Have the money, now I have to choose…

[CuseHunter]

So I've been working some extra double shifts these past couple weeks at PF Chang's finally have saved up enough cash to be looking for another rifle. I really want to get a large caliber (.300WSM or .300WIN). I plan on using it for deer, elk, and moose hunting. I own a TC Venture in .308 and like the accuracy for the price paid. I would like to get a different brand this time around and have roughly $1,000 to spend. Obviously, if i can spend $750 it would be nice but my max for a box of ammo, gun, rings, and scope is $1,000. (I'd prefer to go with a SS barrel due to weather corrosion resistance)

 

Lets hear you recommendations. 

 

So far with reading, I like the Weatherby Vanguard series 2 

runners up being- Browning AB3, Tikka T3, Ruger American

[Woodjr55]

Look at a savage 111 also. If you spend less then 1000 you could always buy a new shot gun or something

[CuseHunter]

Looked into the savage 111, from what I've read it's a good value. I am leaning towards a tikka t3 though. No rush to buy and I'm putting out the message I have cash and looking to buy used .300 win mag. Let's see if I have any people call me up.

[Elmo]

Shot the Tikka T3 in 7mm Magnum.  Nice rifle.  Didn't spend that much time with it to give you a full review but it was pretty sweet from what I saw.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Savage 111 is nice.. But I dont think it has the accutrigger, not positive !?!

 

 

But if it were me I would go with the 300.WIN

 

 

Good luck with you're choice.

[CuseHunter]

Savage 111 is nice.. But I dont think it has the accutrigger, not positive !?!

But if it were me I would go with the 300.WIN

Good luck with you're choice.

savage models that are the TP hunter (?sp) have the accu-trigger.

[CuseHunter]

I've decided to go with a better rifle then the savage. It's looking like a vortex viper glass, and tikka T3 in .300win. Nothing's written in stone, I want to go to some local stores and feel them out.

[Woodjr55]

Just curious you have a 308 why buy a 300 win mag? There both large caliber rounds that are capable of doing what you want. It's your money but I'm just curious why get such a similar bullet.

[CuseHunter]

Just curious you have a 308 why buy a 300 win mag? There both large caliber rounds that are capable of doing what you want. It's your money but I'm just curious why get such a similar bullet.

I'd be more confident with a .300 win mag to take an elk or moose.

My Venture does not like shooting over 160gr. It's awesome at 150/155gr (sub MOA) but when I got a box of 165 Remington's and 180 fusions they got worse and worse as I increased the gr.

Plus I don't plan on getting a smaller caliber than a .308 anytime soon, not until I go to Texas for the Army again and then I just might grab a AR while I'm there.

[Elmo]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/game_range_caliber.htm

 

Might help you with your decision.  300 WinMag gives you a little more "omph" and barely moves you up to the big game class but it looks like you might want to consider the .338 WinMag if you want to confidently move up big game levels.

 

Note:  Many consider another level above big game which is dangerous game but that's mainly reserved for the African Big Five.  The only game in North America that is classified as dangerous game levels is the Coastal Brown Bears.

[d-bone20917]

You can't go wrong with a Winchester Model 70.  

[MACHINIST]

Tikka in 300 would be my pic,vortex glass is the best for the money hands down if you ask me also.My shop manager shoots moose with a 300 and this year he took one past 500 yards with it.It was raining when he shot his and his brother said on impact you could see the water come off the body.the 300 has enough Umph to kill any game animals I would ever hunt.He has a Browning A-bolt he just bought and he said its like a night and day difference between his old Ruger 77

[Lawdwaz]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/game_range_caliber.htm

 

Might help you with your decision.  300 WinMag gives you a little more "omph" and barely moves you up to the big game class but it looks like you might want to consider the .338 WinMag if you want to confidently move up big game levels.

 

Note:  Many consider another level above big game which is dangerous game but that's mainly reserved for the African Big Five.  The only game in North America that is classified as dangerous game levels is the Coastal Brown Bears.

 

A 300win mag is more than enough for any North American Big Game.  Saying that, a good old 30-06 would do ANYTHING that 99% of us here are EVER going to hunt.

 

If you're a "gun guy", you need to experience a 300 mag yourself.  Be it a  Weatherby, Winchester, Holland & Holland or even the cute little Winchester Short Mag.  They are a blast............uggh!

 

Oh......The 30-06 is plenty of whoop for a coastal brown bear also.

 

Remember........."Bullet & Placement Trump Headstamp"

[Lawdwaz]

I've decided to go with a better rifle then the savage. It's looking like a vortex viper glass, and tikka T3 in .300win. Nothing's written in stone, I want to go to some local stores and feel them out.

 

The Tikka is a wonderful gun.  The only thing that is a draw back is the detachable mag but I'm getting past that...........after buying a .223 about 7-8 years ago, amazingly we still haven't lost that magazine.

[Pygmy]

Personally, if  I wanted  appreciably more power than a .308/30-06 , I'd jump over the .300 mags to the .338  Win Mag.

 

 

[thphm]

I had one of the early Tika T3 hunters in 30 - 06 with a wood stock, it shot fine but did not impress my by all of the plastic that is used on it. I never had a Savage rifle so I could not say how they are. At the time I could have and should have bought a real rifle as the Sako not its knockoff.

[Doewhacker]

Check out ammo prices too, 338 will put a hurting on your wallet in a hurry.

 

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Dont know if your thinking barely used but i may know of a Vanguard 300Wby Mag. I believe it has a Bushnell Banner 6x18 scope,Weaver rings and has the vented barrel added on.  I know it would knock ya a good one when shot before that was added and the trade off was a little louder gun. Sweet shooter for the few times it was shot, its a little rough on front shoulders of deer size game. If you get a cannon always try to get behind the shoulder. If not you will lose your stew meat and you will have to dig the antlers out of the mud. It will pick them up and body slam them! 

 Kinda overkill really if used only for whitetails. Unless your shots are 200 to 400 yards at most times!

[Uncle Nicky]

.300 Win Mag is a great caliber, might be a little overkill for whitetails, but you should be able to take anything that walks or crawls in North America with it.

 

I've had my best luck with Remington rifles, but I've never owned a "high end" rifle. Anything in the Model 700 series should do the job, but brand new with a decent scope might take you over $1,000 (maybe consider used?). I own a Savage Model 111 in .300 Win Mag, and while it's a good gun, I don't get the consistent patterns with it at the range like I do with my Remington rifles, but it knocks 'em down.

[phade]

How many moose and elk are you going to shoot in your life? A couple? If more than a couple, then that's a no-brainer. While I'm sure everyone wants to have the best gear possible when going on some hunts, such as elk or moose, I can't see sinking in $1k into a gun that may see a handful of hunts in its lifetime. I doubt you'd need to hunt whitetails with it given the .308.

 

A Ruger American or the Savage with a quality scope (a nice Nikon, Vortex or Leupold) makes more sense. I don't think there's a person here who would be uncomfortable going on a quality hunt with that set-up.

 

For me, if I were to sink $ into a gun, it's going to be the gun I have in my hands most often (a deer gun). I understand collector differences to that effect, but for a gun that I plan to kill something with...I'm sinking the money in to what I will be hunting with the most.

 

Given your age, I'd go the more cost-effective route and sock it into a bank account or some other interest/appreciation bearing account and let it be until you need to buy the gun for the hunt. I may have missed it, but you didn't say you had a hunt lined up.

[IDRBS]

one more Plus for the Tikka.  I have a T3 in 243. 

 

Fanastic trigger out of the box and easily adjusted +

VERY Accurate despite light barrel +

 

These 2 atributes out weigh the negatives.

 

Plastic stock  -

too light  - 

[Don_C]

I would recommend an x-bolt or model 70.

 

I own a Browning X-Bolt Stainless stalker in 338 win mag topped with a Leupold.  It's more accurate than I can shoot and the quality is excellent. I'm planning on picking up an X-Bolt hunter model this month in 7mm-08 for next year's deer season. They also have a new model this year with a classic stock if you're not a fan of the more modern design.

 

My favorite rifle is a Modle 70 Featherweight Stainless in 270wsm with a Bushnell on top, it is also deadly accurate and you just can't beat the classic styling. The new models are said to be even better than the pre '64's.

 

 

 

 

[Grizz1219]

Go with the 338 Win Mag.... If you have a 308 you don't need another 30 cal... I love my 338... Got it in the T/C Pro Hunter...

 

 

[Elmo]

A 300win mag is more than enough for any North American Big Game.  Saying that, a good old 30-06 would do ANYTHING that 99% of us here are EVER going to hunt.

 

If you're a "gun guy", you need to experience a 300 mag yourself.  Be it a  Weatherby, Winchester, Holland & Holland or even the cute little Winchester Short Mag.  They are a blast............uggh!

 

Oh......The 30-06 is plenty of whoop for a coastal brown bear also.

 

Remember........."Bullet & Placement Trump Headstamp"

 

So would a well placed 22LR at point blank range but I wouldn't shoot a bear with a 22LR at 400 yards.  Don't have any experience to relate to so I'm just going on pure speculations but I would hate to come across a trophy moose which happens to be on the other side of a valley, standing near a cliff, and having to pass on it because I can't anchor it.

[Sogaard]

I have a Rem 700 in 300 WSM and I'm very happy with it.