Your location says Germany... so what round sizes are common to you. Yes a .270 is a fantastic round, but if it's impossible for you to find, it may not be any good for you. I highly recommend a remmington 700... they are tested and simply work. Also, I'm a huge fan of Ruger and thompson center. The thompson center will be well out of price range, but the ruger is not. As far as sizes, I would look at ammo availability. .270, .308 and .30-06 would be great choices, some overkill though.
My 1st rifle was a Winchester model 94 30-30. Great little gun, and I still use it as a brush gun if I'm tracking or doing a drive. My main rifle is a Browning A-Bolt .270, also a great rifle.
Other than to say stick with name brand guns even if they are used ( some less known brands are cheap for a reason) brand doesn't matter. Buy a caliber on the lighter side and check ammo availability/price. To much emphasis is placed on the gun when what really matters is getting to know the gun by shooting a lot
My first rifle was a Remington 700 in 30-06, I love that gun. My grandpa gave it to me before he died, and I try to kill a deer with it every year. I killed a doe at 300 yards with it a couple years ago.
Rem 700 also, but with the newer Acutrigger so there are no "issues" with an old trigger. .30-06 will drop any deer and the ammo is everywhere. for the money and accuracy right out of the box it's the choice of some pretty high end shooters...
I just bought my first rifle, savage axis 25-06. From having it nearly a year really wish I would of got a model ten instead. Was just a little out of my price range. But I really like the caliber.
I would agree that any of those brands would be a good rifle to start off with. The one thing I would say when it comes to buying a used gun is to be careful. If you are not familiar with rifles be sure you have someone look at it to make sure that you are not buying one that is going to be a nightmare to zero in. When I say that I am referring to the crown on the rifle, if the crown is damaged you will never be able to get the rifle to shoot with any accuracy unless you have it recrowned. You also want to make sure that the bore and throat is in good shape. Just my .02
I love my tikka t3. I have one chambered in .243 ad it is my go to gun over my Remington's. Sent from iPhone
I've owned a number of different rifles, but hands down the most enjoyable to shoot are the Tikkas. IMO, the action and overall quality is head and shoulders above a remington. I also own a .243 Tikka, but if you want something for prairie dogs and coyotes (assumign you dont mind pelt damage) all the way up to elk and bears a 30.06 will do it all.
Tikka does make a great rifle, probably tied with Savage for the best value out there for the dollar. A few guys at the camp I hunt out of up north have them. Every one I've seen would just flat out shoot. With that said there is such an american tradition with Remingtons........and there is just something about a classic looking deer rifle that's blued and has a beautiful walnut stock. That's why I think so many people love the Remingtons. When I was 12 years old and mowing lawns to buy my first deer rifle all I could think about was the 700BDL in 30-06 on the shelf at the local gun store. Everyone I knew that killed deer consistently carried a 700, the handful of guys I knew that went out west had a 700, and I knew then that someday I would have one.
I think this is about right. You can see that with the amount of replies that state the 700 as their choice. I'm sure savage makes a fine rifle, Tikka as well. I remember when savage was just coming back, it was a value purchase then as well. Most serious hunters I know (not to say they don't own 50 other guns because they do) hunt with the 700. If I were in the market for a rifle (gave up hunting with a rifle a decade ago) I'd go right back to the 700.
I'm not so sure Savage makes a great gun. Ok maybe is better wording. I bought a Savage 22 for plinking and small varment extermination. The damn thing has the trigger pull of a rusty door. I hate it. I bought it because this old Marine ran the shop out of his house. He didn't carry Remington Trigger pull is not adjustable. The magazine is crap. Screw with it and you'll probably destroy it they say. Some day I'll buy a Remington or Browning for plinking. My 2 brothers have a Savage in 308 and 300 they have hunted with for over 50 years and love them. Go figure.
Thanks for the suggestions. Being in Germany makes it a little more difficult to just walk into a Walmart and buy a gun. They have some outdoor stores and such but everything is so expensive. Hopefully I can find someone going back stateside that is ready to sell a decent gun. Here in Germany there is no bowhunting allowed so all I can do is go to the rod and gun club and practice until I get back to the states.
Haven't read any bad advice here. I have a 308 I hunted with for many years. Great caliber and will kill anything in the lower 48 cleanly. I now shoot a 30.06 in 150 grain... Virtually identical ballistically to the .308 but it has the capacity to change bullet size through a very broad range from 130 grain bullets to 240 grain bullets. I like that... and... check your ammunition availability and cost and you will probably learn that sticking with one of the calibers recommended here is your most solid choice. Good luck finding a quality used one... it shouldn't be too hard to do so.
I Started hunting with a Remington Model 660 in .243 with a muzzlebreak at about 10 years old, I loved that gun and still love it to this day, pretty rare gun though because they didn't make many of the 660's. I now hunt with a Remington Model 700 in .270. It is an excellent shooting gun, have taken many deer with it and never missed or had any mechanical issues with the gun. Just like most everyone else has attested to, the Model 700 is a tried and true go to gun. I also shoot long range (500 yards) benchrest competitions and we build custom benchrest rifles and like the gentleman earlier stated, our go to action is the Model 700 action if we dont use a custom BAT action. I have personally shot eggs at 500 yards with a model 700 action in .243 caliber. I also have a Remington Model 700 in .308 that I shoot in the benchrest shoots aswell, it too is a tack driver. Dont ignore the advice that others have given about the other brands/calibers though, just like anything else in hunting (or anything else period) it's all about what you like, what is comfortable to you, and what works the best for you.
30-06 is the best all around caliber IMO. You can shoot 50 grain accelerators all the way up to 220 grain pills. It's also the most popular hunting round in the world. Gophers to grizzlies.....
