Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Purchase Considerations for a New Hunting Rifle

Greetings! This is one of my first posts on this forum other than the trader. I am interested in purchasing a new hunting rifle and am seeking advice and/or opinions. I am selling my Ruger M77 and moving on to a different hunting rifle. I have several ideas for what else to get. I want the rifle that I purchase to be a multiple purpose rifle that is good for use in all weather conditions.

First, let’s start with caliber choice. For years, I have used 30-06 and sometimes 8x57 Mauser. As I primarily collect military rifles, I am a fan of both cartridges although the 8x57 is definitely my favorite of the two. I have also considered going to 308 for ammunition availability or 270 Winchester which is what the majority of those in my hunting camp use. So, those are the four cartridges I would be choosing from.

Regarding rifles, I handled a Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS the other day at the LGS. I really liked that rifle. One can feel the quality when handling it. I have considered buying one of these in 30-06 or 270. I could leave it in the factory cartridge but have also considered rebarreling to 8x57.

I also have a friend willing to sell me a Sauer 100 Ceratech in 8x57. I like this rifle as well and have hunted with it some but the downsides of it to me is that one, it is not a Mauser type action and the extractor setup is rather flimsy, and two, it will not reliably fire military 8x57 ammo due to a light spring and hard military primers (I obviously don’t hunt with this ammo but in a pinch, all 8x57 ammo should be able to go bang in a rifle chambered for said cartridge).

I apologize for the rambling. Anyways, my final question, of the rifle and cartridge combinations mentioned above, what would be your all’s recommendations and opinions? Any input will be much appreciated!

If I was in your situation, and knowing your affinity for military rounds, I’d look for a Rem Classic in 8x57

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1023381699

Any of the 3 that they sell ammo for at every store that sells ammo. That leaves out the 8mm.
I can go in every place here that sells ammo from box store to country store and expect to find 30-06, 308, and 270 for sale and available. There might not be any 8mm available at any of them. If you don't load your own ammo, availability has to be a consideration.
My dad had an 8 mm and it was always difficult to find ammo for it.

I'd buy the Winchester in either the .30/06 or .270 Win. Can't go wrong with either one of those choices.

I never completely understood this line of thinking. I stock up on the ammo with which my rifles are sighted in. I have enough, .308 Win; 6.5-300 Wby; 7mm Wby; and .340 Wby cartridges sighted in for my rifles in those calibers to hunt for the next 20 years with any one of those rifles. If I went to a retail store and bought some different ammo, it would have a different point of impact. I never would want to go through that hassle.

Every American should own a 30-06. And let me give you w little tip, moving on to a different hunting rifle does not involve selling the last one. Get all of your choices eventually.

I didn't grow up in a hunting family, and I went on my first deer hunt with one of my college roommates and I used a borrowed rifle from him. A spike buck mule deer my first year and a 5x5 bull elk my second year, and that got me hooked on hunting.

So the next year I worked with a couple of guys in NW Colorado who had grown up hunting deer and elk, and I asked them what rifle I should buy. Their answer was either a .3-06 or a .270. I bought a .30-06, and for the next 10 years it kept my freezer full of deer, antelope, and elk meat.

Now, almost 60 years later, I have a safe full of rifles, and I think that I have a good selection of bolt action rifles from .223 up to .375 RUM, including multiple rifles in some cartridges. I've added rifles, but have only sold one: I "upgraded" a Rem 700 in 7 mm RM from an ADL to a BDL.

I still have my .30-06 and I added a .270, and although I don't hunt with either of them now, I still believe that either one is a fine deer and/or elk rifle.

Or...skip Remington, go with Zastava...it has a state of the art hammer forged bbl, the bolt handle will never come off, and it will extract reliably, a very nice tunable trigger. Just sayin'

Makes no sense to me to buy an expensive new rifle and rebarrel it to a very similar cartridge, unless money is no object. The difference between the ‘06 and modern 8mm sporting ammo is negligible, except availability, which is no contest in favor of the ‘06, .308, and .270.

Ruger makes some SS models still as does Howa. I have owned all of them and never found them wanting, just a matter of taste. That goes for the M70 as well. My All Weather has a couple of minor weaknesses with regard to the bolt construction compared to the others, but is a very nice rifle, and actual issues with the handles are rare, and easily prevented with a bit of re-enforcing with a small weld. Of all of the ones mentioned, it is the best finished.

Be honest: are you planning to ignore what everyone tells you, split a fancy custom rig with a friend, sell your stake in it, and then buy a Howa? If you are, the Simpson's already did it!

The S/S 70 EW in 264 Kreed is Skookum and soundly trumps everything cited thus far. Hint…………

I wouldn't be concerned about firing military 8mm ammo, because I wouldn't do it. Much of it is unreliable (duds and hangfires), and ALL of it is corrosive. Detail stripping any modern sporting rifle for cleaning is more complicated than an M98. Plus, it's nowhere near as cheap as it used to be.

If you want an 8mm, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Sauer. They get good reviews. If you must have CRF, get a Zastava mauser.

Sounds like you are a hunter more than a shooter, plus you seem to like controlled round feed actions and their claw extractors so I would recommend you just go with the Winchester Extreme weather, or if you can find one a Kimber Montana in 30-06 or .270win. Forget the 8x57.

Now if you would forgo the controlled round feed feature I would recommend a Tikka T3X again in 30-06

Perhaps look at the used market for a CZ 550 (crf) in 8x57, or even a CZ 557 (push feed). Or Get the M70 and a new barrel

I have several 8x57's in Modern rifles and while i do prefer the CRF actions the Sauer 100 really impressed me. Excellent accuracy and haven't had a single hiccup with feed or extraction. In fact i like the Sauer so much that i ordered a couple 101's that were recently discounted in 8x57

Edit* Another option is the CZ 600 with CRF available in 8x57.

A few pics of the New 600 CRF in 8x57

[img]https://i.imgur.com/BK2224W.jpg?1[/img]



[img]https://i.imgur.com/lgnr1U6.jpg?1[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Eunxzc8.jpg?2[/img]

Model 70 for sure

I'm getting older and I see the utility in common easy find and feed cartridges. Today the 6.5creed, 270win, 308win, and 30-06 reign supreme in availability and in hunting circles. Everything else is basically a play toy unless your in a restricted straight wall state.

Thank you all for the replies! To address some issues listed…

1. Regarding ammunition availability, I handload and have components and dies for both 30-06 and 8x57. I do however understand the convenience of being able to buy locally.

2. I primarily collect and frequently shoot World Wars era military rifles. My hunting rifle only gets shot several times a year and lugged around the woods during deer season but it is nice to have it in a cartridge that I use in my collectible rifles.

3. Regarding surplus 8x57 ammo. I frequently shoot vintage surplus ammo in all of my Mauser rifles and have never had an issue and am no stranger to corrosive primers. I don’t shoot it in hunting rifles even at the range. I just don’t know if I should have a rifle that won’t reliably fire ammunition that it is chambered for.

4. I took a look at the Zastava and CZ rifles. According to the manufacturer’s websites, they are either no longer made in 8x57 or that model is not imported into the US as is the case with Tikka 8x57 rifles. I inquired about one of those at my LGS the other day and was told that they can’t get them even though Tikka makes the T3X in 8x57.


5. Furthermore, I forgot to mention in my original post that I do have a Husqvarna Commercial Mauser in 8x57 that was built in the 1950s on an FN 98 action. The problem with it is that I had a gunsmith install a Gentry Three Position Safety on it and said safety does not work correctly. If this could be fixed I would consider going with that rifle after perhaps cerakoting it for corrosion resistance and adding a Bell and Carlson stock.

I like the feel/balance of a short action bolt gun.... How close are you to a large gun shop? An in person shopping trip is not only fun but has real merit in choosing what you will enjoy the most.

Item #5 above. Fix the safety on the Husqvarna and go hunting. Helluva good rifle. If B&C makes a stock for it then do that if you like. I thought synthetic stocks were the devil’s spawn for quite a while. I just bought one for my Browning Medallion. The wood is about perfect and pretty. That makes 3 in the stable now. What part of the state do you hunt in?