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Leonten Offline OP
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I have a friend that's going to buy a gun and it'll be his only gun for big game hunting. He has already decided on the caliber, 270 Winchester. I recommended the Kimber Montana. However, he is on a very tight budget.

I've also recommended for him to get a lightweight rifle. The other day I let him hold one of my heavy guns. After a couple of minutes I gave him one of my ultralights. He could immediately tell the difference in weight. I also recommended a synthetic stock.

So my question is what rifle would you recommend?


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You stated he was light in the budget department.

How light? Savage Axis light ? Ruger American light ?, Remington 700 light ?

What is his budget including glass?

$500 ?
$1000 ?

That would make a great deal of difference.... Just sayin


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Leonten Offline OP
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His budget is more of a $500 range.


If you reload, there's no such thing as an obsolete cartridge.

Once you render an opinion, you open yourself up to criticism.
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That makes it pretty slim pickins.

Unless you can find a great used rifle that has glass already, you're looking at the entry level rifles such as Savage, Marlin, and Ruger. Nothing wrong with them. They harvest lot's of critters every year.

If it were me, I'd look for a good used Remington 700, or Ruger M77. There are others out there as well. A friend recently found an old FN Mauser action JC Higgins at a pawn shop for $300.

He does not hand load, and has only tried factory loads. Some were sub moa, most were right at 1" or 1.25". Pretty good shooter for $300 including the scope.

This is just my opinion, and there are MANY of them here on the fire. Good luck to you and your friend.


James Pepper: There's no law west of Dodge and no God west of the Pecos. Right, Mr. Chisum? John Chisum: Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there.
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I agree with Owl and would add a push feed Win 70 to the used gun list.

A Leupold 6X36 can be found used in the $150 range to put on it.

Should be able to bring this combo in around $600. Certainly could around here.

Good luck and keep us informed.

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Leonten Offline OP
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I will add the $500 is for the rifle only as far as the scope. That is a completely separate issue. I am going to loan him one of my Leupolds. I also told him about the TS gun show which is about an hour away. However, it's only near us twice a year. We have agreed to go to the next gun show, which will be there in about five months.


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That Tikka is a great gun for the price.


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Last edited by 308ld; 02/14/17.

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Cabelas has Savage 16 LWH on sale forv$499.

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I'll bet many of us started off in a similar situation as your friend.
Funny how many years and many guns later that first gun becomes one of the special ones.
I'd add the Weatherby Vanguard to the list.

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Originally Posted by Leonten
His budget is more of a $500 range.


Marlin XL7 or Ruger American would easily fit that bill, and still leave room for a good scope before reaching $500. I've owned both, and they shot extremely well.

Here's one of the Marlins:

[Linked Image]



[Linked Image]



[Linked Image]


If used rifles can be considered, you'll have many, many more options.

FC

Last edited by Folically_Challenged; 02/14/17.

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Vanguard or Howa. The savages shoot but I hate the saftey

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Tikka T3. Anything else in that price range is comparatively junk. If you must, Vanguard, Howa, Ruger, Savage, Marlin

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Originally Posted by Leonten
His budget is more of a $500 range.


Suggest that he slow down, hold off a bit, and look.

One gun, to keep and use a good while, may better be found, by not quickly spending $500 you have now. Even if saving a few additional dollars, here and there, while looking, you could increase the budget and add options.

New, or used, would never recommend a Kimber to anyone, who is not fully capable of going through the rifle. It is too big of a project in a box for someone looking for a turn key rifle.

Used, likely could find most anything for around $600. I've picked up new in the box M70s, for as little as $400, with less than a box off ammo through them, where the owner traded them back because of recoil. Usually a newbie with a plastic card burning a whole. Have no skill, and run back to the store after the 270, 06, 7mag, etc hurt.

Avoid the temptation of needing it now. Look and test for good fit in ergos. Give preference to solid manufacturer support.


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Don't let him buy a package gun. The scopes in packages tend to be bottom of the barrel. He'd be a lot better off with a quality used scope.


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Howdy Leonten:

Used can be a good deal at that price point, but often NOT in your neck of the woods- I am nearby and have noted high prices and lack of shops since moving here. I have helped several friends buy 1st/only big game rifles (mostly deer, maybe elk someday idea) in Recent years. Have recommended Tikka in 270 (great cartridge choice for this app and 1st time buyer despite valid 6.5 ballistic gack for the more experienced), but others are good. The gfot shop in Vacaville has at least 1 new Marlin xl7 for less than $400, may include a so-so scope, I'd suggest a low end leupold or Redfield 2x7 at your price point. PM me for other shopping ideas if you want.

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$500 can be done. I've got that or maybe a little less in this Marlin XS7 stainless 7mm-08 I bought on closeout from Whitaker's. Gun was $275, used Nikon Monarch 3-9x40 was $150, used Talley lightweights were about $30. Even with FFL fees and a couple of bucks for a can of paint for the stock, still under $500. It weighs 7lbs 9oz as it sits.
[Linked Image]

It shoots like this with my handloads.
[Linked Image]


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Originally Posted by Leonten
I have a friend that's going to buy a gun and it'll be his only gun for big game hunting. He has already decided on the caliber, 270 Winchester. I recommended the Kimber Montana. However, he is on a very tight budget.

I've also recommended for him to get a lightweight rifle. The other day I let him hold one of my heavy guns. After a couple of minutes I gave him one of my ultralights. He could immediately tell the difference in weight. I also recommended a synthetic stock.

So my question is what rifle would you recommend?


I agree on the synthetic stock, but I balk at the lightweight recommendation. A 270 doesn’t need to weigh 10 pounds, but I’d be careful about setting up a new hunter with a rifle that’s too light, mostly because they’re harder to shoot well under stress than something in the 8-pound range.

With that in mind, I’d take him to the range several times and let him shoot different rifles out to 2-300 yards. Once he learns the basics, run him through some timed drills, as in “You have 8 seconds to assume a solid position and hit a pie plate at 250 yards.” With a little of that under his belt, he’ll have a lot more insight into the question and will be able to make his own decision. Folks at 24hourcampfire love light rifles, but we’re pretty hardcore hunters and shooters and we know what we like, which isn’t always the best thing for someone new to the sport.


Okie John


Originally Posted by Brad
If Montana had a standing army, a 270 Win with Federal Blue Box 130's would be the standard issue.
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Originally Posted by okie john
Originally Posted by Leonten
I have a friend that's going to buy a gun and it'll be his only gun for big game hunting. He has already decided on the caliber, 270 Winchester. I recommended the Kimber Montana. However, he is on a very tight budget.

I've also recommended for him to get a lightweight rifle. The other day I let him hold one of my heavy guns. After a couple of minutes I gave him one of my ultralights. He could immediately tell the difference in weight. I also recommended a synthetic stock.

So my question is what rifle would you recommend?


I agree on the synthetic stock, but I balk at the lightweight recommendation. A 270 doesn’t need to weigh 10 pounds, but I’d be careful about setting up a new hunter with a rifle that’s too light, mostly because they’re harder to shoot well under stress than something in the 8-pound range.

With that in mind, I’d take him to the range several times and let him shoot different rifles out to 2-300 yards. Once he learns the basics, run him through some timed drills, as in “You have 8 seconds to assume a solid position and hit a pie plate at 250 yards.” With a little of that under his belt, he’ll have a lot more insight into the question and will be able to make his own decision. Folks at 24hourcampfire love light rifles, but we’re pretty hardcore hunters and shooters and we know what we like, which isn’t always the best thing for someone new to the sport.


Okie John


This!

Light weight guns aren't the easiest thing to hit with if you don't know what you're doing.

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