Advice to a friend

[z7]

i know it has been covered before, but each case is semi-unique.

I have a good friend at work, he wants to pick up a rifle to start hunting deer with and maybe elk. he is looking at a 308 or 30-06. he is sort of set on a "starter rifle" and is looking at the savage axis or the ruger america series, he plans on putting a cheaper vortex 3-9 on top.

i am trying to convince him to buy once cry once, but he wants to be able to hunt for $600.

his current plan is to start cheap with a starter rifle in one caliber. enjoy it, and when he ends up moving out west for work then pick up another rifle in a larger/longer range caliber in a upgraded rifle.

do i have any ammo to convince the man to spend more now? i would rather him spend $1000 and get a slightly nicer rifle and a $400 scope that will last a lifetime.

how are the ruger/savage "entry" rifles?

 

[Ks5shooter]

T/C Venture 1"MOA out of box guarantee. $75 rebate going on now. Gunbroker user sportsmanssupply has a bunch in 30-06 selling around $325 or so before rebate. I have bought 4 Ventures(25-06,7mm-08,.223 and 30-06) from him and all are tackdrivers.Add a Leupold vx2 3-9 40mm $269 free shipping at Opticsplanet and your set.

 

[R H Clark]

I would recommend the Redfield Revolution as the cheapest scope I would mount.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

If I wanted to hunt deer and elk and had a firm $600 budget for rifle and optics, I would buy a used rifle.

You can find quality bolt actions here like Winchester 70s, Remington 700s and Ruger M77s for $400 and under. I know this because my wife's Ruger M77 was less than $350 and is an excellent rifle. That would leave $200 for optics, which he could easily do. Nikon, Leupold and Redfield all offer quality scopes in their entry level lines in the $200 range.

I wouldn't even think of buying a new Ruger American or Savage Axis when I can buy a used Winchester M70 for the same or less money. No way.

 

[spazzymcgee]

I'm with Arkansas Paul. A used 700, Ruger 77, or Winchester 70. Or maybe even a butchered and bubba'd Mosin.

 

[Cee Zee]

Me too on buying used. Lots of people with lots of money spend their money on a deer rifle then figure out they don't want to hunt. They shoot their rifle maybe 10 times and decide it kicks too much. Or they find they just don't have time to hunt or shoot. So they sell a practically new rifle for a big discount. And $600 is a decent budget for an entry level hunter. Maybe he won't like it once he gets into it. I'd start with a Savage 110 or a Stevens 200 with a Nikon scope. I'd go for a 30.06 or a .308. Actually I did go for a 30.06 Savage 110. It cost me $225 and it came with a scope (wasn't worth a darn but it had a scope). It shoots plenty straight enough to kill a deer and there's always the Savage upgrade path. But with $600 I could find lots and lots of very nice rifles. Sure I'd rather have a $1000 rifle but it isn't necessary. Maybe he won't need a lifetime rifle. He may be one of those that get interested then lose interest. That's the main reason for entry level rifles. Heck you can get a brand new Tikka T3 Lite .308 for $530. For $700 I can buy that rifle and put a Nikon ProStaff scope (gathers light great, holds zero, plenty clear enough for deer hunting) on it and that's a very decent setup that should last a lifetime. If you can't kill a deer with that setup it isn't the equipment's fault. And the T/C already mentioned is another great choice.

 

[Haxby]

Bud's has a Ruger with a Redfield, a Savage with a Nikon, or a Howa with a Nikko-Sterling, for around $500.
There are plenty of new rifles in the $500-$800 range.
There are plenty of good scopes, Vortex, Nikon, Bushnell, Burris, Leupold, in the $150-$300 range.
A quick scan of the local classifieds found several used scoped rifles in the $300-$600 range.
He doesn't need to spend $1400.

 

[Fredericianer]

Me too on buying used. Lots of people with lots of money spend their money on a deer rifle then figure out they don't want to hunt. They shoot their rifle maybe 10 times and decide it kicks too much. Or they find they just don't have time to hunt or shoot. So they sell a practically new rifle for a big discount. And $600 is a decent budget for an entry level hunter. Maybe he won't like it once he gets into it. I'd start with a Savage 110 or a Stevens 200 with a Nikon scope. I'd go for a 30.06 or a .308. Actually I did go for a 30.06 Savage 110. It cost me $225 and it came with a scope (wasn't worth a darn but it had a scope). It shoots plenty straight enough to kill a deer and there's always the Savage upgrade path. But with $600 I could find lots and lots of very nice rifles. Sure I'd rather have a $1000 rifle but it isn't necessary. Maybe he won't need a lifetime rifle. He may be one of those that get interested then lose interest. That's the main reason for entry level rifles. Heck you can get a brand new Tikka T3 Lite .308 for $530. For $700 I can buy that rifle and put a Nikon ProStaff scope (gathers light great, holds zero, plenty clear enough for deer hunting) on it and that's a very decent setup that should last a lifetime. If you can't kill a deer with that setup it isn't the equipment's fault. And the T/C already mentioned is another great choice.

I'm always shocked by how cheap firearms are in the US. A Tikka T3 Lite costs the equivalent of $1450 on special offer here in Denmark.

Don't believe me, look here: http://webshop.huntinglife.net/search.aspx?searchstring=tikka t3 lite

Back to the topic in hand, one of my buddies has just started hunting last year. He bought a Savage Axis in .308 and put a used Meopta scope on it. It's actually a much better rifle than I'd expected. The only thing that lets it down is the stock. Still a great first rifle in my opinion though.

 

[illinoisburt]

Or option #4: Borrow a rifle for the season to see if he actually likes hunting. If it works out then spend some time with friends at ranges next year trying different rifles to what fits and feels comfortable to him.

We all have favorites, but that doesn't make it the right choice for someone else.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

There are plenty of new rifles in the $500-$800 range.

No doubt, there are.
There are plenty of $500-$800 rifles in the $500-$800 range.

But there are $800-$1000 rifles in the $500-$800 range if you buy used.

But I understand that some folks would rather buy new so they know 100% what they're getting. Also, if someone is inexperienced they may not know what to look for to make sure they're getting a good used rifle.
No right or wrong. Either way, buying a gun is exciting.

 

[Haxby]

there are $800-$1000 rifles in the $500-$800 range if you buy used

Sure. I have no problem with used.
I just checked prices at Bud's, and it looked like a lot of Remingtons, Vanguards, Savages, and Winchesters are in the 5-8 range.
One of the used guns I saw local was a stainless Ruger 77 with a Burris scope for $600.
Lots of reasonable options.

 

[Carolina Kalash]

cheaper Remington 700 ADLs are around $500 new, and even the nicer ADLs are only $600-$700 w/ wood and blued metal. The only thing that bother's me about the ADL is the blind magazine, to some folks that isn't a big deal though.

 

[sappyg]

how are the ruger/savage "entry" rifles?

Not bad really. If you consider these, or most any rifle, as a tool ment to be accurate, light, and powerfull enough for their purpose they do very well. I've shot deer with more expensive rifles but the deer didn't seem to notice whether they were shot with a $500 or $1000 gun.

I don't think your friend would go wrong with his choice either way. If he wants to hunt right now get a ready to go package deal and carry on. If the goal is to be ready for next season then you might shop around more. I found a nice ADL last year in excellent condition for $325. I forget what I paid for the Leupold VX1 but the whole package with rings was right at or just under 6 bills.

 

[Doc7]

If he really is set on a budget and really wants a brand new rifle I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Ruger American. Tom Gresham speaks very highly of them and recommends them the time. I want a Browning because it appeals to me and i am a snob, but if synthetic appealed to me and I could buy a 300 dollar rifle I would not hesitate to buy the RA.

It's not gonna be his last if he gets it and loves shooting. Get him in a gun now and watch his collection grow...

 

[Doc7]

Also I am afraid you may discourage him if you try to convince a guy who says he has a 600 dollar budget to spend 1000 on a rifle and 400 on a scope. He may decide hunting is too expensive after all and give up the idea "until next season" and then it never happens.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Im partial to all Mauser derived actions. Ruger, Win 70 Classic, Springfield, etc.

 

[WestKentucky]

Too many choices to cut it down to a single clear winner. Of the whole bunch I would say TC Contender carbine and then swap barrels around to make it more fun.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Also I am afraid you may discourage him if you try to convince a guy who says he has a 600 dollar budget to spend 1000 on a rifle and 400 on a scope. He may decide hunting is too expensive after all and give up the idea "until next season" and then it never happens.

Agreed 100%.
There are plenty of good options in his price range, whether you go new or used. If you boil it down to the brass tacks, you can be in the woods hunting, and killing deer with a $150 pawn shop pump 12 gauge. It doesn't take a grand to get you a good hunting firearm.

The key is to get something that will get the job done and then go have fun

 

[Legionnaire]

Put me in the "used" camp: Remington 700, Winchester 70, Ruger 77 ...

 

[trigger45]

I got this for $300 in .30-06 weaver k4. Works fine.

 

[Inebriated]

If your friend has $600 to spend, I would really recommend he get a Savage Trophy Hunter. Right now, they have a $75 rebate on them.

The 116 would be stainless, and have a ProStaff for $612. Knock $75 off, and it's $552. That is a heck of a deal, and the ProStaff will last him long enough to save up for a better scope. He could save some more though, and get a 111 for $486... again, knock $75 off, and that brings him to $411. Same gun, just not stainless. It's a matte blue.

The 1X/11X (16/116 and 11/111 Trophy Hunter models being the ones with current rebate) models have been around for a long time, and I wouldn't worry about them lasting a lifetime. I know more guys than I can count that have been hunting hard with theirs for decades.

That said, the Axis I and II also has a $50 rebate. He could get into an Axis I with the same scope for $280 post-rebate, or an Axis II with the same scope and the AccuTrigger for $350. The difference is that the 1X/11X series is a "standard" series, and is just more refined. The bolt knob is checkered, the bolt body is jeweled, the stock has better palm swells and checkering, the bolt is easier and smoother to unlock, and it has a 3-position safety. They have the aftermarket and the resale, the Axis's have the value. I don't know how long the Axis will last, but I have two that haven't failed me and get used about as much as my standard Savages. Hard to go wrong with either, though the 16/116 is my preference.

 

[ngnrd]

The capability of the shooter is much more important than the cost of the equipment. My advice? Buy the cheaper rifle (a used rifle is a good option) and spend the savings on ammo and range time. You can always replace a cheap rifle. You can't replace skill.

 

[longknife12]

Under these conditions, I'd go used ...older Savage or a 700 Rem. Hey, he could probably find a nice sporter Mauser or Springfield for that price including a decent scope.....then, get proficient with it...wait a couple of months and price will be down a little.JMO
Dan

 

[tomrkba]

Savage. My 10FP was 3/4" MOA at 100 yards out of the box. The gun cost the same as a Glock--around $500 with tax.

Problem: How will he aim the gun without sights or an optic?

 

[1948CJ2A]

Weatherby Vanguard, Remington 700, Winchester 70, Browning A-bolt, etc.

Spend more and get a wood stock.