Help Me Spend My X-Mas $$$

[allisji]

I have a $125 gift card to Cabelas. I'd like to use it toward a new rifle. My price limit is $500. Wood stocks are preferred. Purpose would probably ultimately for a deer rifle or smaller game at close to medium range. Though I've never been a hunter I would like one day in the next 5 to 10 years to take my son hunting.

[parabelum]

I wouldn't mind Savage with scope at this price. I know this scope is not all fancy, but seems like a deal to me!

http://www.cabelas.com/product/savage-1 ... rPage%3D18

[Beiruty]

Look for 2nd hand like new Tikka hunter in 308 or similar caliber. GunBroker is your friend.

[TomV]

Do you want a gun you can use, one he can use, both of you can use?

[Beiruty]

Look for 2nd hand like new Tikka hunter in 308 or similar caliber. GunBroker is your friend.

If it strictly for your son, You can wait for that many years to come. If you want to shoot a rifle now, pick what works for you.

[TomV]

Cabelas has the Remington 700 .308 on sale for $400. Adding a good piece of glass is going to put you over your $500 budget.

They have a Remington 783 in a combo for $340. You will want to replace the glass, but this gives you more room to do so.

You won't find a wood stock in a new rifle within your budget.

[bblhd672]

Perhaps a brand that has the same type of rifle in both adult and junior sizes? Something like a Henry or Marlin?

[Jusme]

I think parabelum, is correct, with wood stock, and scope, I don't see anything else Cabela's has in your price range. I have the Ruger American 308, stainless,that I love, but I didn't get it at Cabelas, and paid less than their asking price, and mine came with a scope. If you are not stuck on wood stocks, there are several rifles out there, Mossberg also makes the patriot rifle with a wood stock, but I don't see them at Cabelas. There are probably better deals to be made at other places, and you can use your gift card for ammo, accessories, etc. JMHO

[allisji]

The gun would be for me, not for my son (he's 4), he will get his own when he is ready.

This would ideally be something that I would have and use that would be passed along to him one day. The goal would be something that could be used for general purpose medium game or for deer at close to medium range, so I'm not sure that I need a .308 caliber. Maybe something more in the range from a .243 to a .270 caliber.

As far as a scope. I would just assume get a rifle without a scope at this point, and I would add a nice scope later. Also a detachable magazine is preferred to a magazine tube, but not a requirement for me.

The Savages and Rugers look very nice.

But I don't know for sure that I will be buying gun with my $125. I know that my wife would prefer that I don't.

At this point it might be best for me to use part of it to set up my son and myself for fishing and then use the rest on a knife or something, meanwhile watching for rifle deals and taking the time to learn more about hunting calibers and decide what I need.

[Skiprr]

I wouldn't mind Savage with scope at this price. I know this scope is not all fancy, but seems like a deal to me!

http://www.cabelas.com/product/savage-1 ... rPage%3D18

I like this recommendation, too. The glass will be adequate for modest distance range plinking until you decide to replace it.

Since you eventually want something your son can shoot, I think the caliber consideration is important. Ideally you'll want to start him on .22 LR, but for a rifle that can be practical for white tail and smaller game, I personally think .243 Winchester is a good choice. More recoil than a .223, but a more effective deer hunting round, too.

Next in that model Savage from Cabelas might be a 6.5mm Creedmoor (which is sorta kinda like a .260 Remington in felt recoil). Extremely capable long-range round. Third, in order of recoil, the all-purpose .308; and fourth the .270 Remington. According to this rifle recoil table by Chuck Hawks--just for the sake of broad comparison:

• 55 grain .223 Remington out of an 8 lb. rifle, about 3.2 foot-pounds of recoil energy
• 75 grain .243 Winchester out of an 8.5 lb. rifle, about 7.2 ft. lbs.
• 140 grain .260 Remington out of an 8.25 lb. rifle, about 11.9 ft. lbs.
• 150 grain .308 Winchester out of a 7.5 lb. rifle, about 15.8 ft. lbs.
• 140 grain .270 Remington out of an 8 lb. rifle, about 17.1 ft. lbs.

I think any from the .243 up would make a decent hunting rifle, but the fact is you're likely to be able to pass the rifle down to your son sooner if it has a modest, unintimidating recoil. I was about 10 when my father gave me my first real deer rifle and, yep, it was a .243. Sincerely wish I'd kept it, just for the sentimental value.

And at under $500, if you own it, shoot it, and get good mileage out of it for several years, it will be pretty much painless to cut that stock down to a size your son can then make his own for several more years.

Cost of ammo may well also be a factor, but you'll need to do your own comparisons there. I personally like the .223 and .308 because of their corresponding NATO designations, that they can be bought in bulk, and that the ammo stays relatively plentiful at reasonable costs. But I think my dad was pretty wise moving me from my .22 LR squirrel gun to a "grown-up" deer rifle in .243. Soft shooting enough that I always enjoyed practice and never developed any flinch habits with it, but effective enough to be a viable deer hunter.

[allisji]

I wouldn't mind Savage with scope at this price. I know this scope is not all fancy, but seems like a deal to me!

http://www.cabelas.com/product/savage-1 ... rPage%3D18

I like this recommendation, too. The glass will be adequate for modest distance range plinking until you decide to replace it.

Since you eventually want something your son can shoot, I think the caliber consideration is important. Ideally you'll want to start him on .22 LR, but for a rifle that can be practical for white tail and smaller game, I personally think .243 Winchester is a good choice. More recoil than a .223, but a more effective deer hunting round, too.

Next in that model Savage from Cabelas might be a 6.5mm Creedmoor (which is sorta kinda like a .260 Remington in felt recoil). Extremely capable long-range round. Third, in order of recoil, the all-purpose .308; and fourth the .270 Remington. According to this rifle recoil table by Chuck Hawks--just for the sake of broad comparison:

• 55 grain .223 Remington out of an 8 lb. rifle, about 3.2 foot-pounds of recoil energy
• 75 grain .243 Winchester out of an 8.5 lb. rifle, about 7.2 ft. lbs.
• 140 grain .260 Remington out of an 8.25 lb. rifle, about 11.9 ft. lbs.
• 150 grain .308 Winchester out of a 7.5 lb. rifle, about 15.8 ft. lbs.
• 140 grain .270 Remington out of an 8 lb. rifle, about 17.1 ft. lbs.

I think any from the .243 up would make a decent hunting rifle, but the fact is you're likely to be able to pass the rifle down to your son sooner if it has a modest, unintimidating recoil. I was about 10 when my father gave me my first real deer rifle and, yep, it was a .243. Sincerely wish I'd kept it, just for the sentimental value.

And at under $500, if you own it, shoot it, and get good mileage out of it for several years, it will be pretty much painless to cut that stock down to a size your son can then make his own for several more years.

Cost of ammo may well also be a factor, but you'll need to do your own comparisons there. I personally like the .223 and .308 because of their corresponding NATO designations, that they can be bought in bulk, and that the ammo stays relatively plentiful at reasonable costs. But I think my dad was pretty wise moving me from my .22 LR squirrel gun to a "grown-up" deer rifle in .243. Soft shooting enough that I always enjoyed practice and never developed any flinch habits with it, but effective enough to be a viable deer hunter.

I have a .22LR that my dad gave me when I turned 18. Also my father-in-law has a .22LR Davey Crickett rifle for my son to learn on in a few years.

[Beiruty]

I just got a rifle in 243 and the recoil is not there and it is very enjoyable to shoot. If you were local to Dallas, I will load some Ammo and you can try it. It is a Sako A7 (A step above Tikka). You will never go wrong with a Tikka.
Other calibers I shoot in bolt action are 30-06, and 300WM.

Here is NIB one at $550 on GunBroker

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/606024031

[allisji]

I just got a rifle in 243 and the recoil is not there and it is very enjoyable to shoot. If you were local to Dallas, I will load some Ammo and you can try it. It is a Sako A7 (A step above Tikka). You will never go wrong with a Tikka.
Other calibers I shoot in bolt action are 30-06, and 300WM.

Here is NIB one at $550 on GunBroker

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/606024031

Thanks for the offer. I would love to take you up on that, however I am SE of Houston.

[Nuts]

243 Winchester or 6mm Remington are almost identical in ballistics and both are great cartridges for a youth or small women. Great for animals up to deer and long range targets. I used a 6mm for antelope in Oregon for many years and my nephew took many antelope/deer with a 243.
If I was planning to use it myself before giving it to my son I would get one of those two. If I was just getting a hunting rifle for myself I would get a 30-06 or a 270. Both will take any animal in the lower 48. Both are great all around calibers.

[txglock21]

My hunting buddies and I have had this conversion/argument several times about "if you could have ONLY ONE rifle to hunt with, what is the best all-around gun?" The general consensus is the 30-06. I myself have taken many deer through the years with mine until about 7 years ago I bought a .308 with synthetic stock and have since taken the last 6 deer with it, including a nice little 8 point opening day this year. I still love my 30-06, but where I hunt now the .308 is easier and lighter to carry around all day. To me, the recoil should not be a big issue because hopefully you are going to just have to take one shot to take down the deer. I don't even notice that with any of my rifles while in the heat of the moment. These are just my opinions, take them for it's worth...not much.