Beginner Hunter Caliber Question

[Rockdog]

If you are using a sloppy technique, yes. The point of a light recoil rifle is lots of comfortable practice. But, you have to practice using solid technique or it will only hurt your shooting.

That makes sense, thank you.

[Rockdog]

223 will take a pig down. Especially the TSX .
Rock dog what kind of rifle have you shot?

I have only have shot a few different ones, and only a few times.

12&20 gauge shotgun
M1 (new and old)
and a few 22lr's

[oak18]

You don't know what you're talking about. 783 is just a rebranded Marlin its quality is just as good as the Ruger American and Savage. Give any one of these a spit shine and they're just as good if not better than a Tikka.

[Fjold]

Does the lack of recoil from the 22lr mess with your shot once you go back to the 06?

I went shooting this morning with two rifles, my 375 H&H magnum shooting 270 grain and 300 grain bullets and my 10/22. I shot groups with the 375 H&H and used the 10/22 while the big gun cooled down. Once you get used to the rifles, you learn how to shoot each one differently.

What would be the smallest caliber round you would fill comfortable hunting boar with?

That depends more on the hunter than the gun/cartridge. An experienced hunter might be comfortable with a 223 and waiting until they can put a shot in the pig's ear but beginner hunters would be better served with a cartridge/bullet that is big enough to let them take a shoulder shot. For newer hunters the smallest combo I would recommend is probably the 260 Rem with a tough 120 grain bullet.

[FishnHunt]

Ok.
Not a lot of variety/experience.
223 is going to be the cheapest centerfire and fun to practice with. Plus it will Kill a deer or hog.
Another option is Ruger American or is it howa that offers 7.62x39. AK rounds.
This will give you heavier bullets for cheap but limit you to 200 yards or little more. Think of it as a 30/30 , which has killed truck loads of animals.
The rocoil on 76239 is very soft.
You still feel you need 270 or 06 then 06 is the best all around hunting round.

[smittty]

What would be the smallest caliber round you would fill comfortable hunting boar with?

223 or 357 mag from a rifle.

You'll want to know if you're hunting wild boar or domestic pigs that are in a fenced in ranch. If they're fenced in like a lot of "guided" hunts you could kill them with a 22 LR if the outfit allows it.

The ranchers around here use 223 for the "wild" ones.

[strakill]

Between the 270 and the 30-06 is a beat your head against the wall argument. Both calibers are more than adequate for taking any game in Kali especially for a beginner.

The 270 is the flatter shooting round but at 200 yds it doesn't make any difference compared to the 30-06. It's strong point is the lighter recoil. It will still put a thumping down. It's drawbacks are the lack of range of bullet weights and that is a non-issue in my opinion.

The 30-06 is an Americana round. Does the job and does it well even at distance. You have a wide variety of bullet weights to choose from for the different types of hunts you may want to try. It's drawbacks are it will punish you more than the 270. (not by much IMHO)

Both are widely available. Both are a great choice for all around hunting, they will both get the job done.

You can't go wrong with one or the other but if you do want to do long range varmint hunting as well I'd stick with the 270. If that's not in your scope and you decide to go hunt elk up north then I'd go 30-06. If none of that is in your plans then flip a coin and run with it, you won't make a bad decision either way. I chose the 30-06 and my brother chose the 270. He used my rifle for his elk hunt in Colorado for what it's worth,

[TMB 1]

That’s hilarious. Are Ruger and Tikka owned by Freedom Group too? Freedom Group who bought Remington and Marlin around 2008 and cut as many corners as they can?

I suggest you branch out onto some other websites and read the horror stories surrounding Remington and their firearms/customer serivice. The 783 is a joke of a rifle. There’s probably a 100 different threads on reddit alone on how garbage that rifle is. There’s even a command bot on Reddit that brings up a bunch of evidence of how **** it is.

If by spit shine you mean completely refinishing the rifle so it doesn’t rust if it sits by a bottle of water, then yeah maybe you’re onto something.

Good try though.

That's funny because if you google the Marlin x7 there are tons of people telling how good it is. The Remington 783 is just a Marlin with slightly changed receiver making it stronger, detachable mag and bolt handle with R for Remington stamped on it. What is also funny is Chuck Hawks reviews both and trashes the Remington 783 trigger when they have same trigger. Try googling Marlin x7 vs Remington 783 there are some pics on the net showing the differences.

I don't have Reddit but sounds like there are bunch of people that don't know any more than you posting.

No need to completely refinish if you oil finish it won't rust, use some wax with a spit shine and it'll look like a Tikka and save you $200.

[oak18]

That's funny because if you google the Marlin x7 there are tons of people telling how good it is. The Remington 783 is just a Marlin with slightly changed receiver making it stronger, detachable mag and bolt handle with R for Remington stamped on it. What is also funny is Chuck Hawks reviews both and trashes the Remington 783 trigger when they have same trigger. Try googling Marlin x7 vs Remington 783 there are some pics on the net showing the differences.

I don't have Reddit but sounds like there are bunch of people that don't know any more than you posting.

No need to completely refinish if you oil finish it won't rust, use some wax with a spit shine and it'll look like a Tikka and save you $200.

I have no experience with the Marlin x7 and haven’t done any research on it.

If you truly believe anything Remington produces is comparable to a Tikka, you’re extremely uninformed. Tikka has better barrels, a better finish, and better QC and customer service.

I’m just going to assume you have a new production Remington and you’re trying your darndest to defend the wasting your money. I mean, do you know who Freedom Group is? Are you aware of all the information and evidence of the changes they made to Remington and Marlin that tarnished the quality of their firearms?

There’s mountains of evidence out there. Just have to open your eyes. They are referred to as Rustington all over the internet for a reason. Reddit seems to vet claims a lot stricter than here. There’s all sorts of FUDD on this website, for instance people defending Kimbers way overpriced firearms too. I’ve also seen plenty defending **** like the RAS47 and C39 too which is hilarious. But that’s a little off topic.

[TMB 1]

I have no experience with the Marlin x7 and haven’t done any research on it.

If you truly believe anything Remington produces is comparable to a Tikka, you’re extremely uninformed. Tikka has better barrels, a better finish, and better QC and customer service.

I’m just going to assume you have a new production Remington and you’re trying your darndest to defend the wasting your money. I mean, do you know who Freedom Group is? Are you aware of all the information and evidence of the changes they made to Remington and Marlin that tarnished the quality of their firearms?

There’s mountains of evidence out there. Just have to open your eyes. They are referred to as Rustington all over the internet for a reason. Reddit seems to vet claims a lot stricter than here. There’s all sorts of FUDD on this website, for instance people defending Kimbers way overpriced firearms too. I’ve also seen plenty defending **** like the RAS47 and C39 too which is hilarious. But that’s a little off topic.

I do have a Remington 783 or I would not be recommending it and defending it. I also have Ruger, Savage, Mossberg, and other Remington rifles. I don't own any Tikka rifles but have seen/shot a few. That is how I know 783 wasn't a waste of money. My view/opinion isn't just from an internet search.

[Isacpotatoes]

I generally recommend folks in your situation buy a 308 for their first hunting rifle, or if it's going to be an only hunting rifle, that, for a variety of reasons.

My personal opinion on 270 v. 30-06 is to go with the 30 caliber. Neither will leave you wanting for much though so don't stress out on it too much.

I like your approach also. It's tough to get started out in hunting when you're past youth and don't have friends or family that can take you out and teach you everything from skills to ethics, but it looks like you're on the right track!

Lots of great knowledge here...you'll just have to sometimes wade through the chaff as well, like any forum.

I'm in agreement here. I own a Savage Model 10 FCP-SR in .308. It's not purpose built/made for hunting but I have lugged that heavy ***** around.

The advantages of .308 or 30-06 are numerous. I'm a novice hunter but in essence, 30 Cal offers several bullet weights. 30 Cal is King in my opinion when it comes to hunting applications (in ethical hunting ranges). 30 Cal projectiles are well established in the bullet industry with variety.

More importantly, 30 Cal projectiles produce in most cases significantly more energy than other caliber/cartridge offerings. From what I've gathered, the biggest criticism of .308 & 30-06 is their external ballistics (or drop/wind shift).

That's a valid point, but it also depends on the hunter's marksmanship and experience. Buying a tits rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor doesn't make you a great shot. The 30-06 is a more versatile caliber than 308 because of the weights it can handle.

I now own a .270 under Webley & Scott name (manuf. by Howa). In all honesty, I wish I had gotten a 30-06. For three primary reasons.

1. Ammo availability & variety
2. Terminal ballistics (energy)
3. Practicality- I don't want to shoot game beyond 250-300 yds, in which drop and wind are not as significant as at further distances.

The .270 produces a smidge bit more energy than .308. In reality short action cartridges like .308, 6.5/.260, .243 are relatively efficient and can produce enough energy at close ranges. "Shot placement" is hyped up a lot, but that requires great marksmanship, which is achieved more easily at closer ranges.

In essence, enjoy the process. Don't worry about big egos on here.


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[Isacpotatoes]

One last comment. For the love of God do not buy a Remington rifle without knowing production date. Please. I recommend Ruger, Savage, or Tikka. (I like my Howa, but not a big enough pool sample to pull from with my friends etc.)


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[oak18]

I do have a Remington 783 or I would not be recommending it and defending it. I also have Ruger, Savage, Mossberg, and other Remington rifles. I don't own any Tikka rifles but have seen/shot a few. That is how I know 783 wasn't a waste of money. My view/opinion isn't just from an internet search.

[Bisley]

With the money you save learning on a rimfire caliber learning to shoot you will be able to afford multiple medium caliber hunting rifles! Even cheap FMJ ammo for a 5.56 at $7/20 is more expensive than a 50 round box of 17HMR. Not to mention after June you will not be able to legally hunt with that FMJ junk. Same goes for 22lr, no lead after June and lead free 22lr sucks.

By skipping on a rimfire do you have any idea how much $$$ you will have to spend to become comfortable with a centerfire before you hunt with it. And even if you can find cheap bulk ammo for a 30-06 or .308, you will still spend a boat load of $$$ trying to find a lead free load it likes. Lead free does NOT shoot anything like lead core ammo, not to mention the almost $2 a round cost!

Get a $200-300 17 HMR, like a Savage 93r17, and a $150ish scope and learn to shoot it, then hunt squirrels and rabbits which are found everywhere. THEN take the $$$ you saved and buy you a nice medium caliber rifle and go put the new skills you learned to work.

[TMB 1]

I think it's more of a few bad experiences parroted by many. I could see you being upset with Remington if you'd said it was your bad experience and not I read it on the internet.

I haven't had any bad experiences with my Savage rifles either, only thing that bugs me about Savage is their low cost rifles use expensive magazines that aren't any better made than the 783's magazines.