Input please

[deuxlatch]

I have very little experience with rifles so I'm asking for opinions here, not an arguement. Here's the lowdown, I live near Houston and have been invited to hunt deer and hogs on occasion, so I would like to invest in a good, all around rifle, something I can pass down to grandkids. I can't even see further than 150yds so long range is not necessary. I want a caliber that's gonna do the job, good knockdown power. I know shot placement is everything but like I said, little experience here. Would I be pissing in the wind with a scoped Marlin .3030 or would a .308 be a better choice?
The floor is now open for comments and thanks in advance.

 

[Emperor]

30.06, .270, Synthetic Stock!

 

[highstandard40]

Can't go wrong with a 308.

 

[JBP55]

.308 Rifle.

 

[deuxlatch]

Emperor, someone told me 30.06 would be overkill for short range shots. Any truth to that?

What about scopes? Redfield Revenge, Nikon Prostaff, something in the $150 range. Input?

 

[Emperor]

Emperor, someone told me 30.06 would be overkill for short range shots. Any truth to that?

What about scopes? Redfield Revenge, Nikon Prostaff, something in the $150 range. Input?

I bought my first rifle (Belgian made Browning BAR 30.06), from Frichter's Sporting Goods (in Chalmette), back in 1979. <How many of you guys remember them?

That rifle has killed more animals than the Canadian Harp Seal Hunting Team! It continues to be my favorite rifle. But I am biased, because it was my first and my only for a long time. Since, I have bought and used .270, and 7MM for deer. And they all crush them.

All I will say is if I needed to do it all over again, and I had those 3 choices at the time, and I had the knowledge about how they handled the various hunts I made; I would pick the Browning 30.06. And I've come to accept synthetic or composite stocks as good options for durability. I used to be a purist too!

As for scopes? Man, I can't remember the last scope I actually bought that cost less than $500.00. They have them! And some are good enough, but I've turned the corner long ago on using only great scopes. I can't see either!

I bet you can get a nice Nikon for near or about there. I bought an early model Nikon for the BAR when Nikon first started selling optics for rifles.

As a follow up editorial: We have entered an age where a decent Rifle by a reputable manufacturer can be had for $400. That's nothing! If you want an heirloom, the sky's the limit. But I guarantee your kids will appreciate ANY rifle you choose.

 

[deuxlatch]

I bought my first rifle (Belgian made Browning BAR 30.06), from Frichter's Sporting Goods (in Chalmette), back in 1979. <How many of you guys remember them?

That rifle has killed more animals than the Canadian Harp Seal Hunting Team! It continues to be my favorite rifle. But I am biased, because it was my first and my only for a long time. Since, I have bought and used .270, and 7MM for deer. And they all crush them.

All I will say is if I needed to do it all over again, and I had those 3 choices at the time, and I had the knowledge about how they handled the various hunts I made; I would pick the Browning 30.06. And I've come to accept synthetic or composite stocks as good options for durability. I used to be a purist too!

As for scopes? Man, I can't remember the last scope I actually bought that cost less than $500.00. They have them! And some are good enough, but I've turned the corner long ago on using only great scopes. I can't see either!

I bet you can get a nice Nikon for near or about there. I bought an early model Nikon for the BAR when Nikon first started selling optics for rifles.

As a follow up editorial: We have entered an age where a decent Rifle by a reputable manufacturer can be had for $400. That's nothing! If you want an heirloom, the sky's the limit. But I guarantee your kids will appreciate ANY rifle you choose.

That's great information, thanks. I guess another option would be to mount a scope on my Benelli SuperNova and see if I can achieve decent accuracy at 100yds with a slug. I'm told it wouldn't matter where I hit a deer or hog with that, guaranteed knee buckler.

 

[Emperor]

That's great information, thanks. I guess another option would be to mount a scope on my Benelli SuperNova and see if I can achieve decent accuracy at 100yds with a slug. I'm told it wouldn't matter where I hit a deer or hog with that, guaranteed knee buckler.

You shouldn't think this^ way! I've seen deer live (well, not be found), through some serious trauma and blood loss.

But hey, if that is what you do; you should at least invest in a good rifled slug barrel.

Oh, I almost forgot!

That's great information, thanks.

Of course it is!

 

[deuxlatch]

You shouldn't think this^ way! I've seen deer live (well, not be found), through some serious trauma and blood loss.

But hey, if that is what you do; you should at least invest in a good rifled slug barrel.

Well I didn't mention it but, yes, a rifled slug barrel would be in the package purchase with the scope. I definately don't want the animal to suffer and I don't want to have to track it. With that being said, maybe I should spend more time at the range and work on my shot placement before going out in the woods.

 

[Ijaw]

.444 Marlin

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/bigbore/444.asp

 

[Royst]

Just about any center fire rifle caliber will do the job on hogs. Stick to something common that you can get ammo for anywhere
I bought and traded with Buz Fricther also. They were good people. I was sad when they closed the doors.

 

[CHW2021]

Look for 30-06 in a rifle you like for fit/price. There are plenty of load options on the shelf for bullet type and weight. If you want to go the shotgun route, there are several different slug designs now available as well as "buck-n-ball" loads; you have more choices than the forster slug.

Also, there are usually "combo package" rifles available from big box stores with the scope mounted to the gun at one low price.......

 

[Doug76]

I have very little experience with rifles so I'm asking for opinions here, not an arguement. Here's the lowdown, I live near Houston and have been invited to hunt deer and hogs on occasion, so I would like to invest in a good, all around rifle, something I can pass down to grandkids. I can't even see further than 150yds so long range is not necessary. I want a caliber that's gonna do the job, good knockdown power. I know shot placement is everything but like I said, little experience here. Would I be pissing in the wind with a scoped Marlin .3030 or would a .308 be a better choice?
The floor is now open for comments and thanks in advance.

The .30-30 has been around forever, and many shooters will tell you it can get the job done, especially on deer. I agree.
The .308 is more powerful, although the recoil isn't much more, and is widely available in rifles and ammo. Good choice.
I use, on hogs, anything from .17HMR to .300WinMag. Depends on the size of the hog, plus what I wish to shoot that day.
Generally for hogs I'm using my AR in .223 or my SKS in 7.62x39 (very nearly equals the power and ballistics as the .30-30).
For deer, my .243 or .308 Ruger American, although I've used the SKS also. Deer aren't as tough as hogs, but I have more
concern for wounding and not killing a deer than a hog.
Hogs are vermin, so multiple rounds, if necessary, from a semi-auto is the way I go.
Overall, I'd suggest a good bolt gun in .308. Easy to maintain and very accurate, and I would use it with a variable 3-9x40 scope.
I use Nikon Prostaff scopes on all my scoped rifles.
As for which make and model, I think looks is highly overrated. A gun is a tool, not a fashion statement.
My first suggestions, based on that, would be the Ruger American or the Savage Axis. They get the job done, and are accurate.
I've owned both, and personally preferred the American, although the Axis shot just as well.

 

[Royst]

308 is an excellent choice. It will kill anything walking on the American Continent. Ammo is easy to find also.

 

[deuxlatch]

This is all great info and I'm taking notes. I found one at Legacysports.com that I think fits the bill. It's a Howa .308 bolt action with a Hogue type stock (aluminum stock wrapped in Hogue rubber) with a Nikko Stirling Nighteater 3-10x42 scope mounted for $496 total. Anyone have any experience with this brand combo?

 

[Doug76]

Howa's are fine rifles, and I really like Hogue stocks. I have one on my 10/22 and one coming for my Savage 111 .300WinMag.
I'm not familiar with the scope.

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Howa's are fine rifles, and I really like Hogue stocks. I have one on my 10/22 and one coming for my Savage 111 .300WinMag.
I'm not familiar with the scope.