Rifle selection

[dredogg]

Rifle selections for Hog hunting !

spending under 700 for a full set up, rifle & optics

any suggestions?

ill purchase any rifle that i get more than one suggestions of.

 

[DirtyDave]

BIG5 and Turners both have pretty good deals on Rifle and Scope packages in your price range. Savage, Howa, TC, Remington 700, all are good. I prefer 30-06, but anything larger than a .270win is good for Hogs. .308, 7mag, etc.
There are a lot of guys that use smaller calibers succesfully though, but bigger is better for hogs.
Go and check out some guns in person and get the feel for a couple different models. How a gun feels in your hands makes a big difference, for most guys anyways.

 

[Fugaloo]

Can of Worms Dude! $700 and you never want to put anymore into it ever? I would get a Savage with the Accutrigger and Accustock. What ever is left over put into the scope. A lot of pig hunting is within 100 yards so you shouldn't get anything more powerful than a 3-9x. You can't speak enough of the benefit a good scope can give, but for my dollar I will buy a better gun. The last pig I shot was with a Savage model 11 in .243. It entered the head right above the eyeball and stopped right at the gristle plate behind the shoulder. A lot of guys here will tell you .243 is not enough gun for a pig, but shot placement trumps power every day of the week. I like the .243 because I can get light (58gr) frangible loads that won't destroy a coyote pelt, or heavier loads (100gr) that will take down larger animals. I went withthis caliber because I wanted to be able to use this rifle all year, for all of my bullet hunting. If I were to buy a purely pig gun though I might consider a lever action in 30-30. Lever guns are great in the bush, and will come in well below $700. Just don't put a scope on one, Irons will serve you well out to 100 yards+.

There are many great threads that knock this subject back and forth for all types of guns. It took me three years to finally settle on the gun I bought and I kind of wish I had gotten the better model than the one Big5 offered. Most of their guns are OK but generally lack the features you can get at an actual gun shop. The accutrigger and accustock being 2 of them. In a nutshell, the accutrigger gives the shooter an extremely light trigger pull while maintaining safety against accidental discharge. Despite my gun being the lesser model I am absolutely thrilled with the Savage. One thing I always look for are the aftermarket parts you can bolt on the improve performance. Bell and Carlson make phenomenal stocks that will improve accuracy. I think they will custom make a stock for you if they don't offer it but it is a lot cheaper for popular rifles that they already offer for.

So long to short, if you want more of a multipurpose gun, I would recommend a Savage in either .243, .308., or 30-06. You will still have enough to buy a decent scope, I use a Nikon Pro staff I paid $265 for, but recently bought another used one in better condition than mine for $100 at a pawn shop. If you are buying a purely pig gun, get a Marlin 36 in 30-30, and spend some of the money you have leftover on a guided pig hunt.

Hope this helps
Fug Out!

 

[STICK&STRING]

If you want a GREAT rifle, 1 MOA Guaranteed accuracy, VERY Light, and just plain solid and reliable, Id go with a Tikka T3 Lite. I am also a BIG fan of the .243. The last Hog I killed was with a .243. Weighed in at #248 lbs. Put a 100gr pill right on the crease of the shoulder low. It went through the heart and exited at 194 yards. The pig never took a step. I personally use a .300WM now, but hunted hogs for 12+ years with a .243.

I agree with Fugaloo on the scope. a 3-9x is really all you need. I have a VXII 3-9x40 on my .243 which is PERFECT. I have a VX3 4.5-14x40 LR on my 300WM but I use that for Long Range shooting as well.

 

[catchdog]

30-06 does anything from yotes to moose. but i have done well with a 7mm08 also. IMO the 7mm08 and .270 win are about as small as you want to go. i agree with DD you should go look at some different guns and see how they feel in your hands. the stevens 200 combo pack is a pretty good setup for the money. but for $700 i think you could find somthing a bit better. i will say that my savage mod 11 7mm08 is a real tack driver with a barnes tsx. and my friend has a stevens 200 in .308 that shoots 1 inch groupes with cheap ammo at 100 yards. i do not like the savage edge at all and i think it took the place of the stevens 200. so it might be hard to find one new. good optics is important. if you need to keep the price down the nikon prostaff 3x9x40 is a pretty dang good scope for about $125- $150. check swfa.com and optic planet.com they run some good deals and optice planet will ship free if you spend over $99. good luck and let us know what you get.

 

[T O Double D]

I just bought a Savage 110 in 30 '06. It's still on lock up, so I haven't shot it yet, but as you can see a lot of people recommend them. In fact the guys at my gun shop were recommending it over higher priced guns that they would've made more money from.

 

[ruger_mac]

Anything at a pwn shop that is from a reputable Manufacture or go with a Weatherby Vangard and a Redfield scope. Or a Thompson Center Venture with Redfield scope.

 

[Fugaloo]

One thing to consider when buying a used gun, Make sure to thoroughly inspect it, especially the barrel. Bring a pen light with you and check for rust and pitting on the rifling. You can also use a unspent bullet or shell to check the crown. Make sure the bullet does not go all the way into the end of the muzzle. That is a sign that the gun has been used and abused way too much. The tighter the barrel grips the bullet the better spin it will put on it, and the crown is the last part of the gun the bullet has contact with so it is real important for accuracy and is also a good indicator of the gun's condition.

 

[dredogg]

thanks guys! this helps me a lot.

i just stopped by two shops to look around and both recommend a tikka t3 lite in 30.06 w a Redfield scope for a grand total of 9xx dollars.

i'm sure later on in the future i would want to invest more money so maybe sticking w the Tikka wouldnt be a bad idea? or should i spend 400 and just buy a savage axis .308 package deal ... oh man im torn haha.

Tikka T3 LITE for 900 or a SAVAGE AXIS 308 for 400! WHAT TO DO WHAT TO DO

 

[Fugaloo]

No Axis, it's not a real Savage. Take your time, you'll find the right deal.

 

[freezer]

Guys, watch your advise. This guy sounds like a beginner not an experienced person with firearms. Look at the Cal DFG web page to see how they rate cartridges for pig. The 243 Win might...might be a good round in the hands of an expert but it's not a good round for a novice. It just doesn't have the bullet weight or penatration to drop a pig cleanly without perfect bullet placement. 7-08 is a good choice but ammo selection is more limited and more expensive than the standard pig calibers. 308, 270, and 30-06 would be the calibers of choice for this person. A Marlin in 30-30 would also be hard to argue with. I'd go 308 Win. I carry a Savage 99 lever in 308.

My advise, Marlin 336 lever in 30-30 or Savage synthetic in 308. Light recoil and cheap ammo. This will encourage a you to pratice more, become comfortable with the rifle and become proficient with it. Savage has a rifle scope combo for about $400. Remington also makes an entry level rifle/scope combo. Save your cash and buy a better scope later when you get comfortable with the gun and hunting with it. Join a rifle range, get ammo and other things you'll need with the money you save.

 

[Caninelaw]

Check gunbroker.com. Saw some tikka's there for around $550. You could get a lower end scope to get by for now and replace it later and you'd probably be close to your budget.

 

[catchdog]

im with Fugal00, NO axis. look at a savage model 11 fxp3 .308 has accutrigger and comes with scope for under $700. if you like a wood stock theres a model 10 with scope just under $700 also. the tikka is a good rifle if you want to spend the money. but i would atleast look at the real Savage line of rifles not the axis.

 

[catchdog]

check out the gander mountain web sight. they have a savage model 111 fxcp3 in .270 on sale for $399

 

[ruger_mac]

Hey Freezer good post about a .243 in the hands of a beginer. You can find good package deals on-line make sure they don't charge to much for shipping!

keep in mind that a gun shop will charge a lot to mount a scope, if you know anyone with some gunsmithing skills you can save a little doing it yourself.

And any rifle/scope combo will have very cheap optics. Just some thoughts

Adam

 

[freezer]

I don't like the idea of most folks mounting a scope. They don't have the tools. The two pointed bars to make sure the rings are aligned or the lapping tool. I prefer my scope rings to be lapped to prevent scope damage and insure good contact. It's attention to detail that gives good service and accuracy. I agree with the statement that the scopes on the combo packages will be cheap but they will hold up for a while until he gets proficent with the rifle and discontent with cheap optics. When that happens he'll buy a Leupold.

I really like the idea of the Marlin lever gun for pig but I'm prejudice with a BLR or good used Savage being at the being on top of my list. I don't like the 94 Winchester or a sadle stocked BLR because they don't accept a scope as well as a pistol griped lever. Besides the saddle stocked 94 kicks like a mule on a bench. Not a good idea for pratice. Pigs are tough animals sometimes requiring a quick second shot, a lever gun will give you that.

For anything to 250 yards I shoot a Savage 99f (6 1/2 lbs scopes and loaded) chambered in 308 with a 2x7 Leupold VXII. Loads are 168 gr Sierra Game King bullets over 46 grs of Varget and I get close to 2900fps with sub MOA accuracy. You can buy factory ammo that can come close to this. A used Savage in 308 Win or 300 Savage would be a great choice and would cost about $300-$500 with money left for a Leupold. I have Rem 700 chambered in 280 Rem and it really shoots but at 8 lbs I don't like to hump it all day on steep pig terrain. I put a 4x12 Leupold on it and only cary it when I intend to sit more than walk. Why 280? I hand load other wise I'd have bought a 270 or 06.

 

[studmanbri]

TIKKA!!! can't go wrong. The market is up, invest the $700 for a month and buy a decent scope!

 

[707Hunter]

I use a 30-06 with a scope and a .308 iron sight for my brush gun, both Winchesters. Whatever rifle you choose, become proficient with it! I think most here would agree that with hogs the most important thing is WHERE you put the shot. They are a very resilliant animal to say the least.

 

[16onrockandroll]

What are old Springfield '03s and other Milsurp rifles going for these days? Heck, even an old Mosin-Nagant could be made into a suitable hog rifle. $100 for the gun, sporter stock runs about $60, scope mount is about $40, 440 rounds of practice ammo is under $100, and $100-$200 for a decent entry-level scope. $500 for a powerful rifle, a bunch of ammo, and decent glass is a tough deal to beat. Even Milsurp .308 ammo would cost almost that much, just for the 440 rounds!

 

[ruger_mac]

Wetherbyvangard synthetic $468+redfield scope3-9x40 160=628 $25 for DROS $25 for millet rings. all that needs to be said.