Rifle Purchase

[Cap't Ernie]

I'm looking at buying a rifle (ok, more or less still in the dreaming stages).

I'd really like a nice, multipurpose rifle. Something I could deer hunt with (in other states) but still use for coyotes and such in Ohio. And its got to be fun to shoot!

I'm a Remington fan, but not opposed to other guns...I'd like to stay in the $350-500 range.

What's a good caliber/make/model to go for?

Captain Ernie

[deerhunt45]

From your question, my quick off the top of my head response would be .243 cal. enough for whitetail, not a lot of recoil and flat shooting. you could also consider a 25-06. as far as make/model, i am a fan of Ruger but as long as the rifle shoots well and is accurate is most important as well as finding one in that price range your looking at.

[Caribou Dreamer2]

Alot depends on if you plan on reloading yourself,If so i would go with the 30/06 there is a wide range of bullets and reload data for that caliber.I reload my 30/06 from 110 grain vmax (coyote)to 180 grain vmax.(Deer)If your not planing on reloading and just want to by factory loads i would look at the .243
Brand of rifle,Well i think alot of this is just in the eye of the beholder.Go with what brand you trust and like.I like the savage arms rifle but someone else might like something different.

Good luck and have fun.

[CritterGitter]

I keep saying that one of these days I am going to buy a rifle. I don't know if it will happen in 2006 as I got a LOT of irons in the fire right now. I do still plan on doing a little trappin first part of the season this coming fall, but I don't know if I'll have the funds and/or the time for buying a rifle and huntin the yotes. If and when I do get one it would probably be a savage in something that I would not reload(not my thing). I am guessing either a .243 or maybe a 22-250.

Kyle

[CatDaddy]

Id be kind of opposed to using a 22-250 for deer. It just doesnt have the size for deer and any little stick will throw off the bullet, which means theyre not too good for shooting in the woods or brush, for coyote it would be fine. I guess what you would have to ask your self is do you want to mount any of the yotes or just shoot em. If your not worried about the pelt I would recomend a .30cal rifle (.308, .30-06). If you do want the pelt I wouldnt go any smaller than a .270 for both. You can get some lighter bullets for yotes and heavier ones for deer.

[Bowhunter57]

I'm a Remington fan, but not opposed to other guns...I'd like to stay in the $350-500 range.
What's a good caliber/make/model to go for?
Captain Ernie
Captain Ernie,
Savage is hard to beat with their reputation of out-of-the-box accuracy, affordability and reliability. :cool:

Using a .25-06 will do everything that you need for varmints out to 800 yards and will drop a pronghorn in its' tracks at 600 yards. It will also handle black bear, whitetail deer and mule deer with no problem. :)

A .25-06 has the same ballistics of a .22-250, but it can utilize twice as much bullet weight. Simularly, a 300 Weatherby has the same ballistics as both the .22-250 and .25-06, but utilizes twice as much bullet weight as the .25-06. However, a 300 Weatherby would be devistating on varmints to the point that there wouldn't be anything left to a pelt of a coyote or fox. :yikes:

Good luck with your choices!
Good hunting, Bowhunter57

[all4abuck]

I really like the Sig's SHR970s accuracy and ability to switch barrels and calibers. I have one in 300 winmag and a 0.243 barrel/standard bolt.

They are hard to find these days, but I saw one at a dealer in Medina gun show for $400+ last month. It was a 0.270 I believe.

[OHBOW76]

Asking a gun to handle deer and varmints is one thing, but if you are going to include b;ack bear in there it makes it a little harder. If you want to include everything in North America and Alska it gets even Harder.

Personally I would go with a synthetic stocked Savage or Browning A-bolt, both very accurate guns.

Deer and varmint .243, 25-06, .308, 7mm-08

Deer, varmints, black bear 7mm-08, .308, .270, 30-06

Anyhting and everything .300 Win Mag

Liek with anyhting you may be undegunned or overgunned but all the calibers will perform, again a 30-06 or .270 wouldnt be my first choice for varmints, wont be much left. If I could only have one gun to do it all I would go with a
.300 Win Mag, if my upper limit was black bear than an 06, or .308. The 7mm-08 is a very nice shooting rifle, accurate and packs a punch but with minimal recoil. I personally wouldnt use a 25-06 for black bear. The lowly .308 is an overlooked accurate caliber with a wide range of bullets.

[MrFurious]

I'll second the Savage (actually a Stevens 200) in .25-06 Rem.

The .25cal is probably one of the most versatile out there, and deadly accurate as well. If you get into loading your own ammo, you can easily set it up to do pretty much anything within reason. While it wouldn't be my first choice for black bear, it's more than capable with the right bullet and a well placed shot. Heck, how many black bears have fallen to the underpowered .30-30 with soft bullets?

The benefit of the Stevens is that it's essentially a Savage 110 for $150 less, and you can order an A&B replacement barrel (for a Savage) in .270 Win or .30-06 Spfld for under $150 and have the best of both worlds.

The reason I recommend these two cartridges for the extra barrel is twofold:
1) All are based off the '06 case and use the same headspace gauge, and
2) no need to change out the magazine box or bolt head.

Stevens 200 in .25-06 = $250-275 on average
A&B .30-06 Barrel = $130 give or take (from Midway USA)
Barrel Nut Wrench = $39 (from Sharp Shooter Supply)
headspace Go-Gauge = $30 or so (from Midway USA or Brownells)
Total = $474.00 +/-

So for the price you'd pay for a Remington or Browning, you can essentially have two guns by getting a Stevens. Oh yeah, you'll also have the benefit of having the most well know gunsmith specializing in Savage's at your disposal right here in Ohio. www.sharpshootersupply.com

[Cap't Ernie]

Thanks for the imput Mr. Furious.

I'm still looking (taking my time!).......

I don't plan on getting into reloading though, that's just something I can't see myself doing.

Captain Ernie

[10Gauge]

Ernie,

I'd look for a slightly used Remington 700 in .308 if your looking to hunt deer an yotes. The .308 ammo is cheap and available "everywhere" and has less recoil compared to the 30-06. The .308 is fun to shoot, over and over and over again without beating your shoulder or wallet! I saw a Remington 700 SP (with scope) in 308 at a gun show last month for $550 and the gun looked like new (had original box, too).

The other calibers mentioned here all have merit too, the 30-06 for example is the most versatile calibers on the market with many different loads available for a variety of North American game. Some people find the 30-06 a bit too heavy in the recoil department for a "daily" shooter. The .243 is another good caliber for deer & yotes but may be too "small" for larger game. .243's are fun to shoot and ammo availability is pretty good. The 25-06 may be limited on larger game as well and when I owned a 25-06 ammo availability was poor and expensive (I'm sure it has gotten better).