Like the title says, I'm in the market for a new rifle. The only rifle I've ever owned (I gave it to my cousin 10 years ago when he lost 40 guns in a house fire that took EVERYTHING) was a Remington 700 bdl. I really liked that gun, and it was very accurate and easy to clean. Now that I'm back in the market, I'm considering the same model. Are there other guns I should be considering? I'm sure there are, and that's why I'm asking. What model should I look at and why? I think I'll be going with a .308, as I like the short action. The previous model was a 30.06, and I'm not against that, but my understanding is the .308 is effectively the same with a shorter casing. Any help is appreciated!
My Ins company (like most) only insure firearms for "X" amount. my homeowners only covers $2000 in firearm loss. Any additional coverage is added as a rider to the policy.
Screw the insurance worries. I'd go with the 30-06 myself. I own 2 of them. One in the 700 and one in an old 760 pump carbine. To me.... it just packs a bit more heat. Good all around gun for deer etc. If you're looking for bear or elk or moose.... well you might want a magnum.... or a bow. LOL As far as insurance.... I just pay for a balloon and it's not that expensive. If you're friends with NRA you also automatically have some extra.
You might want to look into the Savage models with the drop box and Accu-trigger! Great guns, I have one in a .204 just for Coyotes! Love this gun!
Savage does make a really good rifle. The 700 Rem is also a classic. If I could only own one rifle it would be a .270 or a 7mm.
I was referring to Vendetta's recent displeasure with his auto insurance. Disgruntled customer + wanting to purchase a firearm = ??? Yes, this is a joke.
Need to cover several up front questions first... Wood or Synthetic? Stainless or Blued? Going for really light weight or just average? Deer only? I sell guns for a living and can fill you in on more information than is probably necessary. Just ask.
I have a Ruger Compact .308. Its wood, with a blue barrel and love it. I also have a 30-06, and .270 and prefer the .308 over both.
REM 700 is a great rifle ... I gotta say though I went in ****s the other day and held one of those tikka lites that thing felt great but I don't know much about them
Ive been in the market for a new rifle as well. I am leaning heavily toweard the TC encore. Yeah I know its not really 100% a rifle, but I love the idea of being able to just purchase a different barrel and it would cut cost down on buying a new gun every time i wanted a different caliber or a MZ.
I think I prefer a wood stock. While probably not the case, I've always associated synthetic stocks with lower value (whether true or not) I'm going to guess that blued means the black color barrels, if that's the case I'd probably prefer a blued barrel. Though, is there a reason to have one over the other (outside of looks)? I'm going for quality of construction and something that'll last forever. Yeah, this while probably be only for deer (and coyotes while hunting). Vito, I'd be the one that was afraid if you were my insurance agent.
I'm in the market as well for a bolt action rifle. I'm debating between the Rem700 and equivalent Savage with Accu-Trigger. .30-06 preferably as I plan to hunt various large game with it and do some random long range shooting with it. But, I don't plan on doing a lot of work to it so that it can't be rugged enough to carry into the backcountry for a week or two of elk hunting. Synthetic stock, stainless for better weather holdup. Weight? Average to somewhat light. I do have a Savage MK-IIF .22lr bolt action with Accu-Trigger and do like that. However, am undecided on the larger caliber.
If your wanting a durable gun I would strongly suggest a synthetic/ stainless gun. No, they are not as "pretty" as wood guns, but much more durable. One the stainless vs. blued barrel. A blued finish will rust very easy, nearly every time it is exposed to moisture. While stainless steel can rust, it is highly highly resistant to it. Pretty tough to beat the Remington 700 for out of the box accuracy. Although there quality control has gone down hill the last few years. One of my favorite guns for the money is the Tikka T3 Lite. Very lightweight, extremely accurate, and very well built. These guns come with a three shot MOA guarantee, meaning they will put three shots, in an inch, at a 100 yards. Guaranteed. Detachable polymer box magazine, milled in scope base, and silky smooth action. When I hunt I am miles, and miles in. I need something that will not fail me, but still allow me to be mobile and fast moving. I prefer a lighter set-up for these reasons. The .308 is a wonderful caliber for varmint/deer hunting. Plenty of knockdown power and very low recoil. Out west I want something with a little more knock down power at longer ranges, 300-400 yards. For this I am primarily going with a select batch of calibers; 270 Winchester Short Mag 7mm Remington Mag 300 Winchester Short Mag 300 Win Mag 30-06 At the top of my list is the 7mm mag. Tons of knockdown power, very fast and flat, high ballistic coefficients. The 270WSM comes in a close second, nearly matching the ballistics of the 7mm Rem. If I wanted a heavier bullet I would go into the 30 calibers. The 30-06 is the classic standby, not a lot of performance but it will get the job done. The 300 magnums really shine for the caliber. The short magnum will give you replicated performance of the long action, but in a much smaller package, obviously.
Do yourself a favor and look at a TC Icon with weather shield. My buddy picked one up in .243 for groundhog hunting and it is a very good gun and incredibly accurate. It may not be the prettiest gun, but for the money you will find it nearly impossible to find a rifle as accurate, durable, and as well built as the Icon.
