What Are the Best Hunting Rifles Currently Made?

[G8rHunter]

once you get bolt action in high power caliber like the 6.5 ...200 yard shots will be comparable to your 50.
Not saying get a 6-24x scope but sometimes the higher magnification for paper punching is nice .
If you're that scared of 50+ yards, get a 223 to learn on and save a bunch of money on ammo to learn on

I'm not afraid of 50+ yards. I have only shot my .22 twice. A friend with a Ruger 10-22 adjusted the sights for me. Still, the sights are off. I am going to have to ask Ruger for a replacement. When the sight arrives, I will need to sight-in my .22, and then I maybe I can progress from there. I am a new shooter and only owned my .22 about two weeks. So, just barely getting started. I am discussing centerfire rifles to educate myself LONG before I buy. Three months ago, I didn't even know the various calibers available in a rifle. I just have a love for rifles and am eager to learn. A .223 probably won't be my next rifle, but neither am I ready for a 30-06. I love the Ruger mini-30 and the recoil is fine. I think I need a bigger rifle eventually but I don't need a rifle that makes me flinch starting out.

 

[pharmseller]

A year from now, review this thread. Nothing will have changed.

Book learning is fine but there's no substitute for trigger time.




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[G8rHunter]

Fixed that for you.

As several have already said, yourself included, I need to try different caliber rifles to know what my comfort zone will be. I am comfortable shooting my shotgun with birdshot, so I figure I may be fine with a rifle with similar recoil. For now, it's about experimentation, handling and firing the gun, and seeing what is a comfortable fit. At the moment, I like a 22" barrel, because it's in my comfort zone. I have read enough to know if the rifle isn't a good fit--if it is uncomfortable--I won't shoot worth a darn!

 

[G8rHunter]

A year from now, review this thread. Nothing will have changed.

Book learning is fine but there's no substitute for trigger time.




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And that's my plan!

 

[Baseacegoku]

I need to try different caliber rifles to know what my comfort zone will be. I am comfortable shooting my shotgun with birdshot,

If you can handle a 12ga pump you can handle a 30-06

 

[Mooseman]

I hate to say this but it needs saying...You aren't learning anything, you are getting so much information from Armchair computer Bullshooters you are speculating this and That. How do you know what's Comfortable ? How do you know you will flinch ? How do you know what barrel length is right ? How can you base a decision because a gun may or may not recoil ?
You NEED to get with someone and shoot some various rifles and calibers at a range and only then can you make a truly informed decision. If you are gonna hunt, Recoil is the last thing to worry about... Accuracy and Power to make a clean kill shot on whatever animal you are hunting at whatever distance it may be is CRITICAL.
Rant Over !

 

[pharmseller]

And that's my plan!

Then go buy the rifle/mounts/scope combination I listed. Buy a box of four different factory loads. Have the gun shop mount the scope for you (unless a friend is good at it) and bore sight it. Buy some paper plates and a Sharpie. Make a 1" circle in the middle of the plate. Find a safe place to shoot. Clean the rifle.

Then shoot at 25 yards to get on the target.

Shoot again at 100 yards.

Buy more of what the rifle likes.

Then shoot.

Typing on the 'puter past this point might be fun but it won't help you achieve your goal.




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[bbbass]

Here is a great rifle checked out by our own Velzey. One of the most accurate factory rifles I have ever dealt with was a tang safety Ruger m77 in 30-06. I would recommend this rifle.

WTS OR - Ruger M77 .270 Tang Safety

I have owned two M77 rifles and I love both. The trigger is moderately good, mine benefited from a workover, but I don't consider that to be prohibitive.

I'm not afraid of 50+ yards. I have only shot my .22 twice. A friend with a Ruger 10-22 adjusted the sights for me. Still, the sights are off. I am going to have to ask Ruger for a replacement. When the sight arrives, I will need to sight-in my .22, and then I maybe I can progress from there. I am a new shooter and only owned my .22 about two weeks. So, just barely getting started. I am discussing centerfire rifles to educate myself LONG before I buy. Three months ago, I didn't even know the various calibers available in a rifle. I just have a love for rifles and am eager to learn. A .223 probably won't be my next rifle, but neither am I ready for a 30-06. I love the Ruger mini-30 and the recoil is fine. I think I need a bigger rifle eventually but I don't need a rifle that makes me flinch starting out.

This is good thinking!

As several have already said, yourself included, I need to try different caliber rifles to know what my comfort zone will be. I am comfortable shooting my shotgun with birdshot, so I figure I may be fine with a rifle with similar recoil. For now, it's about experimentation, handling and firing the gun, and seeing what is a comfortable fit. At the moment, I like a 22" barrel, because it's in my comfort zone. I have read enough to know if the rifle isn't a good fit--if it is uncomfortable--I won't shoot worth a darn!

If you can handle a 12ga pump you can handle a 30-06

I would qualify that as shooting 12ga high base loads... big diff between high velocity hunting loads and target "birdshot" loads.

 

[G8rHunter]

I hate to say this but it needs saying...You aren't learning anything, you are getting so much information from Armchair computer Bullshooters you are speculating this and That. How do you know what's Comfortable ? How do you know you will flinch ? How do you know what barrel length is right ? How can you base a decision because a gun may or may not recoil ?
You NEED to get with someone and shoot some various rifles and calibers at a range and only then can you make a truly informed decision. If you are gonna hunt, Recoil is the last thing to worry about... Accuracy and Power to make a clean kill shot on whatever animal you are hunting at whatever distance it may be is CRITICAL.
Rant Over !

Totally agree!!! I am only speculating until I try it out, and several have said I should try before I buy!

 

[tac]

So, right. I am not in a position to buy yet. Simply, thinking for the future. If I could buy today, it would be 6.5 CM. I have only been out shooting four times--twice with my shotgun (clays) and twice with my .22 (paper targets). I am nowhere close to even shooting at 50 yards.

Over here in far-off and backwards yUK, where we have monthly guest days so that non-shooters can come along and see what all the fuss is about, we have total noobs who may never have SEEN any kind of a real gun in their entire lives shooting at 25, 50 and 100m all the day long. And what are they shooting? Well, anything that we put into their clammy little paws, is what. From a .22 rimfire up to a .75cal Brown Bess, and anything in between. I'm usually over on the 25m range, seeing as how the other fifty or so on the 50 and 100m range pretty much have all the usual calibre rifles covered. I'll be shooting a .58cal BP Civil War carbine [that's YOUR recent Civil War, rather than the English one], and a couple of BP handguns. They always have a line of round-eyed onlookers waiting their turn to shoot the things.

I'm not sure why you feel unable to shoot 50 yards, so perhaps I might ask you to explain that bit for me, if you care to do so.

 

[bbbass]

OP, IMO it is difficult to practice with a hard recoiling rifle. You won't like it and you won't shoot it much. Then if you have developed a flinch, that will tend to follow you into the field but I don't think that's 100% guaranteed that you will flinch once excited about taking the shot.

I can tell you that for me, practice with a 300Win Mag is difficult... I get thru about 5 shots, then have to quit at around 10 shots. I'm just a wuss I suppose. But even my 7mmRemMag was not fun, just a sharp crack rather than a hard push.

I personally don't think the 30-06 is too much, but I do prefer my .308. For me, it is much more pleasant to practice with. YMMV

BTW, this is real life experience not armchair BS, which I resent someone saying. After all, opinions are what we are here for, and as I have said in the past opinions are like A-holes, everybody has one. Some are just bigger and blow more wind than others.

 

[G8rHunter]

Over here in far-off and backwards yUK, where we have monthly guest days so that non-shooters can come along and see what all the fuss is about, we have total noobs who may never have SEEN any kind of a real gun in their entire lives shooting at 25, 50 and 100m all the day long. And what are they shooting? Well, anything that we put into their clammy little paws, is what. From a .22 rimfire up to a .75cal Brown Bess, and anything in between. I'm usually over on the 25m range, seeing as how the other fifty or so on the 50 and 100m range pretty much have all the usual calibre rifles covered. I'll be shooting a .58cal BP Civil War carbine [that's YOUR recent Civil War, rather than the English one], and a couple of BP handguns. They always have a line of round-eyed onlookers waiting their turn to shoot the things.

I'm not sure why you feel unable to shoot 50 yards, so perhaps I might ask you to explain that bit for me, if you care to do so.

I have been to the range with my .22 twice. The back rifle sight has been adjusted as far as it will go and it's still high and to the right. Someone more experienced helped me with the sight-in. I have contacted Ruger for a replacement. Once I get the rifle sighted in, I will move out to 50 yards. After that, I figure I can move to 75 and maybe 100. I feel 25 yards is merely to make sure the rifle is sighted properly and I'm spot on.

 

[bbbass]

OP, I also enjoyed/loved shooting my 7mmRemExpress, and my .243 and 6mmRemington. A buddy had a .257AI for deer that was fabulous to shoot... just a pussycat, but would get the job done on any sized deer. I love that round but they are a wildcat that I don't think is available in stores. He formed all the cases and reloaded all the rounds. Twas fun to play with.

 

[Baseacegoku]

I have been to the range with my .22 twice. The back rifle sight has been adjusted as far as it will go and it's still high and to the right. Someone more experienced helped me with the sight-in. I have contacted Ruger for a replacement. Once I get the rifle sighted in, I will move out to 50 yards. After that, I figure I can move to 75 and maybe 100. I feel 25 yards is merely to make sure the rifle is sighted properly and I'm spot on.

 

[osprey]

I have been to the range with my .22 twice. The back rifle sight has been adjusted as far as it will go and it's still high and to the right. Someone more experienced helped me with the sight-in. I have contacted Ruger for a replacement. Once I get the rifle sighted in, I will move out to 50 yards. After that, I figure I can move to 75 and maybe 100. I feel 25 yards is merely to make sure the rifle is sighted properly and I'm spot on.

It has been awhile since I had a iron sighted 10/22 but if I recall you drift the rear sight over for windage and loosen a couple small screws to move rear sight insert for elevation. Remeber the rear sight needs to be moved in the same direction you want to change impact of bullet. How far to the left is the rear sight drifted over from center? Also the moveable insert should be set down as low as it can go to provide lowest possible bullet impact. Also make sure you are using proper sight picture. There should be a pic in the manual. If that all fails maybe you really do have a defective product but I would guess the whole rifle needs to go to Ruger as they will probably just send you another stock rear sight and I doubt that is the problem.

 

[G8rHunter]

It has been awhile since I had a iron sighted 10/22 but if I recall you drift the rear sight over for windage and loosen a couple small screws to move rear sight insert for elevation. Remeber the rear sight needs to be moved in the same direction you want to change impact of bullet. How far to the left is the rear sight drifted over from center? Also the moveable insert should be set down as low as it can go to provide lowest possible bullet impact. Also make sure you are using proper sight picture. There should be a pic in the manual. If that all fails maybe you really do have a defective product but I would guess the whole rifle needs to go to Ruger as they will probably just send you another stock rear sight and I doubt that is the problem.

Actually, Ruger just emailed me and was asking me to return it. I called them and they are sending another rear sight, but you may be correct that it is more than the rear sight. I will know in a few days.

 

[bbbass]

View attachment 558579

I've seen this for handgun use. Not sure how it applies to rifle shooting. Also some instructors say it's not a very good tool for solving handgun issues... I know it didn't work for me. I shoot low and left, and the only thing that solved that is using 60% strength with the strong hand (right hand for me), and 110% strength with the "weak" hand (left hand for me). Nevertheless, I think handgun shooters that are having problems can give it a try, but if problems are not solved, an instructor is needed to determine the cause. Just my $o.02...

 

[pharmseller]

Hey tac, what's all this "m" stuff you keep writing about?

25m, 100m, what does that even mean? Some kind of TEOTWAWKI code? Antifa? What?




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[tac]

View attachment 558579

...............and that's how you diagnose and correct handgun single-handed target-style handgun shooting. Lefties, just do the opposite.

 

[tac]

Hey tac, what's all this "m" stuff you keep writing about?

25m, 100m, what does that even mean? Some kind of TEOTWAWKI code? Antifa? What?

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Wwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal, they do say that a Meeter is kinda like a yoard, but a tad biggerer....