Need help finding my first rifle. Possibly a .308

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Zapawaf

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Hi,
I'm pretty new to the rifle game. I'm used to my M4 and M240B I had over seas, so I'm pretty good shot as far as rifles and bigger guns go.
For a while I wanted to get an AR15 but the price just isn't practical for what I want it for. I mainly want it for target shooting and deer hunting.
From my research it seemed like I wanted either a .308 or a 30-06 and the 06 doesn't have enough advantage over the .308 that I can justify the more expencive ammo.
From my understanding they shoot the same bullet but the 06 is capable of more grains and higher fps, which would be great if I was trying to snipe someone a mile away, but realistically I don't see the need.
Also it sounds like the .308 has a longer barrel life ect.
I'm really not 100% set on anything, so if you can convince me otherwise I'm looking for a reliable .308 preferably bolt action, something that won't break the bank but I don't want to be to cheap and end up with a POS, so I'll get what's worth it.
Also, I really want to have actual iron sites so I can shoot with or without a scope. I'm a Military guy and my thought process is always, if the optics fail you have a backup.
This will be my first rifle and probably my only for a while, so reliability is key.

So that's my story. Thanks for being patient :D
 
Also, I really want to have actual iron sites so I can shoot with or without a scope.
Click to expand...

That's going to really limit your options. You may have to do without the irons or have aftermarket installed by a gunsmith. Good luck.
 
If installed by someone that knows what they're doing it will be as good or better than factory installed irons. A lot of the older Rem 700 came with factory irons, you may be better served w/ a used rifle that's been taken care of. Would you mount the scope w/ normal base/rings and just unbolt to use irons if ever needed? Beware of the 'see through' rings; IMHO, they're not a good way to mount a scope.
 
Some Savage bolt actions come with irons. You might want to take a look at the Ruger Gunsite Scout. It comes with ghost ring sights and takes 5 or 10 round magazines if you just want to have some fun at the range with 1/2 the reloading.


Otherwise, you might need to have irons put on by a gunsmith after buying a rifle. Just look around on Gunbroker and get an idea of some models you like.
 
Ranger30-06 said:
Some Savage bolt actions come with irons. You might want to take a look at the Ruger Gunsite Scout. It comes with ghost ring sights and takes 5 or 10 round magazines if you just want to have some fun at the range with 1/2 the reloading.


Otherwise, you might need to have irons put on by a gunsmith after buying a rifle. Just look around on Gunbroker and get an idea of some models you like.
Click to expand...
Ditto on the Ruger Gunsite Scout. It will be a good general rifle to own.
 
I have zero problems with the see threw rings on my MoHawk 600 & I have a set on my Ruger 10/22.
They work well for some & not so good for others.
 
If they fit you, then I guess they work. For me, they just seemed like a compromise where neither the irons nor scope worked for me; scope was too high and the irons had such a small field of view, it made shooting difficult for me. I will say there have been a few times when I fogged up my glass (mouth breathin:eek:) that a set of available irons would have been handy!

Edit: I wonder how a 'three-gun' style sight would look sitting at 1:00 on a bolt gun.:D
 
Savage, Stevens or Marlin in 7mm-08. The perfect all around deer and a bunch of other stuff rifle, IMO. Not that the .308 is a bad choice. The .260 Rem is also a great deer round which would be nice on the shooting range. Several choices are available from Savage. Prices range from $300 on sale to $500 for entry level "hunting" rifles.

For something with Irons check out the Ruger and Savage "scout" rifles.

If you don't want you optics to fail, don't buy optics that fail. :) I prefer a low mounted scope and that's usually not very compatible with irons.
 
If I didn't already own several .308s and comparable calibers I would give the Ruger Scout a hard look. I just don't need it but I have handled one and think it would make a great all around rifle for someone looking for a first bolt gun.
 
Save up for a while and get this (Springfield M1A):

2720938730053667879S600x600Q85.jpg


In my view, the best "iron" sights you can get. Supremely accurate, trustworthy, handy and reliable rifle. Trust me, you will not regret this choice.

Dan
 
Zap,

First off, thanks for your service. Still in, myself.

Now to business...

I'm a big fan of the .308. I like the '06, but unless you're handloading bullet weights of 200 grains and up, you'll never see much advantage over the .308.

Savage, Winchester, and Remington all build decent bolt action rifles. Hard to go wrong there.

Irons. Well, think about this: If you buy a decent scope, and mount it properly, failures are going to be rare. It's tough to get a good set-up that let's you run both irons and/or a scope. Usually you end up with an awfully high cheek weld, or peeking thru a little hole to use the irons.
It's a compromise that just misses.

Also, the scope will help you with shot placement at longer ranges. Good stuff for hunting.

For match-type target shooting, you want to go with a nice apereture sight, which is just as pricey as a good scope.

Just my .02
 
There are several good quick detachable mounts that will allow you to remove and replace a scope without losing zero.

If you can live without having iron sights, you might just consider a 1x5 variable scope. With a low powered variable set at 1x, you have all the advantages of iron sights. At 5x you'll have no problem killing a deer out to any range you should be shooting.

Most people over-scope a hunting rifle with a 3x9 or 4x12, which blinds them at close range and adds almost nothing to long range shots.

I too am an admirer of the new Ruger Scout. I have too many rifles to justify a new one right now, but if I wanted just one do-it-all rifle, that would be my choice.
 
Thanks for the input, I'll have to check it out. I may just not bother with iron sites, or if I decide later on I wish I got them then I could always have them installed, that was a good idea I hadn't thought of.

Today my Father took me to a pawn shop that he's heard nothing but good things, they didn't have ny .308s but they had a Weatherby Vanguard 30-06 with a scope (Not sure the specs) asking about $450. They also had an SKS for $325. which is 7.62 x39. My squad leader had actually recomended that to me, but he doesn't own hunting rifles so he didn't have any input there.

Is 7.62 legal to hunt with? I was a 240B gunner over seas I'm sure the 7.62 Nato packs a bigger punch, seems kind of funny to ever go hunting with tho.
 
I picked up a Ruger Gunsite Scout last week...I'm very impressed with this rifle and its got a nice set of irons. The new polymer mags Ruger just released will give it even more versatility. The 3 rounder is a flush fit, while the new 5 round is almost flush and there is a 10 rounder, also

DSC04071.jpg

DSC04070.jpg
 
For hunting, the sks is a poor choice, nowhere near the performance of the .308. If you want to keep the cost reasonable, look for a good used bolt action like a Winchester 70 or Remington 700, Ruger 77, etc. A lot of the older ones especially came with iron sights. Don't be so quick to rule out the 30-06. The difference in ammo cost is negligible and the fact that '06's are so common means you have a better chance of finding what you are looking for in that caliber. .270, .243, or 25-06 are good too.
 
Those sites do look nice. Everythings factory or is there anything special on it?
 
Everythings factory or is there anything special on it?
Click to expand...
You're looking at it bone stock.
I'm waiting on a "scout scope" w/quick detach rings, 2 of the polymer mag(10r) and a sling.
 
Zapawaf, I was in a similar situation two years ago. I ended up buying a Tikka T3 in .308. I couldn't be happier with it!...a pure pleasure to shoot!...and accurate!

Having said that, I also picked up a Browning X-bolt in .30-06 last year just because I found a good deal on it. Although I may never find myself in need of putting something with 200 grains down range I would like to have the option in case I get an opportunity to hunt something larger than deer. I'm extremely pleased with the X-bolt as well.

Regarding open sights, given your training and the matter of care I would expect you would take with your weapon system I'm sure you would not need to bother with open sights. After all, we're talking about a hunting situation not a combat situation. Quality gear and proper care will get you what you want.

Many folks are always looking for an excuse to get on the range. Find someone local that may be willing to let you fire their rifle. Try several manufacturers if you get the chance. That will give you the opportunity to find one that fits you well.
 
Never heard of the Tikka's I'll have to check them out. I did watch some videos that gun talk tv put out about the Scout. Seems like a real solid rifle, wouldn't mind getting my hands on one somewhere and seeing how it feels.

How do you like the xbolt? I knew browning made .50 cal machine guns but I saw rifles the other day when I was browsing a gunshop website. They're a pretty reliable brand I'd imagine
 
Zapawaf:
Should you decide on a gun which is Not for sniping from a mile, have you read anything objective about the Spanish FR8 Mauser carbine?

Many have bores/rifling in excellent condition (even if wood is dinged), and have an open sight along with three aperture settings.

The FR8 action is built on the Spanish 8mm Mauser-not to be confused with the much weaker,
earlier 1916 Spanish 7mm (some were converted to the FR7). The barrel and flash hider are HK.
But many people on the Internet confuse the FRs, among other issues.
 
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