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Rifle suggestions #6763080 05/13/17 03:16 PM
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Howdy,

I am new to the sport of hunting and hope to go this fall. I have some experience with pistols, but almost none with rifles and I am currently researching what I should get. The only rifle I have shot a bit is my old ruger 10/22, and a model 94 Winchester in .357.

Based on the reading I have done online I believe a rifle in .308 is best for me. (Low kick, affordable, easy to find, and powerful enough for what I want to do.) I live in East Texas and will probably do most of my hunting within 5 hours of Houston. I primarily want to hunt deer and hogs, although I have family in the mountain west and would love to do an elk hunt with them one day and want my rifle to be able to do this as well. I don't want to own a bunch of different guns. (My wife says I already have too many hand guns.) I haven't hunted before, so I don't know, but I plan on doing a lot of hiking with the weapon since I don't know any good spots, I will have to find them, so I think a lighter rifle that I can put a sling on is good. I want it to be reasonably accurate, but I am neither a sniper or sharpshooter, so I may not need the most accurate rifle. I would like to mount a good quality scope on it. I have read barrel length can create more power, so I also want it to be strong enough to kill game humanely. I also want something that is good quality and a nice gun, yet I don't want so much invested in it that I am too worried about it in the field. I would like it to be rugged enough to throw in the back of the truck, and hopefully last long enough to give it to my son one day.

I know that is quite a bit and may not be possible, but I would really like to hear y'all's input on this. Thanks.

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763083 05/13/17 03:24 PM
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For what your wanting, can't go wrong with a Savage rifle.the cheapest (but still quality) model in .308 would be the model 11. But they have alot of nicer models too. And I believe they have a lightweight hunter model too, but I'm not sure. I'd expect to spend $300 or more on a quality scope. They get much much more expensive, but a lower end leupold, zeiss (if you find a good sale), or even a good quality Nikon (prostaff 7 or monarch) would all do just fine for you. Decent scope rings will run you $50-$75. In that price range I'm partial to warne, for about $100 I really like my TPS rings. Should be able to do it all for $700 or less without doing to much shopping for the best deals.


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763084 05/13/17 03:27 PM
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Savage, Weatherby Vanguard, Howa, Tikka and others all make good, accurate bolt rifles. Find a good shop that has a good selection and shoulder some and see how they fit and feel to you. Pick the one that feels the best an is in your price range.
Don't forget to look for a decent scope, base and rings set.
The 308 is a great all-around caliber for your intended uses. Welcome to the habit!


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Rifles are similar to boats and young women...there's no end to how much money you can pour into them without making them any more useful.
Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763094 05/13/17 03:37 PM
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There are many good choices in both rifles and calibers. Typically these thread extended for 20 or 30 suggestions and the usual suspects range from the .25-06 to the .30-06, and included the Creedmoor, the 7mm-08 and the .308. All are excellent choices, but I would suggest picking a caliber for which you can buy cheap ammo at your local Wal-mart, if only for low cost and convenience.

That out of the way, I would also suggest adding to your planned scope budget, preferably doubling it . Spend what you spend on your rifle, but without fail invest in a quality scope.


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763108 05/13/17 04:06 PM
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The scope actually may be more important for me than the rifle. I forgot to mention a fairly major problem that I have. I am left eye dominant, but shoot right handed. (Although I do archery left handed with out a problem, probably because someone had the foresight to teach me that way as a child.) I went to an eye doctor once and thought I had a problem with my right eye, and he told me it was 20/20, the problem is my left eye is 20/10, twice better than normal, and this actually kind of bothers me when shooting a rifle. It doesn't bother me at all with a pistol to shoot both eyes open, the geometry doesn't really effect my stance or shot, I guess it is a very minor [censored] of the head at that point. With a rifle, I've got to close my left eye (which I don't like), or [censored] my head way over the stock to put my dominant eye in position. I don't know if anyone else has an issue like this, or possibly with a really good scope, I will just be ok with closing my left eye...

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763113 05/13/17 04:21 PM
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Here is an add in the classified section with two nice .308's that fit your bill.....saw them a few minutes after reading your post and thought I'd pass them along......not sure what other hunting rifles are for sale...had just started browsing...

Good luck!


http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbth...r_rifles#UNREAD


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763121 05/13/17 04:37 PM
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.308 is a great choice. Everybody needs at least one .308. Tons of ammo available, for the non-handloader, that will shoot very consistently. Light, fast bullets for varmints, 178 gr bullets for large game. It would kill an elk, if you're close enough.

Tikka T-3 Light is my standard answer. I've not found an action of equal quality for the same price. I've got two of them, and am about to have two more. They just flat out work. I've worn out several Savages.

I highly recommend you keep shooting with the dominant eye, and buy a left hand rifle. It will work better for you, I promise. I too am left handed.

My argument is always this, shoot off hand, kneeling, or seated, i.e. field positions. Fire a shot, maintain sight picture, cycle the bolt, and fire another shot. It's physically impossible to do with the bolt hand on the wrong side. If your close enough, you can come to my range and shoot one of my LH bolt actions, and see and feel for yourself.


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763125 05/13/17 04:40 PM
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Oh, and do not short cut scope base and rings. They are as important as the foundation on a house. They are what marry two precision machines together.

And plan to spend at least as much on the scope as you do the rifle. Great rifles will shoot terribly with a terrible scope mounted to them.


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763149 05/13/17 05:18 PM
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My problem is I am left eyed, but right handed...

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763150 05/13/17 05:18 PM
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So I guess I've got to pick my poison something won't feel right either way...

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763157 05/13/17 05:25 PM
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Question that has nothing to do with 308 rifles. How do you know which eye is dominant?

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763163 05/13/17 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted By: Texaspilot
My problem is I am left eyed, but right handed...


Shoot with the dominant eye. You can make the hands and arms do anything, you cannot control the eyes. A person could learn to write just as legibly with either hand if they wanted to. I know some people that can.


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763164 05/13/17 05:34 PM
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How do you know which eye is dominant?

Put your hands together, palms away from you, with stretched out arms together. Look through the circle you make with your thumbs and pointing finger areas on both hands, move hands closer together till you have a small hole in the center that you can see through. Focus on an object at a distance. Close one eye, if you can still see the object, that is your dominant eye. If you cannot see it then that one is not your dominant eye.


Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763179 05/13/17 06:09 PM
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We need to how much your wife will allow you to spend first

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763194 05/13/17 06:25 PM
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If you're on a budget you could pick this one up at Wal Mart (or find one in .308), sell the scope for 50 bucks, and put a Leupold 3-9 VX1 or 2 on it. A solid little package that will last you a lifetime.




Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763201 05/13/17 06:43 PM
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Get a left hand rifle . I'm right handed and left eye dominant and tried a right handed rifle for a while and finally bought a lefty and it made a big difference in my shooting. Oh and buy a Tikka super smooth action and a trigger that will adjust down to around 2lbs.

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763213 05/13/17 06:51 PM
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I think I may go with left handed. It will be a steep learning curve at first, but probably worth it. I shoot archery left handed anyways. Is it generally much more expensive to find a good lefty rifle?

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763219 05/13/17 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted By: Texaspilot
I think I may go with left handed. It will be a steep learning curve at first, but probably worth it. I shoot archery left handed anyways. Is it generally much more expensive to find a good lefty rifle?


Usually not much (if any) more expensive - but can be harder to find.


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: J.G.] #6763230 05/13/17 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Originally Posted By: Texaspilot
My problem is I am left eyed, but right handed...


Shoot with the dominant eye. You can make the hands and arms do anything, you cannot control the eyes. A person could learn to write just as legibly with either hand if they wanted to. I know some people that can.


I was going to suggest the same thing. I didn't start shooting rifles left-handed until I was in college. What a difference it has made in my life. The muscle memory to shoot left-handed is mastered fairly quickly, depending on how much range time you put in; but the left eye is always going to be dominant.

As far as rifles, I have a love-hate relationship with my Savage 11 in .308. It is extremely accurate for such a low cost rifle, but I'm not a huge fan of the action. I haven't shouldered a Ruger American, but have read good reports from owners. My next rifle will likely be a Tikka.

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763250 05/13/17 08:16 PM
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Tikka t3 lite is an excellent rifle. A limb-saver butt-pad is a good investment for it. If your right eye is 20-20 and you are naturally right handed, I really wouldn't suggest making things hard on yourself trying to get used to a left handed rifle. Lots of us are left eye dominant and still shoot right handed. With a scope it is easy enough to close your left eye when aiming your rifle. If I'm looking through my scope for a while with the left eye closed, I can even relax and open the left eye and the right eye will maintain it's temporary dominance. If your right eye has defective vision, then it would be necessary to learn to shoot left handed, but if that isn't the case, I personally think it would be easier for you to close your left eye than to learn to shoot and work the bolt left handed.

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763252 05/13/17 08:20 PM
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Originally Posted By: Texaspilot
I think I may go with left handed. It will be a steep learning curve at first, but probably worth it. I shoot archery left handed anyways. Is it generally much more expensive to find a good lefty rifle?


Not really. They can be harder to find. You may have to order one, and wait a week so. With Tikka, they only make LH in stainless steel, they do not make them in blued. But the LH stainless, and the RH stainless cost the same. That is, if that's the brand you're going to buy.


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763285 05/13/17 09:09 PM
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Nogalas, that's almost exactly what my little brother told me. He used to work at a gun store, and he told me to get a cheap but capable rifle, then spend about three times what I spent on the rifle on the optics.

That being said, I really like the look of the Tikka, but I need to go handle one and see how I like it. The only reservation I have with the Tikka is that it is not made here. I own some foreign hand guns, but when it comes to a deer rifle, there is something so American about it that it seems almost wrong to me to get something from elsewhere. However, if it is the best for the price, that can't be argued with and I don't have a problem with German or Japanese optics, that seems like a given. It must be just some silly sentiment of mine...

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763318 05/13/17 10:20 PM
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Like NP said. Don't go crazy on spending money on something you don't need to. You are not shooting 500 yards. Most Deer are probably shot at less than 100 yards. I have a 22 mag. with a 2.5 power weaver scope that has probably taken more animals than 75% of the people on here. Do you need a $500 hand made knife to gut a deer? No. It is the same with rifles and scopes. A $400 one kill one just as dead as a $3000 one will. If you are planning on shooting at hogs and Deer at over 500 yards then invest you money in an instructor. Then decide what kind of rifle and scope you need.

Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763329 05/13/17 10:48 PM
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308 is great. Your other 2 choices are 270 or 30-06.

There are plenty of nice rifles in the classifieds. You can get more bang for your buck from a used gun. Pick out the one that looks best for you and make a deal

I bought an 1800 gun for 1200

good luck!


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Re: Rifle suggestions [Re: Texaspilot] #6763331 05/13/17 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted By: Texaspilot
Nogalas, that's almost exactly what my little brother told me. He used to work at a gun store, and he told me to get a cheap but capable rifle, then spend about three times what I spent on the rifle on the optics.

That being said, I really like the look of the Tikka, but I need to go handle one and see how I like it. The only reservation I have with the Tikka is that it is not made here. I own some foreign hand guns, but when it comes to a deer rifle, there is something so American about it that it seems almost wrong to me to get something from elsewhere. However, if it is the best for the price, that can't be argued with and I don't have a problem with German or Japanese optics, that seems like a given. It must be just some silly sentiment of mine...


It's all about your budget and desires.

IDK either, so I was throwing that option out there because something like that is what I would recommend as a really good rifle/scope combo yet not break the bank. I would not recommend the many $250-$300 rifles out there, not because they won't shoot accurately (they will), but because they have a cheaper/plastic "feel".

I recommend Leupold because all of their offerings have good basic quality IMO - which cannot be said of other brands with economical offerings. As said above, the more you spend the better it gets. Leupold is all-American which fits your preference.

Tikkas are great little rifles. They are going to run $300 or so more than a very basic Rem 700 ADL. I have never had an issue with buying Sako/Tikka and own several. And they do make the wood/blued Tikka T3 in a left handed version (at least they did) - because I bought my lefty daughter one a few years ago.

I have never had experience with your dominant eye situation, but have always read to shoot using the dominant eye no matter what.




Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


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