I'm actually looking for a nice rifle myself that won't break the bank and I was curious to know what you thought about the various calibers. Like 30.06 vs .308 vs something a little smaller like 270. I'm looking at the Savage 116 right now.
For your average deer hunting, there will be virtually no appreciable difference in performance between the .270, .308, and .30/06 and any would be a great choice. All are more than powerful enough and common enough calibers that you should be able to find ammo for them all over. The .270 will have less bullet selection and maybe less availability than the .30 calibers, but that's about it. Aside from case length, the difference between the .308 and .30/06 is about 100 fps in velocity. If I had to pick it would be the .30/06 for the sake of flexibility, but if I were looking at the rifle model I want in any of those three calibers it'd be acceptable. I have limited experience with Savage rifles but my main gripe after shooting one (a 110 .30/06) was just based on aesthetics. I think you could do a lot worse. Ps, here's that Winchester 70 .30/06 for sale... Front sight is missing and the bore needs to be cleaned, and there's that awful pressed checkering, but that's about it.
Thanks man. I mostly want it as a looter gun. The kind of the thing I can take to the roof of my house in case of a natural disaster and I have to keep watch over my property. I have my AR-15 for obvious reasons. But I've always wanted something longer range.
For the rifle by itself, I didn't really want to go more than $800. I know some great rifles go for significantly more than that, but I'm on a budget. I would sort out the optics at another time.
Take a look at these guns by Weatherby, they have all the calibers suggested and all for under $700.00 I shoot a 300WSM Weatherby Vanguard that I got in 2003 and love it, it is synthetic stock and matte stainless barrel. Rifles with woodstocks and I do not play well together due to some of the terrain I hunt so I stick with synthetics. If you are on a budget I would spend a little less on the rifle and a little more on the optics, in low light or even moonlight I can see very well through my Burris and if you are whacking looters at 200 yards being able to see what color their Affliction shirt is helpful. https://www.weatherby.com/vanguardseries2/
I can definitely understand the longer range argument, but there's something to be said about only needing to stockpile one caliber for both rifles: http://houston.texasguntrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=612810 I think this would be especially true if you want to get a suppressor as one would cover both rifles. I own .270, .308 and .30-06 rifles (as well as a bunch of other calibers). I tend to hunt with a Remington 700 ADL in .270, but that's mostly because the nicest scope I have is on it. That said, any one of those calibers would work fine for your purpose. Were I in the market for something like this and wanted a different caliber, I'd probably choose .308. It's probably a little outside of your price range new, but I'd look at something like this: http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/models.html However, in the last couple of years during the shortages the only ammo I could find consistently was for .30-06, so that's one thing to consider.
For a few dollars more, you could get an FNAR in .308 or maybe luck into a Browning BAR Hog Stalker and lob .308 like a tactical operator. Save some more and put a Leupold mark AR 3-9x40 with an illuminated reticle on it and become a night force recon tactical operator. Seriously, though, you can buy a lot of rifle for $800 if you're not looking to include optics at that price. For the money, you could buy something fun. A buddy has the BAR and a safe or two full of other rifles in a sorts of calibers and loves the shit out of his BAR.
I was wondering if one could pick up an AR-10 for that much, knowing more about what Xray wants here.
Those are all fun suggestions, but looking into them, they are way over my price point. I also have my AR 15 which is a lot of fun. I don't necessarily want another SHTF gun. But I was thinking about the merits of getting a decent bolt action also in .223 so that I only have to buy one type of ammo. I just don't know if .223 has the stopping power that larger calibers do.
It does not, not even close. Go bigger something is the 30 calibers. You can see the difference in energy by shooting a watermelon from 100 yards away, shoot the 223 first, it is a very good visual of the difference in calibers.
Here's one for $935, so not budget destroying. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =450510107 I wouldn't dismiss the semi-auto platform as an automatic SHTF gun. They can be plenty accurate, and as mentioned earlier, lots of fun.
I have a Springfield M1A set up as a DMR. It's a lot of fun to shoot, but I recommend a limbsaver recoil pad if you plan to run more than 20rnds through it at the range.
Anyone here live in Washington? I wonder how they're going to enforce that new universal background check law.
After some reading I see now that all sales, including private FTF deals, have to go through an FFL dealer. This is the same as it currently is for sales that cross state lines. Basically it'll cost citizens an additional $60 per transaction. Spoiler A fucking stupid money grab that will effectively do NOTHING to prevent crime.
That's really bullshitty. Getting rid of the "gunshow loophole" would probably raise anarchy in Texas. I personally love having ghost guns.
Congrats to Washington State for figuring it out, now they will have no more school shootings because of this beautiful piece of legislation.