Browning A Bolt
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My brother's number one deer getter is a Lightweight Medallion A-bolt in 30-06. He has used it for around 10 years or so.
Nice rifle, fairly accurate but its light weight and easy carrying feature will beat you to death, launching the mighty 30-06. You don't get something for nothing! If it had a heavier barrel or in a lighter caliber, it might be a great rifle, but in its lightweight trim...it makes the 30-06 very hard on the shoulder.
In 243 Winny, the A-bolt ought to be a real sweetheart to shoot. I have a Savage 99 in 243 and love it. Low recoil and deadly accurate. The 243 (with the right bullet) can make a decent deer round and is hell on coyotes.
Yeah...if it appeals to you..go for it. They're very well made rifles and a proven design. I prefer the Remington M-700 or a Mauser variant in my boltgun selsction...but thats a really a personal choice.
- brickboy240
Nice rifle, fairly accurate but its light weight and easy carrying feature will beat you to death, launching the mighty 30-06. You don't get something for nothing! If it had a heavier barrel or in a lighter caliber, it might be a great rifle, but in its lightweight trim...it makes the 30-06 very hard on the shoulder.
In 243 Winny, the A-bolt ought to be a real sweetheart to shoot. I have a Savage 99 in 243 and love it. Low recoil and deadly accurate. The 243 (with the right bullet) can make a decent deer round and is hell on coyotes.
Yeah...if it appeals to you..go for it. They're very well made rifles and a proven design. I prefer the Remington M-700 or a Mauser variant in my boltgun selsction...but thats a really a personal choice.
- brickboy240
Thanks for the response...I'm just on a budget and looking for the best deal I can find, not really partial to any brand as I have never owned a bolt action before. I notice that Tikka T3 Hunter's are about the same price and come with an accuracy guarantee.
As for Remington 700..which would make a good starter rifle. I have heard to stay away from anything other than m700..ex 770 or whatever the cheap combo version is.
As for Remington 700..which would make a good starter rifle. I have heard to stay away from anything other than m700..ex 770 or whatever the cheap combo version is.
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Yep. I bought mine for around $450 in 1996. It is a ABolt 2 30-06. I really like the bolt on them and the action is excellent. I have tagged deer at 300+ yards over the years and have found that the 168gr Winchester Ballistic Tip has worked the best for me.
Make sure to get some good glass for it and you will kill many deer
Make sure to get some good glass for it and you will kill many deer
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I'd GLADLY take the Tikka T3 over the A-Bolt Browning.
My uncle has a T3 in 270 Winchester (same caliber as my old M700 Remmy) and it is very accurate and a great shooter. Tikkas are really nice rifles.
Are you sold on the 30-06, because the 270 Winchester is as good on deer and has a little less recoil and is very accurate. I picked up my M-700BDL in 270 lightly used, for almost half what a new one sells for.
- Brickboy240
PS: Yes...you're right about Remington bolt guns...buy only the M-700 ADL or BDL and skip their newer and lower budget offerings as they're usually not as good.
My uncle has a T3 in 270 Winchester (same caliber as my old M700 Remmy) and it is very accurate and a great shooter. Tikkas are really nice rifles.
Are you sold on the 30-06, because the 270 Winchester is as good on deer and has a little less recoil and is very accurate. I picked up my M-700BDL in 270 lightly used, for almost half what a new one sells for.
- Brickboy240
PS: Yes...you're right about Remington bolt guns...buy only the M-700 ADL or BDL and skip their newer and lower budget offerings as they're usually not as good.
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Definitely avoid the remington 770, the combo budget gun they have out right now. Its shoots decently, but aside from being just plain ugly as hell, it is fairly flimsy. I bought one about a year and a half ago, right before deer season last year. It lasted me one season and it felt like it might last one more before it fell apart. I traded that quickly for a remington 700.
Anything in the 700 model line is a good place to start (I personally have my eye on the 700 mountain lss, but thats a whole other topic). The browning is also a good rifle, but if you can find a tikka for that price that is a steal. They usually run at least 650 to 700 round here. If your on a budget, dont rule out savage. They make some very nice rifles, even their budget rifle the stevens 200 is a solid gun.
Like another post already said though, beware getting a lightweight rifle in a hard hitting caliber. Some people can handle it, but most cant (even though not too many will admit that)
Anything in the 700 model line is a good place to start (I personally have my eye on the 700 mountain lss, but thats a whole other topic). The browning is also a good rifle, but if you can find a tikka for that price that is a steal. They usually run at least 650 to 700 round here. If your on a budget, dont rule out savage. They make some very nice rifles, even their budget rifle the stevens 200 is a solid gun.
Like another post already said though, beware getting a lightweight rifle in a hard hitting caliber. Some people can handle it, but most cant (even though not too many will admit that)
I'm not sold at all on a 30-06...in fact, I have shot one and hated it. I'm really looking at a .270, .308 or 25-06. The Tikka's are the stainless with the hardwood stock and are absolutely beautiful..even my wife thinks so...she normally rolls her eyes . I also handled a Marlin XL-7..it's about $325 but feels really nicely made.
I also handled a Remington 700 VTR in .308..the one with the triangular barrel, but at $650 is a bit out of my price range. So many choices..not enough money at all...especially with a baby a week away!
. I also handled a Marlin XL-7..it's about $325 but feels really nicely made. I also handled a Remington 700 VTR in .308..the one with the triangular barrel, but at $650 is a bit out of my price range. So many choices..not enough money at all...especially with a baby a week away!
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I went to the range with my uncle, when he first bought his T3 in 270. I wanted to zero in my M700 270 at the same time.
His T3 shot 100yd groups at or under 1 inch from start to finish. Hot barrel, cold barrel...didn't matter. Every group we shot could easily be covered with a quarter. Thats bone stock with a new Bushnell 3x9x40 scope that we had mounted that morning and bore-sighted. Pretty impressive for a bone stock rifle!
Admittedly, my M700 will do that...but I had to float the barrel and do a trigger job to get it there.
So yeah, as long as you're not going after bears, moose or elk...the 270 T3 might be a good choice. The 25-06 is a good open range round, but it does not have the bullet weight range of the 270 Winny.
Do some research on the calibers and you'll see that like the 30-06, the 270 Winny really has alot going for it.
- brickboy240
His T3 shot 100yd groups at or under 1 inch from start to finish. Hot barrel, cold barrel...didn't matter. Every group we shot could easily be covered with a quarter. Thats bone stock with a new Bushnell 3x9x40 scope that we had mounted that morning and bore-sighted. Pretty impressive for a bone stock rifle!
Admittedly, my M700 will do that...but I had to float the barrel and do a trigger job to get it there.
So yeah, as long as you're not going after bears, moose or elk...the 270 T3 might be a good choice. The 25-06 is a good open range round, but it does not have the bullet weight range of the 270 Winny.
Do some research on the calibers and you'll see that like the 30-06, the 270 Winny really has alot going for it.
- brickboy240
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That's me and my Browning A-Bolt II with BOSS. It's a .270 Win.
I've had it since I was 15 years old. I am 28 now. It's my favorite rifle and I've killed so many deer with it all my life, including a huge 8 point buck that was 198lbs, shooting off hand at almost 200 yards slightly uphill.
Whenever someone is thinking of a rifle, I always suggest the Browning A-Bolt. It's an excellent rifle, I love the short throw in the bolt action.
You won't be disappointed if you got a Browning A-Bolt, but I'd suggest a .270 instead of a .243.
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