Colorado Elk Rifle

[xziang]

Others rifle hunters will have better advice but... I was able to pick up a TC Compass 308 +scope for under 300 brand new via sportsman warehouse. I would and still may throw a much better scope on it once I start shooting it. I would find a caliber you want and then a couple brands/models you like then keel your eye open for a used one. Check out schels cabelas use gun selection for one. You have enough time to shop around.

 

[ChrisA]

Ruger American, Mossberg Patriot, Thompson/Center Compass, or Savage Axis all $300-350; and we just watched a Leupold VX2 3-9 sell for $200 in the classifieds here.

Chris

 

[cnelk]

Find your next gun here - Guns for Sale - Online Gun Auction - Buy Guns at GunBroker.com

 

[ChrisAU]

Now that I think about it, I did have one of the new Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40's for a short while this summer and I was very surprised by the quality of the glass. Leupold will tell you its VX-2 glass since they discontinued VX-1's and VX-2's, I think it is a little better. They have them new on eBay for $162!

Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40 1" Matte Duplex Reticle | 174180 | eBay

 

[Sdieffen]

I've owned every brand/caliber over the years and they all have their pros/cons. Bought my wife a Savage Axxis .270 a few years ago. Probably the most accurate rifle out of the box for the money. I like it so much that it's the one I use regularly. Hornady ELD-X ammo to top it of make it a deadly combo.
I don't recommend buying a gun/optic combo if you buy new because most of the glass is on the cheaper end. Spend an extra 100 and get better quality optics. Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[Sako76]

Elk Country Ammo (on Gunbroker) has the TC Compass for $199 after the $50 rebate!

 

[IAboy92]

Thank you all for the input! I really do appreciate it. It is great to see a community like this that is so willing to help other hunters!! You have all given me a ton of information and I have a note pad full of notes from everything you have shared.

 

[452b264]

As I plan for my 2019 Colorado elk hunt one of the next items on my agenda is the purchase of a new rifle. I am an Iowa flatlander and do 95% of my hunting with bow and arrow. I do fairly regularly shoot shotguns, rifles, and muzzleloaders, but do not have a gun that I think would be properly suited for a Colorado elk hunt. The closest would be a 22-250. I would like this gun to be fairly versatile for most North American big game species including elk, caribou, sheep, and bears. I would like to stay under $500 for the gun and scope as I have to acquire everything for my first western hunt (backpack, tent, gun, all of the other stuff that I could get by without but will still buy). What are some of the things I should be looking for?

-Barrel length
-Caliber
-Scope options
-etc.

I really like the Remington 700 but the Remington 783 and Howa 1500 GameKing are also guns that seem like they would fit the role for what I need. For some reason I am drawn to the .308 but would like some insight as to what you guys like and how prices vary from caliber to caliber within this range.

The rifle s you mentioned are solid, 22 to 24 inch barrels, a 308 or 3006 spr. with 150 gr. TTSX or 165/180 gr nosler accubond. The 3006 spr. in a rem. 700 is a favorite of mine, I shot a 7mm and 300 win. alot when I was younger and they dont do any better at taking game cleanly. I just harvested a bull last dec. in AZ and the old o6 did just as well as any magnum I have ever used over the past 30 years.

 

[KU_Geo]

Right now you can easily find a solid setup for sub$500. I would buy a Ruger American in 270 ($250), Burris’s Fullfield 3-9 ($125 right now), and some Talley light weight rings. Barely over $400. Grab a few boxes of federal 150 partitions and go kill anything in the lower 48. You’ll end up with a 7.25-7.5lb all up rifle that will be easy to carry. Don’t over complicate things....