Hunting Rifle

[MilesTeg]

OK guys it's time to hang up the old shotgun and get a deer rifle. The problem is I can't decide what to get. I've narrowed it down to two but still am torn on caliber.

First up Tikka in 30-06.
Tikka T3 SS Laminated .30-06 SPRG JRTG320

Second is a bergara. I always wanted a 300 win mag but I'm not convinced this is the place for it.

B-14 Hunter Rifle for Hunting | Bergara Rifles

My bonus comes next week so I hope to pickup or order it next Saturday. I had more to write but I have a hungry baby too cook for. Discuss and I'll add more in a little while.

 

[dsdmmat]

How far do you figure your longest shot going to be? What are you hunting, just deer? Do you plan on reloading for it? Are you going to shoot it recreationally? How old are you? Do you have any back or shoulder problems?

The last two are important questions to ask yourself before getting into a magnum cartridge. The older we get the more recoil sensitive our body becomes.

Is there a particular reason you selected those two calibers? Are there others you would be willing to consider?

 

[MilesTeg]

All good questions!

How far do you figure your longest shot going to be? I have a 300 yds shot from my hunting stand. I don't plan on going beyond 200 though. Too much say in the tree and shooting through trees, there might be twigs I can't see.
What are you hunting, just deer? For right now the rifle is for just deer, but I hope to go on some guided hunts in my future. So larger game than deer are on the table.
Do you plan on reloading for it? Yes, but probably not for this season. I'm not sure I have the time to work up a load before season.
Are you going to shoot it recreationally? I'll give it a solid maybe. I have a bench rifle and a small caliber rifle to shoot. So I don't know if I will or not.
How old are you? 32, 33 in less than a week.
Do you have any back or shoulder problems? Nope the only problem I suffer from is being out of shape. The desk job is killing me. Recoil doesn't seem to bother me yet. I'm sure when I get older it will, I have watched it in my father. Earlier this summer I shot a buddies 338 Lapua and put 4 shots in 4 inch group at 600 yds. So recoil doesn't seem to effect me yet. The 300 win mag does seem like a bad idea for a light weight hunting rifle, so maybe I'll save it for my next bench rifle.

The last two are important questions to ask yourself before getting into a magnum cartridge. The older we get the more recoil sensitive our body becomes.

Is there a particular reason you selected those two calibers? Are there others you would be willing to consider? I'm always open to suggestions. For the rifle and or caliber.

 

[dsdmmat]

Do you hate me? That yellow is killing my eyes.

Well I am bout 17 years older than you so my choice in calibers is going to be different. I did have a 300 RUM in a savage 11 ( I believe it was an 11) about 15 years ago. I did not like the pounding from it at all. I even had a muzzle brake on it and it still was no fun to shoot.

Look at the 7mm mags they seem to be a popular big game round with moderate recoil.

 

[MilesTeg]

Sorry I'm on the dark theme is there a better color to answer with?

 

[dsdmmat]

All good questions!

Sorry I'm on the dark theme is there a better color to answer with?

there lies the problem.
I on the light theme. Probably the default color is best.

 

[MilesTeg]

Is red any better?

 

[dsdmmat]

Is red any better?

Red would be better than yellow, yes.

 

[GuyMontag]

Miles, I think a 30-06 should have a place in everyone's safe, there's nothing in North America you can't hunt with it, and you will NEVER be out of luck finding ammo. Even post SAFE, and after election season, I could always find 30-06 on the shelves.

 

[MilesTeg]

Now to remember red for next time will be key.

 

[dsdmmat]

You may want to consider the 6.5s and the 7mms they are flatter shooters and have milder recoil than the 30 and up calibers. You will tend to shoot them longer in you old age.

 

[dsdmmat]

Miles, I think a 30-06 should have a place in everyone's safe, there's nothing in North America you can't hunt with it, and you will NEVER be out of luck finding ammo. Even post SAFE, and after election season, I could always find 30-06 on the shelves.

This is a very true statement. I do have a couple of 06s but neither are hunting rifles. One is a M1 Garand and the other is a 17 pound bolt gun I had built for bench shooting.

 

[MilesTeg]

You may want to consider the 6.5s and the 7mms they are flatter shooters and have milder recoil than the 30 and up calibers. You will tend to shoot them longer in you old age.

The 7mm has my attention also. I have seen a 7mm-08 on deer and it was devastating. I'm not 100% sold on 6.5's for hunting. I know they have a long history of use in Europe on big game. For whatever reason I can't seem to convince myself to go that small.

 

[meketrefe]

You have dozens of calibers that will be appropriate for deer hunting.

With a light hunting rifle the Winmag will beat up the shooter like an old rug.
It will also too much for a deer and will destroy lots of meat.

For a deer rifle it is hard to go wrong with the service rounds, past or present, so the 30-06 and 308 are excellent choices. In fact they are
the most popular choices around the world. I know, I know, .. nothing exclusive here but they are plentiful, versatile and have endless options
for deer and other game species.

Many bullets from 125gr to 168gr will produce excellent results with milder "white tail" factory loads available.

A 308 winchester proples a barnes 130gr TTSX to 3,100fps making it effectively shoot super flat and hit like a 270 at the distances we normally
shoot game. The solid bullets are very effective with speed and recoil will be comparable to smaller calibers. So with this type of versatility is hard to
argue.

I would go for a 308 because of it is more compact (short action) its accuracy, availability of ammo and specially components. My second choice would be the 30-06 in the long action but it is not really necessary the long action.

In terms of rifles the Bergara is on its own category. It is build in the R700 action that is the most popular action in the world but it presents out of the box
features only available in 3rd party Remington actions that cost x3 to x4 times more. The tikka is a pretty decent rifle too.

..my 2 cents.

 

[meketrefe]

The 7mm has my attention also. I have seen a 7mm-08 on deer and it was devastating. I'm not 100% sold on 6.5's for hunting. I know they have a long history of use in Europe on big game. For whatever reason I can't seem to convince myself to go that small.

The 6.5 bullets can be good deer rifle but overall the 6.5 falls short as it tops at 140grs and not the most plentiful selection for hunting. You have a few 160
gr round nose that are really aimed to larger cases popular in Europe but ballistically talking are subpar.

The 7mm-08 does anything that any of 6.5mm versions do in short actions and more, including not just hunting but long range too. The 7mm it is often overlooked for long range, not sure why.

In fact the 7mm-08 does better than any of the calibers below and the 308w itself with the exception of 308 180gr bonded and solid bullets that are really only
designed for large or dangerous game at moderate ranges.

It is hard to beat the versatility of the 308w but if we think in terms of ballistics performance the 7mm descendant will take the gold in terms of ballistics performance from 120 to 168gr bullets with also huge versatility. In the ideal world our service round could be a 7mm/08 vs the parent 308w as it increases the effective range and lethality of the round. 7mm bullets seem to provide the perfect balance for this size cartridge and amount of fuel.

 

[MilesTeg]

Ok so which rifle to get meke? It sounds like your as perplexed as I am between the two.

The Tikka at the low price point that I linked only has a few calibers left. Unless a FFL can come close to that I would be stuck with those. I wanted the Tikka initially because of the SS(always wanted SS hunting rifle) and the wood(I'm usually more a synthetic guy). The downfalls of the Tikka for me is the caliber selection, the plastic trigger guard(I hade one break on a Rem 710, yes I know two different calibers of guns) and the expensive proprietary magazines.

As far as the Bergara. The more I read up on them I want one. The caliber choices are better now I'm between the 7mm and 308, 30-06 is still in the back of my head. If this was in SS this would be an easy decision. I don't know why I keep shying away from a 308, it's not logical. For whatever reason it doesn't seem to interest me at all. It's too bad because I have over 500 168g Sierra game kings I could load up for it along with enough varget to get the job done.

Because I'm sick of looking at numbers (I've been spending all my free time studying for the first part of my PE exam) what ballistically is the difference between 308 and 30-06?

 

[meketrefe]

The 30-06 has more capacity so it can push the same bullet 100-150fps faster that is nice with the heaviest bullets of 180gr and above.
But in reality for most practical purposes it doens't really matter. The 308 is about the same diameter case and shorter column to burn
so it fits in a short action and it is more efficient. That is why the military downsized from 30-06 to 308 for their service round.
If you want the stainless Bergara doesn't have the SS option right now. The Bergara is a superior rilfe as it is based on the 700 that is
very robust by design and the baseline for military and match winning rifles all over the world.

BERGARA B14S151 308 HUNTER DM SYN

If it is stainless what you want the Tikka is a good rifle.
What I would do personally, if I was worried about weather and stainless I would buy a proven entry level rifle like the Savage 10 hog
hunter in 308 and beat the crap out of it. Perhaps later add a stock but the hunter is a tack driver and very well priced and comes
with iron sights too. 20" barrel very handy and the power of the 308 Winchester. You also have savage 16 in stainless that are very
solid rifles. The savage will allow easy barrel swap so later on if you want to try the 7mm08 you can do it yourself
and swap between seasons. you can use the same brass to reload both.

Savage 11 HOG HNTR 308 TB

confused enough? LOL

You see my approach is quite simple. Take proven popular platforms with good barrels and triggers with the caliber I want and
then try to come up with good reasons why not to buy them. It is very hard to find those reasons. A bit boring, I know,... but
I am looking for function and results and not something for show and tell.
Everyone likes to have exclusive stuff that one can show and be amused by but in the end when the infatuation period is over
we go back to the basics and we want something reliable, versatile, we feel confortable shooting, we shoot well with it.
In many cases one is going to have a stock possibly fitted for ones ergonomics like a suit. Custom base and scopes so what it
really matters is the proven action, good trigger and nice well chambered barrel.

Simple is good.
Less is more in the end.

 

[meketrefe]

And BTW bergara has barrels to rebarrel the remington including a barrel nut system. There are other makers that offer nuts that can use the savage tool.
There are also barrel makers that will make you a swap barrel for the tikka.
The problem is that you will need either the tools or gunsmith to break the barrel the first time and then retrofit the existing
barrel to the corresponding nut. Pac-nor, douglas, mcgroven offer barrels and nuts for either rifle.

 

[MilesTeg]

I'm going to go with perplexed not confused it sounds better. Well the 30-06 does have a decent amount more energy but I agree with everyone probably not enough to justify it over a 308 if available for the selected rifle.

I'm OK with sacrificing SS for a superior rifle. And I can't convince myself that the bergara is that much more of a rifle. I feel like it is I just don't know.

 

[Phauxtoe]

i say, look at the cost of the ammo!

30.06 is incredible and not crazy in price!
308 can be down right cheap!
300 win mag, not so much.

I like to shoot a lot, so cost is important. both for shooting and stocking ammo.

 

[MilesTeg]

i say, look at the cost of the ammo!

30.06 is incredible and not crazy in price!
308 can be down right cheap!
300 win mag, not so much.

I like to shoot a lot, so cost is important. both for shooting and stocking ammo.

Because I reload the cost difference between the calibers are are of little difference. Considering they all could use the same bullets the only difference would be powder charge.

Meke the barrel swap for the Bergaras is great to know. They way I look at it if I buy that rifle and ever buy a better hunting rifle I could very easily use it to make a new long range gun.

Now I'm leaning towards Bergara is 7mm but if someone has one in 308 or 30-06 I very well could still be swayed. The next question is what should I get to mount the scope. I have a 3-9 Zeiss with a standard retical ready to go.

 

[meketrefe]

Now I'm leaning towards Bergara is 7mm but if someone has one in 308 or 30-06 I very well could still be swayed. The next question is what should I get to mount the scope. I have a 3-9 Zeiss with a standard retical ready to go.

These are hard decissions but the good thing yout know the bergara is all blueprinted after the 700 and we also know
they make amazing barrels so isntead of creating a new design yet to be proven have gone with the most poupular and
most tested action in the world. A very smart move right?.

Ask yourself, what do I need to do with the 7mm/08 that I cannot do with a 308w. Other than 1,000 yards paper, goat or chuck
shooting I cannot think of anything else. If long range is in the future then 7mm will give a 200+ yards edge. But also the 308
can be loaded with hot 180gr bonded pills that can tackle the largest and most dangerous animals in America.

Wait until you get the rifle. Then get the base. I suggest a steel base bedded to the action. This is forever, whatever that means.
Then use some old rings, or even metal blocks or coins with masking tape to measure where the scope should go.
You can do this and fix any ergonomics you need like a comb raiser, LOP, etc.. try different positions shooting supported,
on a barracade, prone, etc...
Then when you are set you take the measurement and find the appropriate rings for the scope height that you need.
The rings should be the last thing. I prefer steel too. Warne has sturdy yet not too heavy rings. TPS has a well priced steel base
and not as heavy as the competition ones so it is great for hunting.

The key here is everything needs to be SET TO FIT YOU like a globe. It is like going to the tailor to get a suit made.

I love the 7mm but if one is pragmatic there is no much a 308w cannot do for 99% of the hunters.

I think this would not be the first choice for long range elk but due to the amazing accuracy of the 700 platform +
the 308w one might feel more confident than with larger and harder to master calibers.

This guy in youtube seems to have harvested a decent elk close to 900 yards.
Of couse a 280, a rem mag or even a winmag would have been more forgiving but perhaps
the shooter shoots better with the milder and trusty 308.
If you look for deer/sambar kills you will see the 700 + the 308 being a very popular choice all around the planet.


The Bergara comes with 1MOA guaranteed out of the box. They also partnered shilen barrels and the chambering, fit
and finish is a step above the SPS or ADL. It leaves Remington in the dust in terms of out of the box value.

 

[ECU Pirates]

I would stay away from magnums. Even the 7mm rem mag in a light rifle can beat you up. I would go 7mm-08 or 260. If you want common calibers 30-06 or 308 are both great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Greywolf224]

My Remington 700BDL .270 has been my big game rifle since 1987 and never let me down. Flat shooting. Ammo is available in 115-150 grain and hand loads down to 100 gr or up to 180 gr.

 

[MilesTeg]

Well I have made my decision for sure. The Bergara in 308 but if I find a 30-06 on the shelves and not the 308 then I will grab that. I called around to all the local gun shops and couldn't find one on the shelves locally. So if anyone's local gun store has one let me know if not I will probably order one later in the week.

I don't think I will have anytime for a load workup so can anyone suggest a commercial round? Also is barrel break in needed for a hunting rifle?

 

[meketrefe]

Nice!! The Bergaras will not stay at the current price points. They are worth a lot more than their current price tag.
I would start with an assortment of ammo to see what you and the rifle like the most.
Get the based bedded and proper mounting so you don't have to go through that twice.
The main thing with breaking in is to start slow with mild loads and before give the bore and chamber a very good cleaning to remove
any machine residue or oils. Clean it a couple of times after a few shots and that's all. The bergara barrels are very
well finished so I would be surprised you find any significant copper accumulation.

 

[Mr. terzmo]

I use a Remington 7400 in 30.06 with scope and see through rings. It'll take anything NY has to offer. Recoil is fine for a 66 year old

 

[Jaywmustang]

Herb Phillipson in Oswego had a bergara in 30/06 the last time I was there. If u r interested I can double check to see if it is still there.

 

[MilesTeg]

Herb Phillipson in Oswego had a bergara in 30/06 the last time I was there. If u r interested I can double check to see if it is still there.

I thought I had seen them in Herb's too. I called the local one and the employee told me I didn't know what I was talking about. They only make muzzle loader barrels. I laughed and said I'm pretty sure I saw some in your store a few months ago. If your in the area please do check. I'm within driving area of 3 so I might try all 3 Saturday. I still have yet to get a hold of my local FFL (closed on Monday's) they usually cut me one hell of a deal. I'm just concerned about shipping time and having enough time with the rifle before season. Last concern is they don't really do scope mountings anymore so I need to find somewhere to do that.

 

[Snappo]

Herb Phillipson in Oswego had a bergara in 30/06 the last time I was there. If u r interested I can double check to see if it is still there.

99% of my 30-06 ammo is Greek CMP stuff. Interestingly, sometimes the rounds won't allow the bolt of my XHR to close. I grab another round and keep going. And yet, the ammo works fine in my CMP M1 Garand. As such I need some 30-06 for the 700 XHR. Do you know if Herb Phillipson has bulk ammo that works well in bolt rifles? Or if Gander has bulk 30-06?