General Purpose Hunting Rifle

[aus_Rob91]

I am looking at buying a general purpose, lightweight hunting rifle and managed to have a play with a few at the LGS yesterday. I had my mind set on one particular model, but after getting there and having a look and handling each gun, my opinion completely changed. Based on handling, operation, simplicity, reliability, price and looks, the list of my favourites from most to 'less-most':

Browning A Bolt Stainless Stalker .308 - $999
Tikka T3 Lite Stainless .308 - $1299
Remington 700 SPS .308 - $860
Marlin 336 .30-30 - $940

The Browning was just the most pleasant feeling and operating lightweight rifle I have ever handled (other than Sako's which aren't in my price range)and due to the new X Bolt and the weaker $US, was what I considered a pretty good price. It just edged out the Tikka because of the actual short action, better feeling stock, larger loading port, and in my opinion, a better magazine (which is steel and actually costs less).

So what are your opinions? I am considering putting a deposit tomorrow, but thought I would ask. I have no intentions of modding this rifle in anyway and I am willing to buy a better feeling and carrying gun and sacrifice a half inch of accuarcy.

 

[Mschloss]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

My goto rifle for whitetail is my Browning X-bolt gold medallion in 270 wsm. It is super light and shoots better than MOA. The trigger is fantastic and the action is smooth as silk. I could not be happier with this rifle.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

it was once said and written....that a 30.06 will kill any north American game animal .......


however......all bets are off on stuff on shit south of the equator.

 

[dksd39]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

while I have a large selection of rifles my go to deer gun (most) is a Marlin 30-30. My land is thick with a max shot range of about 75yrds. With that said I am wondering why you list the Marlin at $940...I admit I do not know all models but it is very easy to get a Marlin 336 in the $400 range or less at times for a used one

 

[aus_Rob91]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

You may very well be able to get cheap levers, but not in Australia

 

[dksd39]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: aus_Rob91</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You may very well be able to get cheap levers, but not in Australia

</div></div>

wow...my bad...I did not notice your location

 

[BrettSass844]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

What about one of the newer Marlins in 308 Marlin Express or 338 Marlin Express? The Lever Evolution ammo is great by the way. I use it in my Marlin 30-30 and have been surprised by the results

 

[aus_Rob91]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

Once again, the whole Australia issue returns. The new Leverevolution stuff is about $40/20 .30-30 and about $59/20 .45-70... I haven't even seen a gun shop outside the capital cities that stocks the .308ME

 

[Jester308]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

Out of that list first choice would be the tikka lite, then the A bolt. Both good rifles but the tikka has the goods when it come to out of the box accuracy.

Cheers

JJ

 

[threetrees]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

tikka - for the very reason that you can get them everywhere (should you be traveling around for hunting) ... so you can also almost everywhere find someone to fix/repair something on that rifle.

 

[Ackley Improved]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle


Consider Sako A7. They are around $1300 here in Oz and have 5 shot moa guarantee. 30-06 would be my choice too.

Cheers

 

[ccoker]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

Tiikka 308

 

[aus_Rob91]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

Haha well I ended up getting the Browning A Bolt II Stainless in .308. I don't know if it will shoot as well as the Tikka or the Sako, but that wasn't the purpose I want this rifle for. I wanted a light, good feeling carry rifle with a synthetic stock that would be fairly tough and rugged. The Tikka was more expensive and the Sako more again. Out of the 3, I also preffered the Brownings feel, safety and magazine. The Sako was nice, but didn't feel as good to me and the Tikka didn't either and I didn't like the mag. All minor criticisms though and at the end of the day, all would have done the job. I just liked the Browning.

 

[Mackay Sagebrush]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

While I primarily hunt with lightweight Tikkas now, when I use light gun,for many years I used a Browning A Bolt .270 and hammered truckloads of deer and elk with it.

Really it is hard to go wrong with a Tikka or a Browning. Just go hunt! Good luck.

 

[seanh]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

All good guns that will serve you well.

I know it's not mentioned but have you thought about Savage. They're not pretty but are very accurate and durable.

From the ones mentioned I'd probably go Tikka. I haven't owned one, just some testing when they came into our shop years ago. They were simply smoother than the rest...non necessarily more accurate.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

My goto hunters are basic M70 or M77 sporters, either .30-'06 or .280 Rem. Solid, reliable, very totable, and they come up to shoulder and present a decent sight picture with a minimum of fuss. I have a Savage 10 Predator Hunter Max I .260 on order.

IMHO, there is no need to go getting exotic with a hunter. This is what the big makers do best. The simpler and the more generic, the better, IMHO.

I think a 770 Rem or a Savage Axis do admirably for what they are designed to do. Spending more may help the ego, but the additional bucks very quickly beome a matter of diminishing returns.

Greg

 

[Mschloss]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

I too just loved the feel of my Browning. As a matter of fact, my 13 yo son, got what I believe is the first deer of VA's whitetail season (youth day) with my X-bolt at 196 yards. Tag number ending in 001 (shot and tagged at essentially sun up). A very nice doe.. can't wait for dinner tomorrow!

PS: No matter how good you think your truck is.. don't venture forth on rain soaked recently cut corn fields.. GAH!!!

Good luck with your decision.

 

[threetrees]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

another comment on the tikka: in my area the 'rifle exam' @ 100m for hunter-apprentices is done with tikka because it's been the best quality/price ratio that the hunters-union (or whatever the translation would be) could fine. they do know that everthing that is off by more than 2cm@100m is coming from the 'error source behind the stock'

 

[slg888]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

My pick- Remington.

 

[roosterpig]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

My dad has the Tikka Lite in .338 Federal. He loves it. He gets great groups (for a hunting rifle). The weapon is light as a feather and feels great to shoulder. The action is also smooooooth. +1 on the world wide availability aspect too.

 

[roosterpig]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

sorry, didn't finish my resopnse. I own a 700 vtr in .308 and love the gun to death. shoots outstanding. I'd go Remington.

 

[former naval person]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

I have to disagree with the "finding them everywhere". Not here in the deep South for instance. My choice would be the Remington, but in a .30-06 chambering. JMHO

 

[skeeter73]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

If your hunting out of the USA. I read in an Article that you can buy 30-06 ammo in just about ever country in the world.

 

[roosterpig]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

my bad former naval. i guess i just mean more along the lines of country to country. either way though, i'd still say remington. and yes. either .308 or 30-06. hugely available ammunition.

 

[ejg]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

Every rifle seems to have good and bad points.
Lately I've had and have CZ, Remmy 700, Sako, Tikka T3 and Howa. I hunt about 2-3 times a week.
My choice, funny enough remington 700. A few changes are needed to get it right. Handling seems best. Safety can be used quietly. Accuracy I could get all to shoot between 1/4" and 1/2" with factory ammo....except the T3, by far the lowlight in accuracy.
Now after barrel shortening, new crown and carefull ammo choice she manages 3/4 to 1". Maybe just got a dud. Good points are the plastic mag which seems to work well, so far.
If T3 then maybe 30-06 as it is long action anyway.
I changed the stocks on all my rifles as the injection moulded plastic stocks on most rifles are just junk.
edi

 

[roosterpig]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

+1 on the safety being quiet on a 700. love that feature when i'm in the woods.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

I have a friend that went on an African hunt and said that 7mm Mauser ammo was everywhere on the dark continent. Guess that's legacy from european colonization.

 

[flyrodder]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

It might be worth bedding your Browning. I have a Weatherby Vanguard that was improved significantly when I did that. If you have similar results, you won't have to add the "it may not shoot as well as" comment when you talk about it.

Good luck!

 

[aus_Rob91]

Re: General Purpose Hunting Rifle

Yeah well if it doesn't shoot well, I will sell it. Call me lazy, but I don't really think it is worth the effort. Besides, in my town there is only 1 gunsmith getting around, so he has the monopoly on prices.I am pretty confident the Browning will shoot under 1.5moa though, and I will be happy with that. Also, I live in Australia, and .30-06 ammo is generally $5-6 more expensive per pack of 20 than .308. .30-06 is popular in America caus it was the longest serving military round and a good all rounder. Over here, .308 and .303 are the longest serving military rounds and the most popular for larger pests. .223 is incredibly popular here as the average size pests are small, thin skinned game. And kangaroos have to be headshot by professional hunters