Looking for a new rifle - Recommendations

[SkHunter92]

Hey guys, I'm looking for recommendations on a new hunting rifle. I usually just hunt whitetail, but hopefully I'll get drawn for elk or moose this year. Currently shooting a Winchester XPR chambered in .270 WSM, I love the gun but the ammo is just through the roof and extremely scarce. The only box I've found within 4 hours of where I live was $100 CAD, and they only had 1 box! I like to target shoot as well. Where I hunt is mostly open field with some bush, I'd say a long shot here is around 350 yards. My local gun shop has a Weatherby Vanguard in .308 with the laminated wood stock and it's a jaw dropping rifle (I'm a sucker for a nice wooden stock). Any recommendations on rifles/cartridges you guys have had good luck with? I'd like to keep it around $1000 up to maybe $1200 (cad). Thanks!

 

[GetWestern]

300 win mag would be my recommendation as I’m sure others would say the same. It’s a tried and true classic for a reason plenty of power, readily available ammo, various bullet weights ect. I’ve harvest a lot of animals with it and will continue to do so.

 

[kkp005]

For what you’re wanting a tikka 308 would be hard to beat.
Ammo availability is no issue. I have 2 tikkas in 308 and they’ve shot EVERYTHING sub MOA from 150gr - 180gr bullets

 

[Hnthrdr]

.308 tikka, Bergara, ruger. Plenty of ammo, cheap, available wide range of bullet weights

 

[SkHunter92]

I see they have a couple Tikka .308s in stock. Anyone have any experience with the Vanguards? Seem like a pretty decent rifle for the price. Plus you can pretty much buy ammo anywhere here for the .308 and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, hell even Canadian tire has about a dozen or so different makes of it.

 

[KenLee]

Vanguards are OK, but they have doubled in price in US in the past 4 years. $300-600.
If it wasn't for your desire to target shoot, I'd say keep using the 270wsm. I really like the round, but am sitting on 3 cases of ammo.
308 is hard to beat for availability of big game and target rounds.

 

[Antares]

I hunted with a 30.06 Vanguard for years. It’s a fine rifle, but I wouldn’t buy one again. It was really heavy for what it was, like 9+ pounds scoped.

If I were you, I’d get a Tikka in .308 Win or whatever is similar and readily available. Nothing magnum.

 

[SkHunter92]

Yeah, definitely not looking to blow my shoulder off. I was injured a few months ago at work when a semi rolled on top of me and broke my shoulder and scapula so I'm not entirely too sure how shooting is going to feel after that. I shot my buddy's .300 wby mag several years ago and it certainly let you know it was there. Couldn't imagine blasting a few boxes through that in an afternoon would feel awesome.

 

[Rob5589]

If you like the rifle why not get the gear to reload? If allowed in Ca, that is.

 

[SkHunter92]

You can reload in Canada here, Rob. I looked into it and I could reload for about $2.40 a round or so. But by the time I bought all the equipment, somehow managed to find powder and dies (pretty scarce these days here) and set up my bench I'd be at the cost of a decent rifle and quite a few boxes of factory ammo. Plus the old lady has forbidden me from setting up a reloading bench because our kids love to get into all sorts of shit they shouldn't...lol

 

[Mountainrancher]

Tikka in either 308 or 6.5 cm whichever is most available in your area.

 

[atmat]

Tikka in whatever the smallest caliber you’re legally able to use that also has available ammo.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Tikka T3x in 6.5CM
SWFA 3-9 milquad in mils
Sportsmatch TO84 rings
Hornany factory 147 eldm or 143 eldx

Easy button.

 

[ReddingArcher]

Yeah I'd go Tikka 308 or 6.5 creedmoor, whichever has better ammo selection where you are. Or the boring ol 30-06.

 

[Andy Ivy]

Custom to crap Iv tried a lot
Iv helped a couple friends set up vanguards and in my limited experience they are good rifles so far have been accurate and reliable. Better then ruger / Remington but not as good as Bergara / tikka
If they have what you want in a vanguard buy it and run it but if they have the same in a tikka get that hands down

 

[bojangles808]

You can get an limbasver air tech replacement recoil pad on the Tikka too and it will damper the recoil even more. I think 308 Tikka sounds perfect for what you're looking for

 

[Ryan K]

Here I’d say the 6.5 creedmore has made the .308 obsolete, but there’s not much big game in Texas. Sure the .308 has the most ammo available, but the 6.5 is right behind that. For most “normal” ammo, the 6.5 has slightly less muzzle energy, slightly better long range energy, but the real reason is since you mentioned target shooting, the 6.5 has significantly less recoil. .308 does have the advantage on having heavier weight bullets available for your bigger game.

As far as rifles, I also appreciate a nice wood stock, and that’s a lot harder to find, especially if you want to look at one first vs just ordering online and hope you like it. You know about the Vanguard, it would also be worth looking at the Browning Medallion series, the Tikka Hunter series, and the Bergara B14 Timber. And maybe if you can spend a little extra, Montana Rifle Co uses some beautiful stocks, and they’re controlled round feed if you like that.

 

[ROKnROAL]

Brownings don’t get any love here for some strange reason, but they are quality rifles with better fit and finish than Tikkas in my opinion. Plus the new models come with a recoil hawg standard, which helps with the bigger calibers

 

[nobody]

Tikka T3x in 6.5CM
SWFA 3-9 milquad in mils
Sportsmatch TO84 rings
Hornady factory 147 eldm or 143 eldx

Easy button.

This. I would add 140 ELDM to the list of ammo sheerly for the availability factor. I see 300 boxes of 140 ELDM in 6.5 creed for every 1 box of 147 ELDM where I'm at, so that's what I've latched onto. Either way, winner-winner cheese curd dinner.

You could also do the same setup as above, but in .308. Albeit at the expense of higher recoil. Not painfully high, but enough higher that it will take some work to get good at shooting it in it's stock form.

In today's market, I would never own anything but a Tikka.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Brownings don’t get any love here for some strange reason, but they are quality rifles with better fit and finish than Tikkas in my opinion. Plus the new models come with a recoil hawg standard, which helps with the bigger calibers

Owned both brownings and tikkas, I would take a tikka over a browning. trigger, bolt and barrel are better on the tikka by far, brownings have nicer stocks. Not a bad rifle at all but, not my first choice