Should I Buy A Hunting Rifle?

[GWS]

The problem is time and money
That new rifle will cost and you'll probably want a scope plus some premium hunting ammo and a good sling. Then you have to sight it in and get a feel for the rifle and scope combo, get the sling adjusted etc
That all adds up, especially for may be the worst (or greatest) day of your life. Humping a lot of weight in the Palouse could be exhausting. What kind of shape are you in. If you're not in good shape, you may feel like tossing that AR-10 into a gully by noon. Do you have any pals that could loan you a rifle?
That might be a better option. At least it won't be your rifle that gets tossed over a cliff

 

[GunSmoke]

The problem is time and money
That new rifle will cost and you'll probably want a scope plus some premium hunting ammo and a good sling. Then you have to sight it in and get a feel for the rifle and scope combo, get the sling adjusted etc
That all adds up, especially for may be the worst (or greatest) day of your life. Humping a lot of weight in the Palouse could be exhausting. What kind of shape are you in. If you're not in good shape, you may feel like tossing that AR-10 into a gully by noon. Do you have any pals that could loan you a rifle?
That might be a better option. At least it won't be your rifle that gets tossed over a cliff

Honestly not in the best shape at the moment but I think I can manage. I'm sure my legs will be sore for a few days

 

[gmerkt]

The weight of the AR10 has been mentioned. The one in question has a 16 in. bbl., so it should be toward the lower end of 7.5 to 9 lbs. in Weight. My Win. Model 70 weighs almost 9 pounds with a scope. The Model 70 Featherweight is gonna weigh 7+ pounds with a scope.

Make sure you have a good sling.

^^ This is more important than a pound of weight. IMHO.

Everything else has already been said. You already have one rifle capable of the job, maybe not quite what you'd actually like to take. This is your first time out, you may HATE the activity, so using the AR10 has the potential of preventing you from spending money on a rifle you may not need.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Something to consider with "weight"...

My .54 Hawken Rifle , which is primary hunting and shooting rifle , weighs in at 10 pounds.
Which seems like a lot , but....
It carries and handles very nicely , due to how that weight is balanced in the overall rifle.

At the end of the day I can still shoot well with it , under hunting conditions.
Andy

 

[308]

Sportsmans is selling Savage bolt guns with a usable scope on it for $300 right now so do that.
Get it in .308.

When I first started shooting long range I used a Savage in .308 and aside from the stock being made out of jello, it was surprisingly accurate.

 

[Certaindeaf]

When I first started shooting long range I used a Savage in .308 and aside from the stock being made out of jello, it was surprisingly accurate.

My first varmint rig 40 years ago was a new Savage bolt gun in .223. I put a cheap varable 12x Simmons on it. You could seat the bullets very long as the action was long enough for .375 H&H.
Accurate enough to reliably smoke prarie dogs at 200 yards so I was happy.

 

[Aero Denezol]

Sportsmans is selling Savage bolt guns with a usable scope on it for $300 right now so do that.
Get it in .308.

My first deer rifle was a Savage as well, in 30-06. Very accurate, right out of the box. I would recommend Savage without hesitation.

 

[Member 34319]

Take the AR10.

Take all the unneeded items off the gun that you may have in it. Back up irons, light, etc. if that's what is on it. If you have a huge scope, perhaps look to get a lighter one, and quickly. Get some good hunting ammo, quickly. Get a comfortable sling. If you get a new scope and new ammo, go ensure it is shooting where it should. Oh, make sure everything is legal as well. Check your states regulations on magazine capacities and such.

Another great thing to do or buy if you don't already own is scope dope. Nothing worse than getting an animal in your sight only to take a breath and no longer be able to see a damn thing!


Enjoy the trip! Take in as much as you can, it might become a regular thing with your neighbor! That's a really good neighbor to have!

 

[pharmseller]

"Buy another gun" is ALWAYS the correct response.



P

 

[Portaledgepete]

There is a guy selling a Brownng A-bolt in 270 in the classifieds for $400. Great deer rifle and will certainly do the job for elk. You'd be hard pressed to do better for less.

 

[nwslopoke]

Just go without a rifle for the first trip so you can figure out what you need or want, if you are worried about being gassed out or smoked due to the weight of gear. I'm built like Fred Flintstone and am middle aged so I am not judging. I also have a scoped AR10 that isn't too heavy, 4x12 Nikon and lightweight rings. The most I carry it is 50-100yrds at a time.

 

[bionic knees]

Use the AR10.
You have two weeks to :
Get a good, comfortable sling.
Get a 5 or 10 round mag. (I don't see a mag capacity limit for WA in the regs)
Get some bona fide hunting ammo.
Get sighted in with your hunting ammo.

I'd get crackin' right now !

Edit:
If your hunting partner is using a Rhino, get a Rhino and learn how to use it !

what is this "rhino" of which you speak?

 

[DirectDrive]

what is this "rhino" of which you speak?

It's pretty much the standard GPS navigator that hunters use.
It has a built in FRS two way radio and navigation capability.
You can see where your partner is and talk to him.
Find a Youtube How-To video for a walk-through.

If you get an animal down, your partner can go right to your location.
And vice-versa.

This is MSRP pricing so you should be able to find a better deal elsewhere.
And some guys like to have the latest version, so you may find a deal on a used one.

Garmin Rino® 700 | Handheld Two-way Radio

Combining map-guided trail navigation with 2-way radio communication, the Garmin Rino 700 handheld brings a whole new level of confidence to your outdoor adventures.

buy.garmin.com

 

[bionic knees]

It's pretty much the standard GPS navigator that hunters use.
It has a built in FRS two way radio and navigation capability.
You can see where your partner is and talk to him.
Find a Youtube How-To video for a walk-through.

If you get an animal down, your partner can go right to your location.
And vice-versa.

This is MSRP pricing so you should be able to find a better deal elsewhere.
And some guys like to have the latest version, so you may find a deal on a used one.

Garmin Rino® 700 | Handheld Two-way Radio

Combining map-guided trail navigation with 2-way radio communication, the Garmin Rino 700 handheld brings a whole new level of confidence to your outdoor adventures.

buy.garmin.com

ok, thanks for the reply, I have a Garmin e-Trex and a decent walkie-talkie. I am not very tech-savvy and my hunting days are numbered so I will stick with what I have.

 

[No_Regerts]

I have hunted all over E. WA for mule deer. I've hunted the breaks in the Palouse, Blue Mountains, wilderness areas in north-central WA, Colville National Forest, etc. I've also hunted with a few people that brought their semi-autos. Some ARs, Benellis, etc. I always suggest bolt actions or single shots to the inexperienced hunters, but they're proud of their autoloading rifle and I get that.

Like what other's have said, you may get inconvenienced at times with an AR, but it shouldn't have a terrible impact on your ability to get a deer.

Here's why I prefer bolt actions and single shots:

1: Weight/profile. Mule deer live high when you're low, and low when you're high. It's nice saving weight or having a rifle that's shaped and balanced for one handed carry.

2: Maintenance. It's sandy and dusty and semi-autos take more effort to clean up with all them nooks and crannies. Bolt actions and single shots have very few parts.

3: Noise. Semi-autos are in a state of perpetual clanking. That, and chambering a round in the AM is enough noise to piss everyone else off.

4: Cartridge choices. ARs tend to eliminate anything but short action stuff and I tend to prefer more long action stuff. Have yet to find an AR chambered in 7x57, 270, 280, etc. Other semi-autos can be chambered for such, but tend to get pretty heavy at that point.

 

[DirectDrive]

I have hunted all over E. WA for mule deer. I've hunted the breaks in the Palouse, Blue Mountains, wilderness areas in north-central WA, Colville National Forest, etc. I've also hunted with a few people that brought their semi-autos. Some ARs, Benellis, etc. I always suggest bolt actions or single shots to the inexperienced hunters, but they're proud of their autoloading rifle and I get that.

Like what other's have said, you may get inconvenienced at times with an AR, but it shouldn't have a terrible impact on your ability to get a deer.

Here's why I prefer bolt actions and single shots:

1: Weight/profile. Mule deer live high when you're low, and low when you're high. It's nice saving weight or having a rifle that's shaped and balanced for one handed carry.

2: Maintenance. It's sandy and dusty and semi-autos take more effort to clean up with all them nooks and crannies. Bolt actions and single shots have very few parts.

3: Noise. Semi-autos are in a state of perpetual clanking. That, and chambering a round in the AM is enough noise to piss everyone else off.

4: Cartridge choices. ARs tend to eliminate anything but short action stuff and I tend to prefer more long action stuff. Have yet to find an AR chambered in 7x57, 270, 280, etc. Other semi-autos can be chambered for such, but tend to get pretty heavy at that point.

Nice write up.

"One handed carry"
That's a big deal to me.
I don't want to hunt with (or own) a hunting rifle that has a mag hanging out of it right where the "balance point" is.

 

[No_Regerts]

Nice write up.

"One handed carry"
That's a big deal to me.
I don't want to hunt with (or own) a hunting rifle that has a mag hanging out of it right where the "balance point" is.

Having a free hand has kept me from busting my butt, several times!

 

[P7M13]

Assuming you don't have a heart attack.

Or get injured or shot....

Having a free hand has kept me from busting my butt, several times!

Likewise.

 

[Xaevian]

3: Noise. Semi-autos are in a state of perpetual clanking. That, and chambering a round in the AM is enough noise to piss everyone else off.

This.

I should've gone hunting with you before I left!

 

[titsonritz]

Or get injured or shot....

Well let's hope not, BTW I was half-azzed joking about packing the weight of his AR-10.