Whats a good rifle for a first time hunter?

Question

Looking for a nice bolt-action rifle that can take down a deer. I dont have a lot of experience with bolt action but i do a lot of duck hunting with some friends. I have a 8shot 12ga pump action that i bought from big5 so you can tell i'm not into the very expensive guns. But for this gun i want to be. Also i have a 16 yr old son that wants to go hunting whats a good gun for him? Hes not the strongest 16 yr old out there so i was thinking something light for him.

Answer 1

I started out with a 30-06 remington
i was 12 yrs old when i first started hunting but now you can buy youth models which is shorter and easier to handle if you say he isn't very strong.
but I'm 32 now and I use a ruger 300 short mag it has a 16' barrel and a 12" stock it does have 22 pounds of recoil action but I bought mine from a friend used, he used it twice I paid $400 and he paid over $700 just look around you'll find the right one.
I love that gun
my boyfriend knows if it comes down between him or the gun
well nice knowing you.
good luck to you and your son
PS when your shooting at a deer you don't even notice the recoil, due to the excitement but when your sighting it in you definitely notice it

Answer 2

I agree with many of the others. If your kid is 16 I would get a 243. You could use this also it is a great caliber with very little recoil. The Savage is a great gun for the price especially the new ones with the accu trigger. If you want a gun for both of you then I would get the same except in 270 or 30-06. The ammunition for all of these is readily available and inexpensive. I started using a 30-06 at 15 and still do to this day, I have safe full of others but that is my favorite caliber.

Put a Leupold or Burris scope on them with a set of Burris or Leupold mounts. DO NOT use See Through mounts.

My daughters use a New England Firearms Handi Rifle youth synthetic in 223 and it does a great job with Nosler Partion bullets. However if your son is 16 you will be fine with the 243 or larger. If he is small for 16 all of the major manufacturers make youth model bolt action 243's, just depends on your budget.

Mossberg also makes a great bolt action for a reasonable price

Answer 3

Unless it absolutely HAS TO BE a bolt-action, I'd recommend a Marlin Model 336, or Model 30 in .30-30 WCF for both you and your son.

The Marlin is modestly priced, reasonably accurate and powerful, and the ammo is both widely distributed and inexpensive. I doubt if any two other cartridges have killed as many deer as the .30-30 WCF has in the last 113 years. Furthermore, the Marlin rifles have a solid top reciever and you can easily mount a scope on them, which is not the case for Winchester M-94's.

If it has to be a bolt-action, I'd suggest the Savage M-110 for both of you, a .243 for your son, and a .308 Win for you, or the .308 Win for both of you.

You might want to get a light caliber rifle for your son, but I'd suggest you stay away from the light or ultra-light rifles until he has lots more experience. Light rifles have greater felt recoil, so any reduction in weight is paid for with greater recoil. Get a standard weight rifle in one of the smaller calibers. A .243 Win, 7 x 57 mm Mauser (if you can find one) a .30-30 WCF, or a .308 Win should be within his capabilities while still having enough power to handle deer humanely. FWIW, Savage did make a .30-30 WCF bolt action, IIRC it was a Model 340, it has long been out of production, but it is not too hard to find on the used gun market.

Someone recommended the .22-.250 for your son. I vehemently disagree. While many deer have been killed with the .22-.250, it is the tool for an expert rifleman, not a novice. Furthermore, some states do not permit .22 centerfires for sport hunting of large game.

Good Hunting,
Doc

Answer 4

I note that several people have suggested 22 caliber rifles. They're illegal in most states for deer, and not a good idea in the states where it is legal. The performance you want on deer is completely different from that of military applications, and it's just silly to correlate the two. I personally don't even use 6mm any more, and I promise you'll have an occasional bullet failure with 243. You'll both be happy with something between 6.5 and 7mm. The 260 Remington and 7mm08 are based on the 308 case and are good performers with flat trajectories and mild recoil. 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser and 7x57 Mauser are also proven performers that are easy to shoot. between the 6.5's and 7's is the 270 Winchester, based on the 30-06 case, and also based on that case is the 280 Remington. Those burn more powder but aren't hard kickers.
The choice of rifle is a very personal decision. I've never been enamored of Savage or Browning, but both are popular. I have Ruger and a bunch of Remington 700's, and CZ is another option to look at. You may even find a used Winchester 70 lurking about, but people seem to be holding onto them or asking money for the "collector's value." If you go for a light cartridge for your son and want a lightweight rifle, the Remington 700 Mountain or the Model 7 are worth a look. Ruger also has a lightweight version of their 77, but I don't have personal experience with it.

Answer 5

I myself was given a 30-06 for my 12th birthday and have been hunting with it since. It is a fairly light gun to carry and easly will take down not only deer but an elk also. Mine is a Remington 30-06 bolt action. I wasn't the strongest 16 year old either and it doen't kick very hard. I am 18 now and still not the strongest.

Answer 6

find yourself a nice .308 winchester. It has less recoil than the 270 & 30-06 and significantly more knock down power than the .243. I used to hunt with a 270 and then a 7mm magnum, now I shoot a 308 and no other rifle has come out of my safe since (except for paper target shooting).

Answer 7

.22-250, 30-30 for beginners, but if you're likely to hunt other game, i'd go with a .280 .270 or 30-06. They have more recoil, but can handle most north american game. Not to say a 22-250 or 30-30 couldn't, but the other more powerful guns are prefered, and different loads can be worked up for different game. as for your 16 year old, if gun weight is an issue go with a synthetic stock, but keep in mind this will probably increase recoil, so find a happy medium.

Answer 8

I could go into to great detail, but I'll keep it simple.

For You:
Remington 700 in either .270, .308, or .30-06


For Him:
NEF Handi-Rifle in either .243 or .270


For Both:
Hornady SST's or Remington Core-Lokt's for your ammo
A good quality scope. The lowest I would go is the Simmons Blazer. It's a 3x9x40 and is a great scope if your budget minded.


If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me and I will respond as soon as possible.

Answer 9

I know you ask for a bolt action rifle, but I have to agree with "pathfinder". The Marlin 336 30-30 is a great rifle.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/centerfire/336w.aspx

Dick's Sporting Goods sells this rifle & scope combo for $319 when they have a sale on them.
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com

Answer 10

The Marlin 336 is an old standard in 30-30 Winchester caliber.