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308 Hunting Rifle - Semi Auto
tesla85
Member Posts: 728 ✭✭✭✭
Hello, I am looking for a .308 semi-auto rifle and I am not sure what to get. I have between 400-650$. I've been looking at a Remington 7400, but I am not sure that is what i want. Stainless would be nice although I am not sure if I can get a Semi-Auto that is stainless. Thanks for any suggestions!
-Casey
-Casey
Comments
Harleeman1030@aol.com
Be quiet honey i know what i am doing ...
!!!!!KaBOOM!!!!!
I guess the first question I would ask of you is, what are you planning on shooting with it, paper or meat? If you want a gun to shoot competitively I'd say the 7400 would not be my first choice, and you cant afford my first choice, not for 650.00. If you want a gun you can use to shoot deer with, and dont intend on using it for much else, or going where extreme cold or dirty conditions exist, I'd say the 7400 would be a fine choice for you. Second question, do you need stainless for a particular reason, or just becuase you find it attractive? If you are just going to hunt with it I'd get a blued finish, that will suit you fine, and be within the catalog offerings of the 7400. If you plan on being in some harsh climates salty or extended outdoors type conditions, then yes the stainless may be the way to go. I like stainless, have several guns like that, and dont need them for any particular reason, so I dont fault you for that. Good luck with your decision.
SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
Also i seen you are only 17 years of age...Are your parents letting you do this ???
Way to be arrogant and patronizing.
Careful not to turn around tesla, Harleeman here might try and powder your rear.
Onto the gun, i will be using it mostly for boar hunting, but eventually for deer hunting. I guess i don't really "need" the stainless, but i just like the idea that it will never rust. Having to put gun oil on my remington 870 super mags barrel after only 8 months of having it because of rust doesn't make me too happy.
It will work great for boar and deer, but you may want to consider something for longer range work if you hunt the long ranges in CA, especially if you get into the bigger deer.
I guess i don't really "need" the stainless, but i just like the idea that it will never rust.
It will rust, it'll just take a lot longer.
Having to put gun oil on my remington 870 super mags barrel after only 8 months of having it because of rust doesn't make me too happy.
You should always keep oil on your guns, or they WILL rust, its not an option.
SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
Your problem is going to be "selection." There are not that many .308 sporting rifles out there to choose from and the 7400 is about the only one in your price range. The 7400 is a pretty good rifle for what you say you want it for...actually everything Remington makes is pretty good.
You probably already have a bolt action sporting rifle, but if you don't, there are dozens of good ones to choose from. For $650 you could have an excellent .308 bolt action rifle and Leupold or Burris scope.
My humble opinion,
Rafter-S
And you posted your age on the NRA thread...
Edited by - kgnovum on 08/20/2002 00:24:12
-Casey
When they come to get your GUNS, make sure to give them the AMMO first!!!
Bullzeye--I recently read an article by Tom Gresham which summarizes things a little something like this.... A great destructive force lies within the shooting and hunting sports. It is those that treat the young and the "newbie" with condescension. We need to encourage the young to pick up where we leave off when we are gone.
So i just thought your parents were involved why have they not taken you to shoot the guns ?????NOW DO YOU SEE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT NOT DO YOU HAVE YOUR PARENTS PERMISSION...And by the way nothing against your age sorry if i didn't say things right but no need for you to get upset when i read your profile and get the idea from your post that you are really young....How old or you anyway i see your still in school ?????
Harleeman1030@aol.com
Be quiet honey i know what i am doing ...
!!!!!KaBOOM!!!!!
Edited by - harleeman1030 on 08/20/2002 08:00:29
Edited by - harleeman1030 on 08/20/2002 08:02:02
Edited by - harleeman1030 on 08/20/2002 08:31:52
I had bought and paid for my first car and a few guns before I was 16.
moc.murofsmraerifeht.www
The reason I want/need a semi-auto rifle is because I will be using my rifle for boar hunting. I've heard that boar tend to survive (at least temporarily) after one shot, and I've also heard that they can charge and gore you with there tusks, if your not careful.
I don't know much about lever actions, can anyone tell me about them? Is there less "pull" than a bolt-action? Thanks.
-Casey
When they come to get your GUNS, make sure to give them the AMMO first!!!
Eric S. Williams
Tesla--If you've already got some experience under your belt a .308 or a .30-06 will suit you just fine.
though i have never hunted hog before and you ask about a lever action i have a marlin 336cs in 30-30 win...and yes you can cycle a lever fast very easy to do while shouldered and not lose sight picture. a 30-30 is not a long range shooter but it packs pretty good energy at closer ranges. lot of people make fun of the ol 30-30 but it has been around a very long time and still is around. i have reloaded 30-30's with 125gr hollow points(flat nose) loaded close to max and they are pretty quick and hit pretty hard.
i dont have semi auto hunting rifles so cant comment on them, only have an ar15.
also dont worry about your age i started running tractors in 3rd grade running combine's since jr high ectect,been doing it ever since. I have hunted and owned rifles since i was about 13-14 yrs old in fact i was given a .243 as my first gun for my summer wages when i was 13-14 yrs old .....the only time i got summer wages from mom and dad :-)
doc
I dont give my guns without somebody getting hurt!
And yes, ideally all our first shots would be all that would be needed. Even if they were, I still like to hear/feel the slide move on its' own. And if you are a mere mortal and hunt long enough, you'll need a quick second shot sometime.
Last fall, a buddy of mine shot a buck. Fatal shot. Just not quickly fatal. The buck didn't realize it was dead and ran off. My buddy had no shot. Once the buck got to about 80 - 90 yards, I did. A running deer at that distance isn't real easy to hit. I missed with the first 2, but the 3rd did the job. I had about 4 or 5 seconds to shoot. I couldn't have done it with any other action - maybe some could but not me. Without a semiauto, I don't think we'd have found that deer as it wasn't bleeding much.
If you like the semis, try the BAR (or 7400). Bolt actions and lever actions are cool too, but to each his own.
Either one will beat the pants off of a 7400 in terms of reliability, accuracy, and all-out fun. Plus they're a HELL of a lot cheaper!
Just make sure you check your state hunting regulations. In my state of NY, for example, you cant use any semi-automatic weapon for hunting unless you use a magazine with 5 rounds or less. And loading a 20 round magazine with only 5 rounds does NOT count
Telsa look at what your parents can and can not buy for you in the state where you live.....cetme and FAL's or not legal in cali..
Harleeman1030@aol.com
Be quiet honey i know what i am doing ...
!!!!!KaBOOM!!!!!
You said it telsa not me about your age..If you read my first question it's why only automatic...Bull kiss it buddy...I was just asking ...Telsa i will let you onto something here my gun club let a friend of mines son join under me i pay all his dues every year i know it's not much...But i try..I was just wondering how a 17 year old can come up with 1100.00 for a benelli and another 650.00 plus for another gun ????????????????????????????????????????????????????
So i just thought your parents were involved why have they not taken you to shoot the guns ?????NOW DO YOU SEE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT NOT DO YOU HAVE YOUR PARENTS PERMISSION...And by the way nothing against your age sorry if i didn't say things right but no need for you to get upset when i read your profile and get the idea from your post that you are really young....How old or you anyway i see your still in school ?????
If there was any doubt remaining about your ignorance, there sure as hell isnt any now. Try and use some punctuation once in awhile. I sure hope you dont talk like that...
PS- As has already been stated a number of times, it's none of your damn business how old he is, or whether he is still in school, or whether he's got his parents permission or anything else.
YES I TALK LIKE THIS MAYBE ..BUT I DON'T SAY I AM SMART ON HERE ...FUNNY PART I MORE THEN LIKELY MAKE MORE MONEY THEN YOU AND I ONLY WORK SIX MONTHS OUTTA THE YEAR.....AND I ALSO TOLD THE GUY SORRY IF I DID NOT MAKE MYSELF CLEAR....SO AS FAR AS SLOW OR STUPID PEOPLE WELL I GUESS YOUR SMARTNESS MAKES YOU MORE OF A MAN THEN ME .......NOT....
Harleeman1030@aol.com
Be quiet honey i know what i am doing ...
!!!!!KaBOOM!!!!!
Edited by - harleeman1030 on 08/20/2002 23:06:03
A "parts gun" version of the FAL (i.e. STG-58) will certainly not be more accurate than the Remington. I think a Remington can be found at a lower price than a true FAL.
-Casey
When they come to get your GUNS, make sure to give them the AMMO first!!!
I will tell you a little story about the only deer I ever needed to shoot twice. I was hunting with a revolver (1st time with a pistol) and worked up close (about 40 yards) to a mulie that was bedded down in some cedar. As I shot, I was thinking about how to get a quick second shot off - good thing because I needed it. BUT - if I had been concentrating on the shot I was taking instead of the next one. I wouldn't have needed the next one. In over 45 years of hunting all sorts of critters - that was the ONLY time I needed a second shot and it was because I was already thinking I needed it before I shot the first one. What I am trying to say is that if you are buying an auto-loading gun because you feel you will need more than one shot - then you WILL need a lot more than 1 extra shot.
For pig (and any other critter that could turn on you and do some damage) - instead of a gun that will shoot again fast, have a friend along as backup. Better yet, have a SLOW friend along so you can outrun him; remember - you don't need to outrun the bear, just your slow friend!
Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
the chamber with a chamber brush, not just run the bore brush
through the barrel. An M-14 chamber brush works great. My fathers
old 742 in .308 started jamming. I took it apart and the chamber
was pitted. He didn't clean the chamber, just ran a bore brush
down the barrel. I talked to someone at Remington and found out
the 742 and 7400 are bad about the chamber pitting if not cleaned.
We sent it back and had it rebuilt.
Don't send flowers when I die. Send money now, I can buy more ammo.
I don't know for sure, but probably a good idea to treat
it the same as the 742/7400. Another thing, if I were looking
to buy a used one, I would definitely check the chamber before
making the purchase. My brothers old 742 '06 got to the point the
cases were sticking in the chamber, and the extractor was ripping
the heads off the case. He polished it, several times, to the
point cases started expanding. Scrapped it after that. Now this
was in the mid-late 60's and he was shooting a lot of surplus
ammo. Some of it was probably corrisive. That was the 742 he
wore out in six years.
Don't send flowers when I die. Send money now, I can buy more ammo.
Those who say the choices in this price range are unfortunately limited are right. I appreciated somebody pointing out that there is a Browning BAR out there for 5 bills, which is in the man's price range. As for the 7400 that jammed, some semi-autos prefer one type of round in order to be reliable. I'd try several factory loads and see if I could find the one my gun preferred, and only if I couldn't find a reliable load would I sell it for junk. Adjustable gas guns, and different weight springs, were created for just this reason. If you don't have an adjustable gun, you've got to adjust the recoil spring, or the load if necessary.
I also was disappointed when some rust spots appeared on my 870 SP Magnum after keeping it the trunk a while, but I suspect some moisture got in. My next shotgun will be stainless if at all possible as well. I like the Marine concept. Of course I still oil all my guns, but I get better service out of a stainless finish on any gun exposed to a) my body sweat or b) the environment on a regular basis.
You'll have to excuse some of the folks here. They tend to turn toward bolt actions and traditional blued guns like a car with a worn U-joint, given the right topic...
- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Edited by - offeror on 08/21/2002 16:31:27
Casey
When they come to get your GUNS, make sure to give them the AMMO first!!!
-Casey
When they come to get your GUNS, make sure to give them the AMMO first!!!
- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Eric S. Williams