Need to buy a rifle

[mnguy152]

Want to buy a rifle for deer hunthing in northern mn Was thinking about a 308. What other cal should I be looking at and which rifle whould you buy? Was looking at a remi 700 in 308

[jay83196]

You looking for bolt, auto, what distances you going to shoot?

[surewood]

Lots of good rifles made by many companies. I'd suggest a bolt action. 308 is a great caliber. 30-06, or 270 are also great deer calibers. In my opinion savage makes the best rifle for the money. I also prefer a 270 caliber.

[goblueM]

they all put holes in deer... anything .243 and up will do you just fine.

I'd say price range and action type should be more pressing concerns than caliber, but thats just my 2 cents

[CodyDawg]

Do you ever plan to use it for anything bigger (ie elk out west, moose, etc)? If so, then I would move to a 7mm Mag or possibly a 300 Mag in addition to the 30/06. If recoil bothers you even a smidge, I would stay in that 30/06 or 7mm Mag type range. Pretty hard to beat the 30/06 for all around application.

As far as rifles, Tikka makes a great one that is guarunteed to shoot MOA out of the box. The only thing I dont like about the Tikka is that it doesnt have a bolt release lever, thus you have to take it off safety to remove the live ammo. A Sako A7 (same company) solves this, but is a little more $. I havent priced them recently, but a Tikka used to be in that $500-$600 range and the Sako $750ish or so. I have the Sako and it shoots like a dream.

As important as caliber is ammo. Take a look at the prices and boolit styles that are out there for your caliber of choice before you pull the trigger (pun intended) on buying one.

[mnguy152]

bolt action for sure and also plan on using it for out west too on a future elk hunt

[jerkbait]

Get a 7mm mag. Good for deer and elk out west. I have one in a remington 700 BDL and love it.

[DRH1175]

There are many nice rifles out there as far as caliber you are right on target. You can't beat a .308 for MN hunting as it is one of the best cartridges ever developed IMHO. As far as hunting out west. The .308 will easily kill any animal in North America out to 350 yds with a well placed shot. You do not need a Magnum cartridge but if it is what floats your boat than so be it.

[jay83196]

30-06 or 7mm are great, or if money not issue one of if not the best distance bullet the wetherby 30-378 very flat high power but spendy gun very spendy ammo, very acurate.

[mainbutter]

30-06 is a time tested round, and a great choice. There are plenty of options in either direction of that starting point trying to decide which rifle is for you.

My only rifle is a 300 win mag. My gf's uncle wants to take me deer hunting in MN, so I'll likely still use the gun I'm used to. From what I understand it's about as powerful as anyone would ever go in MN for deer hunting, but that's mostly due to increased velocity. Plenty of deer are shot with 150-180 grain bullets, the 300 win mag (and its competitors) just put your lead where you want it a little faster with a flatter trajectory.

I just plain enjoy shooting rifles with a little more kick to 'em.

[TooTallTom]

For brand, I like Savage. One-minute-of-angle guarantees are nice, but frankly most modern rifles outshoot most modern shooters. Savage makes a great rifle at a really good price.

For caliber, I like .30-06. Not that you should ever plan on it, but it's nice to have a selection at many gas stations. Sometimes, things are forgotten. Sometimes, one of those things is your ammo.

mainbutter, my granpa has a .300 WinMag. If you should have a deer in your sights, try and aim AROUND bone structure. That round makes a lot of hamburger, with little bits of bone in it. But you're totally right that it's a flat shooter with substantial knockdown power.

[Steve Foss]

For combo deer/elk and cartridge price, the good old .30-06 still gets my vote.

Beyond that, I'd definitely spend a lot of time in the gun shops/stores trying out different brands and models. There are a number of good deer/elk calibers that already have been mentioned, but it's more important, IMO, to find a rifle that you are comfortable handling, that fits your frame and pleases you, than it is to buy a rifle based solely on caliber. Same advice on the scope.

What fits others' bodies and inclinations may not be a good fit for you.

[mainbutter]

Ditto on TooTallTom and others, my rifle is a Savage, and I specifically picked it for its price point.

[walleye365]

I think you would be happy with the 308 its enough for both deer and elk.

[MUSKY18]

I shoot a Winchester Model 70 and absolutely love the gun. Mine is chambered in .270, which I also love. Flat shooting. Have taken deer out to 250yds without a problem. Will work just as well on Elk, but I don't think that that range is as good as the bigger calibers. Even though I think the world of my .270, for an all around caliber, nothing will touch the 30-06.

[uptracker]

Pay attention to the action type...if you're gonna be shooting 200+ yards over a field or open swamp, go with a bolt action. If you're hunting close quaters, go with a pump, auto or lever. I have all three and when I hunt N MN I use a auto (Rem 750 Woodmaster) with an 18 1/2" barrel in .270 Win. 90% of my shots are under 50 yards and I'd be in big trouble with a bolt gun. I also believe though, that if you can shoot once try to at least make a follow up shot if he's still standing or running.

Hunting technique also has a lot to do with it. I still-hunt and track, so I always want a fast gun. I still wouldn't want a bolt for big woods stand hunting though.

Someone said to go with a 7mm or .300 if you're gonna go after anything bigger than deer. I made that mistake when I was 18 and regret it to the fullest. My .300 hasn't been shot in 8 years now. I really wouldn't wanna shoot an anelope with a .300 and a .270, 30-06 or .308 is all you need for any North American big game aside from a grizzly. I read a great article recently that said the .270 is still the number one choice of most elk hunters. The Ontario moose hunters mostly use an -06 or .270...and either could take down a Yukon moose with no problems. Bullet choice is key for bigger game though, not how much powder is in the casing. Plus, you get only slightly flatter shooting out of a magnum.

So, go with what you want, but don't make the mistake of following the leader.