Hunting Rifle recommendations

[lowfast]

Since you went 308 and this is a hunting rifle I would say your effective range is around 300 yards give or take depending on the animal. I love my Nikon BDC I have on my 308, it is plenty of scope for the intended purpose and has some nice features. Plus it has held up well to negative temperatures and crawling up and down mountains. It has been buried in snow more times than I can count.

[GhostTX]

Again, thanks for all the input.

I "fitted" a Remington 700 SPS Varmint, Ruger M77 and Tikka t3 at a local store. I danced between the 700 and M77 a lot and finally felt the 700 was better for me.

I ended up getting a local FFL to get me a 700 SPS AAC-SD (.308 win) and priced me $635 plus tax (also Remington is offering a $50 rebate to boot!). I liked it gave me the option for a muzzle brake or suppressor down the road.

Now...I gotta figure out what scope to get. I up'd my budget to sub-$500. Anybody got preferences on FFP or SFP? Again, want to hunt with dabbling with precision for GP fun.

[dee]

It would field dress it, skin it, quarter it, and tenderize it in with a single squeeze!

Actually with it's slow velocity it would likely cause less damage than you think. The big heavy slow pills seem to just go through and through without causing the trauma the higher velocity modern rounds cause.

[TeeShock]

^^^ This guy has it figured out.

It would field dress it, skin it, quarter it, and tenderize it in with a single squeeze!

[Darren M]

M77 300 wsm on THF for 650 or less

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5523342/WTS_Ruger_M77_Mark_II_.300_WSM#Post5523342

[black50]

Doubt this falls within the budget constraints.

Nah, You can pick one up for a measly 10k

[Silverback]

Another vote for .300 Winmag, my Winchester model 70 is my favorite rifle I have

I picked up a used Browning A-bolt Stalker 2 in .300 Winmag last year for around 450 with optics used on the facebook gun trade page. It was a nice gun, but I sold it to my dad's construction manager as he was looking for a .300 Winmag

[lowfast]

.500 Jeffery calibre in a droplock double rifle

Doubt this falls within the budget constraints.

[dee]

.500 Jeffery calibre in a droplock double rifle

^^^ This guy has it figured out.

[TeeShock]

.500 Jeffery calibre in a droplock double rifle

[futant]

tikka t3 SS in 308 or 300WM

[likeitfast55]

I agree, the 30.06 is an older round but still viable. That is all I shot when I was younger. I would never hesitate to pick up an 06 in North America. Many black bear have been killed in Louisiana with it.

[dee]

30-06 has killed every animal on the planet at some point. I wouldn't have a problem using ig throughout the entire North America continent.

[lowfast]

.308/30-06 will take any animal in the lower 48...

No doubt, but I like the extra pop for Elk and other large game out at the 450-500 yard range. I had a perfect shot at a nice elk this year with my 308 but at 430+ yards I did not feel the gun was adequate for the distance and a clean kill and had to pass. Later in the trip, carrying a 300WM, I had no such limitations and scored a nice Elk. If the shots are going to be 300 yards or less then I agree a 308 is all you need and ammo is cheap.

[BlackGT]

+1 for 300WM, especially if you want something that can handle larger game in the future.

.308/30-06 will take any animal in the lower 48...