First hunting rifle for young buck

[Rustle in the bushes]

I tend to get 1 nice thing rather than 2 crappy ones so Im looking at nice stuff that I can shoot at the range(mostly) and in the field eventually. Not premium stuff, im a normal person, but decent. Not really into plastic though I might regret it, my other rifles are milsurps and Id rather see banged up wood than like new plastic.

not looking at ultralight rifles because it is a hunter and will be walked with but I am shooting 30-06 mostly at a range with it so it should be fun to shoot, or atleast not too painful. Im prolly gonna go for deer but I have aspirations to hit bigger stuff one day. Also- I know accuracy is not a big factor when hunting but im using this gun to develop shooting skill


Tikka t3- benelli nova/glock-like rifle IMO. great trigger, light, smooth action, rave reviews on accuracy, gross to behold

browning x bolt- prettier than the above, costs more and shoots a bit less decent than the T3 but has a better safety

cz 550- fs model. set trigger, beautiful mannlicher stock, backup iron sights, just like my cz 452 .22 that I love. Downsides- internal mag, possibly too good looking to take hunting

weatherby vanguard- I hear good things- heavier than the above choices at 7.5lbs and a 24" barrel which is meh

OPINIONS WELCOME!

 

[tarosean]

336

 

[critter]

TC Encore. Add different caliber barrels later as situations develop.

 

[Abel]

browning x bolt- prettier than the above, costs more and shoots a bit less decent than the T3 but has a better safety

cz 550- fs model. set trigger, beautiful mannlicher stock, backup iron sights, just like my cz 452 .22 that I love. Downsides- internal mag, possibly too good looking to take hunting

There is no downside to either of these. I like the Browning better than the others you listed, and the CZ does look nice. I have never seen a rifle that is too good looking to get drug through the briars....I'll never understand this mindset. It may come down to which one feels better in your hands.

 

[mac66]

Wow, the OPs opinions are almost directly opposite my experience hunting for the last 40 years.

I would rather bang up new plastic than even old wood anytime. Accuracy is certainly important when it come to hunting. An ultralight rifle is certainly better suited for hunting where you have to carry a rifle around all day.

I've found that a bolt action in .308 pretty much covers everything in north American. I've taken white tail deer, antelope, mulies, caribu and black bear with mine ranging for 40-400 yards. Mine happens to be a 80's era Winchester 70 w/20" bbl and a 2-7X Leopold. I suspect that would have done just as well with a Rem 700, Ruger 77 or a Savage 110. If If was looking today I would consider a Ruger Hawkeye or maybe one of the new Ruger American bolt actions. I got a chance to play with one a while back and it is a very good rifle.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

All of the choices you mentioned are good ones. I hunt with a Weatherby Vanguard copy, the Howa 1500. Shoots great, action is rock solid, and good steel. For a first time hunting rifle, I would recommend a short action cartridge. Many guys start their kids on a .243 or .308 for their first hunting rifle. My hunting partner hunts exclusively with a .243, deer and elk. He has filled his tags every time he gets a clear shot.

 

[Abel]

I hunt with a Weatherby Vanguard copy, the Howa 1500

Actually, Weatherby copied the Howa. Just sayin'.

 

[Rustle in the bushes]

Shouldn't have put it that way, i meant accuracy between the funds i have selected isn't a practical factor. From what I've read they're all well within what is needed to hunt.

I think I'll prolly moan if i buy a wood gun and it gets scratched. I can't bring myself to buy a synthetic one though...
better to have loved then lost...

 

[garyr]

For my 9 year old (now 10) I got him a CVA scout.243. He's dead on at 50 yards and for New Hampshire that's plenty.

I liked it because it came with a short stock ($25 upgrade to full size available) wasn't too heavy for him and it's single shot. He has a pump action .22 that he's perfectly safe with but I wanted him to know that he only gets one shot and it's important to make it count.

 

[7thCavScout]

For my son's first center fire rifle, I got him a Howa 1500 in .223. He's been very pleased and it shots very impressive groups. It's a lot of rifle for not a lot of money. IMHO

 

[Arkansas Paul]

weatherby vanguard- I hear good things- heavier than the above choices at 7.5lbs and a 24" barrel which is meh

That's what I hunt with in .30-06 and I really like it. The weight is the only thing I'm not crazy about, but since you plan to shoot a lot at the range from a bench, the weight will be a plus for you to minimize recoil.

Happy shooting.

 

[Texaszach]

The Brownings are very nice. My brother has the x-bolt hunter version in .270 win and I love that rifle.
It has a much better recoil pad than my a-bolt and has a satin finish so it can withstand more abuse cosmetically than my gloss finished a-bolt, but that doesn't keep my a bolt out of the field.
I also have a vanguard in .243 and for the price I love them. And they are very accurate. I shot a turkey at about 325 with my grandfathers and then decided I needed one myself.
All I can comment on from experience are Brownings, vanguards, and savages and they're all great rifles.

 

[bubba15301]

the weatherby vanguard and howa 1500 is the same rifle with a differnt name.

 

[dprice3844444]

hunting rifles,stainless,plastic and light.remember,you might have to carry the deer out,too.stainless(no chasing rust)if you scratch the plastic,who cares,light,imma old fart,lighter,the better.

 

[RPRNY]

I just saw Howa 1500s in 30-06 with synthetic camo stock for @ $369 in the CDNN catalogue. That would be it for me.

 

[H2oPumper]

Ruger Hawkeye's are well worth a look as well.

 

[Coltdriver]

First of all welcome to THR!

I like your attitude and I feel the same way. I'd rather save a little longer and get a good quality piece than buy lesser more utilitarian stuff. And I am a sucker for nice wood.

So I have the CZ 550 FS in .308 Absolute tack driver plus short and handy.

There is a dealer over on the CZ forum. I got mine through him. He drives over to the CZ warehouse to pick up his stock. He was able to get me a very nice piece of wood.

I'd get a .308 over a 30 06. You don't give up much and the accuracy potential from a .308 is indisputably greater than from a 30 06. Not to mention being a bit more pleasant to shoot.

 

[SimplyChad]

Dont forget mossbergs and savages. I have a ATR 100 in 243 that was sub MOA out of the box. I dont mind beating the heck out of it either. 325 on sale at academy.

 

[vaupet]

Of you like the Tikka or the CZ you might consider it in 6.5x55 and get à nice milsurp as wel

 

[Rustle in the bushes]

Lotsa good input thanks gents. Good to hear the opinion of folks with some experience.

Its a tug of war between weight for the range and carryability, steel and wood vs functional durable synthetic(tikka).

Im learning the difference between a gun you bring to the range and one you bring on a 4 day mountain trip, that's the dream but not reality yet.

I'm leaning towards a nice piece like a cz or wooden Weatherby(maybe go 308 or something small action) and maybe I'll pick up a functional gun for beating up in 3006 for bigger stuff a few years later

 

[steveo452]

I would go with the CZ 550 in 6.5x55 or .308win. but If you like 30-06 thats good also. I have a CZ 527 with the same trigger that a CZ 550 has. That SS trigger is sweet. Accuracy wont be a problem. I've never shot a CZ rifle that wouldn't shoot sub moa.

 

[Rustle in the bushes]

I want the CZ but I hold the dovetail mounts(I read somewhere that theyre worse than normal mounts found on a sako or browning) and the single stage trigger against it. I wish it just had a normal trigger that was as good as a sako/tika.

other than that I love the CZ, metal internal magazine mmhmmm.

 

[68wj]

The Rugers and Weatherby Vanguards have the nicest wood that I have seen that I would still be willing to take into the woods to abuse, and make for relatively inexpensive yet accurate rifles.

 

[awayne]

it would have to be the cz, in 6.5, for me. i have a 22 hornet and a 204 ruger, both 527s, and they are both deadly accurate--and a pleasure to carry and to admire.

 

[BBQLS1]

The CZ would be sweet. I'm not a big fan of the X-bolts... nothing wrong with them, I just don't like them.

I was looking for an inexpensive but accurate rifle a few years ago. I ended up with a Savage 111 FCNS in .30-06. First rifle I've had that overlaps holes at 100 yards. My only complaints are:

1. I wish I would have gotten a wood stock. I'm just old fashioned and don't care for the Accustock, but for practical purposes, it's fine.

2. I wish I'd gotten a trap door magazine instead of the detachable box. I thought I wanted a removable box, but after hunting a few seasons with it, I'd rather go back to something I can't forget somewhere.... unless I forget the rifle all together! I haven't had this happen yet, but it's just one more thing to keep up with.