Beginner Hunter Caliber Question

[tomrkba]

Go to an Appleseed and learn to shoot a rifle properly. You do not need a scope. I laugh at the deer hunters around here who think they need a scope to hit a deer at 75 yards.

[lewdogg21]

I'm wondering if we confused the OP more than he was, or were we any help?

x2. He said he learned a lot further down.

Op
One thing no one has mentioned, if you do enjoy hunting this won't be your last gun.

And don't buy the pretty boy expensive gun for hunting. Hunting is hard on guns rust, dents, scratches and so on are the norm.

The first time you drop that new rifle or fall and it hits the dirt/rocks you may cry a little. While I love a pretty rifle in the safe or to admire, I realize they are tools. THat doesn't mean i let them rust out but my hunting guns have scratches on them from me being stupid or just plain dumb luck.


OP- don't discount a used rifle as well as used optics. I fall into the shoot 4x a year guy who hunts category around here I suppose. A lot of my guns have been purchased used or hand me downs. You can get a bad shooter from the factory or off the used rack. Also with optics, I've bought and sold a lot of used scopes here and on a more hunting type forum called 24hourcampfire for maybe 50% of the brand new price on optics that area nearly new or barely used.

One thing I didn't see mentioned by the myriad of posts is a pig guide may have a minimum caliber for their clients. I know our resident pig guide here (BigBoarStopper) tells his clients to bring a 270 or greater. If your proficient with a 243 or even a 223 it can work, but nobody shows up in his hunting camp saying they can't hit **** with their rifle.

My last bit of advice is don't get some gear crazy that you have no money or time left to actually go hunting or do a guided hunt. I've seen it happen in here before. Your better off with less "gear" if that means you actually have gas $, etc. to go vs. stay home and watch golf.

Welcome and hope to see you around the hunting forum.

P.S. As of July 1st 2019 all hunting in CA must be with non-toxic shot so for rifles that means copper. The wall of lead loads at wallyworld won't do you any good except for plinking.

[tomrkba]

As for the gun and caliber...almost anything will do so long as the ammo is powerful enough for the game you are hunting. Personally, I like 308 Winchester and 7.62x51mm. 308 works just fine for what you’ll be doing.

30-30, 243, 270, 30-06, 7mm, etc are all good too. Getting a gun with scope on sale is never a bad thing. You can always sell it later. You could do just fine with a vintage WW II German Mauser in 8mm with appropriate hunting ammo. My friend takes a deer annually with his. My dad shot a bunch of deer with a bubba’d up 30/40 Krag and stock iron sights.

I do recommend that you learn to use a sling properly. Ching slings are great because they’re fast to get into and there are three attachment points. Your shooting will improve dramatically.

I recommend this setup:

1) Synthetic stock (wood expands and contracts with the elements) with cheek riser.
2) Iron sights with scope rail. This lets you mount a scope while learning to use the sights.
3) At least two sling attachment points. Three is better.
4) Optional bipod. These are really helpful but likely almost never used.
5) Optional adjustable trigger.

[RNE228]

This is a good idea.

Appleseed is a good way to learn shooting fundamentals. It is a great program, especially given the low cost.

Go to an Appleseed and learn to shoot a rifle properly. You do not need a scope. I laugh at the deer hunters around here who think they need a scope to hit a deer at 75 yards.

[tomrkba]

https://grabagun.com/ruger-49.html

While it has no irons, this will do the job.

Same here, but you will need a cheek riser: https://grabagun.com/mrln-336w-30-30...w-sc70521.html

This will drop deer hard and Henry guns are really nice. Rear sight is all the way back on the receiver, which is a nice touch: https://grabagun.com/henry-repeating...-70-bl-wd.html

[RNE228]

If I were in the market for a rifle, I would look at the LGS used racks. Over the years have found nice shape used rifles with nice scope already mounted.

A lot of people buy rifles and never shoot more than a few rounds.

I picked up on a Savage 99 some years back. It was like new. Guy had bought it in 1959, shot 5 rounds to sights the scope. Came with the original box of ammo and empty cases.

[lewdogg21]

If I were in the market for a rifle, I would look at the LGS used racks. Over the years have found nice shape used rifles with nice scope already mounted.

A lot of people buy rifles and never shoot more than a few rounds.

I picked up on a Savage 99 some years back. It was like new. Guy had bought it in 1959, shot 5 rounds to sights the scope. Came with the original box of ammo and empty cases.

x2.

[tomrkba]

I picked up on a Savage 99 some years back. It was like new. Guy had bought it in 1959, shot 5 rounds to sights the scope. Came with the original box of ammo and empty cases.

Jealous!

[Rockdog]

Op
One thing no one has mentioned, if you do enjoy hunting this won't be your last gun.

And don't buy the pretty boy expensive gun for hunting. Hunting is hard on guns rust, dents, scratches and so on are the norm.

This is why I started to lean towards a lower caliber. Knowing I will have to work my way to larger game and more complicated hunts, I then would have another reason to buy another gun,

[MJB]

I know your looking at a 223, but I would advise against it.

Get a 270 atleast so you can go on a guided pig/elk hunt once you get your skills & gun fine tuned. You may not like hunting, you won't know till you go.

With 223 you'll have to buy another rifle, learn that rifle and caliber, equip another rifle before you can hunt.

The shot is <10% of the hunt.

[Rockdog]

I know your looking at a 223, but I would advise against it.

Get a 270 atleast so you can go on a guided pig/elk hunt once you get your skills & gun fine tuned. You may not like hunting, you won't know till you go.

With 223 you'll have to buy another rifle, learn that rifle and caliber, equip another rifle before you can hunt.

The shot is <10% of the hunt.

What are your thoughts on starting with a 308?

[diver160651]

Beginner Hunter Caliber Question

Same with the paint job on my Chevy truck that fell off.

[diver160651]

Beginner Hunter Caliber Question

Mine is another vote for the 30-06. I started hunting with 30-06 and then, depending on what I was hunting, used 223, 243, 257 Roberts, 270, 30-06, 7mm,45-70, 375, 6.5 Grendel, etc. They are all good rounds but if I had one hunting rifle it would be 30-06 and many times I wish I had just stuck with that all the way through. And while I killed my first few hogs with a 257, since OP mentions hog hunting, which I do a lot, I would not recommend the 243 or similar rounds because the close to perfect shot placement needed for such rounds is often luck on a large hog on the move, which often how you find them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pl411]

[LynnJr]

Change your name to xX_LynnJr_DGAF_Xx.

My Ruger M77 Mkii has been my deer rifle for 8 years and I got it used. Never any rust or problems but I do take care of it because I depend on it every year. I don’t really see a point to neglecting it and bragging about it on the internet.

I don't neglect my rifles and brag about it on the internet.
I actually use my rifles for there intended purpose and don't whine and cry on every web forum when I see a spot of rust or a scratch. Some here try and save the world from those russian terrorists at Remington yet Remington has been selling 700's long before they were even born.
As anyone with any common sense can see by my list everyone and everything has a flaw.
If you want to spend your life bashing everything go ahead.
I choose to go hunting and shooting and my gear gets used.
I don't fault the guys that polish there guns twice a month and stick them back in the safe never to be used because I like buying those guns when they get out of the sport.

And OP try avoiding the hunting forum. If you want to go on a hunting forum look for a better source or specific source where people actually hunt and know what they are doing. Too many younger posters without any experience doesn't help you.
Same holds true on the various reloading forums. As soon as someone posts about seating a bullet into the lands and blowing up your gun put them on your ignore list. 95% of the world's most accurate rifles are shot with the bullets jammed not jumped.
And if they mention headspace burn your computer.
The picture is of a real pig and the severe damage it will do to the bed of a truck. If you notice it got blood on my paint. I can either go on 59 hunting forums and complain about hog hunting or I can eat some sausage and go to work. My choice is obvious.
It looks like your located in San Jose? If you get a free Sunday and want to try out some of my guns send me a PM and we can meet up at Circle S Ranch near Two Rock.
I need to do some 338 bullet testing and you can report back here about the recoil and flinching from shooting a 338 Lapua Ackley Improved target rifle verses a 30-06 hunting rifle.