Hi all, I've just lodged my firearm licence application today here in Australia and have a month or so waiting time before I will be able to go and make my first rifle purchase. So I was thinking that I can use this month to get some advice from other shooters.
I intend to use the rifle for hunting pigs and deer - probably at medium ranges - and would also like to do some target shooting. At present I'm thinking that I'll get a .26-06 or .308 calibre rifle. I'll probably spend around $1500 AUD (~$1000+ USD?) for gun & scope and was looking at something like the Tikka lite or a Weatherby, Howa or Savage.
I've had a look at the Tikka Lite and Savage 16-FCSS and generally felt that the Tikka was well balanced and nice to hold, while the Savage looked well built but a little heavier. I haven't held the others - but am aware that they're slightly heavier than the Savage - which is partly a concern for me as a I'm a small bloke.
Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
If you are going to look at a howa definitely look into the 30-06 I fired one of these the other weekend and I have always refused to go near the 30-06 because of it being known as a caliber that will kick you into next week and was rather surprised that it had less recoil than my mossberg .308 the 30-06 was running reloads at 1gr under max load with a 129gr nosler ballistic tip and found it a real pleasure to shoot. don't need to go for the most expensive rifle out there(tikka) the marlin XL and XS7's are getting very good reviews and would be one of the only rifles I have seen with pillar bedding in the sub $1500.00 area and come with a good quality scope (simmons blazer 3-9x40) plus they are real nice to handle and comfortable on the shoulder . .308 cal is also a damn fine caliber especially for the pigs but the 25-06 would give better down range performance over the .308 due to flatter shooting trajectory and will also put a pigs lights out and cause less meat wastage. Also I would recommend you get yourself a good reloading kit along with some manuals and also look at reloading as this will help you get to know what your rifle is really capable of and give you access to a wider range of projectile weights. I reload for my mossberg ATR100 in .308 and I get very good results with it and have already developed a few lods to suit the rifle in 150,165 and 110gr projectile weights
A guy I now recently bought Tikka T3 in 6.5x55 and the gun was beautiful. The wood was excellent and it felt very good in my hands. They go for about $650 around here, and come in many different calibers, although the 6.5x55 is one of the best killers the world has ever seen.
I recntly bought a Marlin XL-7 in 30'06 and wouldn't hesitate to recommend one to any hunter looking for an accurate rifle that doesn't cost a fortune. They come in Walnut, camo, and black synthetic. At $300 here in the states I doubt you could find a better gun for even twice that price. The trigger is great, the gun handles well, and it has pillar bedding. My gun will shoot just about any decent load at or under 1" and I bet the 308 would do the same.
Not all that experienced with the T3 but the 70deg bolt sounds good and the optilock is a good feature.The action sounds like it is really strong.As much as I admire the .25-06 all I can say is if you reload it would be great because you must reload to get the best out of the 25-06.If you don't reload I would advise the .308 because of factory load selection.I see it has a 1in11"twist which should work great with 150/168gr bullets in .308cal. ,,,sam.
The Marlin XL 7, as stated, is one of the best deals in big game rifles today. I would prefer .30-06, but you might want .308, so you can find ammo easier, and have a broader selection.
__________________
If pro is the opposite of con, is Congress the opposite of progress?
The Marlin XL 7, as stated, is one of the best deals in big game rifles today. I would prefer .30-06, but you might want .308, so you can find ammo easier, and have a broader selection.
Yep, at $300 USD, you have to go to a $2500 rifle to beat the XS-7 in .308...and even then it's a close thing.
I'm putting one on order in a few weeks Gonna get the Walnut Stock XL-7 in .30-06 for $390 US
__________________ Marlin & Calico Specialist
I'm not just Trigger Happy, I'm Trigger Ecstatic!!
with the savage you can change the bbl and have other calibers with one stock/reciever/trigger group.
i.e a 25-06,270,280,30-06,8mm-06,and 35 whelen all in one rifle.
just by swapping the bbl with a go guage.
with the savage you can change the bbl and have other calibers with one stock/reciever/trigger group.
i.e a 25-06,270,280,30-06,8mm-06,and 35 whelen all in one rifle.
just by swapping the bbl with a go guage.
The MArlins headscape the same way as the Savages. Therefor, the Marlins should be no harder to change barrels on than the Savage.
Thanks for all of your replies and advice - I already love this forum - good advice and quick replies.
I've put together a list of rifles below in the price range with the approx price that I'd be paying (in Aussie dollars). I've sorted it by price too.
Stevens Model 200 blued synthetic $589
Marlin XL7 blued synthetic stock $650
Mossberg 100ATR blued synthetic (includes scope) $700
Weatherby Vanguard blued synthetic $795
Howa 1500 blued synthetic hogue stock $820
Browning A-BOLT II Composite Stalker blued synthetic $1,029
Remington 700 SPS blued synthetic (includes scope) $1,039
Tikka T3 Lite blued synthetic $1,049
Ruger M77 ultralight blued synthetic $1,185
Savage 16 FCSS stainless synthetic $1,200
Thought's anyone?
I still liked the feel of the Tikka in the shop - which still appeals to me despite its cost.
The biggest difference between the Stevens and the Marlin are the trigger and the stock bedding.
The Marlin has a user friendly adjustable trigger, the Stevens doesn't. The Marlin also has pillar bedding [the action is in direct contact with 2 metal bedding pillars in the stock, not the stock itself] and the Savage isn't bedded. Those two factors alone will make the MArlin more accurate than the Stevens. I think that more than makes up for the same price difference.
I can not believe the bloody mossberg is more expensive than the marlin and the mossberg has crap bedding (just two bits of plastic moulded in) I am actually in the process of getting the trigger lightened and the bedding redone on my mossberg. IMHO you would be ebetter to get the Marlin as you then have change left over for more bangsticks for the cupboard
For $795, I would get that Weatherby. They are great rifles. I saw where a Weatherby Vanguard Sub-Moa shot an incredible .177" group at 100 yards, that's insanely accurate. I have made up my mind that I will own a Weatherby someday, but not anytime soon.
__________________
If pro is the opposite of con, is Congress the opposite of progress?
For $795, I would get that Weatherby. They are great rifles. I saw where a Weatherby Vanguard Sub-Moa shot an incredible .177" group at 100 yards, that's insanely accurate. I have made up my mind that I will own a Weatherby someday, but not anytime soon.
'Driver,
The vanguard is nothing more than a Howa 1500 action under a different name.
My Marlin has shot 2 different 1 hole groups with 180 grain hunting bullets. One measured .197", and the other was .274". So the Weatherby has nothing on my Marlin '06.
I'm a Ruger Hawkeye fan but since your sensitive to weight I want reccommend it because it is a tad on the heavy side when you add a quality scope.
So with that said, go for a 308 caliber rifle. It does it all, all the time and then some.
It's been around a while and seems to be over looked, but fact is you'll never go wrong chooseing it.
Happy Hunting feller...A.H
Location: The Land of the Ice and Snow..... Alaska
Posts: 4,210
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmsbandit
'Driver,
The vanguard is nothing more than a Howa 1500 action under a different name.
My Marlin has shot 2 different 1 hole groups with 180 grain hunting bullets. One measured .197", and the other was .274". So the Weatherby has nothing on my Marlin '06.
Keep in mind a gun needs to fit the person, I almost baught a XL7 in .270 but the Vanguard felt more comfortable than the Marlin did. As much of a Fan of Marlins I am, I cant say that I would trade my Vanguard in for one.
And yes the Vanguard and he Howa 1500 are bascially the same thing, but I have heard nothign but good things about Howa any way.
__________________
God Speed Arkansashunter, Ezearln, SwedeSteve, You guys will never be forgotten.
Gonna get the Walnut Stock XL-7 in .30-06 for $390 US 
