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pretty sure I'm buying a .308, need help

captainkiekcaptainkiek Member Posts: 7 ✭✭
edited January 2007 in Ask the Experts
Earlier I posted a question about what caliber deer rifle to go with and the majority was .270, 30.06, and .308. From what i've learned the .308 has more cheap surplus ammo to use at a range, (since I have'nt got into reloading yet) than the 30.06 and .270, and the stopping dropping power does not drop off that far from the 30.06. Okay if that is true then the next ? would be. What rifle to go with and should I get a rifle with a heavy barrel since I will spend hours at the range. I was also going to switch to bolt action, but then I saw a beautiful Browning BLR .308 lever action, please what is your guys opinion on the browning and what is a good recommendation in bolt action, I will add scope later. Thanks guys, sorry to ramble captainkiek.
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Comments

  • DokeyDokey Member Posts: 936 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    For the money you can't beat the Remington 700 bdl, bolt action, any vintage
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  • Winston BodeWinston Bode Member Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey, Just my opinion but I would either go with a Remington 700 or the new Ruger Hawkeye stainless .308. Both are good guns with a reasonable price tag.

    The Savages are good guns also and maybe a little cheaper if you get a package gun with a scope already attached.

    Again, just my opinion.

    As far as the Browning goes, good guns but expensive. If I wanted a lever .308 I'd look at the new Marlin that is chambered in the new .308 something. It's a proprietory round but I don't remember who makes it.

    Bode
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  • nards444nards444 Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    the savage packages are probably your best value
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  • iwannausernameiwannausername Member Posts: 7,131
    edited November -1
    Don't wanna burst your bubble, but 308 surplus is going up in price and down in quality. All the good south african stuff is pretty much gone or at the same price as factory ball rounds (Fed. American Eagle, WWB, etc). There's some Indian and Pakistani surplus, as well as some south american, but it isn't like it was a few months ago...
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Surplus ammo is a waste of money for anything other than semi-auto battle rifles. A bolt gun will not demonstrate the accuracy it is capable of with ball ammo,..you really need a higher quality load. If you are chasing bullet holes on the targets with ball ammo,..all you are doing is wasting barrel life. Practice with what you hunt with.

    next,..a heavy barrel is my favorite, but if you plan on carrying it long distances or in tough "hill country" hunts,..you may want to stick with a sporter barrel.

    a remington 700 is my go-to rifle, so that is my opinion. The lever guns I don't really like,..too slow in cycling. The brownings are very nice rifles, but as stated, they are also priced a bit higher. The a-bolt would be my choice if I was stuck on a browning.
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  • nards444nards444 Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    +1 for the last statement. the guy is right I dont know whos going to sit down with a bolt action and pop away, your shoulder is going to kill. Ive been at the range with crap and wondered why im not hitting anything, then threw in store bought stuff and I was right on. So i wouldnt buy a bolt gun because of cheap ammo. I would go 30.06
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with every word JustC typed, except to add that if cash is an issue, Look at a Savage with accutrigger, ie a new one. Good accuracy for the dollar, though rather unattractive to my eye. You do not need a bull (heavy) barrel unless target shooting or varmint shooting is all you are doing. On a deer you need to hit the boiler room, say a dinner plate sized circle over the heart/lungs. Tote the extra weight over the mountains on a 5 day hunt, and it will probably be the last hunt you make.

    Hunting rifles and accuracy shooting rifles are not the same and trying to do both with the same rifle leads to unsatisfactory compromise. You may want two rifles, if so go with a bench/varmint rifle with less recoil.
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  • NOTPARSNOTPARS Member Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A few years ago I purchased a Tikka Whitetail Hunter for $470, sans scope, in .30-06 that is dead on accurate (recoil pad from factory is a joke but that can be fixed). Also, Marlin is coming out with the 308 express, with a proprietary .308 round for us lever action fans (okay, I'm a fan of all of them)
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  • tsavo303tsavo303 Member Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Also keep in mind that even great surplus 7.62 will not fire in many commerical bolt guns, due to the hard primers
    Since people waste their $ before
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  • Mike FinkMike Fink Member Posts: 274 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The BLR is an exceptionally good choice in .308. I wouldn't shoot surplus ammo or cheap ammo in any rifle that I wanted to hunt with. The BLR will not be impartial to "pointy" bullets and they are accurate in my experience. Savage and Remington bolt actions have a great deal of my respect also. I have never seen a bad shooter in either brand. .308 can be had in generally lighter rifles and doesn't punish me with muzzle blast and recoil. Light rifle is good to carry on a hunt.please let us know what you settle on. You have had a ton of good advice. Personally, I hunt with 2 sako rifles. They didn't cost an arm and a leg and they don't let me down. Good luck , Mike
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