Good affordable first hunting rifle and caliber recommendations?

[batoncolle]

What distance will you be hunting? If you are hunting like we do, almost anything will work. We seldom take a shot more than 75 yard and more like 10-40 yards is normal in Georgia woods. I would suggest buying something that you can get ammo for a reasonable price. Just to toss out another suggestion, I have killed a lot of deer with 7.62x39. Think SKS, AR 7.62x39, AK, and a lot of other rifles shooting $5 a box ammo. Mine was AR based and the deer in my avatar is not the biggest I have killed with it.

^ This. What type of area and what distance are you hunting. If you're hunting open areas, and you want cheap, get one of the single shots (CVA or H&R). They generally run under $300, they are lightweight, and they make good suppressed guns. If you are hunting brush, get the 30-30.

I'd go real cheap out of the gate, and if you decide hunting is your thing, then you can pick up something nicer later on and use the cheap gun as your rain gun. I hunt with an AK, AR, or a single shot CVA when it's raining. I have under $300 in the CVA, and that includes threading the barrel to shoot suppressed.

 

[Allsmiles]

Get a cheap and ugly gun off here. Give it your best home Krylon camo paint job. Practice with it so you can hit paper plates all day. Go hunting and shoot a deer with it. Brag to your buddies that it was the "camo job" that sealed the deal. If hunting is not your thing, sell the gun on here with "custom" paint job for what you paid for it.

 

[BIKER13]

was a 200 $ bolt gun on here the other day in .........308 yes

 

[Allsmiles]

I'd have to double the value of that one getting it threaded for a can. That was a deal if it had all the parts in it. I could see a kryptic camo try in that one's future.

 

[BHJ]

Just go with the Savage Trophy Hunter since it already comes with a Nikon. Stay away from the Savage Axis. As for caliber, any of those you listed will be adequate for North American big game, though 7mm might be a bit of overkill for anything in Georgia.

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^ THIS^

 

[Benhad]

Just go with the Savage Trophy Hunter since it already comes with a Nikon. Stay away from the Savage Axis. As for caliber, any of those you listed will be adequate for North American big game, though 7mm might be a bit of overkill for anything in Georgia.

Why stay away from savage axis? I have a savage axis 11 in .308 and it's awesome! I bought it here on ODT last year and is Very accurate. I have a nikon 3x9-50 and shot dead on! I also have a marlin .35 remington. I like .308 because they have many bullet grains to choose from. I would recommend a .35 but the bullets are hard to find for most people(not me, I have 200 rds lol). 30-06, 270, 30-30 are all great hunting calibers for Georgia.

 

[fattboyzz]

Ruger or Savage in 308 with a good optic .

Great caliber that's found everywhere ammo is sold .

 

[Sure_Shot]

I'd suggest saving up a little money and get something you can keep. Life is too short for cheap guns.

That being said, I'd highly recommend an older JM stamped barrel Marlin 30-30. If you want new I'd recommend the Rossi rio grande 30-30. Very affordable. Top is with a quality 1-3 or 2-7 power optic.

 

[BHJ]

Why stay away from savage axis? .

Too many much much better rifles for the money. I'm a longtime Savageaholic and couldn't get rid of mine fast enough and took a real $ beating when I did. The Axis is built as cheaply as possible and it shows from the design, to the stock, to the finish. Bout the only thing they did right was the barrel nut. Yes they kill deer, but even an old used Savage flatback is a much higher quality piece and can be had for less.

The Marlin XL and XS series are very good budget/starter rifles that I haven't seen mentioned in this thread yet. Excellent pricing especially if you shop around online. and lots of features for the money spent. Usually they can be found for less than $300

If you're looking to move up to spending Tikka money, Then an accustocked Savage model 16 or 116 with some bells and whistles as well as many other rifles come into play.

 

[karlvv30]

You should buy a used Remington 742. Then you can understand what it is like to look for a branch thin and straight enough to rod a jammed casing out. J/K. There are many good options for hunting, but if you don't catch the bug, it will become a safe queen. If I was you, I would get the cheapest reliable hunting rifle you can find. After you catch the hunting bug, you will easily find more than 500 for what you really want to have.