Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles $1,000 deer rifle?

I'm wanting a 7MM REM. MAG.
I want to spend around $1,000 for the rifle and match it with a scope that will work in woods, cutovers, and gaslines. Scope can be $1,000 also.
What do you guys recommend?

I'd take a look at the Bergara B14 while your shopping.

If $2000 is the total budget for both rifle and scope I would go with a stainless M700 or a M70 EW either in an McMillian classic Edge , Talley LW's and. Leupold VX 3 3.5-10x40/50.
Not too original of a suggestion but would be a pretty solid set up.

Where do you hunt, tree stand, high mountains packing in 10 miles, distance you plan on shooting?

If I had that budget , I would look at Sako, Weatherby, Tikka, and Whinchester. Those Remington triggers suck, the one I got last year did.

A $2,000 budget? That's easy. Considering how satisfactory my first and only Tikka, I'd go with a Tikka and a Leupold Mark 4 scope and come in way under budget.

The 7mm Remington Magnum I have, an Encore with a Leupold Mark 4 scope, has also been very satisfactory and would run about the same price. Some are put off by single shot rifles though.

Assuming with a 7 mag you will want to reach out a little the suggestion on the Leupold might include CDS. I love my model 77 in 7 mag it is 40 years old this year and has killed truck loads of deer and elk. Starting fresh I'd probably buy a stainless Tikka with a Zeiss HD 5 and Z600 reticle or a vx6 in my favorite magnification.

I'd suggest you try to handle several rifles and look through a bunch of scopes to see what feels best to you then research them before you buy. My hunting rifles are tools and have been well cared for but seen lots of brush and trees and other ding causing stuff so I'd probably go synthetic but wood is certainly more attractive.

A nice Sako might squeeze your optics budget but they are nice rifles that hold their value.

Good luck there are so many good choices available within your budget it is a little challenging unless you have your preferences identified and prioritized.

Weight, barrel length, action type, steel preference, safety type and location, stock fit and material. Magnification, reticle, illuminated, twist turrets in the field or range adjust in the reticle. Is used an option corridor or scope. Lots of ways to narrow your choices to fit your needs.

When I see posts like this I always wonder if the goal is to spend the money and get what for me would be a safe queen or get an accurate, reliable rifle/scope setup.

Nothing wrong with either goal, by the way. I love safe queens except when they are in MY safe. Beautiful rifles are eye pleasers. My problem is a lack of space in the safe and an attitude that, with the exception of the .22 and possibly the .24 calibers, all my rifles are ‘elk’ rifles and I’ve found elk hunts can be hard on a rifle’s good looks. Hence the majority of my recent purchases have had synthetic stocks, not things of beauty but very functional.

Good choice on the 7mm RM, by the way. My first centerfire (1982) was a Ruger M77 in 7mm RM and I’ve never needed anything else. (So why are all those other rifles in my safe? Because I enjoy them. Best reason for getting what you want rather than something that will just suffice.)

A couple months ago I got Leupold to install a MOA elevation knob on my Vari-X III 3.5-10xAO. After playing with it a couple times I second the suggestion posted above to invest in a scope with knobs.

Half the fun of getting a new rifle and scope is the anticipation and enjoyment spent doing the research on what to get. Don’t be in too big a hurry, enjoy the journey!

One of the new Stainless Tikka rifles and a Bushnell 6500 2.5-16X42.
http://www.samplelist.com/-P96964.aspx

Yup, assuming the OP doesn't have any particular notions about action types like us oldsters. A Winchester wouldn't stink either.

I'd suggest a Leupold VX-6 2-12 though, illuminated. Should be able to squeeze that in with the total price beng 2K.

Lumping everything into a $2000 budget...

Stainless 700 in 7 mag (stainless fluted) ~ $950
McMillan Classic w/Edge fill ~ $600
SS 6x ~ $300
Seekins low 30mm rings ~ $125
Pic rail ~ $75

...puts you about $50 over budget. Could pick some of those up cheaper if used and could sell the factory 700 stock to stay well under budget.

How about a CLR with a Forbes stock upgrade for $1100 and whatever $900 scope moves you?

A Winchester M 70 Sporter and a Leupold 3.5-10x.

On $2000, I'd put $500-550 in the scope and use the rest for the gun or other accessories.

My last two fit that description

SS Tikka
McMillan stock
Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14 30mm
Warne Tikka rings.

Still money left over for loading components or ammo

For $2Grand go custom. Why buy somebody else's rifle?

Deer rifle? Marlin 336 or a simple 30-06. So many flavors of scopes that keep it well under a grand for a package. Spend the rest on ammo and some nice Rain gear.....and practice practice practice. You will still have money to take your wife out to dinner.

Cabelas has VX6 scopes with CDS on sale now 2-12 under $800 the 3-18 under $1100. Those would go nicely with whatever rifle you choose. I'd be tempted to pick up a Weatherby S2 with Talley lightweights and come in under budget enough to buy an elk tag too. They aren't light and most won't win a beauty contest but they real point and shoot well..... back to that rifle as a tool idea.

Tikka and a 2-12VX6

Browning 1885 high wall and good glass

My thoughts exactly, I'd throttle back the glass budget to $500 and have a top notch barrel screwed onto a trued donor action with a jewel trigger in a nice stock.