Yes....another which caliber

[375H&H]

Scope: Leupold 3x9x40mm can be had for $200 (maybe less from Schmalts) and has been proven on every game animal in NAM.
Rifle: Browning X Bolt SS in 7mm mag or 300 win mag for $900
Total:$1100 and you can be confident in the power and still shoot it accurately.

Or Remington 700 stainless in same calibers for $700 would bring you in less than $1k

 

[Keeptrying]

Tikka T3x SS, .308, DNZ 1" mount, 6x fixed Leupold with LRD reticle. Precious little to go wrong there for a new hunter, cheap and varied ammo, decent stock, great trigger, scope that will hold zero and get you to 500-ish if desired. Around $1000 all up.

Great option. I would want a higher power scope. My Tikka T3X SS is in 6.5, and scope is 14X Leupold.

I have a 6X VX3 on a .223 for practice. Brightest scope I own. Amazing tool.

 

[fishing4sanity]

I have shot alot of rifles in the past. Just never hunted with one.
Not trying to start a never ending debate thread. Just trying to learn something. If there are better options in my budget, I'm just trying to keep an own mind.

There's nothing wrong with a rifle debate thread on a hunting forum. I'm never not looking at buying another rifle.

 

[JohnCushman]

My wife's Ruger American shoots sub-MOA all day long with factory ammo. My Howa 30-06 shoots -1 inch at 200 yards and I hit an 8 inch gong at 500 yards all day long from a less than $500 rifle. I put a $200 VX2 on it and for less than $700 I have an amazing rifle that will outshoot my ability. You don't have to go spend $1-2K on a rifle and scope to get a good shooter.

 

[Keeptrying]

We have around $500 into my wife's .300WM. That involved lucking out a bit, and negotiating, but it is a great rifle with a VX3 CDS for not much money. MOA shooters for sure that killed deer for us both this year.

Lot of great options in rifles and scopes these days.

Rifle/caliber debates are always fun.

 

[mtmuley]

MTBowhunter542, you'll get a crap load of advice on specific rifles. My advice, go to the biggest gunshop in your area with the largest variety of rifles available. Pick them up, shoulder them, cycle them and I bet one will jump out at you. mtmuley

 

[GlockZ]

of the choices, go with the 308.

 

[mtmander]

.308

 

[JohnCushman]

MTBowhunter542, you'll get a crap load of advice on specific rifles. My advice, go to the biggest gunshop in your area with the largest variety of rifles available. Pick them up, shoulder them, cycle them and I bet one will jump out at you. mtmuley

^^^This

 

[ndhunterman]

Is that ballistic statement actually true? It does not seem like that could be possible but I cannot refute it. Just seems odd to me.

It's true according to my Strelok ballistic calculator comparing the 143gr eld-x vs a 180 nosler accubond.

 

[ndhunterman]

300win 180 NAB @ 3000fps

Distance, yards Bullet speed, f/s Energy, ft-lbf Time of Flight, sec Vert. correction, inch Hor. correction, inch
100.0 2732.3 2983.7 0.11 -1.57 0.6
200.0 2547.2 2593.3 0.22 0.00 2.6
300.0 2370.7 2246.3 0.35 6.97 6.0
400.0 2202.1 1938.1 0.48 20.12 11.1
500.0 2041.0 1664.9 0.62 40.43 18.0
600.0 1887.5 1423.8 0.77 69.13 26.9
700.0 1741.8 1212.6 0.94 107.60 38.0
800.0 1603.0 1027.0 1.12 157.56 51.7

 

[ndhunterman]

6.5 PRC, 143gr eld-x @ 3100 fps

Distance, yards Bullet speed, f/s Energy, ft-lbf Time of Flight, sec Vert. correction, inch Vert. correction, MOA Hor. correction, MOA
100.0 2935.4 2735.9 0.10 -1.26 -1.21 0.4
200.0 2776.2 2447.3 0.21 0.00 0.00 0.9
300.0 2622.7 2184.1 0.32 5.79 1.84 1.4
400.0 2474.7 1944.6 0.44 16.61 3.97 2.0
500.0 2332.0 1726.8 0.56 33.15 6.33 2.5
600.0 2194.6 1529.2 0.70 56.06 8.93 3.1
700.0 2062.3 1350.5 0.84 86.22 11.76 3.7
800.0 1935.4 1189.3 0.99 124.57 14.87 4.4
900.0 1813.3 1044.0 1.15 172.17 18.27 5.1
1000.0 1696.2 913.5 1.32 230.39 22.00 5.8

 

[ndhunterman]

The 2nd column is ft lbs, so looking at 600yds, the 6.5 carries 1529 vs 1423 of the 300.
Ballistic mind games, take a 7mm rem mag....

 

[ndhunterman]

7mm rem mag 168 ablr, 2950fps

Distance, yards Bullet speed, f/s Energy, ft-lbf Time of Flight, sec Vert. correction, inch Hor. correction, inch
100.0 2721.5 2762.8 0.11 -1.61 0.5
200.0 2572.2 2468.0 0.23 0.00 2.1
300.0 2427.8 2198.7 0.35 6.85 4.9
400.0 2288.7 1954.0 0.47 19.65 8.9
500.0 2154.9 1732.1 0.61 39.06 14.4
600.0 2026.2 1531.5 0.75 65.94 21.3
700.0 1902.2 1349.8 0.90 101.30 29.9
800.0 1783.1 1186.1 1.07 146.30 40.2

 

[ndhunterman]

600 yards = 1,531 ft lbs with a 168gr, so 100lbs more than the 300 and 2 lbs more than the 6.5.
Beings a 308win is up for consideration..

 

[ndhunterman]

308 win 165 NAB @ 2800 fps

Distance, yards Bullet speed, f/s Energy, ft-lbf Time of Flight, sec Vert. correction, inch Hor. correction, inch
100.0 2599.7 2476.1 0.12 -1.81 0.7
200.0 2408.5 2125.2 0.24 0.00 3.0
300.0 2226.7 1816.5 0.37 7.83 6.9
400.0 2053.5 1544.9 0.51 22.72 12.8
500.0 1889.1 1307.5 0.66 45.83 20.7
600.0 1733.3 1100.6 0.82 78.70 31.1
700.0 1585.6 921.1 1.01 123.19 44.2
800.0 1446.5 766.6 1.20 181.57 60.4

 

[ndhunterman]

300win 200gr eld-x @ 2900fps....where the 300s shine..
Distance, yards Bullet speed, f/s Energy, ft-lbf Time of Flight, sec Vert. correction, inch Hor. correction, inch
100.0 2666.3 3157.1 0.11 -1.69 0.6
200.0 2511.2 2800.3 0.23 0.00 2.3
300.0 2361.5 2476.6 0.35 7.24 5.3
400.0 2217.8 2184.4 0.48 20.67 9.7
500.0 2079.7 1920.8 0.62 41.22 15.6
600.0 1947.2 1683.7 0.77 69.80 23.2
700.0 1820.2 1471.3 0.93 107.56 32.6
800.0 1698.5 1281.1 1.10 155.83 44.1

 

[Doublecluck]

It's true according to my Strelok ballistic calculator comparing the 143gr eld-x vs a 180 nosler accubond.

That's like comparing a corvette to a train

 

[mtmuley]

I did apples to Accubonds at post 34. mtmuley

 

[Doublecluck]

I will just leave this here.. my 300wm load.. 190 vld @ 2990.. since we're comparing ballistic weenies..