, the sps varmint, put 3 into about 1 1/8" at 100yrds. 165gr hornaday customs and a warmish barrel. shots 41-43 to be exact. Pretty good for a rookie I would say. I tried to break it in properly, best I knew how anyway. Pretty darn satisfied with my results.

[helluvahunter]

Hi and welcome: In the start of your thread you said you wanted something that is light recoil for you and your wife to shoot. Now look where you are at 7mm-08, 270, 30-06.
243 is a great starter rifle for you and your wife. My wife shoots a Winchester m70 featherweight in 243 and she loves it, I get the impression that you forgot about your wife maybe shooting this rifle as well, did she go with you on your gun finding adventure and check out what gun fits her as too. A lot of people overlook the capabilities of the 243 and the bullets there are today.
Well placed shots do KILL, but don't base your calibre on hitting a deer at 200 yards. Sometimes bigger calibres make bigger holes and put game down faster but if you are using a 30-06 or 270 and shoot a deer in the ***** you waste a bunch of meat and have to go and find a wounded deer, not to mention if your wife is with you that might turn her off of hunting. I'm just saying a bigger gun is not going to kill more deer. And did you not say that later on you would like to expand your gun collection. Our 243 will be passed on to our son and daughter until they get there own rifles. Not saying nothing bad about the 7mm-08 or the 30-06 or the 270. But I thought that this is going to be your first rifle for you and maybe your wife and maybe you could pass it on down to your son or daughter.


I screwed up when I bought my 22-250 because know I want a 17 fireball and a 204 Ruger. The wife says to me why do you need those when you have a 22-250 already. I said because honey the more guns I have the happier I am. There's nothing wrong with having 30, 50, 70 guns

PS. TIKKA is awsome gun with 25-06 calibre in my opinion, we already have a 243.

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by helluvahunter

Hi and welcome: In the start of your thread you said you wanted something that is light recoil for you and your wife to shoot. Now look where you are at 7mm-08, 270, 30-06.
243 is a great starter rifle for you and your wife.

Our 243 will be passed on to our son and daughter until they get there own rifles. Not saying nothing bad about the 7mm-08 or the 30-06 or the 270. But I thought that this is going to be your first rifle for you and maybe your wife and maybe you could pass it on down to your son or daughter.

A 7mm-08 is the same cartridge as the .243. Just a better bullet IMO. Same low powder weight and recoil.

My Dad's .243 and the recoil from my 7mm-08 are almost identical. I can't hardly tell them apart. The real difference is that I can shoot 120 or 140 grain bullets.

Now the .270 and the 30/06 (which are also the same cartridge by the way) I agree with you. There is a noticeable jump in recoil from the .243. Still not crazy but definitely a jump up in felt recoil.

[arcturas]

Hi
Some thought on this.

I bought my first last year after not hunting for a couple decades. I did the same as you and endud up buying a tikka t3 30-06.
When I'm at the range, i am far more aware of recoil, than when I am looking at a moose through my nikon scope. (what i'm saying is chances are when you see that buck..you'll be more concerned about hitting it than the guns slight flinch...at least thats the way it is for me).

look at all the threads, what do they have in common? ...everyone has more than one rifle! If you have your wife involved in this, i'm willing to bet you both end up buying more than one gun and you will step up in caliber, so start small. have fun. go through lots of ammo. enjoy early and it will get more enjoyable. (my wife fought me on getting a gun, now she just looks at me and gives me one of those [moron] looks im used to getting when i want a new toy...so alls well )

But everything aside...go for the fun factor. if ya get a deer all the better, if not theres always coyote season, then bear, then deer again, then moose, ad infinitum....