Game Taking/General Purpose Centerfire Bolt-action Rifles

I have morphed my hunting guns over many years. I was shooting .308 in a Remmy PSS for a long range rig and hunting with a .270. All the while I was blasting away with M1As..... didn't make much sense.

Eventually, I ditched the .270 for the mentioned reasons of availability of .308 and started using a M1A for hunting deer. made so much more sense. Then the M110 trials began and all the experimenting with gas long range guns in an AR platform. Next thing I know I am tricking out an Armalite AR-10T................

Liked it so much, I am selling the M1A SOCOM because I am using my newly purchased AR10 carbine on deer and bear this year (if anyone is interested in a SOCOM with extras, check the Marketplace here).

So, I have blurred the hunting/tacitcal uses. Much like our Grandfathers did when they returned from WWI (1903s) and WWII (Grarands). Practical is practical. That applies to ammo, platform, optics, or anything.

 

A freakin' MEN..... I would love to say more, but Ghrit already fell out of his rocking chair laughing... saying, Last post on this thread my ass. I knew he couldn't do it.

 

AR-10 has a more versatile platform for that with different uppers. but, his whole deal was keeping the package well under $1000.

 

I too like the .270 for a general purpose cartridge. I'd rather have a 6.5 Grendal (.260) but it's not practical cost wise or availability wise. It's a specialty cartridge.

.308 is definitely tops if you're looking for an all around cartridge that is easily avail now and will be fairly avail in future less predictable times. The Rem 700's are a good place to start for anybody's first bolt gun. Good choice of barrel length (20-22" is good for gp rifle) and decent triggers. In fact, my next gun purchase will be a 700 5R. You shouldn't be shooting cheap (hahah as if anything is cheap now) surplus 147g through your bolt guns though. Too light. You'll want to be looking for deals on 168g & 175g match grade stuff.

My uncles and dad all switched from 30-06 to 7mm mags (.284) over 30 years ago for hunting and have never looked back. My best friend finally switched to 7mm mag from his .243 a few years ago. He's a bit slow... I still like the .270Win but don't own one anymore. Just use my dad's 7. I wish we had all the hogs they do down south. I'd get the opportunity to actually use my SOCOM II for something other than throwing lead at steel plates. 16" .308's are fun and loud!

Anyway, that's what I can add to the discussion and best of all it's worth what you paid for it!

Byte

 

If you settle on a Remmy....

The Varmint (PSS or what ever the hell they call em' now) will likely be a bit out of your price range. They run right around 1K. Instead, look for a heaviest barreled hunting rifle you can find. There are a lot of LW hunting barrels around. Trust me.... unless you want to start reloading and tailoring a load to that rifle, you will have much "easier" accuracy from a heavier barrel. My aforementioned .270 was a LW barrel. I had to load rounds to near max OAL and fine tune powder to make up for the crap tube. An accurate rifle only need 1) good tube, 2) good bullet assuming a good nut behind the trigger. Stick to the lengths mentioned above.... 22-24".

You may look into some of these new bolt action "patrol rifles" being produced by Remmy and others too. I have no idea what they cost, but they are about what you are looking for anyways. Their target group with those rifles are PDs that don't want the evil look of military style weapons in cops' hands. Essentially, it's a slightly tuned hunting rifle with a Med weight barrel.

Check prices on the VTR line (the XCR is the old Varmint or PSS line):
http://www.remington.com/product-families/firearms/tactical-families/tactical-centerfire.aspx

Don't overlook the Savage Model 110 (poor man's sniper rifle):
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/models/

Winchester is mostly dead, but the Model 70 is going strong (with FN running the show):
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/category.asp?family=001C

ETA: If you look hard, you may find a Chicom Norinco M14 for about $900ish. I have seen the as low as $800. I don't really know what they run at the moment.

 

I agree 30-06 Sprg with 308 Win next. Hard to go wrong with a 30-30 either. These (3)three are easy to find any where in USA, and have taken evrey animal in North America.
XR750

 

As to cartridge performance, the 30/06 beats the .308win in only heavy bullets for the most part. 30/30 performs on the level of the 7.62X39mm except can't effectively use pointed bullets. It is no where close to the performance of the .308win.
.
and, yes the 30/30 has at one time or another killed moose, grizzly and polar bears, but when much more effective calibers exist for the large bears, why put your health at serious risk. people have taken african elephants with the 7mm mauser and solids for brain shots, but again why risk becoming red goo between their toes???
.
alos the 30/30 and 30/06 have not been military or significant police rounds for years and years. civilian popularity has boosted availablity of both rounds.
.
summary ......308 winchester
JMHO, ...lol .... and yes I am prejudiced.

 

Another option...

Ok, let's throw out another option.
Build yourself an AR lower for about $175. Then purchase this:
Stag Arms

Now, purchase 500 pieces of brass, jug of powder, primers, and whichever .270 projectiles you wish. Makes a good medium game rifle out to at least 300 yards. Total package around $950-1000, and a fairly cheap shooter for bullets/primers/powder.

Ok, i'll start running now!

 

May as well throw in my opinion. Forget about varmints, leave them to your .22. For deer and boar in the sunshine state, I'd recommend something in a short action, .243, 7mm 08, .308 caliber. I own a Savage arms .308 that I bought for use on that size game. I choose the .308 because I already owned a M1A, a T/C Encore, and a Isapor Enfield in that caliber. Nothing like keeping it in the family. Long as I full length resize my brass, I can reload for all of them and not have to get yet another size dies.

 

I'm a new hunter.
For deer, I purchased a Yugoslavian Mauser 1947 barreled action and put it in a synthetic stock.
It is heavy as hell, but is fairly accurate. Cost me all of $200.
8mm Mauser has plenty of punch for large game.

 

There are bargains out there no doubt. It's a buyers market for used guns right now. People are hard up for cash. Yesterday a neighbor came buy to take advantage of my rural homesite and 100 meter safe firing lane from covered porch. He had his latest acquisition, a Remington semi auto model 7400 in 30/06, with a simmons 3 X 9 X 40mm scope. Previous owner was hard up and offered this to my friend for $300. It shot great, and looked like a new rifle. Hardly used at all and cherry condition stock, metal, and bore. As I said, bargains are out there to be had cheap. A quick check of gunbroker for my friend reassured him he got his moneys worth and more.
.
one last note; 8mm mauser will get the job done, but you gotta feed that beast. If it were me I would handload to save money, .... or get a more popular caliber. To each his own.

 

There's a ton of surplus to practice with and some of the European manufacturers make inexpensive SP 8mm.

I'd love to find a deal like that. Just not seeing anything priced anywhere near that.

 

Watch the surplus stuff as a lot of it is corrosive. Clean that stuff up quick and carefully to get it all.
.
It must be a regional thing. I have really been having a hard time keeping my wallet in my pocket here in North Central Florida. Pawn shops are so loaded with guns they are willing to dicker on price. They actually get upset when you don't buy. As an olde retired sailor, I compare the experience to dickering with hookers over price and the specific act, then telling them "no thanks, I don't think so".....

 

Ha!
Things are relatively better here in NC, but I have to tell you, the pawn shops around here have always sucked! It is just ridiculous the prices they ask for on used beat up cr*p. Still they stay in business. I never did understand that one.

 

Mausers are great for the price; ammo is relatively inexpensive. Buying one with a scope (or scope mount) usually commands "sniper rifle" premium prices. There's a "beauty" in learning to shoot with irons sights, but these old eyes don't see it so much anymore.

I'm going to sell my Swedish Mauser and ammo, and a bunch of other stuff and buy a good scope and rifle in .308 (or something). Maybe an AR-10 or an AR upper in 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC.

 

Shooting on my buddy's hunting lease Sunday, my Yugo M48 8mm Mauser was grouping 3" at 100 yards, open sighted! With my 53 year old eyes - that's pretty darned good! Used my handloads - 180 grain SP over RL15 powder. Moderate load, didn't kick bad. Good enough to bag Bambi nest season! Shooting distance rarely exceeds 80 yards hunting.

 

Yup. They're fine firearms - German made - just taken over by the Yugos after the war.
After I degreased my barreled action, I popped it into a $69 synthetic stock and stuck a cheap NC star 6x scope on top and took it out to the range.
After playing with it for about 15 minutes, I was able to put 3 shots on a post-it note at 100yds.
I'm sure I could do better, but it got dark.
I love that thing - just wish it were lighter in weight - and prettier - that stock makes it look like something from an 80's terminator movie.

As far as ammo goes - everything I've shot in it kicks like a mule. Surplus is very powerful as are any European loads. US loads are lighter and from what I understand, it's because too many fools were putting them in old 7mm Mausers and blowing themselves up.

 

I left mine in its original stock because it just looks so much nicer. Is a bit heavy to be totin' around the woods but I sure wouldn't have a problem relying on it if I needed to. Great shooter built the right way. Will last several lifetimes. Fun to shoot too.

I have been shooting the Romanian surplus steel cased stuff through mine with great success. It's corrosive so I just run about a quart of water through the action and barrel when it's cooled a bit. I make sure to give it a good cleaning within a day or two at most. No issues 200 rounds later.

Byte

 

I have another in original stock
I didn't want to mutilate that one, so I bought a plain barreled action for the deer gun. If TSHTF, I have a set of spare parts. At $120 - $150 for a top - notch rifle, I couldn't afford not to.

I've shot the Romanians and Yugo (I think) surplus stuff. I agree with the "water first" method of cleaning - but I found that I must follow up immediately with solvent here in humid NC so I keep it dry until I get it home. No problems here either.