What’s the best 30-06 , bolt action rifle to start with?
by admin on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 | 10 Comments
I just got into hunting and plan on going this year. I’m 17 and i’m looking for a good,power full, and reliable rifle. I dont want it to be to costy though.
Savage 110, or Ruger 77. These are good rifles which you can usually get for less than one body part each. The .30-06 is fine regardless of the type of rifle you use.
The winchester pre 64 model 70 is a great gun to use, they’re just hard to find. Otherwise i would get a Ruger 77 Hawkeye. Its a great rifle and it’s not too exspensive either.
Remington 700 SPS chambered in 30-06…..
Remington 700
Ruger 77
The Savage/ Stevens line of rifles is a very good starting point. The Stevens is the bargain Savage, having no Accu-Trigger and a Blind Box magazine, but still has good accuracy and value. The Howa 1500/ Weatherby Vanguard line is also a very good rifle. Howa has been making rifles for Weatherby and others for years and then finally entered the US market. For around $400 you can buy the Savage or Howa, sometimes even as a scoped package. Sometimes buying the scope package isn’t the best value though, so really be happy with the scope if you go that route.
Next level up is the Tikka T3 (I like these), the Remington 700 ADL, Ruger Model 77, all good rifles. The Remington is normally the benchmark at this level. Look at prices from $450 to $600+.
Next up are the specific Remington models above the ADL series, Stainless models from the listed manufacturers and what I shoot, Browning A-Bolts. The Sako A7 is in this grouping too. These are $600 plus guns.
Personally, after handling a lot of rifles lately I would go with the Howa/Vangard simply because it provides a better feel for me. But, the Savage with the Accu-trigger isn’t a bad choice; so it will come down to your preference. I’m actually getting a Tikka for my son when he is a little older. I always suggest buying the best quality you can afford, because you will never kick yourself for it.
I bought my first 30-06 when I was 14, a long time ago, and haven’t been without one since. If you use a 165 grain quality bullet you will have no problems with deer, elk or bear.
you might want to go to like a .270win for just startin’ you can get a .270win for $314 not including shipping
Savage Model 110 series are about the best to be had for the money. Remington, Ruger and Browning all make very nice rifles.That said I think in general with normal hunting styles the Savage is just as accurate and reliable as any of those. Unless you are dead set on the .30-06 you could take a look at the .270 Winchester or the .280 Remington(not sure Savage chambers this one) for good trajectory slightly lower recoil with power more then sufficient for any deer(or elk & black bear). Get a medium to high quality scope of 4 power(4x), 6x, 2-7x or 3-9x with not more then a 40mm diameter objective lens and you’ll be well set for hunting the entire USA plus most game under 1,000lbs around the world.
Remember that it’s better to spend $400 on the rifle and $400 on a scope then to spend 700 on the rifle & 100 on the scope. Lots of very good mid quality scopes for about $200-250. Leupold’s VX-I, Bushnell’s Elite line and Nikon’s Buckmasters line are all around this and great for the price. However if you can afford a bit more the Nikon Monarch and Leupold’s VX-II & especially the VX-III will last you a lifetime barring some sort of fall down a cliff or being run over by a truck.
Here it is Remington Model SPR18Ntm Walnut stock, Blued, 6- 3/4 Lbs, 23.5 inch barrel in 30-06.* Brand New only $269.00 Dollars.*
I would recommend one of the Savage bolt action rifles. Savage is noted for their excellent “out of the box” accuracy. In addition, Savage makes a rifle that sells for a very reasonable price. You won’t go wrong with a Savage.
As for the best caliber, that is a matter for discussion. One person says one caliber is the best and another person will tell you that a different caliber is best. My recommendation is either a .308, a .30-06 or a .270. All three are excellent calibers and the ammo is readily available. There are other excellent calibers but the ammo may not be as readily available. This can be important if you find yourself far from home and find that you either forgot to bring your ammo (it happens) or you need more ammo. You go into town and often find that they have a limited selection of calibers. You will almost always find .308, .30-06 and .270 ammo on the shelf.
Remington 700 SPS