Rifle suggestion please
- Thread starter OwenP
- Start date
Kent Goldings
.357 mag
There are lots of good rifles......as long as its in 6.5 Creedmore.
I think of 6.5CM as more of a range toy. Of course, you do want to hunt with a rifle you can shoot a lot.
6.5 PRC is the greatest chambering you’ll never find ammo for.
I dont own a 6.5CM but a couple friends do and ive seen A LOT of people in the hunting world are using it for white tail deer. Some professional and expert hunters are calling it the "best" all around deer rifle.
Kent Goldings
.357 mag
I don’t disagree that it’s a fine choice. From a hand-loaders perspective, the 308 is a bit more versatile. It is more fun to shoot my 6.5 CM and the 1,000 yard target game is addictive. The 308 is no match for the 6.5 CM in that realm.
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Im very fond of 308, its one of my favorite rounds.
My friend in the free state of Pennsylvania has an AR in 308.....very cool to shoot.
Vapor
.308 Win
Caliber arguments often devolve into chevy vs ford ves dodge debates really fast.
The OP doesn't even know what action he likes yet. That may very much shape what his caliber choice would be.
The OP doesn't even know what action he likes yet. That may very much shape what his caliber choice would be.
Kent Goldings
.357 mag
I don’t think fair to trivialize the decision. Of course, people should own both.
IrishMick
.357 mag
Lots of missing info from OP. Do you already own guns? Pistols? Rifles? Shotguns? It looks like in your original post that you have a decent budget if you're looking at a Sako. Rule of thumb is to expect to spend the same on glass as the cost of the rifle. There are many good budget rifles that will shoot 1 MOA, you could easily be into a decent setup for under $1k. Is your hunting spot open or brushy? This may help in caliber/bullet selection. As others have stated, deer hunting in NYS is usually under 200m. Almost any decent caliber should work well at these ranges .270, 30-30, 6.5 Creedmore, .308, .30-06 are all good choices for NYS deer hunting as they are usually readily available. I am partial to .30 caliber for deer but many deer have been taken with .243 Win, and .270. If you are hunting in thicker brush the .35 Remington, .444 Marlin, or 45-70 might be a good option as I feel that the slower, heavier, flat nosed bullets have less deflection. Would you prefer a bolt action, lever, or single shot? That's up to you. Also take the rifles weight into consideration especially if you have a long hike into your hunting area. I should think that any halfway decent bold or lever gun would be good to start with. Check out some reviews on line to see what others think.
I assume you took the hunter safety course? You'll need to take the class in order to purchase a NY hunting license.
Robin
.475 A&M Magnum
Either of these is doable.
Robin
@thewheels
.308 Win
^^^THIS^^^
Since anything he picks now will require him to pay quite a bit extra per shot, I'd stick to whatever the budget allows for ample trigger time.
I have been holding off on any new rifles in any caliber I don't already own. I'm not paying a ridiculous premium for ammo that I don't have already.
Kent Goldings
.357 mag
Great point. I’ve avoided buying any new rifles fir this reason. As far as ammo is concerned, patch-round-ball and black powder is your best bet.
The difference is that Ford and Chevy are very close in every way, you really cant go wrong. The same with guns, most modern firearms in good working order are very accurate and reliable, you really cant go wrong.
However, calibers vary widely and are nowhere near each other in performance.
22 short, 6.5CR, 308 and 50BMG all very different performance.
And then theres the difference of loads and weights in each caliber.
Ar-10 or ar-15 chambered in whatever floats your boat.
Robin
.475 A&M Magnum
Yep, the round to round accuracy of the modern AR's are the equal of over the counter bolt guns, better in many , many, cases. Why short change yourself.
Robin
Robin
meketrefe
.450/400 Nitro Ex
You find plenty of 308 and 7-08.
I recently signed up for the class
Vapor
.308 Win
That's great! Take your course, learn as much as you can, and if possible join a sportmens club locally with experienced hunters and shooters.
Get yourself a Marlin or Ruger .22 rifle to learn the basics.
Kent Goldings
.357 mag
Unless you can find a used Marlin. I’d get the Ruger American Rimfire. If splurging is a possibility, CZ457.
As @Vapor and @Kent Goldings saying getting a 22lr rifle it's all about trigger time! I have the Ruger American 22 bolt action rifle and am happy with it, uses 10/22 mags which is a plus.