Best first rifle for hunting

I have never been hunting before but would like to this up coming fall. I'm looking for my first rifle. I would like to stay under $500 so that I will be able to afford it before the season starts and get in at least a few weeks practice. Any other advice or links would be greatly appreciated as well.

Remington 700

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Originally Posted by Rob

Remington 700

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:number1: This!

Short of hunting large African game, you can get a Rem 700 in the right caliber for anything you want to hunt.

Speaking of which, what do you want to hunt?

Grew up with my family elk hunting, no clue what they used. Hubby got me a gun for bird hunting, (again, not exactly sure what), that I haven't had time to use. Love to shoot though. About the time I started getting good at hitting the clay pigeons we would run out. I have fond memories of hunting with my family as a child though. Hope some people chime in with ideas though... :)

Remington 700's aren't the finest weapons ever made but they're pretty utilitarian and will function just fine for most any animal you could hunt in North America that you'd need a rifle for. Are you going bird hunting (upland/waterfowl) or deer or prairie dog or...? Depending on what you're hunting, that would dictate what kind of weapon you'd want, lol!

I'd say look at used weapons; you can pick up some pretty nice guns cheap, if you know what you're looking for or can find someone who will go with you to help you pick one out. Don't jump in with both feet and buy top of the line until you know that you're going to enjoy it...once that sale is complete, even if you never fire the weapon or even leave the store with it, it's considered used. BATF regs and stores both will considered it a "used" weapon once you complete the purchase. Anyway, hope that helps and doesn't confuse the issue, lol! Let us know what you decide and be safe and have fun!

My first rifle was a Remington model 7 243. It's not the most powerful rifle, but it will drop a mule deer in its tracks. Being the model 7 it is meant to carry up mountains, hills, etc, so it is SUPER light. I've had it for 16 years and it's never let me down through the rain, mud, snow, and blazing heat. :gj:

What are you hunting?

Have you been shooting/ how good of a shot are you?

How much recoil can you handle?

For someone thats never even shot, and assuming your deer hunting, I would suggest a .30-06. You can get heavy rounds that are still high velocity, and as long as you can hit somewhere in center mass, whatever you shoot is going down pretty quick.

And a very important thing to keep in mind, is to use the same ammo during practice and sighting in as you are going to use while hunting, that way you have the same trajectory out in the field.

Also, hollowpoints are your friend:gj:

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Originally Posted by cmack91

What are you hunting?

Have you been shooting/ how good of a shot are you?

How much recoil can you handle?

For someone thats never even shot, and assuming your deer hunting, I would suggest a .30-06. You can get heavy rounds that are still high velocity, and as long as you can hit somewhere in center mass, whatever you shoot is going down pretty quick.

And a very important thing to keep in mind, is to use the same ammo during practice and sighting in as you are going to use while hunting, that way you have the same trajectory out in the field.

Also, hollowpoints are your friend:gj:

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Good suggestions and questions, but I would NOT recommend standard hollowpoints for hunting at all! Most standard factory hollowpoints are designed to expand rapidly and not penetrate. Basically they are cheaply made bullets with a cool name. These can cause a lot of blood shot meat and/or inadequate penetration resulting in a wounded animal. This might be ok if you're hunting varmints like prairie dogs or groundhogs where you're just out to watch them splatter, but for big game you'll want a bullet that provides a controlled expansion and good weight retention. I swear by Barnes X bullets. Nosler Partitions and Failsafes are great as well and I have used both before. These were designed for hunting and most manufacturers offer loads like these designed specifically for hunting big game. Most standard bullets were designed for paper targets.

Another question:

What kind of terrain are you going to be hunting in? Seeing as the OP has NC as their location, I'm going to assume they will be hunting in mostly wooded areas, generally at close range (under 200 yards). If that is the case and this will be for hunting whitetail and similar stuff, a .30-30 might be a good choice and they can usually be handled by even smaller/inexperienced shooters. Marlin 336 comes in .30-30 and are great, lightweight little brush guns that are perfect for hunting deer sized stuff in heavy brush.

Good points, I guess I could have specified which hollowpoints too. Sometimes I forget about all the crappy ammo out there lol.

It really depends on what you're wanting to hunt. A lot of people use a .223 for smaller game like hogs and what not. It packs a pretty good punch and not hardly any recoil. I hog hunt with my AR15....plus it's a blast to shoot!!! You can get a flat top DPMS for about $600...I know it's a little outside your goal but just food for thought!


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I'd say a .22. Buy a nice bolt action, used or new and spend the rest of the money putting decent glass on it. Start on squirrels and ground hogs and if you decide you like it, branch out from there; you can eat the squirrels and most any farmer around would more than likely give you the keys to the barn if you wanted to shoot ground hogs for them.

I use my pellet gun to shoot chipmunks in my yard lol!

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

I use my pellet gun to shoot chipmunks in my yard lol!

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You shoot alvin??? Evil! Lol

I will be hunting deer. I've not fired anything other than a .22 in long guns. Not too bad of a shot at 50 yards, but that's the only target I have available right now. I've also fired .380 .44 .357 and 9mm. My aim is pretty good with them but again at 50 yards max, and probably closer to 20-25 yards with all except the .380. I will be hunting in NC maybe some in the mountains (Morganton area) but mostly out towards the coast.

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Originally Posted by AK907

Most standard factory hollowpoints are designed to expand rapidly and not penetrate. Basically they are cheaply made bullets with a cool name.

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Cheaply made? How so? Aren't they made pretty much the same, other than the tip? I've shot a lot of different hp handgun rounds and they perform pretty much the same as round point rounds other than some feed better than others. I'm talking about handgun rounds though, and not hunting rounds. Is there a difference?

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Originally Posted by sho220

I'm talking about handgun rounds though, and not hunting rounds. Is there a difference?

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Yes there is. Defensive handgun rounds are designed to be deployed at a fairly close range. 7 yards is the average distance for a gunfight. Hollow point rounds work very well at creating a debilitating wound channel without over penetration.

For hunting, the shot ranges are much greater, and aside from the fact that hollow points pack less kinetic punch at those distances, the actually hollow point nose of the bullet makes it a ballistic nightmare because no two rounds act the same way when traveling down range. Not a good thing for accuracy.

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Originally Posted by Rob

You shoot alvin??? Evil! Lol

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No, its Theadore, he can't run fast enough..lol

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Originally Posted by Slim

Yes there is. Defensive handgun rounds are designed to be deployed at a fairly close range. 7 yards is the average distance for a gunfight. Hollow point rounds work very well at creating a debilitating wound channel without over penetration.

For hunting, the shot ranges are much greater, and aside from the fact that hollow points pack less kinetic punch at those distances, the actually hollow point nose of the bullet makes it a ballistic nightmare because no two rounds act the same way when traveling down range. Not a good thing for accuracy.

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Thanks for the info. I can definitely see how distance can affect performance, but I still don't understand how hp's are more "cheaply" made? All the components are basically the same, the tip of the bullet is just designed differently. How would that equate to being cheaply made?

The way the gun market is now...You can get a nice used gun for $500.00

Have you thought about an "action" you would like...Semi or bolt ?? The bolt actions would probably be a little cheaper. Auto Remingtons like the 740 or 742 are nice and come in a variety of calibers. Bolt actions...Even more so.

Whatever you decide to get, do yourself and the "game" you are hunting a favor...Practice with the gun...Get comfortable with it and make the first shot count.

Happy "Hunting" (So to speak) :)

30-30 is a good deer rifle. I second buying a used gun at a reputable store. If you have plenty of friends/family who hunt, ask to try out their guns at a range with them, to see which suits you best BEFORE you buy one.

If you have any near you, check out the AppleSeed shoots too. I haven't made it to one myself but my friends really liked going to the ones they attended, and it's usually free for women too(for all the lady shooter out there!!), and they'll really help you out a lot.

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Originally Posted by sho220

I still don't understand how hp's are more "cheaply" made? All the components are basically the same, the tip of the bullet is just designed differently. How would that equate to being cheaply made?

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I can't really speak to that aspect of the original comment about HPs. The ones I purchase for my handguns are by far more expensive than stadard military style ball ammo. I think Hydra-Shocks for my .45 ACP cost me about $22 for 20 rounds (it's been a while since I purchased any since I don't shoot those at the range, and thankfully, I haven't needed to use them for their intended purpose).

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Originally Posted by Slim

I can't really speak to that aspect of the original comment about HPs. The ones I purchase for my handguns are by far more expensive than stadard military style ball ammo. I think Hydra-Shocks for my .45 ACP cost me about $22 for 20 rounds (it's been a while since I purchased any since I don't shoot those at the range, and thankfully, I haven't needed to use them for their intended purpose).

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They all seem to run about that price. I only shoot enough of them to make sure they feed reliably.

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Originally Posted by Rob

Remington 700

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Which model and what caliber? I've been looking at them (since you suggested them) and even found a 7mm at a local store but I hear the recoil is really brutal.

remington 700 sps 30-06 Also I'm a bit bigger then the average guy so recoil has never really been a issue with any gun I fire.

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Originally Posted by Rob

You shoot alvin??? Evil! Lol

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Alvin and his whole gang lol! I also do target practice with it, (on non living things of course haha).
I actually really enjoy shooting and think i would really enjoy hunting but no one in my family hunts :(. So the point of me getting a real gun right now would be kinda pointless haha. For now ill stick with the less dangerous pellet gun i guess :D

Personally, I hunt with a Remington .223. It's light, no kick, and is one of the most accurate guns I've ever shot despite differences in distance. I've shot it at everything between 10 and 100 yards with the same result: a dead deer. My dad got it for me when I was younger because he thought it would be a better 'girls' gun and now my 6'10" brother argues with me every year on whether he gets to take it out when he goes because it will drop a deer just as fast as his and doesn't bruise his shoulder in the process. With the bullets we use, it does leave a decent sized exit wound but as long as you shoot where you're supposed to, all you lose is some rib meat.

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Originally Posted by sho220

Cheaply made? How so? Aren't they made pretty much the same, other than the tip? I've shot a lot of different hp handgun rounds and they perform pretty much the same as round point rounds other than some feed better than others. I'm talking about handgun rounds though, and not hunting rounds. Is there a difference?

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Nope, not made the same at all. Different bullets are made for different applications. Bullets designed for hunting are VERY different than bullets used for target shooting. Basically hunting bullets are designed to have controlled expansion creating what they call a "mushroom" as well as holding together in one piece, thus they penetrate better and do not destroy a lot of meat. Examples of decent hunting bullets would be Barnes X bullets or Nosler Partitions. Other bullets are designed for simply for accuracy/ballistic efficiency and not durability and will simply fragment and not hold together if used for hunting big game. This fragmentation can cause a lot of blood shot meat, inadequate penetration and the risk of wounding an animal. An example of what I'm talking about would be Hornady HPBT bullets. Great for paper, crap for hunting. Also, a lot of bullets are actually designed to be fragile and fragment/expand quickly. And some bullets are just downright cheap and not good for much. As with anything, there are different types for different applications.

There should be a bit more in depth info about the differences if you visit these sites (among others).

www.barnesbullets.com
www.nosler.com
www.hornady.com

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Originally Posted by ChrisS

Which model and what caliber? I've been looking at them (since you suggested them) and even found a 7mm at a local store but I hear the recoil is really brutal.

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What kind of 7mm are we talking about? 7mm-08 Rem? 7mm Rem Mag? 7mm STW? 7mm RUM? Etc...

There are a lot of different types of 7mm and they are not all created equal. If its something light like a 7mm-08 Rem (which is simply a .308 Win necked down to .284 cal), then recoil isn't bad and can be handled by most shooters and is actually a common round for women. Now if its a 7mm Remington Magnum (which is based off a shorted .300 Win Mag casing necked down to .284), then they have quite a thump, but shouldn't bother most adult men. I would consider them to be moderate. Similar to a .308/.30-06, maybe a little snappier. Now when you're getting into heavier 7mm's like the STW or RUM or any of the countless others, then you're looking at a pretty decent kick, but nothing horrible. It isn't an elephant gun! My wife is 5'3" and weighs 100 pounds soaking wet and she can handle my 7mm STW without a problem and I load some pretty hot loads for it. She might not enjoy putting 100 rounds through it at the range in a day, but she survives.

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Originally Posted by AK907

Different bullets are made for different applications.

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Like our NATO rounds, you shoot a guy in the arm, those things have so much tumble they can come out of his foot. lol

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Originally Posted by Rob

Like our NATO rounds, you shoot a guy in the arm, those things have so much tumble they can come out of his foot. lol

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Haha, exactly.

Also, if you're doing any hunting it is best to check your state regs as most (probably all for that matter) have restrictions on what kind of firearms can be used for different types of hunting. They will likely have restrictions such as calibers and bullet types. As far as I know you can't use FMJ (full metal jacket) bullets for hunting in any state.

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Originally Posted by AK907

they will likely have restrictions such as calibers and bullet types..

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X2 a lot of it is seasonal as well. There is bolt action season, muzzle loader season, bow hunting season (my fav).

i started with a .22 but if you are hunting deer you need to shoot them in the neck to kill them last year i used a 30.06 and my dad uses his 300 winchester mag i use my dads guns so i did not have to buy nothing but clothes and license

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Originally Posted by AK907

What kind of 7mm are we talking about? 7mm-08 Rem? 7mm Rem Mag? 7mm STW? 7mm RUM? Etc...

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It's a 7mm Mag

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Originally Posted by Rob

X2 a lot of it is seasonal as well. There is bolt action season, muzzle loader season, bow hunting season (my fav).

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My math teacher in highschool, who came from VA, was a bow hunting NUT. He could talk about bow hunting for hours! He also had about 5 different RealTree patterned ties lmao

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Originally Posted by Elite Morphs

i started with a .22 but if you are hunting deer you need to shoot them in the neck to kill them

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In Florida, hunting deer with a .22 is against the law...no matter where you shoot them.

.270 win for deer.

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Originally Posted by ChrisS

Which model and what caliber? I've been looking at them (since you suggested them) and even found a 7mm at a local store but I hear the recoil is really brutal.

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Recoil is over rated (as long as you can manage to not scope yourself if your prone), im 6' 200 lbs, and I can and have shot hundreds of rounfs in just a couple hours. Slugs, buck, .30-06, 7.62x54 (my favorite), .308, all heavy loads, it doesnt do anything for me.

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Originally Posted by Rob

X2 a lot of it is seasonal as well. There is bolt action season, muzzle loader season, bow hunting season (my fav).

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Bow hunting/ shooting; my favorite :D

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Originally Posted by Slim

In Florida, hunting deer with a .22 is against the law...no matter where you shoot them.

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i live in pa so i dont really know much about laws in other states

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Originally Posted by ChrisS

It's a 7mm Mag

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Remington Mag? Weatherby Mag? Winchester Short Mag? Remington Short Action Ultra Mag? Reminington Ultra Mag? Other? There are differences between all of them (some major) and ammo is NOT interchangeable. Some will actually chamber rounds for the others, which can be VERY dangerous if fired! I'm going to assume its a run of the mill 7mm REMINGTON Mag as they are the most common. If so it is a decent all around big game round. Good for everything from small whitetail sized game all the way up to elk, moose and brown bear. Heck, you can even load up some lightweight, hot loads for coyotes and stuff. Recoil in most rifles is moderate, even with heavy loads, and can be handled by most adult men without an problem, but it varies on factors such as the weight of the rifle, how that rifle fits you, loads you're using, position you're in, your personal tolerance, etc. I'd say if you're comfortable with a .30-06, you won't have a problem with a 7mm Rem Mag.

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Originally Posted by Slim

In Florida, hunting deer with a .22 is against the law...no matter where you shoot them.

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As far as I know you can't hunt deer with a .22 in ANY state. I know a few states allow .223 and up, but never heard of any allowing a .22LR. Even if it were legal I wouldn't recommend it at all! Far too much margin of error.

look into the mossberg 4x4. it has a factory fluted barrel, compensator and user adjustable trigger pull all for under 500 bucks. its available in many different cartridges.
personally i would get a 25-06, .243, .270 or 30-30 for deer all are great. make a decision based on your ability as well as your terrain and landscape.
25-06 and the .243 are smaller cartridges and dont bust through vegetation well but are great for varmint as well as deer. .270 is the most popular deer cartridge available and 30-30 is just a great cartridge as well for deer.
adam jeffery

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Originally Posted by Rob

X2 a lot of it is seasonal as well. There is bolt action season, muzzle loader season, bow hunting season (my fav).

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If I read correctly, NC only has caliber restrictions on hand guns.

I love my Remington 700, 30-06. I have taken animals with it between 50 and 800lbs. I think it is one of the more versatile rifles because there are so many factory loads to choose from. I can buy factory ammo on the interned loaded from 55 grain saboted rounds up to 220 grain round nose bullets. It is not perfect at anything but it is good at almost everything.

I have several hunting rifles . A 30/30 308 30/06 but my favorite is my stainless winchester 7 mm good long range and packs enough punch for deer elk or bear. although I still love black powder hunting.

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Originally Posted by AK907

Nope, not made the same at all. Different bullets are made for different applications. Bullets designed for hunting are VERY different than bullets used for target shooting. Basically hunting bullets are designed to have controlled expansion creating what they call a "mushroom" as well as holding together in one piece, thus they penetrate better and do not destroy a lot of meat. Examples of decent hunting bullets would be Barnes X bullets or Nosler Partitions. Other bullets are designed for simply for accuracy/ballistic efficiency and not durability and will simply fragment and not hold together if used for hunting big game. This fragmentation can cause a lot of blood shot meat, inadequate penetration and the risk of wounding an animal. An example of what I'm talking about would be Hornady HPBT bullets. Great for paper, crap for hunting. Also, a lot of bullets are actually designed to be fragile and fragment/expand quickly. And some bullets are just downright cheap and not good for much. As with anything, there are different types for different applications.

There should be a bit more in depth info about the differences if you visit these sites (among others).

www.barnesbullets.com
www.nosler.com
www.hornady.com

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You've completely missed the point...you're saying this: http://www.hornady.com/store/LEVERevolution-FTX-c-416/ is made more cheaply than say this: http://www.hornady.com/store/FMJ-Full-Metal-Jacket/

30/30... If your new to hunting, and guns bigger than a 22, a 30/30 is a good start. Something that no one has mentioned is the safety and "field experience" that is needed for a high caliber gun. Any gun will kill a deer if you hit it in the right spot,, but what if you miss? Some of these bigger guns mentioned will send a bullet alot further than others. A 30.30 has a pretty good range, but after that range the bullet will drop fast and not travel to the next county.
. Just a thought.
spooky

The best hunting rifle would would have to take into consideration the intended game, possible threats encountered (such as perhaps encountering feral hogs while hunting rabbits), the average distances of targets in the terrain that you are in,, etc.
For me, I mainly use a pre '64 model 70 Winchester in .270 cal with a Leupold Vari-X III 2.5-8x scope.
The caliber is flat shooting over long distances, will shoot from a very light projectile to one big enough for an elk, (marginal on a bear), the scope magnification is enough for any long shot in Michigan, bolt action is the most reliable.

Has anyone used a Savage 11?

I'm quite partial to Russian weapons. The mosin nagant is cheap, reliable, and easy to find. Also it's a 7.62 x 54 which is just a bit bigger than a .308 if I remember correctly.

Either way, it's what I started with.

Firearm selection depends on game, terrain, restrictions, distance of shot, budget and preference.

30-30 is a nice brush gun, but terrible at distance. I honestly prefer a 35 over the 30-30 in the brush.

30-06 or 7mm can handle most terrains decently but doesn't accel at all.

Then you have severe distance stuff that I honestly think you need more time under your belt before even considering.


I personally hate Remington anything....but that's just me.

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Originally Posted by Virus

I'm quite partial to Russian weapons. The mosin nagant is cheap, reliable, and easy to find. Also it's a 7.62 x 54 which is just a bit bigger than a .308 if I remember correctly.

Either way, it's what I started with.

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My brother has one of those, I think he said he only paid $200. I haven't fired it yet but it's really nice, and it came with a bayonet. Don't see that on a hunting rifle every day lol. (I know it wasn't originally a hunting rifle)