Recommendation for a (deer) rifle

noway2

noway2

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My parents have indicated that they would like to get a deer / hunting rifle. While they would be getting it, undoubtedly I would be the one using it. They want a good quality one and have expressed a price point of about $1K. Without starting a caliber war, I am highly leaning towards .308 for various reasons, including lower recoil (thinking of wife), standardizing on a limited number of calibers, good ballistics within range of interest, and suitability to down the game we have around here.

I have read a few of the threads on the subject and have been considering that a Tikka seems to fit the bill, but wanted to ask for suggestions too.
 
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IMO .308 is great for a do all caliber but is on the big end for what is needed for NC whitetails. I hunt with a .30-06 rem 700 and it suits me. You could find calibers with less recoil than .308 to hunt whitetails in NC if that is a primary concern. .300 Win. is way overkill. If you want a .308 and want less recoil remember that the other side of the equation is rifle weight. Heavier guns have less recoil.
 
Is the gun going to get carried or shot from blinds? All day carry really calls for a different rifle than one used to still hunt.

7mm-08 in a Rooga American compact is a nice setup to carry with less recoil than 308.

Tikka makes very nice rifles but I don't think they offer anything compact yet.
 
my wife hunts with a 6lb Savage axis compact in .243. I did a trigger spring mod so it has a halfway decent trigger pull.
It has put deer on the wall for us, and she's no expert shooter.
 
Slacker said:
Is the gun going to get carried or shot from blinds? All day carry really calls for a different rifle than one used to still hunt.
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That I really can't say. I could see it going either way. I go know the neighbor used to sit in our one building while it was under construction and fill his freezer. I also see lots of tracks, so I suspect blind hunting will be lucrative. This last fall I took the hunters class and planned to get a deer but didn't get around to it so I can't say with absolute certainty. @ripv2 i was looking at the t3 online...
 
Call me old school, but I'm partial to 45/70 and percussion. More modern stuff, the Axis series is pretty good for one. You should be able to get a decent rifle and scope for $1k. As far as caliber, 308 is stupidly common and not a bad choice. No need for any magnum calibers for whitetails.
 
My input would be a Tikka in either of 243, 7-08 or 308.
All 3 of those can be had in multiple weight bullets to fine tune performance and or recoil.
 
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I have a Tikka T3, Its a great gun, light weight and very accurate.
 
My top cal picks for a wide variety of newer hunters would be 30-30 or 243. Easily managed and usually find pretty decent budget rifles as well that you will not cry when it gets banged up hunting.
 
I don’t see any reason to spend a grand on a deer gun, unless that is including a really nice scope. My girlfriend prefers my savage model 10 in 3006 over my 12fv in .308. The 12 is a lot heavier and to me a lot tamer, but to her it kicks less. I would look at a ruger American or savage axis if I were in the market for a deer gun, in whatever caliber you want.
 
Wouldn't waste the majority of that budget on a deer rifle. Pretty much any $200 rifle and $100 scope will suffice for most deer hunting scenarios. (Says the guy who normally lugs around a $2,500 rig in the woods. Lol)

Here's a perfectly lethal combo that saves enough $$ for lots of processing and even a mount if you harvest a trophy buck:

https://www.carolinafirearmsforum.c...e-308-w-redfield-scope-400.21353/#post-372599
 
Bergara B14 Hunter with Meopta Meopro 3-10x40 and DNZ mounts. Thank me later.
 
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ronn47 said:
My input would be a Tikka in either of 243, 7-08 or 308.
All 3 of those can be had in multiple weight bullets to fine tune performance and or recoil.
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My Tikka is in .223 which is fine for the under 100 yard shots I've had to make for hunting on my parents farm in NY. If you know your going to need to take longer shots, I'd say go with on of the calibers @ronn47 had listed.

On the other hand I know some people that swear by Bergara rifles, I've never had the opportunity to shoot one but people who have don't say bad things.
 
No way I would spend a grand on an entry gun. Not with so many accurate entry-level rifles out there. Academy sports is selling the Remington (Marlin XL series) 793 WITH GLASS for less than $319 OTD including tax. https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/remington-783-308-win-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=3083799

It's pillar bedded, bore-sighted with a 3.5lb adjustable trigger. Various calibers, I like .308 and .243 since both are proven deer slayers and ammo is cheap and everywhere.
This is an excellent buy. Sub MOA guarantee just like the 700 series IIRC. You just can't get better than that for the money.

Buy 3 of them and 100rds of .308, shoot all 3 and see which one is accurate, and return the other 2. That's a grand well spent ;)
 
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.308 is plenty of gun for deer and enough for the biggest, toughest boar that might wander across your path. Most modern rifles will shoot within 1" at 100 yards, just not always with every brand of ammo. Even if it is a 2" shooter, sight it in right and point blank range is 200 yards plus. Just aim for the kill zone and get your knife, you don't even have to think about drop. Plus, with a .308 there is always ammo available.

The recoil is very manageable, but if your wife doesn't have much experience shooting rifles, she might be recoil shy (at first). My advice is to borrow a .308 and take her out shooting first. It doesn't have to be a 100 round session, just a box or two. If she's OK with the recoil, then definitely get a .308. Sometimes a recoil pad helps for range sessions but when there is a buck in front of me, I don't feel the kick or hear the shot very much at all. Adrenaline will do that for you. It doesn't have to be a fancy or pretty rifle, or even expensive. If she's even a little recoil shy, consider a .243 perhaps.

The only downside to taking her out for a box or two is if she takes a distinct liking to shooting. Now that could get expensive and there's no unscrambling that egg. Just think about half the household toy budget going for pink rifles. :cool:
 
Thank you to everybody for the suggestions and input.

I will have to see if I can borrow a .308. My wife really likes her AR, but those have no recoil.
 
Prudii said:
My Tikka is in .223 which is fine for the under 100 yard shots I've had to make for hunting on my parents farm in NY. If you know your going to need to take longer shots, I'd say go with on of the calibers @ronn47 had listed.

On the other hand I know some people that swear by Bergara rifles, I've never had the opportunity to shoot one but people who have don't say bad things.
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I have avoided being a fanboy for years but I preach the Gospel of Bergara.
 
noway2 said:
Thank you to everybody for the suggestions and input.

I will have to see if I can borrow a .308. My wife really likes her AR, but those have no recoil.
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Where are you located. If nearby you are welcome to shoot mine.
 
nchunt101 said:
Where are you located. If nearby you are welcome to shoot mine.
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thank you. That very kind of you.
I range between High Point, Bear Creek (near Siler City and Sanford), and Chapel Hill.
 
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just buy a complete upper two pins out two pins in want easier? pull the pivot pin pull the hinge pin drop in plug and play
 
300 bo is a good deer rifle I use one good on hogs too, sty with 150 gr hollow points and you will be fine. and yes you can upgrade both for less than your target price. psa usually has complete uppers in 300 for around 300
 
dewey said:
300 bo is a good deer rifle I use one good on hogs too, sty with 150 gr hollow points and you will be fine. and yes you can upgrade both for less than your target price. psa usually has complete uppers in 300 for around 300
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Since he can reuse his BCG, he can get a .300BLK upper from PSA for less than that. Too bad everything is out of stock that has a 16" barrel. I recently built a .300BLK 8.5" barreled 'Pistol' with an SB tactical brace.
I plan on shooting Nosler 125gr BTs out of it with around 17.5gr of H110 for around 1950fps. Should put a wallop on most breathing and walking critters under 200lbs under 200yds..

It's still no .243 or .308. Just an AK type shorty that I can throw around in a treestand and easy to reload.
 
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