entry level hunting rifle advice

[blackpowderhunter]

my wife's friend is wanting to buy her husband a rifle for his birthday as he is wanting to start hunting. she doesn't want to spend much money on this (300ish dollar rifle budget...i told her optics would be on top of that). the first friend she asked about this basically laughed at her and told her good luck.
he will most likely be hunting deer here in washington, possibly elk.
telling me to tell her to up the budget and get a tikka t3 lite or something similar isn't in the cards.
with the parameters she gave me, i was going to recommend a ruger american in 30-06, another option would be a savage axis.
are there any that I am missing that would work out for him?
I plan to buy some talley ltw rings as a gift to help out the situation.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

In that range I'd suggest an aMerican. No experience with an axis but the few Americans I've been around have been shooters despite being a little rough. As an fyi I did pick up my last tikka t3 (not t3x) for 399.

 

[slvrslngr]

There’s a Ruger American in 270 that’s within her budget for sale in the classifieds here, just sayin...

 

[UtahJimmy]

WTS Ruger American.270

But this so I'm not tempted anymore!

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[Cahunter805]

Buds guns has some great deals also. I’d pickup this 06 in that price range.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...ms/Rifles/Howa/Howa+1500+30-06+w/+Hogue+Stock

 

[Graves14]

Another vote for the Ruger American

 

[JoMa]

Ruger American would be a great option.

 

[Cant hit em]

Thompson Center Compass has a great review thread on here somewhere

 

[JeffRaines]

I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume he’s not an experienced shooter.

If it were me, I’d go with a short action cartridge. 308, 6.5 creed, 7-08. Ammo is cheap and plentiful for those, they’re soft shooters, and they’ll take elk. Ideally he should start with a 22 to build the fundamentals(and keep bad habits like a flinch from developing) but that sounds out of the budget.

With that said, the American or savage axis(make sure you get the one with the accutrigger, the regular axis trigger SUCKS). Alternatively, you could see if one of the Walmart’s around you still has one of the discounted vanguards. I believe Howa 1500s can be had for around that price too.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Used Tikka T3 in .243 (only because you can’t big game hunt in WA with a .223) topped with a SWFA SS 6x in sportsmatch rings.

 

[MuleyFever]

That T/C on sale with the threaded barrel looks good.

 

[Muttly]

Couple Weatherby Vanguards on the fire at 390..

 

[rodney482]

You can not beat the Ruger American for the $

 

[Rifles And More]

I own two Ruger Americans and will not own another; I own 4 Tikkas and would take another in a heartbeat. Look around for a deal and buy once.

'06 is a great cartridge, unless you are a beginner. Go with a 308, 6.5, 7mm-08.

Good luck and welcome your friend to the rabbit hole of hunting/shooting!

 

[dbourdo]

I picked up a savage axis in .243 with a weaver scope a couple weeks ago from cabelas for $329. The scope is decent out to at least 200yds where I sighted it in at. It’s my nieces first year hunting so she doesn’t need to be shooting long range


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[MallardSX2]

Get him a used Remington 760 gamemaster 30-06. Its a great hunting rifle.

 

[Apollo117]

I'll second a Savage Axis in a short action caliber as others have suggested. My family owns over a doezn Savage rifles for a reason. They all shoot. I've never had a Savage that I couldn't get to shoot well. They're cheap and ugly as sin, but damnit they shoot.

I recommend the 7-08. It's soft shooting and there's tons of factory ammo for it. 243 and 6.5 CM would be a tie for second place.

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[tntrker]

Can't go wrong with a Savage 30-06

 

[archp625]

I saw a deal on Winchester XPR's for $289 with a free weaver scope on CDNN.

CDNN SPORTS - Firearms

 

[DangerRanger]

Check local walmarts, i picked up a gloss stock weatherby vanguard last month clearance for 375 OTD.

Otherwise Ruger american