Help me decide on what to get!

[Ub3rDorK]

So im looking to spend about $400-$500 OTD maybe a little more on a rifle since i ruled out another handgun. Im not a big pistol shooter so i decided to wait on another one. So what im gonna be using it for is nothing special. I like to go to the desert and punch paper at a couple hundred yards and POSSIBLY when i go to virignia to visit a friend to hunt deer/varmint's.

So the ones ive looked at is a Savage 111, Savage Edge, used remington 700 SPS. I used to own a Remington 700 ADL in .270 but i sold it to a friend that would put more use out of it for hunting.

What about round size? everyone i talk to say 308, but what about the smaller rounds in 243 or even 223? Ive never been deer hunting before so im kind of unsure. I have a feeling im going to get a 308.

Any type of info would be greatly appreciated.

[mzimmers]

Savage is a great affordable rifle. The newer models look much nicer too, without that barrel nut that used to drive people crazy.

.308 would be fine; .243 would be a bit more economical. If you're going to use it for deer, I'd avoid .223 unless you can stalk close enough for a reliable head shot.

[tomd1584]

two threads on the same thing, huh?

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=340054

[Pat Riot]

I've never shot any of these, but I dream of the day when I can afford a Remmington 700 with a nice Leupold 10x. Granted the optics is 2x more than the rifle.