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If you are starting out I'd suggest you go a light caliber, a 223 and a light gun like an AR15, but that is $2k. Otherwise a decent bolt action like a CZ at about $1200.
That caliber will be good to practice with, light to carry and fairly cheap to run. Plan on using 1000 rounds or about $800 in ammo practicing.
Should of gone with a 243 lol. But then again, my back up rifle is a 308 so good choice. Not sure about the A7, better value out there i recken. But if you must dont they do a package deal with the Burris fullfield ii 3-9-40 with that.( Good scope). Still, browning x bolt would be a better choice than a A7. Only because all i heard is people want to sell them to "upgrade" and dont hear a shit load about how good they are. On the other hand the x bolts sell out faster than i can gut a deerQuote:
Originally Posted by TyrinnS
Ooh my god I can't believe I have just seen this thread, 3 pages and only started last night:wtfsmilie:
I love the 308, don't think you can go wrong, in saying that I haven't played with much else (yet), nothing wrong with buying more guns after the fact if you feel the need.
Scopes well that's a different story, how much do you want to spend (I've normally run out off money after buying the gun) how far do you want to shoot (that doesn't really matter because you will always want to shoot further).
Join the club, your f##ked either way:ORLY:
Hope that helped :D
Make sure the A7 has the upgraded stock, the first ones were too fragile around the front sling swivel and would break with bipod use, I am fairly sure they upgraded the stock to fix this teething problem??
As for scope what kind of country do you intend to hunt?
A VX6 2-12 or 3-18 would cover pretty much any scenario in any of NZs islands
Nothing wrong with a A7 .308! My friends 7mm-08 A7 printed clovers at 100 with the first reloads he made. Only thing is the stock thing VC mentioned but the new stocks should be alright?
I love my remmington 7mm-08. Just my 2c worth.
300 RUM. that will have you sorted for all game in NZ
Congrats on passing the first obstacle. By going with an A7 in 308 you have chosen a rifle you feel comfortable with and a calibre that will humanely drop anything you shoot
Are you bush hunting or tops shooting?
I remember wondering why there was such an attitude of calibre not matering when I made my thread like this. Now I understand, haha.
308 is a good choice - the same way I eventually went. Spend as much as you can on a scope. The old, "spend as much on the scope as the rifle cost," is a good guide. You won't regret it. You will regret buying $400 pieces of crap unless you limit yourself to quite close range. The scope's more important than the rifle if anything.
When I was young I wanted to shoot lots of dears with my gun too.Quote:
Originally Posted by TyrinnS
Quote:
Originally Posted by 10-Ring
I still do! :D:D:yaeh am not durnk: However wanting to and the harsh reality of middle age family man are two different things :wtfsmilie:
I use a 243 in the UK and shoot Foxes, muntjac, Roe and Fallow with it and it does the job well, But Im not sure Id want to shoot a big Red stag in the roar with it. If I were in your shoes I think Id go 308...
There are a couple of very good, reliable scopes around for under the 400 mark. They may not be fancy, but they sure as hell workQuote:
Originally Posted by MattyP
What are the nikko diamond scopes like for entry level centrefire?Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick-D
Shooting 308 indicates he won't be shooting at extreme ranges.
My Sako 75 308 has a Weaver V9 sitting on top. Works fine and proven in the bush from 8m (deer was a bit blurry at 3m so waited for a better picture) to my longest shot 137m across a gulley.
Quality of optics for sure but don't need to spend $kazillion to put food on the table. Unless the Weaver breaks it won't be coming off
Not sure why people say such nonsence. A 243 will bowl a very big stag anytime over no problem, esp in the roar bush stalking where the distance shooting is going to be shortish.Its a proven fact that if you about to shoot a 140-150kg stag with a 243 the bestplace to aim for is the shoulder and its yours. Why, because the best perforance out of a 243 round is where it hits bone and thats a fact. Behind the shoulder on a big stag still will kill it but it could run quite a long way before it drops hence some people lose it. Neck shot will kill it on spot but a big stag can have a big blown up neck and room for error not hitting it right in the spot hence again can drop one then its up and off. Middle of the shoulder its dead and wont go far at all if anywhere. 243 is way under rated in the roar. Last roar i shot 4 good stags, biggest 140kg plus, another one at least 120kg all one shot kills and the most anyone of the stags went was 50m which i shot in the chest. A 243 is awesome out to 200m and for roar hunting thats whats coming with me, even thou a have just got a 308 for longer ranges. Still, a 308 is even better at longer ranges but a 243 will do anything a 308 will do with 0 200 m with shotplacement. Aim at that shoulder young man!!Quote:
Originally Posted by hawkfish
And that is what it is all about - shot placement
I have seen a mate drop a 12pt with a 223. When we put it on the hook it weighed 76kg. A heavy carry
Nothing wrong with the Weavers IMO, I have a v9 on my 308 and have shot wallabies out to 300+ with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by sako75
I think some people tend to exaggerate how much you need to spend on gear for normal hunting, nothing wrong with spending the extra if you want something nicer but a $1000 scope won't necessarily get you any more animals than a $400 scope! (unless you're shooting longer range, in which case you probably have enough experience that you don't need to ask about it on a forum).
I wouldn't go so far as to say it's nonsense. As you pointed out, good shot placement with a .243 is sufficient. The problem can arise when a new hunter and some not so new too, get buck fever and may not place the shot in the best spot, especially on a big Red stag like we get here in our local pine forests. Some of these stags can go over 170kgs dressed and you don't want them running 50m. A heavier cartridge such as the .308 30/06 etc with a suitable bullet gives a little more leeway as regards shot placement.Quote:
Originally Posted by deer243
I didn't mean that all $400 scopes were rubbish....but there's definitely some that are. All I am saying is that he's bought a nice rifle...A7's aren't at the low end, so why put a cheap scope on it and limit it? If I was him I would try my best to put a nice scope on it to make it useable at various ranges. And you pay for scopes with large multipliers (2-10x or 2-12x or 3-18x, etc).
Otherwise he will be here in 6 months or a year asking what calibre/scope for longer range, or for closer range. That's part of the fun....I realize that. But for my first centerfire I wanted something I could use from a few meters to a few hundred meters. Will end up saving him $$ in the long run.
Exactly MattyP :)
And projectile selection, projectile selection for the calibre and intended use is far more important than the actual chambering or calibre of bore.Quote:
Originally Posted by 10-Ring
His best to hit bone may be true of factory 100gr rounds but not of many others.
I bought a world class 2-7 x32 tasco 25 years ago when I built my Mauser.
It was the best I could afford and the small objective allowed me too keep the scope low and retain the iron sights.
I went for grunty weaver rings and too this day Ive never regretted it.
Its a fantastic bush scope , but I still prefer the little rossi when im exploreing .
Bang for buck - Nikon Monarch, you will not buy a better scope for less. They pop up second Han in mint condition on tard me all the time for a steal too, I paid $250 for the last one I got.
It's still good for a 2 year old spika, my freezer tells me that but some big raring bull, nah thanks.... Nice calibre and one i am looking atQuote:
Originally Posted by hawkfish
Yes, you quite right there veitnamcam. Projectile selection is very important for the intended range and the animal you after. Some are crap out at longer ranges. Some arent flash at closer ranges, bit like horses for courses. I use factory 100gr powershoks and they are awesome with it comes to knockdown power. Cant see any reason why i would change due to the fact they work so well. I have used other ammo in the past and some of them struggled to bowl a goat over so a bad projectile choice can change the view on how good you view the calibre. Re loading prob is a good way to go but 99 pcent of my hunting is bush stalking or within 250m so factory ammo that works does me fine. Mate swears by the 95gr ssts for the longer range with a 243 when it comes to factory rounds. Lots use 87gr or 80gr with the 243, esp people that reload. I wonder if the lighter pill is a factor on big stags in its knock down power? I have no idea, as always used 100gr and they do the job(nearlyoverkill on fallow). My second back up rifle is a 308, be no differnt, good projectile choice and shot placement will make the difference in the end on how sucessful it will be (and my shooting lol)Quote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam
The blue box federal or rem cor loc in 150 will suit your hunting with the 308
The rem corlokts work well on deer, mushroom out well and go right through to produce exit wound. Used them in my 308 with great success
I killed a fecking big red the other day with a 55gr bullet :cool: 100 seems overkill??! ;) :p
Sorry, just had to skyte. Pics of the new gun when it arrives, OP!!
Seen big reds run away from a 55gr as well just saying:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougie
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Nice lol. Was just saying on the few fallow i have shot i shot one in the middle of the shoulder with the 100gr feds and it totally fu ked it lol. Not only did it totally smash the shoulder to bits but it went though and hit the top of the leg on the otherside and blew the leg of just hanging by the skin. Was a real mess so the next two i shot just behind the shoulder and that worked fine but one did run 50 odd metres.At the same time i was sold on the Fed powershoks after that as i was looking for knockdown power esp on reds and havnt looked back with the stuff. Still yet to lose any animal with it after any hit so thats all you can ask.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougie
Cheers for the advice Veitnamcam and others on 308 choice. I have gone with the REM corelolts, not only have i heard good things about them(esp 0-300m) but seems right using they with a Rememinton 700. Seems to shoot ok, i see how it goes but still wouldnt mind trying something else for grouping comparsing but cant see buying adifferent packs just for that at the moment as the rems should be ok
Seen a few reds run away from a plethora of other cals too, just sayin; ;) practice makes perfect and I have learned to not squeeze the trigger unless I am 100% sure that in a second, that deer in the crosshairs is going to be dead.Quote:
Originally Posted by BRADS
My point was its not a good cal to start with hunting imo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougie
When you've had a few years under your belt and lots of animals then yeah if that's your thing using a bunny gun and you no its limitations then go hard.
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I completely agree, but don't put it on the projectile - put it on the shooter!!Quote:
Originally Posted by BRADS
One day you'll shoot a red in the neck with your 223.......it will run away. You'll be like maybe that's what he was talking about:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougie
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Hahahaha okay Bradly, but as long as it's on your farm and nowhere else. Bwahahahaha hot barrels. Now fuck off and let this newbie go pay for his 308 :P come back when he's asking if a Burris Eliminator is a good first scope :ORLY:Quote:
Originally Posted by BRADS
Now if he puts an eliminator on a 308 he'll have something terrible Gwen:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougie
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I think bush hunting you also have to take into account branches/twigs etc that may be in the flight path which heavier projectile are less effected by
Starting on first and last names now??????
Yeah I dunno why he busted out the G word, I only get that from my mother who I haven't seen since I was 17......so what's up with that, DUNCAN????!! :PQuote:
Originally Posted by sako75
:thumbsup: well done Dougie
When you said Bradley I thought WTF