First Big Game Rifle

[Phil4]

Looking for a little advice, and let me start by apologizing for a real common question on the forum here.

A little background: I am a 32 year old midwesterner looking to buy my first big game rifle. I've got a decent budget (1,000-1,200 gun only) and want to buy one (new) that is versatile and that I won't ever have to replace. I want to be able to hunt everything from Whitetails to Elk to Moose with it. I've never hunted out west but plan to (hopefully this fall). I've killed a lot of whitetails with a bow and a 12 gauge w/slugs, and I'd like to finally get my butt out west.

I had my choices narrowed down to a Ruger Hawkeye FTW Hunter and Browning Hells Canyon Speed. Both have durable stocks/finishes. Both of those have muzzle brakes (both removable) and I'm not huge fan of recoil. So, I figured just get a 7mm mag or .300Win mag in one of those and call it a day. Ran into a problem when I started reading about hearing damage from the muzzle brakes. I'm a pilot, so no hearing = no job = no hunting.

I'm now thinking about a Model 70 Extreme Weather SS in 7mm mag. I am thinking the relative heft will help with recoil and the stock and finish will hold up longer than I will. Thoughts?

I'd also like to say that I've had my trusty Remington 1187 (walnut/blued stock) out in some crap weather and never had a problem with it. Should I expand my options to include walnut/blue choices?

Am I being paranoid about the muzzle brake/hearing loss deal?

Thanks in advance for the help, and for the insane amount of good information gathered within these forums.

 

[luke moffat]

I would suggest starting with something in the 7-08 or .308 category. Both cartridges will do all you need for moose and smaller out to 400 yards or so without all the recoil of a magnum. $1k will get you an awfully nice rifle but I would be looking at a Tikka in 30-06 or a Kimber Montana in .308 win.

Magnums recoil a lot more and are much louder if you get a brake installed. They are also heavier than their standard action counter parts and allow for one less in the magazine generally. Hope that helps.

 

[Bubblehide]

I agree with your idea of the 300WM. It's a versatile cartridge, more than capable of taking any animal on the north American continent. IMNSHO, stainless steel is the way to go. Decades ago, I was hunting with blued rifle for blacktail. After a week or so of hunting in weather conditions from misty rain to snow, and everything in between, I finally had what I estimate to have been the new California record book blacktail deer in my sights. The only problem I had was that the spring that releases the firing pin rusted, and I had a rifle that was no longer capable of firing.

There is nothing wrong with your listed choices of manufactures, however, you might consider Tika.

 

[GKPrice]

Looking for a little advice, and let me start by apologizing for a real common question on the forum here.

A little background: I am a 32 year old midwesterner looking to buy my first big game rifle. I've got a decent budget (1,000-1,200 gun only) and want to buy one (new) that is versatile and that I won't ever have to replace. I want to be able to hunt everything from Whitetails to Elk to Moose with it. I've never hunted out west but plan to (hopefully this fall). I've killed a lot of whitetails with a bow and a 12 gauge w/slugs, and I'd like to finally get my butt out west.

I had my choices narrowed down to a Ruger Hawkeye FTW Hunter and Browning Hells Canyon Speed. Both have durable stocks/finishes. Both of those have muzzle brakes (both removable) and I'm not huge fan of recoil. So, I figured just get a 7mm mag or .300Win mag in one of those and call it a day. Ran into a problem when I started reading about hearing damage from the muzzle brakes. I'm a pilot, so no hearing = no job = no hunting.

I'm now thinking about a Model 70 Extreme Weather SS in 7mm mag. I am thinking the relative heft will help with recoil and the stock and finish will hold up longer than I will. Thoughts?

I'd also like to say that I've had my trusty Remington 1187 (walnut/blued stock) out in some crap weather and never had a problem with it. Should I expand my options to include walnut/blue choices?

Am I being paranoid about the muzzle brake/hearing loss deal?

Thanks in advance for the help, and for the insane amount of good information gathered within these forums.

Normally I would concur with Luke but your stating "a new one that I won't ever have to replace" leads me to suggest a Kimber Hunter in 30.06 - 1) you won't need a muzzle brake so you don't need to worry about that causing hearing damage although ears are damaged by the crack of a .22 LR so anything larger will take vigilance 2) recoil is not excessive at all 3) you are within a few inches of trajectories of 7 mag or 300 mag but still with plenty of delivered energy on target with any "hunting" load there is 4) you get a lightweight STAINLESS rifle with the model 70 style action 5) the '06 Hunter can be had NIB for under $800 (I have one in my hand now) 6) if you're REALLY sensitive to recoil there are "reduced recoil" loads available from mainstream ammo makers (sorry Luke)

 

[badkneesbro]

Lukes wife "Becca" drops Alaskan brown bears with the .308! Wish I could find the thread to post, Id like to read it again myself.

 

[KClark]

Another vote of confidence for the Tikka here.

Caliber? Everybody has their favorite and you will too for whatever reason. Keep researching and asking questions and one will stand out and shine in your eyes. There are dozens of great caliber choices but whichever you pick remember it all comes down to bullet placement.

Good luck man!

 

[elkduds]

The answer to your hearing concerns is a silencer. Feel free to shoot magnums if you want, just shoot through a can. You "can" afford it.

 

[GKPrice]

Lukes wife "Becca" drops Alaskan brown bears with the .308! Wish I could find the thread to post, Id like to read it again myself.

that thread was started on 05/11/2016

 

[GKPrice]

Normally I would concur with Luke but your stating "a new one that I won't ever have to replace" leads me to suggest a Kimber Hunter in 30.06 - 1) you won't need a muzzle brake so you don't need to worry about that causing hearing damage although ears are damaged by the crack of a .22 LR so anything larger will take vigilance 2) recoil is not excessive at all 3) you are within a few inches of trajectories of 7 mag or 300 mag but still with plenty of delivered energy on target with any "hunting" load there is 4) you get a lightweight STAINLESS rifle with the model 70 style action 5) the '06 Hunter can be had NIB for under $800 (I have one in my hand now) 6) if you're REALLY sensitive to recoil there are "reduced recoil" loads available from mainstream ammo makers (sorry Luke)

I've not a thing against the .308 but besides handloading there are other ways to "dumb down" an '06 to .308 levels and you still have the room to step back up 100-200 fps if and when you want to - virtually no difference in brass availability, powder, primer & bullet choices abound (just thinking common sense wise)

 

[ReddingArcher]

I think you'd be hard pressed to beat a tikka t3x lite or superlite in 30-06. Money ahead too, you could top it with a leupold and be inside your budget off $1200 for gun and scope. Like GKPrice said there are reduced recoil loads you can use if the recoil with standard ammo bothered you.

 

[Zoo Keeper]

If I could only have 1 caliber to do all you ask, I would go with 30-06.

I am now fond of Tikka after working with a Tx3 in 300WM this fall.

Wear hearing protection.


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[Crapshoot]

A Winchester Extreme in 300 Win Mag would be a great choice. These Winchester have a great balance, perfect weight and are very accurate. The 300 Win caliber will allow you to hunt anything in North America. Only Problem you will have is trying to find one new in 300 or even 7mm.

 

[husky390]

Ruger American Stainless in 30-06 and spend the rest of the money on a phenomenal scope.

Tikka and the Savage 116 would be the other options I'd look at.




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[hodgeman]

I have to concur with the input of several others... no real reason for a magnum in a "one and only" rifle.

Any of the old standbys like .270WIN, 7-08REM, .280REM, .308WIN, .30-06SPRG are more than adequate for any N. American hunting you'd ever want to do...without the recoil, blast and cost of magnum ammo. Everyone will make a case for their favorite...but in reality there's not really a wrong choice in the batch.

Don't get me wrong, the .300 is a great cartridge....but not really needed in most circumstances. Make that your "second" one and only rifle.

 

[elkguide]

Kimber Montana if I was to buy a "one and only" rifle. (whatever that might be!!!!!)

The standard calibers are all fine but if I were a Midwesterner and only taking occasional hunting trips out west,
I'd go with a .300 Win Mag.
The difference in recoil over a .30-06 (sorry GKP) is negligible and the downrange performance is so much greater.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Remington Model 700 in 30-06 and a Leupold VX3 of your choosing.

 

[ofl0926]

Tikka makes a great rifle. I would also recommend the weatherby vanguard series. Excellent rifles. Lots of different models to choose from


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[luke moffat]

Kimber Montana if I was to buy a "one and only" rifle. (whatever that might be!!!!!)

The standard calibers are all fine but if I were a Midwesterner and only taking occasional hunting trips out west,
I'd go with a .300 Win Mag.
The difference in recoil over a .30-06 (sorry GKP) is negligible and the downrange performance is so much greater.

Really?? Both are more than enough with simple 180 partitions inside 400 yards for anything up to and including brown bears. Granted my experience of watching the "killing power" between the 2 is mostly on moose, grizzlies, and caribou and not elk so that may be the reason for the difference. The 300 wm really only buys one roughly 100-150 yards extra over a 300 wm. For example a 300 wm hits with the same speed at 700 yards as a 30-06 at 550. In both instances it's plenty to kill any moose.

I would think especially a new hunter that primarily hunt mid western whitetail with an occasional western hunt then i would certainly not be getting a magnum. I could see the argument for someone out west that consistently shoots long range (600+ yards) but for normal white tail hunting in the Midwest with an occasional elk hunt out west sure. But even then not much a 308 or 30-06 can't tackle. Of course I hunt Alaska and haven't used a magnum in years so maybe I am jaded .

 

[Jimbob]

30-06. I see no need for a magnum unless I was starting to shoot long range (500 yds +).

I have a Tikka T3 in Stainless and I love it, so happy I went with the 30-06. No reason to get a .308 in tikka as actions is same size so no weight savings. .308 Kimber would be high on my list as well.

 

[Dameon]

I like the Browning Hells Canyon speed, and I'm a fan of the 300 win mag, but I don't like 26 inch barrels in the woods. That includes alpine timber and creek bottoms. So, I would vote 30-06 with a 22 inch barrel or a 300 WSM with 23 inch barrel out of the available options for the Browning. Either is more than enough for elk and not so cumbersome to carry through timber. Both will perform well for what you want. That being said, I am personally saving my pennies for the 300 WSM.


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