Best all-around rifle for hunting in Montana?

[deer_shooter]

Take a look at the Savage Lady Hunter. Comes in 308 & 7mm-08. My wife is 5'7" and she loves her 308. Nice little rifle.

 

[Big Fin]

Since you are in Bozeman, I have a Howa 1500 in a 7mm-.08 I can loan you to take for a test drive.

 

[Dan O]

I would suggest you take Randy up on the offer to try out the 7-08 in the Howa. There are more things to consider when choosing a rifle. Put on a heavy coat such as one you would wear in November and see how it fits you. Shoot several calibers if possible and consider your tolerance for recoil. Some of the biggest and toughest guys have huge flinch issues because they are recoil sensitive but are to proud to admit it. Look at what is available for quality hunting ammo that is AVAILABLE and at a price you can afford so you can practice. It is better to shoot a lighter caliber accurately than miss or worse yet wound an animal with a bad shot due to a flinch. Next look at a good quality scope and stay in a reasonable power range ie 2 - 7, 3 - 9 or 3.5 -10 for the upper end. Keep it simple for your first rifle/scope combo and put a lot of rounds down range.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

You may want to also have a cheek peice added to the stock. Women typically have longer necks than men and consequently the scope will not line up "naturally" with a typical stock. Any descent gunsmith should be able to shorten the length and add some sort of cheek peice for you if you so desire. Most women just learn to cope though. I think you would be fine with many of the calibers listed but my gut tells me to reccomend a short action. Either the 7mm08 or .308 would serve you well but the .308 would make a better elk gun. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Lawnboy]

Since you are in Bozeman, I have a Howa 1500 in a 7mm-.08 I can loan you to take for a test drive.

This is a great gun. I loved how lightweight it was and hardly kicks.

I'm a weenie when it comes to recoil but my choice would be a 270 or 7mm 08. The 270 has more affordable and available ammo it seems. With all this said my first gun was a 30-06 and if you're fine with shooting one it will do anything you want and ammo is readily available as well.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Since you are in Bozeman, I have a Howa 1500 in a 7mm-.08 I can loan you to take for a test drive.

Are you going to extend that offer to me as well when I draw your goat tag this fall?


I'd take Big Fin up on this offer. I've seen said gun in action and it's got some good mojo going for it. It even fits Randy11.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Love that goat hat!!!

 

[bobbydean]

It is always great to shoot a rifle before buying it. Take Big Fin's generous offer. Sounds like the right rifle.

 

[StrutNut]

I dont know if this will help but I finally decided on a Savage Bear Hunter in a 300 win mag for my all around rifle for everything from deer to moose. The Bear Hunter has a brake on it so my 14 year old son or wife can also shoot it. I can turn the thing off when I am hunting with it as well. 2nd choice would be same gun in the 300 short mag.

 

[Gunner46]

I'm glad you brought this question to board. It gives me an opportunity to spill my $0.02 about something I have thought about for a long time now. (like 30 yrs long).

Every time I hear someone new to shooting/hunting asking for direction on a rifle/cartridge choice, there is damn sure to be an adamant horde of 'ought 6ers proclaiming it the Do All, Shoot Everything Anywhere, Good for Everybody Wonder round! Likewise, there is the Mag-na-more is better crowd.

It's like a slick haired car salesman who tries to force a Ford F-150 on every person that walks onto the lot. "It's a Do All, Go Anywhere, All Purpose Vehicle".!! Is it right for you though?

I'm telling this because I was a victim of that madness when I really 1st got started.

Yeah, those rounds dropped game, and I took the pounding on the bench getting myself to where I could shoot them well. Burned a lot of powder, endured the sore shoulders, and a couple kisses between the eye brows along the way. But, I did get to where I could shoot them.

Why?

It wasn't until I had been hunting for about 10yrs and started associating with a professional guide, then became an un-official assistant with him, that I got a real-life lesson on what was needed to drop game cleanly. It quickly became apparent to me that my blood trailing skills were being put into play far, far more often with the Ought 6ers than any other cartridge !

Why?

Because, while the cartridge wasn't actually to blame, the shooters were. It's the Wonder round, Right? Just point and shoot... game goes down, Right? . Kicked to hard, so they never became proficient with it, whatever. I spent many a dark hour trailing game I should not have.

Pick up and handle as many rifles as you can. How does it feel in your hands, how does it shoulder, can you line up the sight picture without effort? How does the action cycle for you? Can you carry it, if need be, all day. Don't worry about what others will tell you you have to have !

Once you found the rifle that is for you, I'm sure it's probably going to be made in a caliber adequate for your hunting needs. Stay medium caliber and medium case capacity, learn to shoot it well and you'll have the hardcore 6'ers & Mag-na-Nuts asking "How the Hell did she make that shot" ?

My Go-To rifle now? a 7mm-08.

And, Yes, after you have about a dozen+ tags filled, it's fun to start getting more rifles to fill specific niches that suit you and your hunting methods. But, by then you'll not need to ask what you need !!!!!!

 

[----]

Are you going to extend that offer to me as well when I draw your goat tag this fall?


I'd take Big Fin up on this offer. I've seen said gun in action and it's got some good mojo going for it. It even fits Randy11.

I wonder if Fin ever got the drool stains and goat blood off that rifle? That is a sweet little gun.

 

[Cornell2012]

Pick up and handle as many rifles as you can. How does it feel in your hands, how does it shoulder, can you line up the sight picture without effort? How does the action cycle for you? Can you carry it, if need be, all day. Don't worry about what others will tell you you have to have !

This is excellent advice.

I'm going to put my vote in for a .270 or .308.

As many have said before, you will be fine with most any caliber as long as you put in the time to shoot and get used to it.

 

[Ben Lamb]

This is excellent advice.

I'm going to put my vote in for a .270 or .308.

As many have said before, you will be fine with most any caliber as long as you put in the time to shoot and get used to it.

3rd on the handling and making sure you find one that fits.

I'd also say that a .308 or 7mm-08 will do anything a 30-06 can do, but might be a little lighter.

Whichever one you get, practice. Shoot not only from the bench, but from the most common field positions. Shooting is like any other sport - the more you practice, the better you get.

 

[F250]

Nicole, My wife is 5'2". She bought a Browning Micro Hunter a couple years ago in 7mm-08. We had the stock trimmed down a bit for her and added a nice recoil pad. Works for her - several whitetails and a huge 6 X 7 Utah bull last year. I suggest taking the time to visit a few gun shops and handle all the rifle you are interested in.

 

[Blacktailbc]

I would also look at a browning x-bolt in previously stated 7mm-08 or .308. Great guns, and have pretty compact stocks. Light too.

 

[sagebrush]

Another vote for a Browning X-Bolt. My wife shot many rounds through a .223 at the range. Quite a few through a .270 to become proficient with it. She has killed a lot of critters with her Browning A-Bolt .270. She has never shot my .338 WM at the range, but has killed a couple larger animals with it. She never felt the recoil on the hunts.

My 2 cents, is get something you that can shoot a lot and often. Whatever you choose, where you hit the animal at the moment of truth is far more important than what you're shooting. That's why the .223/bigger combination.

 

[Washington Hunter]

270 or 308 are great choices if you're going with a light rifle where recoil may be an issue. I have a 270 and have used it for everything for 20 years now. They're basically no different than a 30/06 out to 300 yards.

 

[Big Sky Dreamin]

Since the OP said this rifle would mostly be for whitetail and occasionaly elk. Don't dismiss the 260 Rem, 6.5 creedmore, or the 6.5x55. The ballistics are solid and recoil is mild. I know it's not the .30 cal everyone insists must be used on elk, but it is a solid performer with significantly less recoil.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I think what has been said about finding a rifle that fits you well is really good advice. I saw that you were looking towards Weatherby, but keep an open mind when you start shopping.

As for caliber, I like the .308 for a couple of reasons.

1. I think it will do everything you need it to do.
2. Recoil isn't bad, so you should enjoy shooting it.
3. It is pretty cheap to shoot, and the best thing you can do now is spend a bunch of time on the range getting comfortable with your rifle. Practice is going to make you way more deadly than any specific caliber.

 

[MT.PERCHMAN]

My wife shot a 7-08 for years in a remington model 7 black stock and stainless barrel with a 3.5 x 10 x 50 mm leupold in silver .
You cant go wrong with a 7 08 or a 308 .
Good luck on your choice.!!!!
And welcome to the site .

MT.PERCHMAN